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CHEVROLET INDYCAR AT LONG BEACH: Team Chevy Race Report

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT
APRIL 21, 2024

CHEVROLET FINISHES THE ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH WITH FIVE IN THE TOP-11

  • Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, led Team Chevy at the checkered flag in a tough Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, finishing fourth his 200th career NTT INDYCAR SERIES event and 149th with Chevrolet. The two-time series champion and defending Indianapolis 500 winner led for 19 of the 85-lap race.
  • Will Power, Team Penske teammate to Newgarden and driver of the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, finished sixth, after showing strength and pace all weekend. He started the race in second position, on the Streets of Long Beach. The former champion and Indianapolis 500 winner took the lead in the first corner and led the race for 15 laps.
  • Rounding out the top-11 and representing Chevrolet, Romain Grosjean, driver of the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, finished eight, and Alexander Rossi, driver of the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet finished 10th. Additionally, Théo Pourchaire, driving the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, finished 11th in his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race after starting 22nd.
  • Pourchaire, the French rookie who was tapped to drive to fill in for injured David Malukas, had to opportunity to learn and prepare for Long Beach by spending a session in the Chevrolet simulator at the General Motors Tech Center in Charlotte.
  • Josef Newgarden paced the morning warm-up session for Team Chevy, finishing the 30-minute practice third with his fastest lap of 01:07.1814 seconds.

TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 RACE RESULTS:
4th Josef Newgarden
6th Will Power
8th Romain Grosjean
10th Alexander Rossi

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:

“It was just unfortunate to finish back. I was thinking we were going to get a run on (Scott) Dixon there. Just couldn’t quite get him. The Hitachi Chevrolet team did a great job. I can’t be more proud of the work we did. Fast car, great pit stops. They were aces all around. It was a good team effort. Top-five, we’ll have to take that today.”

On the incident with Colton Herta…

“That seems pretty black and white to me, but I’d ask the question to everybody else. If it were in the reverse, I’d expect to be penalized.”

A win and a pole are still pretty good so far. How do you feel on the progress so far this season?

“Yes, great. The team did amazing. Just amazing.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:

“Obviously very disappointing to DNF with an Odyssey Battery Chevy that was so fast. I got us off on the wrong foot by missing a key corner in qualifying, losing a couple of tenths a second. We were much better than an 11th-place car in qualifying. Then you look at the race and we were on the same strategy as (Scott) Dixon and looked to be in a good spot for a solid day. The gearbox issue that ended our day was just the final straw. Again, disappointing to say the least but we head to Barber next looking for a second win there.”

Will Power, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:

“Rough. We had an incredibly fast Verizon Chevy. Had a choice to take the yellow and take tires and have massive fuel save and go hard, but we made the most of what we had there. We didn’t have any green tires to run in those fuel save stints, so we didn’t have any defense against (Scott) Dixon. Otherwise, it would have been fine to do exactly what he did. Disappointing with how far we started up, but still a top-six. All you can do is maximize each day and move on to the next one.”

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“First, I’m sorry to the Arrow McLaren team. I limited our ability to push for strong results today – at least for two cars. I take full responsibility for a rough race, but it will be a quick turn to Barber where we’ll re-group and look to bounce back.”

Théo Pourchaire, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“It was a crazy, crazy race. I enjoyed it. My first INDYCAR weekend is done now. We had a strong performance, so I’m super happy. I have to thank the onsemi Arrow McLaren Chevy team for the car. The car was awesome today. I was the biggest mover of the race, which is amazing from 22nd to 11th. Super happy with that. I have to thank the whole INDYCAR organization. The championship is amazing. The racing is here. Long Beach is a crazy good place, and I hope to be back in the future there. I learned much more in the race, it’s crazy. Every five laps in a row, many pit stops, out laps, in laps, saving fuel, overtaking cars, and I enjoyed it. The performance was great. It’s pure racing in INDYCAR. Physically, it’s tough. I’m quite tired right now, but it was a dream come true to do an INDYCAR race for me, with McLaren. Such a legendary brand and racing team. I’m quite emotional, but it’s amazing. I don’t realize it yet, but I’m super happy.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“We had a tough weekend dealing with some unique situations. We made some good steps overnight, into the warm-up and into the race. There will always be a check-up when you start that far back and, unfortunately, Pato (O’Ward) didn’t have anywhere to go. It was just one of those accordion moments. We shifted into recovery mode from there and the team did a good job to hang in and get us into the top 10.”

Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:

“Yeah, it was tricky. I feel like we’ve had a good weekend so far. We’ve got up to speed quick in our practices. Not the qualifying we wanted, but the race was unfortunate. Tapped the wall out of (turn) 11. Thought the car was fine. My steering wheel was a little bit off, but I thought it was a bent toe link, but then when I went into (turn) four, I think it just completely snapped and it went around. Not how I wanted to end the day. I’m sorry to the boys, and it’s going to be a quick turnaround to Barber, but we’ll come back stronger.”

Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:

“That was a tough race. We chose to start on the greens, and I hoped I could pass some guys. Then, I felt like the pace was pretty good on greens. Unfortunately, lost a bit of time on that first pit sequence. Then, couldn’t really hold on all the way throughout that second stint on greens, but still pretty good I’d say. Then, at the end, there were some guys where everybody was on different strategy. Hoped to make up some more ground, but I really struggled on the blacks. It was just pretty hard to drive at that point. Still moved up, but wished I could’ve made it into the top-12 in the No. 21 Chevy.

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:

“The race was what it was. We took a gamble with the pit stops. Everyone can always Monday quarterback, but we kind of figured we either end up in the top-10 or 21st. We ended up 21st. The Sexton Properties Chevrolet is in one piece, and we move on to Barber.”

Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:

“We have concluded the Long Beach Grand Prix on somewhat of a high note. Really proud of the Sexton Properties Chevrolet team. We had some really good pit stops that were clean. We made up a few spots along the way on strategy and made up some spots in the end based off of that early racing stint and avoiding the attrition. Super proud of the team and super proud of the progress we made through the weekend. We needed a clean day, and today was that clean day. Now we can build momentum heading into Barber. I want to thank the Pray.com crew. We’re here pretty much on the front porch here in California, having them here with their support and cheers. We’re looking forward to the next one.”

Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:

“P16 to P8, it was a great Long Beach Grand Prix for us. Agustin (Canapino) had a great race as well. It was a great race for us as a team. We can be proud of that. We improved a lot from St. Pete, and I’m happy that we were able to show such a strong outing on the track. Can’t wait for next weekend in Barber.”

Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:

“Another 15th for us. We are really happy. The execution was really, really good. Unfortunately, the strategy wasn’t the best at the end. We had bad luck, honestly, with the strategy. The execution as perfect. Thanks to the whole team for the excellent pit stops. The pace was incredible. We finished 15th in a really difficult race. Very high level for everybody. Top-15, more points, and we are really happy. Hope for more in the next race.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Meyer Shank Racing Continues Early Momentum with Ninth-Place Run in Long Beach

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Official Release
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LONG BEACH, Calif., (21 April 2024) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) continued building on one of the early success stories of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season as MSR newcomer Felix Rosenqvist started from pole and finished ninth in Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Teammate Tom Blomqvist experienced early damage to his front wing and played catch up to cross the line 22nd.

The weekend started with Rosenqvist’s No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda atop the qualifying results as MSR earned its first series pole. On Sunday, the team set another team standard, as the ninth-place result added to MSR’s 25 career top ten finishes.

After leading one lap, Rosenqvist dropped off the lead, but stayed in the top five through the first half of the race as he managed an issue with his brakes. He stayed out with the lead group when a Lap 17 caution split the field in half from a fuel strategy standpoint, but ran with the leaders through the 85 trips around the 1.968-mile Long Beach street course.

The Swedish-born driver started the day’s final stint from 12th place, rejoining the fray after a stop on Lap 60. He fought his way towards the top five over the last 25 laps of the day before settling for a hard-fought ninth-place result.

His teammate Blomqvist (No. 66 AutoNation / Arctic Wolf Honda) had another afternoon of education in his rookie year of INDYCAR racing. The former IMSA Champion took the green flag from a career-best 15th on the grid. A typical Long Beach traffic jam caused Blomqvist to make contact, damaging the front wing. A Lap 17 caution period saw the team service the car to refuel and change tires as well as ascertain the damage ahead of making a nose change.

As the race went green, Blomqvist returned to the track in clean air as the team worked to optimize the fuel strategy as the race ran green all the way to the finish, with Blomqvist crossing the line 22nd.

Rosenqvist’s finish kept him in seventh in the provisional season standings after two championship events. His 50 points has him just 11 markers out of a spot in the top five.

MSR will trade the concrete canyons of Long Beach for the relatively open spaces of Barber Motorsports Park outside of Birmingham, Alabama as the series heads to the 2.3-mile permanent road course next week for the Children’s Grand Prix of Alabama.

Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:

Felix Rosenqvist: “The opening segment is where we essentially lost the race. We had some issues with the brakes: they were running really hot, so I was really off on my bias and had to chase it. We really lacked braking performance, which meant I kept getting passed in turn one, inside and outside. Without braking confidence, you can’t protect and you can’t go forward. But the team did well despite that, we kept our heads cool – even though it sucked to go plummeting down the field. We are looking at the big picture and a top ten result for the team is still really great for us. Of course we would have liked to translate the pole into a win, but this is good momentum for everyone.”

Tom Blomqvist: “It was not a great day for us. It all went wrong at the start: we got stuck in a traffic jam at the fountain which did some damage to the wing. That messed things up a bit. It’s just one of those days in motorsport where you have to learn a lot so you don’t repeat those mistakes. We changed the wing, but we probably did it at the wrong time and that put us a lap down and our race was over. Though we’re obviously frustrated with how the weekend’s gone, we’ve got to take the small positives from it.”

CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: Points for Both TF Sport Corvettes

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Official Release
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Weather main factor in seventh-, eighth-place finishes in wild Six Hours of Imola

IMOLA, Italy (April 21, 2024) – TF Sport’s two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs finished in points-paying positions Sunday with seventh- and eighth-place LMTGT3 finishes in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Imola.

It marked the second race in the FIA WEC for the first-year Corvette GT3 car and first trip to Imola for the Corvette program. In the end, the results were positive: TF Sport was one of two teams in the class to have both its cars finish in the top-10, and Chevrolet was one of two manufacturers to have multiple entries finish eighth or better.

Charlie Eastwood, Tom Van Rompuy and Rui Andrade led the way for TF Sport with a seventh-place finish in the No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, one spot ahead of the No. 82 Corvette of Daniel Juncadella, Hiro Koizumi and Sebastien Baud.

The race featured seven full-course yellow periods – including two in the opening 40 minutes – and two safety car periods. There was chaos at the start with Van Rompuy getting the better of it by gaining four spots in his first two laps. He and Koizumi, who ran as high as ninth after starting 13th, drove nearly two hours at the start to firmly put both Corvettes inside the top-10 and eligible for points.

Andrade and Baud were up next, although they had the worst of changing weather conditions just past the halfway point. Both kept their Z06 GT3.Rs on track throughout their stints in the challenging conditions – other teams weren’t as fortunate – before TF Sport elected to be the first LMGT3 team to opt for wet-weather tires. The team made the switch with two hours to go as Eastwood and Juncadella got in their respective Corvettes. Unfortunately the high level of grip in the track meant laptimes didn’t significantly differ between those cars that changed to wet tires and those who stayed on warm slick tires.

The two Corvettes switched back to dry tires just outside the final hour but race traffic and a still-wet surface made challenging for the top-five too much to overcome.

TF Sport’s next race in the FIA WEC is the Six Hours of Spa on Saturday, May 11.

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 TF SPORT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a very interesting race. Weather played a massive role in it. The TF guys did a great job in making the right calls. The track has such high grip that even when the guys were on slicks, they were still able to generate a lot of grip and temperature when we were on the wets. It balanced out basically the same although I probably had a nicer experience than they did. All in all, P7 in the end. Not what we want but it was a pretty solid race on our side. We know what we need to get closer to the front.”

TOM VAN ROMPUY, NO. 81 TF SPORT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was quite a hectic start of the race. A couple of GTs touched each other but I managed to surf through all the dangers and pick up three positions on the first lap. On the second lap, I think I found another position. We had a really good first and second stint with no issues. I really also tried to pay attention to track limits and tried to save a bit on the car in case we needed to fight later on. So we have a really good feeling.”

RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 TF SPORT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was definitely difficult to the end. As a driver getting out soon, you have to give the team good information. It was so difficult because half the track was completely wet and half the track was completely dry. Those were very stressful last few moments in trying to decide what was the right tire to be on. We decided to go on wets but it was definitely tricky either way.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a bit of a wild race for sure. It’s a shame. We were looking very strong in the mixed conditions when the track was very difficult. I made up a lot of ground. We gambled on the strategy with an hour to go because we saw a car in the gravel and I pitted with 57 minutes left, and normally a stint is 45 minutes. So I had to cruise to the end and saved a lot of fuel to make it to the finish. It didn’t pay off this time, but it was good fun out there in these conditions. I enjoyed it and enjoyed driving the Corvette again.”

SEBASTIEN BAUD, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a crazy race. Our start with Hiro wasn’t too bad and we ran in the top-10. I felt really good in the first stint and I was happy with the car because I was fast. In my second stint, I was on the same tires with a full tank. It was much more difficult to push and I lost a little more time compared to my first stint. The feeling was very different because the car wasn’t the same driving with a full tank. Toward the end, we had a lot of rain in the last two corners but the first sector was dry. I had a little spin in the safety car queue but did not lose anything. But still it is not a mistake a good driver should make. I will continue to work with my engineer and my teammates to continue improving for the next race.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Cadillac at Imola: Hard-fought 10th-place finish

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Official Release
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No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R advances two positions from qualifying to score first point

IMOLA, Italy (April 21, 2024) – The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R scored its first Hypercar point of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, advancing two positions from its qualifying spot to place 10th in the 6 Hours of Imola.

A day after the sister No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R finished 1-2 in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race on the streets of Long Beach, California, Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber combined to drive another solid race by managing traffic and tires under difficult track conditions.

Rain pelted sectors of the 3-mile (4.9 km), 21-turn Autodromo Internazionale Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit, with Race Control declaring the course wet with 2 hours, 18 minutes left.

Lynn, who qualified seventh in the season-opening race last month at Qatar and was behind the wheel in the 12-minute qualifying at Imola, started the race and endured a damaged rear wing sustained at the green flag and a right-rear tire puncture from debris on his second stint that forced an unplanned pit stop.

With 3 hours, 23 minutes left, Lynn handed off to Bamber, who regained positions and was running 12th when the course was declared wet and the Safety Car on track for an incident. After pitting for Michelin wet tires with 2 hours, 4 minutes left, Bamber proceeded to gain three spots with on-track moves over the next 45 minutes.

Bamber would run on one set of wet tires for a total of 1 hours, 26 minutes until pitting for energy and used slick tires with 38 minutes remaining as the track dried and battles for position heated up.

Toyota spoiled the party for the “home” Hypercar entries by winning in Italy for the second consecutive year. Former Cadillac Racing drivers Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi teamed with Nyck de Vries in the No. 7 Toyota GRD10 to win by 7 seconds in the race that covered 205 laps.

The facility, which hosted its first race in 1953 and last Intercontinental Le Mans Cup — precursor of the WEC — race in 2011, replaced Monza on the WEC calendar this year as the latter is undergoing scheduled work.

Cadillac Racing will prepare for its next WEC race – May 10-12 at Spa-Francorchamps, where the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R qualified fourth and finished fifth in 2023. The race weekend is concurrent with the IMSA race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande will look to make it two wins in a row in the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and successfully defend their victory from last May at the California road course.

Alex Lynn: “The start of the race first corner was quite busy and we unfortunately got hit from behind that caused some damage. Other than that, the pace seemed really strong. We also got a right-rear puncture, which was a shame. But I think today was by far our best day race-wise, so pleased with how we turned our weekend around a bit. Looking forward to Spa.”

Earl Bamber: “We had good pace and to get one point is a start to the championship after Qatar. The car was fantastic on the wet, and we made the most out of it. It’s always a gamble when you switch from wets to slicks when the forecast is uncertain and only sectors of the track are wet, so all the teams were challenged on what strategy to use. Thanks to the crew and everyone for their efforts. On to Spa.”

Jett Lawrence Wins Nashville Supercross, Re-Claims Sole Possession of Red Plate

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Jett Lawrence Wins Nashville Supercross, Re-Claims Sole Possession of Red Plate

RJ Hampshire Dominates Showdown to Grab Points Lead in Western Regional 250SX Class

Nashville, Tenn., (April 21, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence earned his sixth win of the season with a convincing victory inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nissan Stadium delivered great racing, dramatic setbacks, and a points lead change in all three of the championships. Opening Ceremonies featured a special drop-in from the Frog-X Parachute Team. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac grabbed the Main Event Holeshot and held onto the lead until the midpoint. He finished in second place in the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer event, benefiting the children of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who had tied up the points leading into Nashville, earned third place; the finish puts him back five points with three rounds remaining in the 17-round Monster Energy Supercross season. In the season’s first 250SX East/West Showdown, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire had riders from both regional championships handled and grabbed the win.

“I hate losing, so that bit of a losing streak really sucked. But [I’m] really pumped to come out and get it done here, especially with the Slash and Gibson [designed] gear. Those people are awesome to us, so I have to say a big shout out to them; I reckon it helped a lot. [I] felt good out there [and] hit my marks. A big [bummer] for Kenny, I didn’t get to fully see [Roczen’s crash] because of all the smoke, but it looked like it was pretty bad, so I hope he’s okay or has a speedy recovery from that. But… this [win] is leading in the good direction, so hopefully we keep it going.” – Jett Lawrence, when asked about returning to the top step of the podium after four rounds without a win.

“I was feeling it in the beginning, I’ll tell you what. And I was just trying different lines, and I figured we would have to do something special to get out front. Unfortunately, I didn’t maintain the lead there. I tried my heart out, that’s for sure. [I] had so much fun being up front for those few laps there. I’ll try to get better and better. You know, get better in the second half of the race. And so overall, great night for us, thank you so much, Nashville.” – Eli Tomac, when asked about launching some big jumps in the Main Event.

“I got off to a third-place start, and the guys just rode away from me. So gotta give it: when you’re not on, you’re not on, and tonight I definitely struggled. So I’ll take it; to get on the podium is great. Those boys were riding awesome. And last year I ended my season here [with a crash], so you got a little bit of that in the back of your mind. So, it’s good to get out of here healthy, still in the points hunt, and yep, can’t get ‘em every weekend… I want to give it up to the Good Lord, [my sponsors]… all these fans were great today and yeah, we get back to work this week.” – Cooper Webb

In the 250SX East/West Showdown, which pits riders from the Western Regional & Eastern Regional 250SX Class against one another, the west coast riders took the top two spots. RJ Hampshire grabbed the Holeshot and pulled away from the field; he earned enough points to take over the points lead in the west. Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda took a strong second place. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle earned third, and enough points to move him into first place in the Eastern Regional 250SX Class championship.

“First off, [I’m] just so dang proud of this team. They stuck behind me during those rough couple rounds. Yeah, honestly… there was that break. It was that long six weeks break. I had a couple big crashes, just stupid [mistakes early in the season]. Man, it just kind of dragged me down… But [I] just executed my start in that Main Event, and that’s what I really needed. I mean, I feel like I always have the speed, it’s just executing that start, and giving myself a chance… [That was] just an awesome race. I had a couple moments there in the beginning, settled in, [then] I clicked off my laps… Just a big weight off my shoulders. I knew I could close the points lead tonight, didn’t expect to get the red plate back, but man, I’m so dang happy for my whole team, all our supporters, just everybody that sticks behind us… This Nashville crowd [is] awesome. I love this state. Pretty cool to come away with a win here tonight.” – RJ Hampshire when told he looked like a different rider and asked what made the difference in Nashville.

“For sure, confidence-wise it’s good. Good for me; me and my team worked really hard for this. Honestly, I was stressing so much during the day today. But it’s nice to get this out. With the podium it’s a good confidence booster, for sure. But I really want to win bad, so I’m just [going to] have to keep trying.” – Jo Shimoda, when asked what a good finish at a 250SX East/West Showdown does for his confidence.

“I couldn’t really see Haiden, and saw actually [that] Cameron was pulled over, or had an issue, early in the race. But [I] just tried to stay focused on my own race. I had a good pace; [the] track was pretty sketchy, so you really had to stay focused. And yeah, I’m pretty happy, it was a nice race, the track was actually – I kind of liked it today. I was riding good all day and yeah, two races to go, we’re getting closer.” – Tom Vialle, when asked if he could track where his Eastern Regional 250SX Class competitors were during the race.

The Nashville round also acted as the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer race, which kicks off a yearly auction that raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Love Moto Stop Cancer partnership between Supercross and St. Jude is in its eighth year. The Supercross fans and racing community have raised over 1.5 million dollars for the organization that fights childhood cancer and keeps families together during treatment. The teams and racers increase their support at the special round each year with bike graphics and gear designs inspired by and incorporating art from the young patients at St. Jude. The custom items, along with more great prizes, now go up for auction. Please go to SupercrossLIVE.com/St-Jude to bid. Even if you’re not looking into the auction, you can join the racing community’s efforts by donating; just text SUPER to 785-833.

The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship lines the racers up again next Saturday night inside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. Round fifteen of the 17-round Supercross season also pays points toward the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship. The details for the sport’s post-season racing were recently announced with three events taking place in September.

Each Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Super Motocross World Championship round is streamed live on PeacockTV, with select rounds also broadcast or streamed domestically on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. CNBC airs next-day encore presentations of all 31 rounds of 2024 racing. Live audio for each Supercross race can be found at NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85. International racing coverage is available on the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv), live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish.

Tickets are on sale now for the final three 2024 Monster Energy Supercross events. For ticket sales, video recaps, race results, and event details please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/supercrosslive
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YouTube: youtube.com/supercrosslive
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Official Merch: SupercrossSuperstore.com

About Feld Motor Sports:

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:

Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About the SuperMotocross World Championship:

The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About the American Motorcyclist Association:

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.

Dan Knox and Lone Star Racing Victorious Saturday in the GT America Sprint Race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Official Release
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Knox Leads Every Race Lap from the Pole in His No. 10 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2 for Another Victory at a Major North American Motorsports Venue

LONG BEACH, California (April 20, 2024) – Dan Knox and his Lone Star Racing team continued their recent run of winning success on the grandest stages in motorsports with a flag-to-flag victory from the pole Saturday in the first of two GT America powered by AWS sprint races at the 49th running of the legendary Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Knox took control of the race from the green flag in the No. 10 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2 and led all 30 race laps run in the 40-minute timed sprint for the GT2-class victory. Knox crossed the finish line with a 2.260 second margin-of-victory and also set the fastest GT2 race lap.

The victory came in Knox’s first race start of the 2024 season after winning the opening round of last year’s season-ending GT America race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in the major debut race of the Mercedes-AMG GT2 in North America. Saturday’s triumph in the nation’s premier street race also came 10 years after Knox and Lone Star Racing won a similar GTA sprint race on the temporary Detroit Grand Prix circuit at Belle Isle.

“Street races seem to be my specialty,” Knox said. “I’ve always done well at them and always wanted to win Long Beach. It was a great opportunity, a great chance to race here this weekend and we’re so excited. The crew and everybody on the team worked so hard for this.”

Lone Star Racing Team Manager and Technical Director AJ Petersen has been with Knox for more than a decade and leads the day-to-day and trackside operation of the team and manages its various motorsports programs.

“It’s really satisfying,” Petersen said. “Long Beach is one of those really famous, iconic venues like Indianapolis, and for the last few races we’ve got some pretty big wins at some big events on legendary tracks, and we are really proud of that. We’ve got a pretty good package put together with the Mercedes-AMG GT2, and I’m really proud of Dan and happy we’re still together after 10 years. I’m loving it all, it’s the whole package, the crew included, we’ve got a great group of guys right now, we’re firing on all cylinders, and we want to keep it up.”

A fast and flat-out sprint with no race-slowing cautions, the race pace and heat of the day made the closing stages of Saturday’s race a bit challenging for Knox and the competition.

“The last 10 laps, the tire pressures came up on the back set and the rear of the car started to get very, very loose,” Knox said. “I had to kind of manage the car and keep the lead going and we did it. We held on and it was great. I did see the competition coming and that’s when I picked it up a little more. The tire pressures came down a little in time to get some grip and get us going to the finish.”

Lone Star Racing competes in the 2024 season with the support of ACS Manufacturing, Sonangol and Visit Angola.

Next up for Lone Star Racing is the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 12 Hours of Sebring, March 14 – 16 at Sebring International Raceway.

About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing/ACS Manufacturing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.

RCR NXS Race Recap: Talladega Superspeedway

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Official Release
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Jesse Love Claims His First Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Win in the No. 2 WAT Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway

Finish: 1st
Start: 2nd
Points: 4th

“I have a great team of guys on my No. 2 Whelen/WAT Chevrolet. Man, this has been a long journey to get here. I have so many people to thank. First off, thank you and give all glory to God. An enormous thank you to Whelen Engineering and WAT for their support. Richard Childress, Danny Stockman, Danny Lawrence, and Torrey Galida – thank you guys so much for believing in me to drive this No. 2 Chevrolet. I experienced flashbacks from Atlanta when we ran out of fuel late while leading. ECR brought me a rocket today. To win a race with this team is awesome. We fought hard for this one though. I made some moves earlier and then questioned why I did those. My spotter, Brandon Benesch, did an amazing job and kept my focus on what lines I had to work with. Talladega Superspeedway is my favorite plate track, so to get my first NASCAR Xfinity Series win here is special. We made it to the Playoffs! I’m pumped and excited to celebrate this win.” – -Jesse Love

Multi-Car Wreck Collects Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway

Finish: 14th
Start: 1st
Points: 3rd

“Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet was super fast all day. We could get up into the lead whenever we wanted to. My spotter, Derek Kneeland, did an incredible job. He and I work great together. It’s superspeedway racing at the end of the day. No one is giving an inch, which I wouldn’t either. From the replay, it looks like the No. 48 slid across my nose. It was fine when he was pushing me on the right side when we were getting into the corner, but then as he slid across my nose, I couldn’t turn my steering wheel. That’s why I went up towards the wall. It was one of those racing deals that happens on these superspeedway tracks. You come here with the mindset of if you can be inside the top-five at the end of the race when the white flag flies, you have a chance at winning the race. There have been many times where I should have ended up in a wreck and haven’t. I seem to find the big ones when they happen here at Talladega Superspeedway though. Proud of everyone at Richard Childress Racing for the hard work. Congratulations to Jesse Love on his first career win in the Xfinity Series. It’s cool to see him get the first one and have both of our cars locked into the Playoffs this early into the season.” -Austin Hill

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Ag-Pro 300

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AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 14th for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • Allmendinger was quiet on the radio during the opening stage as he ran the third lane. When the first caution came out on the last lap of the stage, Allmendinger reported that the balance of his No. 16 Celsius Chevy was good, but he needed more rear security. Allmendinger finished the opening stage in fifth place and came to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
  • Allmendinger restarted the second stage in seventh place as the fourth car on the outside line. The No. 16 maintained position in the top lane until lap 49 when Allmendinger jumped from running eighth place, single file to build the second lane. Running two wide, Allmendinger led the middle lane and drove up to finish the second stage in third place.
  • Under the stage break, Allmendinger reported his car was free, but he was still able to make moves. The No. 16 came to pit road for tires, fuel and adjustments and went on to restart in 11th. On lap 67, Allmendinger was caught up in an incident and suffered damage to the nose, splitter and right rear. The team pitted multiple times under caution to make repairs and restarted in 32nd on lap 72. Debris that came off the No. 16 brought out the next caution, and the team came to pit road to make additional repairs. Allmendinger restarted in 30th place and was able to clear the Damaged Vehicle Policy on lap 80. Allmendinger battled to the end and finished in 19th place.

“The first two stages went really well today. We had good speed in the race car, and we made the right moves to get good stage points. Unfortunately, the third stage got shuffled there on the restart, which put us in the back when the wreck happened, and we got a lot of damage. I’m proud of my guys for piecing it back together to get us back out there. I thought we might steal the Dash 4 Cash, but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s part of racing here but I’m happy we were able to get stage points and make the day okay points wise.” – AJ Allmendinger

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams qualified ninth for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • Williams attempted to run on the inside line at the start of the first stage, but most of the field ran against the wall, and Williams couldn’t find a hole before dropping back to the end of the lead pack. He finished stage one in 25th.
  • Williams took the stage two green flag in 20th on lap 31. He linked up on the high line with his Kaulig Racing teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger, near the end of the middle stage on the cusp of the top 10. Williams peeled off the throttle coming to the line, finishing stage two in 17th.
  • Williams pitted for tires and fuel during the stage break and restarted in 35th on lap 56. With 48 laps to go, Williams avoided a big wreck at the front of the field, rolling through the grass in turn three to go mostly unscathed. Williams pitted under yellow for tires and fuel, and the Alloy Employer Services pit crew removed grass from the grille and applied bear bond to the nose of the No. 11 Chevy Camaro. Williams restarted in 19th with 41 laps to go. He quickly jumped into 11th, but the yellow flag flew for debris on lap 75. The No. 11 took the restart from 12th in the outside line and continued marching to the front, taking second place with three laps remaining. A wreck triggered a yellow flag that extended the race into overtime, but on the restart, Van Gisbergen, Williams’ pusher in the second row, ran out of fuel at the green. A crash ensued, bringing out the caution and collecting the No. 11 with it. Williams came down pit road for tires and fuel but had no damage, and he restarted 21st for the second overtime restart. Williams finished the race in 20th.

“I’m super excited because we have speed, but I’m just upset because we wanted to go to victory lane and had a shot. We’ll get there, and this will definitely keep our momentum flowing.” – Josh Williams  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
 No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 18th for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • By lap seven, the field formed a single-file line on top of the 2.66-mile Speedway with Van Gisbergen scored in seventh. Stage one ended under caution on lap 25 with Van Gisbergen taking the green/white/checkered flag in seventh. Under the stage one caution, the Wendy’s team hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, SVG rejoined the field in ninth.
  • Van Gisbergen and the Wendy’s team started stage two from ninth on lap 31. Stage two would go green for its entire run with Van Gisbergen ending the stage in 13th on lap 50. Under the stage two caution, Van Gisbergen brought the Wendy’s Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, the Wendy’s team was scored in 20th.
  • Van Gisbergen started the final stage in 20th on lap 56. After leading lap 63, Van Gisbergen was scored in eighth when the caution flag waved once again on lap 67. Hitting pit road once again for a quick splash of fuel under caution, SVG rejoined the field in sixth following the stop. Following a lap-75 caution, SVG restarted fourth on lap 79 and continued to run inside the top 10 through lap 90. Unfortunately, Van Gisbergen ran out of fuel on the first overtime attempt while running in fourth and crossed the finish line in 22nd.

“It was a pretty awesome day. The Wendy’s Camaro was good. It was pretty exciting, and battling up front was cool. I felt more comfortable today and I’m looking forward to another crack at it tomorrow in the Cup car.” – Shane van Gisbergen
 

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Talladega 300 from Talladega Superspeedway

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Talladega 300

Date: April 20, 2024
Event: Talladega 300 (Round 9 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Format: 113 laps, broken into three stages (25 laps/25 laps/63 laps)
Note: Race extended 11 laps past its scheduled 113-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 8th / Finished 2nd, Running, completed 124 of 124 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 4th / Finished 10th, Running, completed 124 of 124 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 343 points, 14 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (6th with 272 points, 85 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his second top-five of the season and his second top-five in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega.

● Herbst has only finished outside the top-15 twice at Talladega since joining SHR in 2021.

● Herbst’s runner-up finish bettered his previous best finish at Talladega – fourth, earned in April 2021.

● Herbst finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points and eighth in Stage 2 to earn three more bonus points.

● Herbst led three times for 13 laps to increase his laps-led total at Talladega to 39.

● Custer earned his seventh top-10 of the season and his third top-10 in five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega.

● This was Custer’s second straight top-10 at Talladega. He finished fifth last April.

● This was Custer’s seventh straight top-10. He finished second March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fifth March 9 at Phoenix Raceway, fourth March 23 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin Texas, 10th March 30 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, eighth April 6 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, and fifth last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

● Custer finished 10th in Stage 1 to earn one bonus point and 10th in Stage 2 to earn one more bonus point.

● Custer led two times for four laps – his first laps led at Talladega.

Race Notes:

● Jesse Love won the Talladega 300 to score his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in nine starts. His margin over second-place Herbst was .141 of a second.

● There were six caution periods for a total of 28 laps.

● Twenty-two of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Chandler Smith remains the championship leader after Talladega with a 14-point advantage over second-place Custer.

Sound Bites:

“It was hectic, for sure, with a lot of people battling fuel mileage. I’m just really, really proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing and Monster Energy. We kind of know that we have lacked a little bit on the superspeedways to the RCR cars, but I felt like we’re as good as them now. I felt like we could beat them, but it was a weird race. It’s kind of been an up and down start to the year, but I’m proud of everybody on this No. 98 team for sticking with me. I’m ready to go win $100,000 at Dover.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“It was a solid day. We led some laps and I think the Fords worked pretty well together. That’s one of the fastest speedway cars I’ve ever had, so that was a lot to hang our hats on. We just need to find that last little bit. It was going to be within our reach to try and win, but we just started stumbling on gas. Overall, it was a really solid day, but it didn’t pan out how we needed it to. It was stumbling on gas and at that point you know you’re probably going to run out in the next two or three laps and we had to pit.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the BetRivers 200 on Saturday, April 27 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Integrating Radar for Greener, Safer Autonomous Vehicles

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SM
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Photo by Vraj Shah

The journey toward fully autonomous vehicles is not just a quest for technological innovation but also an opportunity to enhance road safety and environmental sustainability. A critical player in this advancement is radar technology, with its potential to significantly improve how autonomous vehicles understand and interact with their surroundings. This article explores the integration of radar technology into autonomous vehicles, emphasizing its role in creating greener and safer transportation options.

The Evolution of Vehicle Radar Technology

Radar technology, which stands for Radio Detection and Ranging, has been utilized since the Second World War. However, its application in the automotive industry has seen significant advancements in recent years. Modern radar systems offer a combination of range, accuracy, and the ability to ‘see’ through adverse weather conditions, making them an indispensable tool for autonomous vehicles.

Why Radar?

Radar systems have distinct advantages over other sensors like LiDAR and cameras. They are less affected by light conditions and weather, can detect the speed and distance of objects with high precision, and are increasingly becoming more cost-effective. This unique set of capabilities makes radar an essential component of the sensor suite for autonomous vehicles.

Challenges in Radar Integration

Despite its advantages, incorporating radar into autonomous vehicles is not without challenges. These include managing the data deluge from multiple sensors, ensuring interference-free operation among numerous vehicles, and maintaining affordability. Overcoming these hurdles requires innovative solutions and collaborative efforts across the automotive industry.

For those looking to delve deeper into how radar technology underpins safety features and contributes to the efficacy of ADAS, exploring detailed information about automotive radars can offer insights into its operation, types, and the critical role it plays within autonomous and advanced driving vehicles.

Driving Toward Sustainability

Integrating radar technology not only bolsters safety but also promotes environmental sustainability. Autonomous vehicles equipped with radar can optimize route selection and driving behavior, leading to improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Furthermore, the enhanced safety offered by radar can lead to lighter vehicles, as less protective structure is needed to safeguard against collisions, thereby further improving fuel economy.

The Future of Radar in Autonomous Vehicles

The potential of radar technology in autonomous vehicles is vast. As radar systems become more sophisticated, they could enable even higher levels of autonomy. Researchers are working on next-generation radar that can provide more detailed images of the environment, akin to optical cameras, which would represent a significant leap forward in autonomous vehicle technology.

Radar’s Role in Enhancing Safety

Safety is paramount when it comes to autonomous vehicles. Radar technology contributes to this by enabling vehicles to detect and respond to potential hazards with greater speed and accuracy. It supports advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and emergency braking, significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents.

New Developments in Radar Technology

Recent advancements in radar technology, such as MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) radars, are enhancing the capability to understand complex environments. These innovations allow for the tracking of multiple objects with greater accuracy and resolution, profoundly impacting the efficiency and safety of autonomous vehicles. Such technological improvements promise to overcome existing limitations and open new avenues for radar applications in the automotive sector.

Global Opportunities for Radar in Autonomous Vehicles

The integration of radar technology offers opportunities for innovation not just in individual vehicles but across the entire transportation ecosystem. By enabling more efficient vehicle operation and improving traffic management, radar contributes to the development of smart cities and the reduction of global traffic congestion and pollution. The future of urban and interurban transportation systems could be reshaped significantly by the capabilities of advanced radar technology, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient global mobility paradigm.

Regulatory Considerations for Radar Integration

As radar technology advances, regulatory standards need to evolve to ensure safety and efficacy in autonomous vehicles. Governments and international organizations are developing frameworks to standardize radar frequencies, capabilities, and interoperability requirements. These regulatory considerations are crucial for facilitating the widespread adoption of radar in the automotive industry, ensuring that vehicles not only meet safety standards but also operate harmoniously on a global scale.

Final Thoughts

The integration of radar technology into autonomous vehicles holds the promise of making this innovative mode of transportation safer and more environmentally friendly. As challenges are addressed and technology progresses, the future of autonomous driving looks both exciting and green. Radar, with its unique capabilities and potential for evolution, will undoubtedly play a crucial role in this journey.

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