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AM Racing | Hailie Deegan Talladega Superspeedway April Xfinity Preview

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Official Release
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AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway | Ag-Pro 300

Fast Facts
No. 15 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Hailie Deegan
Primary Partner(s): AirBox
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Michael Fisher
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. X-718
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Notes of Interest:

Sophomore Journey: After a successful rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season with driver Brett Moffitt, AM Racing will embark on its sophomore journey in 2024 with driver Hailie Deegan for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The Statesville, N.C.-based team plans to expand its footprint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series to also run two cars throughout the season with its No. 25 AM Racing entry.

Future Focused: Last October, AM Racing announced that Hailie Deegan joined the family-owned operation to pilot the team’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in a multiyear agreement.

Deegan, a native of Temecula, Calif. has been a staple in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the past three seasons but will embrace her rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of the Ford Performance program.

Deegan grew up racing off-road and on dirt but transitioned to competing on asphalt in 2016 to pursue a career in stock car racing. She began that transition in 2018 in the ARCA Menards Series West (previously NASCAR K&N Pro Series West), She became the first female driver to have won races in the West Series, doing so in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively.

Deegan, 21, arrives at AM Racing after a stint driving for ThorSport Racing in 2023.

Giving You Piece of Air: For the seventh time in 2024, AirBox will serve as the primary marketing partner of Deegan’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.

In 2017, AirBox was established to focus on building the world’s best air purifiers for indoor occupied spaces. This coincided with people starting to wake up to issues with indoor air quality. With new challenges to air cleanliness, such as COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, people are looking for effective and proven solutions to ensure they receive cleaner air, at last.

Their history in delivering clean air systems gives them an expertise that is unmatched. AirBox uses some of the most effective air filtration technologies that exist with Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorption and manufactures products that meet the stringent new ventilation standard, ASHRAE Standard 241.

Today, AirBox filtration systems are used across the country, purifying the air and capturing harmful irritants to create healthier, safer spaces. They’ve become the trusted choice for hospitals, educational centers, offices, warehouses, construction zones, public assembly, sports facilities, and more.

They’re proud to build all products to the highest standards in the USA at their North Carolina production facility. Every day, AirBox is working hard to give the American people the safer learning, working, and living environments they deserve—helping people breathe easy and live better.

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Talladega Superspeedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300 will mark Deegan’s Xfinity Series debut at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, the largest oval on the 2024 Xfinity Series schedule.

Deegan, however, does own three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway from 2021 – 2023.

Her track-best result occurred during the 2022 Chevy Silverado 250 when she steered to a sixth-place finish after starting 27th for David Gilliland Racing (now TRICON Garage).

In 2020, the Californian finished seventh in his lone ARCA Menards Series start after starting third also for David Gilliland Racing (now TRICON Garage).

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Deegan has a career-best 13th-place finish after starting 20th for SS-GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in October 2022.

In addition to seven Xfinity Series starts, she has achieved 70 ARCA Menards Series starts, including three wins and 69 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to her credit.

AM Minute: While the ARCA Menards Series was enjoying another spring off-weekend, the AM Racing Dirt Division was back in action with drivers Christian Rose and Austin Wayne Self at Virginia Motor Speedway.

It was a winning weekend for the Statesville, N.C.-based team with Austin Wayne Self picking up his first UMP Dirt Modified victory of the 2024 season.

AM Racing development driver Rose continued to gain more track time and delivered a solid performance.

The ARCA Menards Series resumes action this weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Saturday, April 20.

Thanks For Your Support: With 27 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Hailie Deegan would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Klutch Vodka, Mechanix Wear, Monster Energy Drink, Mobil 1, Viva Tequila Seltzer and WIX Filters.

Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 Race Recap: The eighth race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, April 13.

Flying the AirBox colors for the third consecutive weekend, Deegan continued to progress from practice to qualifying and made the 200-lap race on speed with her 20th-place qualifying result.

Early in the race, Deegan steadily moved forward and marched inside the top 15, but as the race pressed on, she struggled with grip on the race track, which left her hovering between 18th and 22nd.

In the closing laps of the race, Deegan was an innocent victim in a late-race accident that caused some minor damage to the left front of her No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang.

The team repaired the car and sent Deegan back into competition. Despite the damage affecting the handling of her race car, she maintained a steady pace for a lead lap 23rd place finish at the checkered flag.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams Jr. is Hailie Deegan’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 140th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his eighth at Talladega Superspeedway.

In his previous 139 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.

Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Hailie Deegan, please visit hailiedeegan.com, like her Facebook page (HailieDeegan4), or follow her on Instagram (@hailiedeegan), YouTube and X | Twitter (@hailiedeegan).

Hailie Deegan Quoteboard:

On Talladega Superspeedway: “Talladega has always been the best of the two superspeedway races from me. I’m optimistic and looking forward to Saturday afternoon’s race with our No. 15 AirBox Ford Mustang.

“The team had great pace during the race last year and was able to lead a bunch of laps and contend for a strong finish before being collected in the Big One.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep our nose clean, build our superspeedway program together, and contend for our first top-10 finish of the season.”

Race Information:

The Ag-Pro 300 (113 laps | 202 miles) is the ninth of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Qualifying will occur on Friday, April 19, 2024, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Saturday, April 20, 2024, shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET), with live coverage on FOX, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

The team has named Hailie Deegan, Christian Rose, and Austin Wayne Self as their primary drivers for the 2024 Xfinity, ARCA Menards Series, and Dirt Modified seasons, respectively.

From Desktop to Mobile: The Evolution of Casino Online Games

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SM
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Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash

Explore the dynamic shift in casino online gaming from desktop to mobile platforms. Delve into the evolution of game development, the seamless transition impacting user experiences, and the future trends shaping the industry.

Discover how this transition has revolutionized the way players engage with their favorite casino games, offering unparalleled freedom and flexibility in their gaming experiences.

Join us on a journey through the changing landscape of online casino gaming, from the convenience of desktop to the innovation of mobile.

Early Days of Desktop Gaming

During the nascent stages of online casino gaming, desktop platforms served as the primary medium for players to engage with virtual casinos. The freedom to access a plethora of games from the comfort of one’s home revolutionized the gambling industry.

Players could enjoy a wide array of Malaysia online slot machines, table games, and live dealer options with just a few clicks. The convenience of desktop gaming allowed enthusiasts to explore different strategies and gaming styles without any constraints.

This era marked the beginning of a shift towards digital entertainment, paving the way for the immersive and engaging experiences that modern online casinos offer today. Despite the limitations of early technology, desktop gaming laid a solid foundation for the evolution of online casino games.

Transition to Mobile Platforms

The shift to mobile platforms has significantly transformed the landscape of online casino gaming, revolutionizing accessibility and player engagement. With the transition to mobile platforms, players now have the freedom to enjoy their favorite casino games anytime, anywhere, directly from their smartphones or tablets.

This shift has enabled players to break free from the constraints of traditional desktop gaming and experience the thrill of online casinos on the go. Mobile platforms have also introduced new levels of convenience, allowing players to seamlessly switch between devices without losing their progress.

The transition to mobile has not only expanded the reach of online casinos but has also enhanced the overall gaming experience, catering to the desires of players seeking flexibility and freedom.

Impact on Game Development

One significant aspect of game development in the transition to mobile platforms is the increased focus on optimizing user interfaces for smaller screens. Developers are challenged to create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces that enhance the gaming experience on mobile devices. 

This shift has led to the adoption of responsive design principles, ensuring that games adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and orientations.

Additionally, game developers are incorporating touch controls and gestures to make gameplay more interactive and user-friendly on mobile platforms. 

The impact on game development extends to the optimization of graphics and performance to ensure smooth gameplay even on devices with lower processing power.

User Experience Considerations

Incorporating user experience considerations is essential in ensuring the success of casino online games on mobile platforms.

The shift to mobile gaming has brought about a need for seamless and intuitive gameplay that caters to the preferences of modern users. Factors such as responsive design, easy navigation, and optimized performance play a crucial role in enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Mobile users value convenience and efficiency, making it imperative for developers to prioritize simplicity and functionality in their designs. Implementing features like touch-friendly controls, clear visuals, and smooth animations can significantly impact user engagement and retention.

Future Trends and Innovations

Amid the ever-evolving landscape of casino online games, a myriad of future trends and innovations are poised to reshape the industry.

One prominent trend is the increasing integration of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies into online casino games, offering players a more immersive and interactive gaming experience.

Additionally, the rise of blockchain technology is revolutionizing the way online casinos handle transactions, ensuring greater security and transparency for players.

Personalized gaming experiences tailored to individual preferences through artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are also on the horizon, enhancing player engagement and satisfaction.

As the industry continues to push boundaries, these innovations are set to redefine the online casino gaming experience, providing players with unparalleled freedom and excitement.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the evolution of casino online games from desktop to mobile platforms has significantly impacted game development and user experience.

The transition has brought about changes in how games are designed and played, with a focus on providing a seamless and engaging experience for players.

As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see further innovations and trends in the world of mobile casino gaming.

Wright Motorsports Rides into Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Official Release
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LONG BEACH, Cali., (April 16, 2024) – After a promising third-place finish in March’s Twelve Hours of Sebring, the Wright Motorsports No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R team is running full speed into this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach. The downtown streets of the southern California city will come alive with Saturday’s 100-minute sprint race, the third race of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Though in their rookie season in the IMSA WeatherTech series, Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer have had a strong debut in the green and yellow Wright Motorsports Porsche. They finished seventh at Daytona International Speedway co-driving with Jan Heylen and Fred Makowiecki, then celebrated a podium finish, again with Heylen, at the grueling Twelve Hours of Sebring. Their clean racing and the team’s consistent execution from the pit box puts the program in third place in the championship point standings heading into Long Beach.

The downtown streets of the waterfront playground will be transformed into the temporary street circuit with 11 turns in 1.968 miles. Just the GTP and GTD classes will be racing this weekend, though the battle for real estate on the tight surface is expected to be as rigorous as always. The tight concrete walls make for close racing quarters where every corner of every lap counts.

The two practice sessions and 15-minute qualifying session will be squeezed into Friday, before the field of 27 competitors takes the green flag on Saturday, April 20 at 1:35 PM PT. Fans can stream the 100-minute race live in its entirety on Peacock. Fans residing outside the USA can watch on isma.tv.

DRIVER QUOTES

Adam Adelson

I’m beyond excited to participate in the Long Beach race this year! This being my home race makes it super special and exciting for me. I’ll have all the comforts of home while getting to go racing, which is something that seldom happens. I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going this season. I also love to drive street circuits, and the whole team has been firing on all cylinders. I’m optimistic about our ability to bring home a good result this weekend. As always, it’s important to keep our heads down and stay focused as we have been, as that’s how you get the best results.

Elliott Skeer

The Monaco of America! This is certainly a special event for both Adam and me! For me, I attended Long Beach for the first time as a fan in 2008 and have dreamed of racing around the fountain every single year since! To go street fighting only an hour from my hometown which means having family and familiar faces everywhere is going to make it even more special. At the same time, this is a points event and the whole crew at Wright Motorsports is feeling energized and motivated to make this the strongest result we possibly can. In a feeling no different to Sebring, I am checking off a bucket list event. I am working to make it as memorable as possible, which means bringing home the strongest result.

Event Schedule | All Times Pacific

Thursday, April 18

6:00 PM – 10:30 PM Thunder Thursday at the Pike Outlets

Friday, April 19

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM WeatherTech Practice 1

12:50 PM – 2:20 PM WeatherTech Practice 2

5:00 PM – 5:15 PM WeatherTech GTD Qualifying

Saturday, April 20

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM WeatherTech Autograph Session

1:35 PM 3:15 PM IMSA Grand Prix of Long Beach

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Preview | Talladega Superspeedway

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Official Release
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Race Details

Talladega Superspeedway
GEICO 500
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, April 21 at 3:00PM EDT
FOX | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made 11 NCS starts at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • Daniel Hemric qualified third for the 2022 Geico 500, tying Kaulig Racing’s best qualifying effort.
  • The team has earned two top-10 finishes and led five laps at Talladega.
  • So far in the 2024 season, the team has earned two top 10s, seven top-20 finishes and has led 12 laps.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

 “The Cup car at Talladega is going to be a massive challenge for me, but that’s what I’m here for, to get out of my comfort zone and try new things! It’s really cool to have Wendy’s Hot & Crispy Fries and Frosty on board both of our Chevrolets this weekend. I’m looking forward to a fun and exciting Cup race on Sunday.” – Shane van Gisbergen on Talladega Superspeedway

No. 16 Wendy’s Camaro ZL1

  • Shane van Gisbergen will make his fourth-career Cup series start this weekend driving the No.16 Wendy’s ‘Ride or Fry’ Chevrolet Camaro, which is outfitted with Wendy’s Hot & Crispy Fries.
  • The No. 16 Chevrolet is a collaboration between Trackhouse Racing and Kaulig Racing.
  • Wendy’s® has season-long associate branding on all Trackhouse Chevrolets during the 2024 calendar year, and two Cup Series primary events starting with Van Gisbergen at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on the No. 16 Chevrolet with Kaulig Racing.
  • This marks the first time Van Gisbergen has driven a Cup car at a Superspeedway. This weekend will be the second of eight scheduled Cup Series starts in 2024 for Van Gisbergen.
  • Van Gisbergen has secured one win and one top-10 finish in three-career NCS starts.
  • To kick off one of the best weekends in NASCAR, Wendy’s is giving fans a free any size Fry with any purchase on Friday, April 19 only with the offer in the Wendy’s app, perfect for dipping in a delicious Frosty, or to complement a classic Baconator®!

Offer only available at participating U.S. Wendy’s for a limited time. Offer must be redeemed in the Wendy’s App. App download and account registration required. See offer in the Wendy’s app for further details.

 
DANIEL HEMRIC

 ”Talladega is the place that we all feel like we have equal opportunity. That style of racing has changed, as we learned back in Daytona, especially fuel saving with this car. Our No. 31 Cirkul car was really strong in the first superspeedway race of the year, so I’m excited to get there. I’m also really pumped up to have Cirkul back on the car and hosting them this weekend. Hopefully we can put on good show for them.” – Daniel Hemric on Talladega Superspeedway

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

 Race Details

  • Daniel Hemric has made four NCS starts at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • Hemric earned Kaulig Racing its best qualifying effort to date when he qualified third for the 2022 Geico 500.
  • The No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1 will have a new look beginning this weekend at the Geico 500, featuring a variety of Cirkul’s flavor Sips.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Hemric has earned four top-20 finishes, after finishing 20th last week at Texas Motor Speedway.

Talladega Superspeedway
Ag-Pro 300
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, April 20 at 4:00PM EDT
FOX | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made 26 NXS starts at Talladega Superspeedway. The team has led 132 laps and earned four wins, nine top five and 16 top-10 finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two top five, seven top-10 finishes and led 61 laps.

JOSH WILLIAMS

 ”Talladega is fun for me. I’ve had some really great finishes there, dating back to my ARCA days. Kaulig Racing has a really great superspeedway program, and all of our cars work really well together. That’ll be important later in the race and at stage finishes.” – Josh Williams on Talladega Superspeedway

No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams has earned one top 10 in 2024.
  • Williams has made nine starts in the NXS at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • He has recorded three top-10 finishes there, the most of any track he has raced at in his NXS career.

AJ ALLMENDINGER

“Talladega is such a tough racetrack. Super speedways have never been my favorite, but I always feel like I am pretty good at them. Compared to Daytona, Talladega is super wide; a lot of four and five wide racing. That makes it even more difficult when it comes to finding the runs. We know how good our super speedway program is. I definitely think we can go there, run up front, make the right moves and put ourselves in position to win the race.” – AJ Allmendinger on Talladega Superspeedway

No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger has made six NXS starts are Talladega Superspeedway. Allmendinger has led 36 laps and earned one win, three top five and four top-10 finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 season, Allmendinger has earned one top five, four top-10 finishes and led 31 laps. Allmendinger currently sits sixth in driver points.
  • Allmendinger’s fourth place finish at Texas Motor Speedway qualified him as a contender for the Dash 4 Cash this weekend at Talladega Super Speedway.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

“I’m looking forward to getting to Talladega this weekend and making another Superspeedway start. We’re excited to have Wendy’s on board our No. 97 Chevrolet this weekend and our paint scheme showcasing the iconic Wendy’s Frosty and Hot & Crispy Fries! You can always catch me dipping my fries into a Wendy’s Frosty, it’s guaranteed to be a winning combo. The race should be exciting for all the fans on Saturday.” -Shane van Gisbergen on

Talladega Superspeedway
No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen and his No. 97 Wendy’s® team head to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this weekend for their second superspeedway race of the 2024 season.
  • In his last Superspeedway start at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway back in February, Van Gisbergen started fifth and finished 12th.
  • This week at Talladega, Van Gisbergen will sport the Wendy’s Frosty® livery which showcases the iconic Wendy’s Frosty and Hot & Crispy Fries. Wendy’s fans know this iconic duo makes the perfect pair!
  • Last week at Texas Motor Speedway, Van Gisbergen started 33rd and finished 18th in his WWEX Chevrolet.
  • Van Gisbergen and his No. 97 team currently sit 15th in the driver standings heading into the weekend at Talladega.

To kick off one of the best weekends in NASCAR, Wendy’s is giving fans a free any size Fry with any purchase on Friday, April 19 only with the offer in the Wendy’s app, perfect for dipping in a delicious Frosty, or to complement a classic Baconator®!

Offer only available at participating U.S. Wendy’s for a limited time. Offer must be redeemed in the Wendy’s App. App download and account registration required. See offer in the Wendy’s app for further details.
 
About Kaulig Racing

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.

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Talladega Advance

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Official Release
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Martin Truex Jr.
Talladega Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 21
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native heads to Talladega second in the driver standings with 318 points, 17 behind leader Kyle Larson. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-10 in points heading to the 10th race of the season, with Denny Hamlin third, Ty Gibbs sixth, and Christopher Bell 10th.

● Up Front: Truex led a race-high 228 laps three weekends ago at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and sits third in laps led in NASCAR’s top series. All four JGR Toyota Camry XSE drivers are among the leaders in total laps led on the season. Larson’s 531 laps tops the list for the Cup Series, followed by Hamlin (395), Truex (352) and Gibbs (200) in second, third and fourth, respectively. Bell is eighth on the list with 12 laps led.

● In his 38 career Cup Series outings at Talladega, Truex has three top-five finishes, nine top-10s, and he’s led a total of 95 laps. His average Talladega finish is 21.3.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last July was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 62 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his first stage win of the season at Richmond earlier this season, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 2.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

You are aiming to get your first Talladega win. What do you work on leading into Talladega that you might not do other weeks?

“Talladega is a lot different than normal weeks. It’s a lot of strategy and a lot of talk with my teammates and trying to plan to work together to get to the end of that thing. It seems like every time we go back there it’s a little bit different. It’s changed a lot over the years and a lot in the past few. It’s been quite a bit different racing there with this car. Still trying to figure out how to get that first win at Talladega. We’ve been close there before and ran really strong there last year with our Bass Pro Shops Camry, so just looking to build on that and focus on what it’s going to take to try and get our first win there.”

A Talladega win would be your first on a superspeedway-style track – Daytona and Atlanta being the others on the current schedule. Is a superspeedway win something you would really like to have on your resume?

“I would like to, it’s something we put a lot of work and effort into. I would say it’s probably not my best style of racing, but I think Atlanta is our best opportunity, currently. We’ve been really strong there. We just need to put it all together and make the right moves. For us, I think that we are always damaged, so if we can ever get to the end of one of those races and are at the front, we would have a chance. If we get that chance again, we need to be able to figure out how to make the right moves. Would love to be there at the end at Talladega this weekend and have a shot to win with our Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE.”

After running Daytona and Atlanta so far this season with the speedway package, what are your expectations for Talladega this weekend?

“I think it will be similar to Daytona. This car, for whatever reason, just likes to be two-wide, there never seems to be a third lane. There’s a lot of two-wide and a lot of track position – hard to make your way up through the field. You never know, though, it all depends on what everyone is wanting to do. How aggressive does everyone want to be, and will we have a chance at a third lane forming? I don’t know.”

Talladega has made some renovations in recent years to its fan amenities. How have you seen the track change in recent years?

“It’s cool because it’s a good fan experience at Talladega and that’s what it’s really all about, giving the fans something to do throughout the weekend when we are not racing. It’s a really cool setup for the fans. It’s cool that the fans can get up close to the cars now more than ever and they can check out what is going on. Always have a lot of great fan energy when we go to Talladega, for sure.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Acclaimed Singer-Rapper T-Pain Joins Headliners for Confluence Music Festival

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Official Release
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MADISON, Ill. — T-Pain joins the expansive lineup of headlining acts for the third annual Confluence Music Festival when the event returns to the St. Louis area June 1-2 as part of NASCAR Cup Series Weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway.

T-Pain, a Grammy Award-winning singer-rapper, is a pioneering figure in contemporary R&B and hip-hop and is renowned for his innovative use of Auto-Tune technology. His chart-topping hits include “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” “Bartender,” “Can’t Believe It” and “Low” with Flo Rida. T-Pain performs June 2.

The Confluence Music Festival is a showcase of innovation, talent and live entertainment. The festival attracts fans from across the country in welcoming NASCAR, the premier form of motorsports in the United States, to WWTR. Live performances on the Enterprise Main Stage, Fan Zone Stage, Coors Light Stage and Jim Beam Stage take place before, during and after the daily racing events.

“It’s always our mission to present a lineup that offers something for everyone to enjoy, and this year’s Confluence Music Festival really delivers,” said Kwofe Coleman, executive producer for the festival. Coleman also is president and CEO of The Muny, which assists with production of Confluence Music Festival. “We’re grateful especially to WWT and the Steward family, and to the many individuals and organizations that have committed their support to make this community event a reality for the third year.”

Previously announced 2024 Confluence Music Festival headliners are rapper Ludacris (June 1) and rising country music star Riley Green (June 2). They will be joined by more than 30 national and local acts, including Adam Wainwright, Big & Rich with Gretchen Wilson & Cowboy Troy, Brittney Spencer and Tim Dugger.

Confluence Music Festival acts from across the region also will include Blinded by Stereo, the Bobby Ford Band, Dave Grelle’s Playadors, DJ Mahf, DJ Mo Samba, DJ Nune, Dr. Zhivegas, Fanfare, JC Supercar, Lamar Harris’ Georgia Mae, Malena Smith, Matt Jordan, Red and Black Brass Band, St. Boogie Brass Band and We Are Root Mod. There also will be special performances by BeBe Winans, J Creek Cloggers, the Madison High School Marching Band, Caroline Geringer, TJ Staten, The Muny Teens, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and more.

“WWTR takes great pride in hosting NASCAR and bringing the thrill of motorsports to Illinois and Missouri,” said WWTR Owner and CEO Curtis Francois. “Our goal is to curate a music lineup for the greater St. Louis area that mirrors this excitement, creating the ultimate intersection of music and motorsports.”

Ticketholders for the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 will have access to Confluence Music Festival concerts, plus interactive entertainment displays, a STEM education showcase, car displays and live interviews with St. Louis-area sports legends. Nearly 100,000 fans attended the festival and race in 2023.

Confluence Music Festival upgrade packages include front-of-stage/Fan Zone access. Adult Sunday ticket packages start at just $67.

“The Steward family and World Wide Technology have brought a world-class event to the St. Louis area that continues to energize fans of motorsports and live music,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “The NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 and Confluence Music Festival provide a tremendous economic shot in the arm for the region and are a boon for downtown hotels, restaurants and attractions, adding to the momentum building in St. Louis.”

A full Confluence Music Festival entertainment schedule with performance times will be announced.

For tickets and more information, call World Wide Technology Raceway at (618) 215-8888, visit WWTRaceway.com or follow @WWTRaceway on social media.

About World Wide Technology Raceway

World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA racing in St. Louis’ Metro East region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering 700 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1.25-mile superspeedway; 1/4-mile drag strip; 2.0-mile road course; the Gateway Kartplex state-of-the-art karting facility; and the adjacent Gateway National Golf Links. WWTR and Owner & CEO Curtis Francois have been recognized with several awards, including: 2023 St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame induction; 2023 Innovation in Philanthropy Award by the St. Louis Business Journal; 2022 Explore St. Louis Hospitality Hero Recognition; 2022 Best in Show and Best Event & Festival from the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism; 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year; 2021 Jack Buck Award; 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Track Award; 2018 Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference; and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association. Our mission: We are committed to making a difference in our community, while providing first-class entertainment and memories that last a lifetime. 

Ryan Blaney Talladega 1 Media Advance

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Talladega Media Advance | Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, is the defending winner of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Blaney, who has three career victories at the track, answered questions from members of the media earlier today.

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang Dark Horse – IT’S A BIG WEEK BECAUSE MUSTANG WILL CELEBRATE ITS 60TH BIRTHDAY ON WEDNESDAY. YOU ARE A MUSTANG LOVER, SO WHAT DOES THIS DAY MEAN TO YOU? “It’s really neat to be part of something with the Ford Motor Company celebrating Mustangs’ 60th birthday. For anything, let alone a model of car, to stick around for 60 years is a pretty big feat when you think about adjusting with the times and adjusting with demands while staying pretty loyal to their roots and where the Mustang came from, so it’s just neat. It’s cool to see and hear about the history of the Mustang. It’s cool to race one on Sundays, so hopefully we can honor its 60th birthday with a win this weekend at Talladega.”

HAVE YOU WATCHED LAST FALL’S TALLADEGA RACE WITH TIM FEDEWA AND HOW DID THAT GO WITH YOU PASSING HARVICK AT THE END? “He and I have watched it. I think one of the big things when we started working together is we would sync up SMT and race footage and radio communication and kind of just listen to him and how he would talk to Kevin. We would listen to Josh of how he relayed information and we would just work off that. It’s, ‘Hey, here’s what I like that Josh did that I thought was really good.’ What TIm does on his side of it and how we kind of combine the best of both worlds, so we’re just working together. That’s one of the first things we did. We got to play around with it at Daytona. That was the first clip I asked for them to sync up because I’m like, ‘Oh, we’re racing each other. This is great. What would you have done different here, Timmy. This is kind of where I was thinking.’ We just kind of ping ponged off of each other, so it’s pretty neat to work with Timmy. He’s been great this year and it was fun the last time we were at Talladega. We were racing them for the win and just edged them out. Hopefully, we can get our first win together this weekend. He’s been great and we’ve been close. It’s just a matter of closing it out.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE BATTLE WITH PREECE AT TEXAS? “TV didn’t show. I used him up pretty good in three and four.and kind of ran him up the racetrack. I ran him up more than I was planning on. I was planning on taking some space and I kind of ran him up more than I thought and got him out of the groove. He was rightfully upset with that. I would have been too, and then he got to me a lap later and got into me pretty good. In my mind, I deserved to get used up, for sure, for what I did. I was guilty as charged, but I don’t know if I deserved to get junked for what I did, but it’s just one of those racing things. I know why he was upset. I used up a bunch of track and he was mad and he decided to retaliate. He had every right to retaliate, but I was like, ‘Man, you didn’t have to wreck me.’ You can move me out of the way, but just don’t wreck me. It’s just one of those things. You move on from it.”

SO YOU DIDN’T SEE IT AS EGREGIOUS AS SOME OF THE OTHER BIG RETALIATIONS WE’VE SEEN? “No. He had every right to get back at me. What I did is I ran him up the racetrack pretty bad and, like I said, I didn’t blame him for wanting to move me out of the way. How hard he hit me was a little excessive maybe because it caused me to wreck, but I deserved to get moved in some way for what I did. TV didn’t show that I used him up first, so it wasn’t just he ran me over. I used up him pretty big the lap before, so I don’t want it to get skewed to where, ‘Oh, Preece just wrecked me.’ No, it was deserving for him laying the bumper to me after what I did.”

A LOT WAS MADE ABOUT HOW AGGRESSIVE CHASE ELLIOTT WAS ON SUNDAY. HOW DO YOU MENTALLY GET BACK TO BEING AGGRESSIVE WHEN IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU WERE MAYBE CONTENDING TO WIN RACES? “I was happy for Chase, obviously. He had a rough year last year with his injury and everything that went on, so it was nice for him to get back to victory lane like he deserves to be in. He did what he needed to do to win the race. He didn’t do anything overly aggressive. He took opportunities like he needed to to win and he did it. I’ve been on a long winless streak, too. I think he was like at 42. I had a fiftysomething race winless streak and it gets hard and frustrating. It’s like, ‘What do I have to do to win again?’ It can be tough, but it’s the same Chase, the same great racer that he’s been forever. He just went through a little spell of not great times for a little bit, but that’s how you pull yourself out of it. I’m proud of him for clawing his way out of it and having confidence in his abilities and going out there and taking what was his and that was winning the race. I was happy for him for sure if we couldn’t do it.”

DO YOU HAVE TO RECONDITION YOURSELF TO RACE AGAINST THE TOP FIVE WHEN YOU’VE BEEN OUT OF THERE FOR A WHILE? “Mentally, you always try to have in the back of your head, like even when things aren’t going well, that I can still do this. He’s won so many races and he’s a champion. Obviously, there’s never a doubt that he can’t do it or still compete. You just go through a little slump and I think it took him a little while to really get back into the feel for this car because when he was injured he sat out for a while and he just missed all those races to where trying to gain experience and comfort in the car, and I think it took him a little bit to just kind of get that comfort back and understand what he needed to compete. I don’t think he ever doubted his abilities. He’s one of the best race car drivers out here and he’s amazing with what he does. I just think it was a matter of how can we put everything together to where I can get back running top five and competing for wins, and that’s what they did. I mean, the last month I think they’ve been one of the best teams consistently and they finally put one together at Texas and was able to get back to Victory Lane.”

BASED ON YOUR SUCCESS AT TALLADEGA AND WHAT YOU LEARNED AT DAYTONA AND ATLANTA, HOW DO YOU FEEL THE NEW MUSTANG DARK HORSE IS GOING TO PERFORM THIS WEEKEND? “The speedways have been pretty good for the Fords for a while. Ever since I’ve been in the Cup Series I feel like we’ve always been super strong and really been able to compete and try to control the race. That’s one thing we’ve always talked about is how can we control the race, whether it’s with our numbers in the Ford camp, the strategy, how can we just control the first handful of rows. It helps when you have fast cars and Ford has brought fast cars. Roush Yates has done a good job on knowing what we need at those racetracks. All of the Fords were strong at Atlanta. I thought we were really strong at Daytona and I’m sure Talladega is going to be the same way. We’ll all be really strong, so you just hope that you can be there at the end of this race and have a shot to win it. I have no doubt in the speed, it’s just about how you execute and try to get through the day. But I think we’ve been creeping up on it. It’s obviously not the performance like we would have wanted to have so far this year even on the other tracks, but we’ve put together some pretty good runs on our side. I thought we were great at Martinsville, but we just needed track position. At Texas, before we got mixed up with pit strategy at the of stage two I thought we were one of the best cars that could have competed for it, but we just got behind on pit strategy and never was able to finish it. We’re creeping up on it, so hopefully we can put one together at Talladega and get a Blue Oval in Victory Lane. We need that pretty bad and I couldn’t think of a better place to try and get one.”

HOW IS THIS NEW CAR AS A PUSHER ON TRACKS LIKE DAYTONA AND TALLADEGA? “I haven’t felt too much of a difference from Daytona. Atlanta, you’re not pushing as much there, but Talladega you’re kind of hooked up and pushing more than Daytona, so this will be a bigger test of ‘OK, where is this new nose at.’ I really didn’t feel too much of a difference when we played around with it in Daytona in practice and through the race. I still thought we could give the best pushes and connect really well, so that’s been a huge advantage for the Mustang as compared to the other guys. I feel they have more trouble connecting and you see it, like the Chevys have trouble tandem drafting a little bit and we’re just a little bit more secure when it comes to that stuff, so that’s a huge advantage that we have. Hopefully, we can continue to utilize that advantage.”

NASCAR IS FOCUSING ON TIRES FOR THE SHORT TRACK AND ROAD COURSE PACKAGE. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TRIED? “The tire discussion seems to be a weekly, ‘what do we do?’ I try to put myself on both sides of it. As a racer, what do I want, but I’m also trying to put myself in Goodyear’s shoes. That’s a tough job. I wouldn’t want their job, personally. You’re always being asked of something that’s hard to obtain and you don’t know if it’s gonna work or not until you actually get going. You can do all the tests and mixtures and assumptions that you want, but until you actually get it on the track you’re like, ‘I don’t really know what our product is gonna do.’ You can’t simulate that stuff, so I try to not be on the side of, ‘Oh, Goodyear is not doing their job’ because they are. They’re trying the best they can, but it’s not an overnight thing. I don’t know. We’ve tried to go super soft. The groove thing has been talked about, not even like the tread but just having grooves in the tire, so I don’t know. I don’t know what the next step is. I know there are a lot of things being kicked around right now that you might see later on, possibly maybe at the All-Star Race it might be something to try of, ‘hey, we’ve got this idea, we’re really gonna throw something at it at the All-Star Race, short track, let’s see what this tire does.’ I know it’s a new pave at Wilkesboro, but I think there’s a lot of discussion going on right now of some wild stuff and I guess we’ll start throwing darts. That’s the time to do it.”

AS FAR AS GAINS FOR THE FORDS, COULD YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE BY KANSAS OR WILL IT TAKE LONGER TO IMPLEMENT THINGS YOU’VE LEARNED? “I personally felt more competitive at Texas than I did at Vegas. I know I ran third at Vegas, but I never felt like I had a shot to win the race. I always thought the best we were gonna perform was third and we did that and maximized our day. At Texas, during stage two I thought we could compete for the win. I thought I was on par with the 11 and the 45, the 9. I thought we made gains. I felt more competitive at Texas, so we definitely got closer, but we’ll be able to take what we learned from Texas compared to Vegas and apply it for Kansas. We try to turn that stuff around really quick and that’s what you need to do nowadays, so hopefully we can continue to just gather knowledge on what the best route is to take, what this car likes the best, and hopefully we can continue to gain when it comes time for Kansas.”

WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE MORE CARS AT TIRE TESTS AS OPPOSED TO JUST THREE? “That’s definitely above my pay grade, but in my opinion, if I’m sitting here and like, ‘It’s free to run a race car at tests. Like it doesn’t cost any money.’ So, I mean, yeah, I don’t see why you don’t have, the way they do it right now is one car from each manufacturer, but now maybe do one car for a team or two cars for a team. That way you’ve got 15-plus cars out there that would help rubber the tracks in and give it a little bit more of a weekend accurate read on what it’s gonna be like when you have more cars. I’m personally all for that. I don’t know who makes those decisions, but I think all the drivers right now are like, ‘Whatever you need. Wherever we’ve got to go. However many days of testing you’ve got to do, we’re game for it’ because we want to help it out just as much as anybody. We don’t like it either. We want it to be better, too. I would love to see more cars out there in tire tests just to get more readings and then you get more opinions. It’s not just three guys talking about it, it’s 15 guys talking about it, so it’s a better discussion when you have more voices around.”

HOW DO YOU PROCESS EVERYTHING GOING ON WHEN IT’S SUCH A LONG SEASON? “I’ve tried to change myself the last couple years of trying not to look at the short term too much and try to just look ahead at kind of the grander picture of things. Like, where do I want to be at in two or three months and where does our program need to be at in that time if you’re not where you want to be? So, I try not to get panicked like, ‘Yeah, Ford hasn’t been to Victory Lane yet this year. Maybe we haven’t led tons of laps, but I don’t really let that freak me out too much. It’s a long year. Yeah, it’s important to win in the regular season because you gain playoff points and stuff like that and momentum, but all I can do is focus on this past weekend, where can we be better, what areas do we need to focus on to try to be better in and just work on those. That’s all you can do. I just try to have my outlook that way of what is the next job? How can we get this better? What is the next task and let’s go to work on it and let’s hope to figure it out. All we can do is work hard to figure it out, so I try to look at the long term. Yeah, I want to win right now obviously, but you’ve got to figure out how to have it just progress to where you want to be and that’s kind of how I’ve always tried to think of it these last couple of years and try not to let it bother me too much – just try to figure things out.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM IS THIS YEAR AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON COMPARED TO LAST? “I honestly feel like our group, and I can just speak for the 12 group on this, but I feel like we’re in even a better spot than we were last year at this time. I feel like we’ve done a better job this year of persevering through these races and just getting better and really digging in. I feel like last year it took us a little while. We ended last year in this spot like the last couple months of really persevering and digging down and figuring things out and we’ve carried that over to this year. There are a handful of races where we’ve run top five in that we weren’t top five to start the race and we just bent down and gritted our teeth and we figured it out and got better through the race and figured out how to get good finishes and that’s how you have to do it and that’s what this team does really well. Honestly, mentally I feel like our group is in a better spot than last year at this time, so that’s good. If we find a little bit of speed, I’m gonna love where this group is at because we’re almost firing on all cylinders right now. We just have to figure out some little things like pace on the racetrack and I think this group is mentally executing really well and I’m really proud of that. We just have to figure out the speed side a little bit and be a little bit quicker and a little bit better.”

WHAT IS A RACE YOU FEEL YOU WERE MENTALLY STRONG THIS YEAR AND GOT BETTER? “The Clash. Phoenix. Vegas. Texas. Martinsville. Every one of those racetracks, whether it was the first half of the race we were not very good and no one panicked, no one freaked out. We just figured out how to be better and executed and got our car faster and got back to looking at the bigger picture of, ‘what do I need to be good at mile 300’ as opposed to I’m not very good right now it’s gonna take some steps to get there. I probably missed a couple, but those ones stand out to me.”

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty honored with unique “King’s Hat” statue at Dover Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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  • Petty, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and seven-time Monster Mile winner, to make appearances before Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, April 28.
  • Petty Family is celebrating its 75th anniversary in NASCAR this season.
  • LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner Jimmie Johnson, an 11-time Dover winner, also to appear on the Monster Monument and race in the Würth 400.
  • Visit DoverMotorSpeedway.com to order NASCAR tickets and keep up with all track announcements.

DOVER, Del. (April 16, 2024) – Richard Petty, NASCAR’s undisputed “King,” will be honored at Dover Motor Speedway during its upcoming April 26-28 events as the celebration continues around the Petty Family’s 75th anniversary in NASCAR.

Throughout the weekend, the “King’s Hat” monument is sure to be a gathering place for families and a top photo opportunity. The six-foot tall, 1,000-pound fiberglass and concrete statue, to be placed near the Monster Monument, features a collection of photos of Richard Petty and his son Kyle at Dover, including from Richard’s 199th career NASCAR Cup Series victory in May 1984.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.), co-owned by Jimmie Johnson, is partnering with NASCAR tracks across the country to produce one-of-a-kind sculptures featuring “The King’s” famous cowboy hat. Richard serves as LEGACY M.C.’s Club Ambassador.

The design of each hat is unique to each facility and honors Petty’s family racing legacy, which began when Richard’s father Lee entered the June 1949 race in Charlotte – the first event sanctioned by NASCAR.

“This is really for the fans to enjoy something unique to our family, our history, and our contributions to the tracks and NASCAR,” Petty said. “It took a lot of people, time, and effort to make this happen and our family is honored by that.”

Petty, his longtime crew chief Dale Inman, and fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Donnie Allison are scheduled to make an appearance on the Monster Monument at noon on Sunday, April 28, and with Petty and Inman visiting the “King’s Hat” for a photo opportunity at 12:30 p.m.

Richard made an early mark at the Monster Mile in 1969, winning Dover’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race, the Mason-Dixon 300, by six laps, an event he later called “NASCAR’s invasion of the North.” Richard won seven NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover, with the last coming in 1984 for his 199th career victory.

Kyle’s last NASCAR Cup Series victory came in the Monster Mile’s debut weekend with a concrete surface in 1995 while Kyle’s son Adam made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover in 1999. Inman was Richard’s crew chief for three decades, 198 race wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series titles. Inman earned his eighth title with Terry Labonte in 1984 and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

“You can’t talk about the story of Dover Motor Speedway without mentioning Richard Petty and his family’s contributions,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover Motor Speedway’s president and general manager. “We are honored that “The King” is part of our free, fun festivities surrounding our NASCAR weekend and look forward to seeing his legion of fans honor his achievements.”

Meanwhile, 11-time Monster Mile winner Johnson will make his first Dover Motor Speedway Cup Series start since 2020 in the Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, April 28 (2 p.m., FS1).

The newly inducted NASCAR Hall-of-Famer and seven-time NASCAR champion is driving the No. 84 Toyota part-time for LEGACY M.C. this season. Johnson’s 83rd and final Cup Series victory to date came at Dover in the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on June 4, 2017.

Johnson is scheduled to make an appearance on the Monster Monument at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, along with defending Würth 400 champion Martin Truex Jr.

The King’s Hats are hand-crafted by TivoliToo, Inc., the same company that designed and built the Charles Schulz Peanuts® character tribute in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.

Fans are encouraged to use #PETTY75 when they visit Dover’s statue and post photos socially. Visit www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com for more information.

A limited-capacity suite honoring Petty’s 75th anniversary, the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB FAN SUITE, which includes meet-and-greets with Petty and Johnson, sold out earlier this spring.

The Monster Mile’s full 2024 race schedule includes:

Friday, April 26: General Tire 150 ARCA Menards Series race (5 p.m., FS2)
Saturday, April 27: BetRivers 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race (1:30 p.m., FS1, PRN, SiriusXM)
Sunday, April 28: Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race (2 p.m., FS1, PRN, SiriusXM)
Visit DoverMotorSpeedway.com to register for the Speedway’s email list to receive updates and announcements.

The Würth 400 is the Monster Mile’s 106th NASCAR Cup Series race. 2024 marks 55 consecutive years that Dover Motor Speedway has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series event. The Monster Mile is one of only 10 tracks in the country to host 100 or more NASCAR Cup Series races.

FOLLOW US:
Keep track of all of Dover Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook, X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok (@MonsterMile). Keep up with all the latest information on DoverMotorSpeedway.com and our mobile app.

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Talladega 1 Advance

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Official Release
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TALLADEGA 1

Saturday, April 20 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 4 p.m. ET (FOX)
Sunday, April 21 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (FOX)

Talladega Superspeedway has been good to Ford through the years with the manufacturer producing 32 NASCAR Cup Series victories, which includes at least one win in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Ford will be looking to extend that streak on Sunday after the NASCAR Xfinity Series competes one day earlier.

BLANEY GOING FOR FOURTH TALLADEGA WIN

Ryan Blaney has won three of the last nine NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway, including October’s playoff race in which he battled door-to-door for the entire final lap with Kevin Harvick before a photo finish decided the outcome. Blaney’s margin of victory was 0.012 seconds and clinched a spot in the Round of 8. Ford dominated the event, leading 121-of-188 laps after sweeping the top three spots in qualifying and eight of the top 11 positions. The win marked Ford’s 12th win at the superspeedway in the last 19 races, which included a seven-race winning streak from 2015-18.

DECADE OF EXCELLENCE

Team Penske has won 10 of the last 19 NCS races at Talladega Superspeedway. Brad Keselowski started this run by winning in 2014 and registered four victories at the track before joining Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing last season. Joey Logano won in back-to-back seasons (2015-16) while Ryan Blaney followed suit, winning twice in the last four years at Talladega.

TEAM PENSKE WINS

AT TALLADEGA SINCE 2014

2014 – Brad Keselowski (Talladega 2)

2015 – Joey Logano (Talladega 2)

2016 – Brad Keselowski (Talladega 1)

2016 – Joey Logano (Talladega 2)

2017 – Brad Keselowski (Talladega 2)

2018 – Joey Logano (Talladega 1)

2019 – Ryan Blaney (Talladega 2)

2020 – Ryan Blaney (Talladega 1)

2021 – Brad Keselowski (Talladega 1)

2023 – Ryan Blaney (Talladega 2)

KESELOWSKI CLIMBING ALL-TIME TALLADEGA WIN LIST

Brad Keselowski is the winningest active driver at Talladega with six NASCAR Cup Series victories and is tied for second on the all-time list with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. The track’s all-time winner is Dale Earnhardt Sr., who won 10 times during his NASCAR Hall of Fame career.

RYAN BLANEY: “We have had good fortune over the years at Talladega. We have good teamwork, fast cars, and good engines and seem to excel at those places. We do a good job of being there for each other when we need to be and just finding ourselves there at the end of racing and giving ourselves a shot. I look at that when we go to Talladega: trying to give yourself a chance at the end and capitalize on it or not. We have done a good job of doing that and have a good mindset, which has worked out for us sometimes. Good teamwork and good cars go a long way. It would be a great little birthday gift for Ford to put a Mustang in victory lane just after the 60th birthday. Not many things have been around for 60 years, let alone a model of car. That is tough to do with times changing and people wanting new things. Ford has done a good job of always innovating while also sticking to its roots. Hopefully, we can put Mustang in victory lane a few days after the birthday; that would be a pretty cool present for sure.”

JOEY LOGANO: “Talladega has been a great track for Ford, Penske, and all of us. We have been in contention every time we go down there. Our superspeedway program is our strength right now. We have seen that in qualifying and have seen the performance at Atlanta and Daytona so far. I have a lot of confidence going there. A lot of things can happen at Talladega, as we have seen before, but if we can do our jobs perfectly, I am sure we can get one in victory lane, and it would be an added bonus to do it just a couple of days after Mustang celebrates its 60th birthday. That would be a really cool celebration.”

CHASE BRISCOE: “Getting a Mustang in victory lane at Talladega would be super cool. The Mustangs have been super good at superspeedway racetracks, so it would be no better time to get one than just after the 60th birthday of Mustang. That is what we are going to try to do. We are going to have really fast Fords, so hopefully, one of us can put Mustang in victory lane.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI: “Talladega has been a special track for me, and I look forward to going there. I think we will have cars that can compete for the win. There are a lot of peripheral circumstances that would add to how special that would be if we were able to do that. From Mustang’s 60th birthday to where we are as a company to where I am at in my career. So it would be special to be able to win.”

MARTIN LEFT HIS MARK

Mark Martin is the only Ford driver to have won in all three of the major series offered by NASCAR at Talladega. Martin won the Cup series race in 1995 and 1997, Xfinity in 1996 and lastly in the Truck series’ debut 2006 event. Joey Logano (2015 Xfinity) has won in both the Cup and Xfinity series while David Ragan is also a part of the list, having won a Cup race in 2013 and an Xfinity event in 2009.

ROBERT YATES RACING’S FINAL WIN

When Dale Jarrett won the UAW-Ford 500 on Oct. 2, 2005 it ended up being the final trip to Victory Lane for Robert Yates Racing. The race came down to a green-white-checker restart, where Jarrett was positioned fourth. He was still in that spot when they came around to start the final lap, but quickly moved to the outside as Tony Stewart grabbed the lead on the inside lane. The two drivers battled side-by-side down the backstretch before Jarrett powered his way in front. Seconds after getting the lead, Kyle Petty was involved in a single-car accident that brought out the caution as the cars entered turn three and Jarrett was declared the winner. The win was RYR’s 57th triumph in the NASCAR Cup Series, and came six years after the team won its only championship with Jarrett in 1999.

DAVEY ALLISON’S FIRST WIN

Ford has had many milestone moments at Talladega Superspeedway, including the first NASCAR Cup Series win for the late Davey Allison, who won the Winston 500 on May 3, 1987. The race came down to a restart with 10 laps to go in which Allison found himself behind Dale Earnhardt in the outside lane. Earnhardt bolted to the lead when the green flew and Allison tucked in right behind him through turns one and two. As they came off the second corner, Allison went to the inside and easily passed Earnhardt for what proved to be the winning pass. Terry Labonte ended up finishing second with Earnhardt third. Allison went on to win 19 NCS races, including three at Talladega.

BAKER PROVIDES MOORE SUCCESS

The first time Ford went to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway was May 4, 1975 when Buddy Baker, driving for Hall of Fame car owner Bud Moore, held off David Pearson on the final lap. The win was Baker’s ninth career victory and came after he took the lead with 18 laps to go. One of the key decisions in getting Baker to the checkered flag first came when his team opted for two tires on its final pit stop of the day while Pearson and the Wood Brothers decided on gas only. Even though Pearson steadily gained ground on the final lap, Baker was able to hold on by half a car length to win. That started a streak which saw Baker and Moore win three straight Talladega races.

SIEG SO CLOSE

Ryan Sieg is coming off a runner-up finish last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway after leading 17 of the final 18 laps and getting nipped in a photo finish by Sam Mayer. That marked the third time in Sieg’s NASCAR Xfinity Series career he has ended up in second place, and as he heads to Talladega Superspeedway the opportunity to get that first victory is certainly there. That’s because Sieg enters this weekend having finished fifth or better at the track in four of the last six races and in 13 career series starts has five top-10 efforts.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT TALLADEGA

1975 – Buddy Baker (Sweep)

1976 – Buddy Baker (1)

1979 – Bobby Allison (1)

1983 – Dale Earnhardt (2)

1985 – Bill Elliott and Cale Yarborough

1987 – Dave Allison and Bill Elliott

1989 – Davey Allison and Terry Labonte

1992 – Davey Allison (1)

1994 – Jimmy Spencer (2)

1995 – Mark Martin (1)

1997 – Mark Martin (1)

1998 – Dale Jarrett (2)

2005 – Dale Jarrett (2)

2009 – Jamie McMurray (2)

2012 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2013 – David Ragan (1)

2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)

2015 – Joey Logano (2)

2016 – Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano

2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Brad Keselowski

2018 – Joey Logano and Aric Almirola

2019 – Ryan Blaney (2)

2020 – Ryan Blaney (1)

2021 – Brad Keselowski (1)

2023 – Ryan Blaney (2)

CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: Building on Qatar Performance

By
Official Release
-

TF Sport team buoyed by pre-race testing at Italian circuit ahead of Round 2

DETROIT (April 16, 2024) – Corvette Racing and TF Sport write their next chapter together this weekend as the team and its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs travel to Italy for the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Imola.

The goal this time around for TF Sport and Chevrolet is to earn more points in the LM GT3 Drivers, Manufacturers and Teams championship standings. Both the No. 81 and No. 82 Corvettes came away from the season-opening event in Qatar with points and positives to take into the Italian round.

Tom Van Rompuy earned himself and his teammates one point with a pole-position run at Qatar and will continue teaming with Rui Andrade and Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood in the No. 81 Corvette – primarily yellow with black accents. The reverse colors are present on the No. 82 Z06 GT3.R with the trio of Hiro Koizumi, Sebastien Baud and Corvette factory pilot Daniel Juncadella together again after a 10th-place finish in Qatar – netting two valuable championship points, as well.

The second round of the championship is at a new venue for the Corvette brand, but not for TF Sport. Already, the team has undertaken a robust testing program at the 3.05-mile, 19-turn circuit in which the two Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs recorded more than 3,000 kilometers. TF Sport has raced just once at Monza but it was a stellar outing – a 1-2 finish in the European Le Mans Series’ GTE class and the LMP2 Pro-Am victory in 2022.

In addition, Corvette Racing has tasted success in Italy during the last two FIA WEC seasons: it won the GTE Pro class at Monza in 2022 with the Corvette C8.R, and the team wrapped up the GTE Am Drivers and Teams titles in 2023 also at Monza.

The FIA WEC’s Six Hours of Imola Prologue is set for 1 p.m. Central European Time / 7 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, April 21. MotorTrend and MotorTrend Plus will provide both live television and streaming coverage of the race and Friday’s qualifying, as will the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans will stream audio coverage of the race plus Friday’s final practice and qualifying.

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 TF SPORT CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I feel everyone is thinking the same thing in that it will be a super-tough race with traffic. As we know, Imola has the characteristics of one of the more old-school European tracks. With that, it makes passing between GT3 and Hypercar very difficult. We were testing at Imola a few weeks ago in the Corvette, and the delta of lap time between GT3 and Hypercar was significantly smaller than most circuits. The main reason for this is that at Imola in the GT3 cars, you can take a lot of curbs. There has been a completely new profile of the curbing around most of the circuit so that the GT3s can get right on top of the curbs, which the Corvette was handling very well at the test but the Hypercars cannot; they have to drive around them. So the laptime delta is going to be very small and I feel they are going to struggle to pass the GT cars very easily. So you’re going to see a lot of aggression into braking zones and things like that. It’s going to be an interesting race and hard to know how it’s fully going to pan out. But it will be action-packed and with a chance of some collisions between cars in different classes.

“I have raced at Imola in LMP2. That in itself was very difficult with the traffic. If anything, the Hypercars may struggle even more as they are a heavier car and can’t take the curbs as much as the P2s. We might find that some Hypercars may be stuck behind GT3s for half a lap or maybe a third of a lap, which is a significant laptime loss for those guys.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I did a race in 2022 with GT World Challenge at Imola where I finished second. It’s a pretty cool track, to be fair, with not much rest between corners; there aren’t many long straights so there is a lot of activity in your driving. The Corvette felt pretty good at the test. It was a positive session, and it was positive because my teammates did pretty well. Both Seb and Hiroshi… especially Hiro. He found a lot of speed during the two days, which is very encouraging. As I’ve said before, our result in the end ultimately depends a lot on their performance. They were both impressive, which is encouraging as a sort of driver coach.

“An interesting feature about Imola is that at most of the corners, there are very high curbs. It’s a quite unique driving style because you need to use as much as you can from the curbs. But on the other hand, it’s difficult to set up the cars to ride those curbs properly. In the test, we could see that it was quite upsetting when you were beating those big curbs. But there is a way to go through to maximize the car balance and performance.

“Also there is the atmosphere around the corner where Aryton Senna crashed. There is a statue of him, a lot of flowers and a lot of memories. It’s always special to be in such an environment. You can feel that vibe around the track.”

SEBASTIEN BAUD, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I am very much looking forward to participating in this second round of the World Endurance Championship. We have had good preparation with the team and my teammates. And above all, a good analysis of our performances after the first round in Qatar. I am very determined for this six-hour race and also to demonstrate the full potential of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Imola is going to be a tricky race with traffic. You will have to remain very attentive, while being quick.”

2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Points

LMGT3 Drivers Standings

  1. Aliaksandr Malykhin/Joel Sturm/Klaus Bachler – 38
  2. Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James – 27
  3. Clement Mateu/Erwan Bastard/Marco Sorensen – 23
  4. Ahmad Al Harthy/Maxime Martin/Valentino Rossi – 18
  5. David Rigon/Francesco/Castellacci/Thomas Flohr – 15
  6. Daniel Juncadella/Hiroshi Koizumi/Sebastien Baud – 2
  7. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 1

LMGT3 Teams Standings

  1. No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing – 38
  2. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team – 27
  3. No. 777 D’Station Racing – 23
  4. No. 46 Team WRT – 18
  5. No. 54 Vista AF Corse – 15
  6. No. 82 TF Sport – 2
  7. No. 81 TF Sport – 1

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS: Imola

  • 2: Starts for Corvette Racing in Italy – both at Monza in WEC (2022, 2023)
  • 3: Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs in competition this weekend – No. 13 of AWA at Long Beach, No. 81 and No. 82 of TF Sport at Imola
  • 4: Generations of Corvette ZR1 (C3, C4, C6 and C7). The eighth-generation Corvette ZR1 will be revealed this summer
  • 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
  • 19: Number of street circuit victories for Corvette Racing – more than any other IMSA entrant at the circuit.
  • 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
  • 45: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Rui Andrade, Sebastien Baud, Hiroshi Koizumi and Tom Van Rompuy joined the list at Qatar to open the WEC season
  • 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
  • 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC
  • 287: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999
  • 4,225.27: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 15 previous trips to Long Beach. That represents 2,147 laps around the 1.968-mile street circuit.
  • 371,612.71: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles

Corvette Racing in Italy (wins in bold)

2022

No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy (Monza) – 1st in GTE Pro

2023

No. 33 Corvette C8.R: Nicky Catsburg/Ben Keating/Nico Varrone (Monza) – 4th in GTE Am (clinched GTE Am championship)

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.

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