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Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Super Trofeo Team Secures Hardware at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

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MONTEREY (May 12, 2024) — Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) leaves the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with two podiums and win in hand after the third and fourth rounds of the 2024 Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) North America season. The team’s stable of four cars managed to secure a strong haul of points at the historic California road course.

In the No. 1 WTRAndretti LST PRO, Ryan Norman and Danny Formal looked to step onto the podium after two fourth place finishes at Sebring International Raceway to open the season. In the first race of the weekend, the driver duo started in second position, showing promising pace. After a strong showing of experience and control from both drivers around WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the pair secured second place and their first podium of the 2024 season. Race 2 for the No. 1 car was hampered by difficulties during qualifying which left the team starting in eighth position in class. After a chaotic race, Formal and Norman had made up positions through the field, but ultimately finished in eighth position after receiving a penalty on the final restart.

Piloting the No. 8 WTRAndretti LST PRO|AM, Nate Stacy and Nick Persing depart Laguna Seca after a rollercoaster weekend. After qualifying in seventh position for PRO|AM for Race 1, the No. 8 car was involved in a racing incident early on that left it unable to finish. After working through the night to repair the damage, the car was able to start in fourth position for Race 2. Persing was able to stay out of trouble and rally through a hectic start to the race in order to set up Stacy well after the driver change. With multiple caution periods near the end of the race, Stacy’s control throughout the closing minutes placed the No. 8 WTRAndretti back on the top step of the podium for their second PRO|AM win of the year.

In a similar fashion to the No. 8 car, the No. 69 Global Power Components LST AM car saw a difficult first race followed by a trip to the podium. The driver duo started the weekend strong, securing a pole and second in qualifying for Race 1 and 2, respectively. For Race 1, despite a strong starting position, an issue with the steering wheel shortened the driver pair’s race, nullifying their starting position. For Race 2, the driver duo lined up second in class. McIntosh was able to navigate a troublesome start and hold position before the driver change. Once McGee took over, he was able to regain positions lost during the pitstop, and as McGee continued to charge through the field, the checkered flag marked the No. 69 Global Power Components team’s third AM podium of the season.

Ashton Harrison joined Graham Doyle to pilot the No. 10 DEX Imaging LST AM for their first race as a driver pairing in LST. The duo focused on learning and improvement throughout the weekend as they navigated their first entry together. Doyle and Harrison qualified in seventh and eleventh in Race 1 and 2 respectively. In Race 1, both drivers were able to maintain consistent pace and secure seventh place in class. Race 2 saw both drivers navigate tricky conditions to move up the field, finishing once again in seventh place in the AM class.
The WTRAndretti Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable will continue the season at Watkins Glen International on June 21-23, 2024, for Rounds 5 and 6 of the LST North America Championship.

Ryan Norman, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “It was definitely an up and down weekend for us. We were able to get second place yesterday, which was great. Today, I’m still a little confused about how everything played out. I think it was just too many yellows. We moved up to fifth place and were looking good. I think we pitted just one lap too early, but that’s nothing we could have planned for, so a bunch of people got a free pitstop in front of us. I believe we also had a pit lane penalty as well, which put us back pretty far. All we can do is keep on pushing forward. We know we have the crew and the car behind us, so we’ll just look to get to the top step of the podium next time.”

Danny Formal, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “Rounds three and four of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America championship are over. Not the best weekend, not the worst weekend. Today, Race 2, was a complete disaster race wise. It wasn’t the car or the team; the race was just very weird. A lot of yellows resulted in a jumbled pit window, and we came out a lap down. I received a jump start penalty for me on the last restart. As the leader went, I went too, and they all missed the last corner, so I took advantage. Yesterday’s second place finish was a good salvage of points. I’m proud of the team, but we’re not where we want to be yet like last year. We’ll keep on working, everyone at WTRAndretti, and we’ll get there for Watkins Glen. But I’m grateful for the team and all the sponsors and partners and my teammate Ryan, and we’ll see how we do in Watkins Glen.”

Nate Stacy, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “The first race was quite a doozy, not the ending we wanted, but we came back in the second race and really rallied to get a good finish. We survived the melee out there. I felt like I was at Lime Rock out there with how tight it was. There were a lot of cars on track, a lot of competition. Nick did a great job and drove well above where his experience level would say he would. He kept it clean and brought in a clean race car, and we just executed. Pit stop was great. Everyone on the crew did a fantastic job. They stayed late last night getting the car put back together for us, so I hope this win does them some justice.”

Nick Persing, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “It’s an amazing way to cap off the weekend with a win! Yesterday was a little bit of a disappointment because there was some unavoidable contact, just a racing incident. The team stayed up all night to fix the car, and to be able to come out here today and deliver a result like this is an amazing feeling for us as well as the WTRAndretti team.”

Graham Doyle, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Second weekend of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship. Really great one here at Laguna Seca. I had a lot of fun. First weekend with me Ashton and me working together, so a lot of learning this weekend. We definitely made improvements and learned a lot working together. Not exactly the finishes we wanted; we finished seventh in both races. But the potential is there, and we can feel it. So going into Watkins Glen, I think we’ll be a good duo that’s going to fight for podiums.”

Ashton Harrison, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Good wrap up to the Laguna Seca race here for Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. I’m thrilled to be working with Graham and being able to help represent DEX Imaging with him in this tight Super Trofeo field. I’m really happy with our progression over the weekend, and it’s very clear that the No. 10 car is a force to be reckoned with in this AM class. I’m proud of Graham and everybody for the effort that they put in this weekend and looking forward to heading to a track that I know Graham and I are going to be very strong at. Again, just pushing forward and pushing for podiums and wins.”

Glenn McGee, No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti LST (AM): “My teammate Tony McIntosh and I came here thinking this would be our toughest race, as this is a tough track for us, but our baseline came out really well with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti. I think we had a strong average pace to start off with, and we just kept getting quicker throughout the weekend. Race 1 was difficult because our cable was broken on the steering wheel, so we couldn’t select gears. That hampered our race, so we were very lucky do well, but it ended our race in Race 1. In Race 2, my teammate kept it out of trouble at the start. I got the car, but I got tripped up by the PROs on the out lap which lost us the lead in the transition and pits. I fell back to third and made some passes up to second. I ran down the leader, but it was yellow flags to the finish. Congrats to the guys who won; they did a good job this weekend.”

Anthony McIntosh, No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti LST (AM): “The weekend was good. It started off rocky when we had a short in a wire in our steering wheel for Race 1. Every time I would turn right, the steering wheel would turn off, and when I would turn left, the steering wheel would turn on, so I lost the ability to shift. But the team quickly fixed that and got the set up dialed in. For Race 2, it was mostly yellow. I only got a couple of laps and turned it over to Glenn. But it was really just about surviving this whole weekend.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI’S DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing, now with Andretti Global (#WTRAndretti), is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. WTRAndretti has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of its Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched eight North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In addition to its Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, WTRAndretti fields a two-car GTP program with it Championship winning No 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 effort as well as GTD program with the No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2.

RCR NCS Race Recap: Darlington Raceway

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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Team Battle “The Lady in Black”

Finish: 28th
Start: 23rd
Points: 31st

“Long day at Darlington Raceway, but way to fight today for everyone on the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. We were just really tight early in the race and running long during a green flag run in Stage 1 pinned us a lap down early. We were able to fight back from that and things were starting to turn our way, but we couldn’t do much at the end of the race on old tires. The track really surprised us today with how much tighter it made our Chevy as conditions changed towards the end of the race. We’ll head to North Wilkesboro next week for All-Star weekend.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Team Survive Challenging Race at Darlington Raceway

Finish: 27th
Start: 11th
Points: 13th

“We had a tough day today but my crew chief, Randall Burnett, and all the guys on the zone Chevrolet team never gave up. They made adjustment after adjustment all day long but just weren’t able to hit on a combination that worked. I just didn’t have any grip anywhere for much of the race. In the last stage, Randall made the call to short pit and we gained track position, cycling up to 12th-place. We made our last stop with 40 or so laps to go but got zapped by a caution just a few laps later. We took the wave around and got back on the lead lap but unfortunately, we couldn’t make up that lost track position. It was a learning day but we’re ready to head to North Wilkesboro for All-Star weekend.” -Kyle Busch

CHEVROLET NCS AT DARLINGTON 1: Post-Race Report

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
GOODYEAR 400
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
MAY 12, 2024

Byron, Bowman Lead Chevrolet with Top-10 Finishes at Darlington Raceway

  • Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Alex Bowman led Chevrolet to the checkered-flag with a pair of top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
  • Byron drove his No. 24 Axalta Throwback Camaro ZL1 to top-10 finishes in each stage en route to a sixth-place finish – his series-leading eighth top-10 result of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
  • Bowman earned an eighth-place finish in his No. 48 Ally Throwback Camaro ZL1 – extending his top-10 streak to three-straight this season.
  • At the conclusion of the tripleheader weekend at Darlington Raceway, Chevrolet sits atop the driver’s points standings in all three NASCAR national series with Kyle Larson maintaining the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series’ standings by 30-points; Austin Hill taking the lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ standings by three-points; and Christian Eckes moving to the lead of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ standings with a 14-point advantage over second-place.
  • With 33 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet continues to pace its manufacturer competitors with 20 victories and a winning percentage of 60.6%. (NASCAR Cup Series – seven wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – six wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – seven wins).
  • The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at North Wilkesboro Speedway with the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday, May 19, at 8 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

 TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-15:
6th William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Throwback Camaro ZL1
8th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Throwback Camaro ZL1
11th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Throwback Camaro ZL1
12th Chase Elliott, No. 9 UniFirst Throwback Camaro ZL1

 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Throwback Camaro ZL1

Finished: 6th

Byron on his sixth-place finish at Darlington Raceway:

“We were OK, just pretty tight. We couldn’t really get it to turn much better than what we did, or we would really sacrifice the rear grip. Just kind of a struggled, balance-wise, for us.”

(Ryan) Blaney felt like you kind of pinched Martin (Truex Jr.) and him up too high. What did you see in that situation?

“I don’t know. I felt like I was ahead of them. The exit is really narrow right there. I hate if I did come up a little bit. I was surprised I was even in that spot. I felt like I would never get to the bottom of a three-wide there, but the lane was there into (turn) one and my car turned really good. I got almost clear of Martin (Truex Jr.), and then yeah, I hate that it happened. I don’t want to crash, especially that early in the race, so I didn’t really expect that to happen. I probably could have given a little more room, it just gets really, really tight right there.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Throwback Camaro ZL1

Finished: 8th

Bowman on his eighth-place finish at Darlington Raceway:

“We really struggled all day being super tight. Honestly we were freeing it up, and it just kept getting tighter. I don’t know if the track was tightening up or if we had an issue, but we were just really, really tight all day. We just kind of grounded out; didn’t make any big mistakes and had a really good day on pit road. We never got the race car where we wanted it, but we were still able to come out with a top-10 finish. It was really attrition and other peoples’ mistakes. Never give up, but it certainly wasn’t pretty.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Throwback Camaro ZL1

Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in the final stage.

Finished: 34th

What was the extent of the damage that essentially ended your day?

“I was struggling. I got really loose at the end of that long run, and William (Byron) caught me. I was just letting him by in (turns) one and two, and I just kind of hung out there. I was trying to be really wide away from him and I just stayed wide for too long; got hung in the marbles and hit the wall. We had bent the toe link or something, and then pitted and was struggling pretty bad. I don’t know which tire shredded, if it was left-rear or right-rear, but a tire shredded and I spun into turn three. Hate that my mistake, not even really trying hard at all, cost us a race. Just a little bit frustrated with myself right now.

All-in-all, we had a good No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy today. I felt like we were running a really good race up to that point, and then just one mistake took us out of it.”

 

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Keselowski Takes Ford Mustang Dark Horse to Victory Lane For First Time

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Goodyear 400 | Sunday, May 12, 2024

BRAD KESELOWSKI TAKES FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE TO VICTORY LANE FOR FIRST TIME

  • Brad Keselowski won the first race for the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse with today’s victory.
  • It also marked Keselowski’s first win as owner/driver with RFK Racing and snapped a 110-race winless streak.
  • The win is the 36th of Keselowski’s Cup Series career and 27th with Ford.
  • This marks the first win for the No. 6 Ford since David Ragan won at Daytona on July 2, 2011.
  • Today’s win is Ford’s 729th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
  • The win is the 142nd NASCAR Cup Series triumph for car owner Jack Roush and the fifth under the Roush Fenway Keselowski banner.

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW: WELCOME BACK TO VICTORY LANE. “It’s just so great to be here in Darlington. I love this track. I love coming here. It’s a special place to me whether you win or not, but to run up front all day and have a great car, qualify up front, it was just an awesome day for Castrol. I’m glad for Ford. Ford has been working really hard to get us up here and here we are. We got them a win, so they don’t have to hear about that anymore. I’m happy for Ford. Hopefully, there are more great things to come. It was a total team effort from the top to the bottom to get us to where we could have a fast car. We executed on pit road, led laps and were there when it counted at the end.”

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE LAST 30 LAPS OR SO WITH ALL THE RACING THAT HAPPENED? “We were all just racing our guts out. I mean, there was nothing left on the table for any of us. I got underneath Tyler. We were kind of switching back and forth and I felt like he was probably holding me down. He probably felt like he was being pushed up. Chris got by both of us, but Chris’ car was falling off too much. He couldn’t drive away and we were just right there with him and it looked like the 45 tried to do a slide job and it just didn’t quite work and both of them had some kind of an issue. We were able to scoot back by them. A hell of a day. I don’t know if you could have asked for me. We thought Kansas was exciting. I think this was more exciting.”

WHAT ABOUT RFK AND YOUR JOURNEY TO GET HERE. “I thought Chris was gonna win it there when he got by me. I was like, ‘Dog gone it. Here’s another one that Chris got,’ but he did a hell of a job there. It’s good for us as a company, good for us as a team. It locks us into the playoffs. Just and incredible day for us here in Darlington.”

YOU ENDED THE BLUE OVAL DROUGHT. FORD FANS CAN SLEEP EASY TONIGHT. “It hasn’t been the month or two that the Ford guys have wanted, but it’s over now and they can’t hear about it now. Good for Ford. Good for everybody on this race team. We had a pretty fast car today. We just held them honest all day and ran up front and had great pit stops, good strategy and then just a dogfight at the end on the restarts. It had to be thrilling. I feel like I could hear the fans cheering in the car, but what a race. If you missed it, I’m sorry you missed a golden race. It was a hell of a day.”

WHAT ABOUT THAT DOGFIGHT WITH TYLER REDDICK AND WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WITH BUESCHER PASSED YOU BOTH? “I was thinking that he just won this race. Clean air and he could just set sail and go. It didn’t play out that way for a number of reasons. I think he was getting free, but still a pretty epic day.”

YOU GOT THE LEAD AFTER THE 17 AND 45 GOT INTO EACH OTHER. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING THEN? “I just felt like we finally caught a break. We’ve been catching enough bad breaks that kept us from winning, so it’s nice to catch a good one.”

YOU LED FIVE TIMES FOR 37 LAPS. THIS TEAM IS STARTING TO COME TOGETHER, RIGHT? “Yeah. I feel like all along this has been a good team. We just weren’t getting the results. Some of that was in our control and some of it was not in our control, but this one we took the bull by the horns and made it happen.”

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE LEGACY YOU’RE BUILDING? “I’ve got a lot more I want to do. Thirty six wins is great. It’s a nice stat to have, but I want to win a lot more.”

Toyota Racing – NCS Darlington Post-Race Report – 05.12.24

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Official Release
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GIBBS EARNS CAREER-BEST RUNNER-UP FINISH AT DARLINGTON
Reddick, 23XI Racing set new highs in laps led before a late-race incident

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 12, 2024) – Ty Gibbs had a strong race as the reigning Rookie of the Year led 34 laps and delivered a career-best runner-up finish at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. Gibbs was one of three Toyota Camry XSE’s inside the top-10 with Denny Hamlin scored in fourth and Bubba Wallace in seventh.

Tyler Reddick had the dominate car from the pole as the California-native won the second stage and led a career-best 174 of 293 laps. He was racing with the leader in the final laps before being involved in an on-track incident, which led to a 32nd-place finish. With Wallace’s additional six laps led, 23XI Racing set a new team-best with 180 laps led in a single race.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Darlington Raceway
Race 13 of 36 – 400.238 miles, 293 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Brad Keselowski*
2nd, TY GIBBS
3rd, Josh Berry*
4th, DENNY HAMLIN
5th, Chase Briscoe*
7th, BUBBA WALLACE
13th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
19th, ERIK JONES
25th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
31st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
32nd, TYLER REDDICK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 54 He Gets Us Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

What more did you need in the closing laps?

“I feel like I need to get better at passing and driving in dirty air. That is where I feel like I lacked today. My car was really great. Still kind of fighting some numbers on balance, but I feel like we were really, really good. Thank you to He Get Us. All glory to God. Thanks to Toyota, Monster Energy, Interstate Batteries – and my family and my great mom. Happy Mother’s Day.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Yahoo Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

Denny, it looked like it just lacked a little bit all day. How was it from your perspective?

“I’ve got to look at it. We had a lot of damage from the 12 (Ryan Blaney) incident off of turn two. It knocked the nose in, knocked the splitter up, so that certainly played a factor, but certainly didn’t feel like we were as strong on the long run like we usually are. Below average day for the Yahoo Camry, but to finish fourth on a below average day – that’s alright.”

ERIK JONES, No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Finishing Position: 19th

How was your race?

“Just a long day with our AdventHealth Camry. We didn’t have the balance quite were we needed it, and obviously started deep. We made the most of it, and ended up with a top-20, which I think was a win for today. We’ve got to make it better. We will try to make the All-Star next week in North Wilkesboro and will work on our mile-and-a-half program for the next one.”

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 MoneyLion Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Finishing Position: 32nd

Can you talk about what happened at the end of that race and the conversation that followed?

“Honestly, I think it went as probably as good as it could have. Everything he said was accurate to be honest. He raced me respectfully, and I got really aggressive.”

What transpired there at the end of the race and here on pit road?

“I completely understand where he is coming from. He was running the top, running his own race, running his own line to keep me at bay. I made a really aggressive move and was hoping I was going to clear him, when I realized, I wasn’t going to, I tried to check up to not slide up into him, but yeah, I wish I wouldn’t have done that. I completely understand why he is that mad. He did nothing wrong. Just trying to win the race, and to take myself out – that’s one thing – I can live with that, but just disappointed it played out the way that it did, and I took him out of the race as well. That was not the goal there. If I was going to go for it, I was hoping I was going to clear him. If I hit the wall, pop a tire – I take myself out, I can live with that – it’s tough to walk away knowing I used someone up, and took away their chance of winning the race, that has raced me really cleanly since he came in the Cup Series. Just have to work on that and try to make some better decisions going forward.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Kaulig Racing – Race Recap | Goodyear 400Kaulig Racing –

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DEREK KRAUS
No. 16 Project Wyoming Camaro ZL1

  • Derek Kraus qualified 32nd for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
  • Kraus and the No. 16 Project Wyoming Camaro maintained the 32nd position for the majority of the opening stage, before pitting under green on lap 37 for tires and fuel. Kraus finished stage one 36th and a lap down.
  • During the stage break, Crew Chief Travis Mack brought the No. 16 down pit road for an air pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel, as Kraus reported the car was free in turns three and four and tight in dirty air. Restarting 33rd, the first caution of the day came out on lap 122. Kraus took the wave around, putting the No. 16 back on the lead lap and in 29th. As the field went green, the caution came out on lap 130, allowing Kraus to come down pit road for a front-wedge adjustment, tires and fuel, running 25th. On lap 164 and under caution, Kraus reported his car was loose and slowly began to run free, before pitting for tires and fuel. As the green white checkered flew to wrap up stage two, Kraus finished 30th.
  • During the second and final stage break, the No. 16 pitted for tires and fuel, coming down a second time for a tire issue. Kraus settled into the stage 33rd, moving as high as 15th under green-flag pit stops. Kraus pitted under green for tires and fuel just before the final caution. Taking the wave around, the No. 16 restarted 32nd and one lap down. Kraus would go on to finish 29th and one lap down.

“Long day today at Darlington. We tried a few different strategies that Travis [Mack] made, but unfortunately we fell a lap down and couldn’t make it back up there at the end. Overall I learned a lot and we will move on to the next one at Gateway.” – Derek Kraus  

DANIEL HEMRIC
No. 31 Black’s Tire Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric qualified 29th for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
  • Struggling in traffic firing off, Hemric dropped multiple spots at the start of the Goodyear 400. He radioed that he was free in the rear, before making his first green-flag pit stop on lap 37 for tires, fuel, an air pressure and a wedge adjustment. After the pit stops cycled through, Hemric worked his way back to 29th, passing the second place car on his way to un-lap himself. By lap 63, Hemric radioed he had no power steering and dropped back to 31st. He gained one spot before the stage end to finish 30th and one lap down.
  • At the end of the first stage, Hemric brought the No. 31 Black’s Tire Chevy down pit road before it was open to look under the hood to address the power steering issue, but the team was unable to find the cause. Hemric pitted once again when pit road opened for tires and fuel, before restarting the second stage at the tail end. The first caution of the day fell on lap 122. Hemric took the wave around, which paid off, as a caution came out on the following restart. He pitted once again to check the power steering issue, before coming back down pit road for fresh tires. Hemric restarted 27th on lap 134. The next caution came out on lap 163, and Hemric pitted for more tires and fuel before restarting 28th on lap 169. He went on to finish the second stage in 28th on the lead lap.
  • During the stage break, Hemric radioed that the previous air pressure adjustment helped, and he needed more of the same, as well as a wedge adjustment. He pitted for tires, fuel and adjustments before starting the final stage in 25th. When the final green-flag pit stops began to cycle, Hemric worked his way into the top 10. By lap 227, Hemric radioed that he needed to be freer, before he made his pit stop on lap 240. The next caution came out with 40 to go, and Hemric missed the free pass spot by one position. He took the wave around to put him back on the lead lap and restarted 27th with 33 laps to go. With three laps remaining, Hemric reported a broken throttle. He was forced to bring the No. 31 down pit road, relegating him to a 33rd-place finish.

“An unfortunate end to a hard-fought day. We struggled in dirty air from the start, and then we battled power steering issues for the majority of the race. Trent [Owens] made some great adjustments, and we were able to show some speed towards the end of the race. Unfortunately, the throttle broke coming to three laps to go. Not how we wanted today to go, I’m super proud of the fight in this No. 31 Black’s Tire team.” – Daniel Hemric  

 
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.

Sweet Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Redemption for Jeansonne in Monterey

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Official Release
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IMSA Laguna Seca 2024

MONTEREY, Calif. (May 12, 2024) – A mistake in the final corner of Saturday’s Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race cost Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 JTR Motorsports Engineering) a hometown victory. He redeemed himself in Sunday’s race with a decisive win. Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 JTR Motorsports Engineering) came home second, with Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing) finishing third.

Starting from pole position, Jeansonne led all but one lap of the race, but each and every one of those laps was a fight to stay up front. For the first half of the race Jeansonne’s teammate, and Saturday race winner, Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) was glued to his bumper.

Any effort to work together and pull away from the field was spoiled by Tyler Gonzalez (No. 57 Saito Motorsports Group), who had a great start and was breathing down the JTR duo’s necks.

The top eight cars separated themselves from the rest of the field and were fighting for every inch of race track. Eventually, Thomas was sucked into the battle behind him and nearly fell out of the top 10. The tight battles gave Jeansonne some moments of reprieve, but he wasn’t able to pull away from the pack until the penultimate lap.

“I didn’t look in my mirror one time,” Jeansonne said of the final two laps. “My spotter told me they were 15 car-lengths behind me coming to the white flag. I was like ‘okay, I got it. Fifteen car-lengths. I don’t need anything else.’” I just drove and knew I had the gap, a little bit of a margin, and came away with it.”

WeatherTech Raceway is Jeansonne’s home track and site of his first-ever Mazda MX-5 Cup win last year.

“There’s a lot of people here helping me and supporting me and that made yesterday really tough,” Jeansonne said of Saturday’s race. “I really wanted it yesterday and came so close. I am so happy to get it done today and in exciting fashion like that.”

With the win, bonus points for two pole positions and leading the most laps in both races, Jeansonne provisionally takes over the championship points and inches closer to the $250,000 championship prize.

A runner-up finish felt like a victory for Nicholson. His race began with a poor start and while fighting not to fall too far behind, he took a ride through the gravel in Turn Five and nearly spun. An early full-course yellow helped him stay in the top 10 and gave him a chance to refocus for the restart.

Nicholson clawed his way back through the field and into second by the race’s halfway mark, but an attempt to take the lead slowed his momentum enough to fall back to fourth with two laps to go.

Determined to earn his second-straight podium finish, Nicholson dug deep.

“I got pushed off and the only thing I was worried about was just picking off one car by one car by one car,” Nicholson said. “It’s the exact same mindset as Sebring when I went 30th to 10th. You know, it’s the bad days, when stuff goes wrong, that matter and win championships.”

Defending for his life, and sometimes defying physics, Nicholson held onto second.

“The team gave me a car that would stick anywhere, so I can’t thank them enough for that,” he said.

Two podium results at Laguna Seca pushes Nicholson into the lead of the Rookie of the Year standings, which culminates in a $80,000 check at the end of the season from Mazda.

Fletcher had the fastest lap of the race and clearly the speed to win but started seventh and found it extra tricky to pick up positions early on in the race.

“I definitely fell back in the beginning,” Fletcher said. “I knew I had the car and suddenly felt really good and after the caution. I kind of just tried to pick them off one by one and go from there. There was a lot of contact, not with me, just around me and I think that helped us a lot to kind of move through. MMR had the car absolutely flying, so I can’t thank them enough and my grandparents and The Holster Store for bringing me out here and making this possible.”

It is the fourth podium of the year for Fletcher who is in his sophomore season.

Thomas recovered from his mid-race struggles to finish fourth and Grant West (No. 50 Spark Performance) earned his best MX-5 Cup finish ever, crossing the line in fifth.

The top finishing female in the race, Sally Mott (No. 15 Spark Performance), had a harrowing race that started with a spin that sent her to the back of the field. The Mazda Women in Motorsports Scholarship winner didn’t let it phase her and methodically picked her way back through the field to 11th.

“The first race I had a (first lap) incident that was similar, so I really, really, really wanted this,” Mott said. “I drove my heart out and I feel like it paid off and even though my tow was out and I was struggling in some areas, I feel like l did my best and I stayed focused and I put on a show when it mattered.”

As the top finishing female, Mott took home a check for $2,000 from Mazda.

Both races from Laguna Seca are available to watch on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.

Next up for MX-5 Cup is Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Rounds Seven and Eight, June 7 – 9.

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

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

Toyota Racing – NCS Darlington Quotes – 23XI Press Conference – 05.12.24

By
Official Release
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Toyota Racing – 23XI Press Conference
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 11, 2024) – 23XI Racing driver Corey Heim, 23XI president Steve Lauletta and TRD general manager Tyler Gibbs were made available to the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on Sunday.

COREY HEIM, No. 50 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

STEVE LAULETTA, president, 23XI Racing

TYLER GIBBS, general manager, TRD, USA

How did that announcement come together?

LAULETTA: “We are lucky enough to have a new relationship with ExxonMobil with Toyota’s help, across the Toyota teams. I tossed out an idea, late last year with them, knowing that they were going to celebrate their 50th anniversary – that we’d run a third car a couple of times last year. I told them that we could run it as the 50 car – I had no idea there was another car running the 50, which was some work for me to do. We agreed that we would do three races with three different types of storytelling opportunities, and the second one – which is Nashville – is with our young friend, Corey (Heim). We are thrilled to put him in one of our cars and have him run as a driver in his own car. It was good for him to get a couple of races with LEGACY, unfortunate for the circumstances, but we’ve been planning this for a while. He’s spent some time with us at our facility and we are thrilled to get him to hop in the 50 car with Mobil 1, and help continue to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

GIBBS: “We’ve had a long relationship with ExxonMobil – both on the technical side, as well as the partnership side. You see them in the GR Cup, and you see them with Jade (Avedisian) in the dirt and you see them with John Hunter (Nemechek) in Xfinity last year and a whole bunch of different places, so when Steve (Lauletta) presented this opportunity to us and to Mobil1 – it was a no brainer for us. Corey (Heim) is clearly ready, and we are really excited to see where this goes.”

What does this opportunity mean to you?

HEIM: “It means the world. It is such an unbelievable opportunity, first of all, with me being in my fifth year of developing with Toyota Racing, and just stepping through the ladder and to come all the way from ARCA to Cup with Toyota Racing and make my first start with my name on it with 23XI Racing. As Steve (Lauletta) mentioned, we’ve been planning this for a while previous to those two Cup races with LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB), so to have my name on it and to celebrate with Mobil 1 and their 50th anniversary, and to have that on board is very special. I can’t wait for that.”

What was it about Corey Heim that said to you that he was ready for this opportunity?
LAULETTA: “What he is doing on the race track, number one. We do have the relationship with LEGACY, ourselves, with Corey (Heim) being our reserve driver for the moments, like what happened. He has spent time with our competition folks. He’s been at Airspeed with us. You’ve seen some of our posts of his history as a fan of Denny’s (Hamlin) – I can tell you Denny is a tremendous fan of his and what he’s doing on the race track. It was time to give him the opportunity to get him with a car like ours, and a team like ours and see what he could do in a race. We did a lot of conversations with him and Toyota to pick the right race and one that we will feel like will be a good one for him Nashville. Having Kamui (Kobayashi) run in COTA and following that with Corey, we feel like that is a nice storytelling opportunity for Mobil 1 and our team.”

When this opportunity came up, what did it mean to you?

HEIM: “Yeah, as you mentioned, I’m a pretty levelheaded person. I’m not overly emotional, but just to think about where I was at three or four years ago to step through this ladder and come to the Cup Series in the way that I have. It definitely got me pretty emotional. I’ve always dreamed of being a Cup driver, but I was never too sure of the opportunities that laid ahead, and to finally know I get my shot, I get my opportunity – of course, this was previous to knowing that I would be running the two Cup races for LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) – it definitely made me pretty emotional and really excited to say the least. But I’m ready to make the most of it. It is a tremendous opportunity. I have so many great people in my corner, supporting me – 23XI, Toyota Racing and Mobil 1 – to have them all in my corner is tremendous and I can’t wait.”

How do those two starts tie in to helping you prepare for Nashville?

HEIM: “Under harsh circumstances, I made the most of it. I think those two starts were pretty crucial with my experience to prepare Nashville. Of course, you never want to be thrown in at the last minute, but with the harsh circumstances, it is what my job is – to be a reserve driver for LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) and 23XI Racing. I think being a sim driver for LMC this year has prepared me for this opportunity to an extent, but nothing beats real sim time. Going out there and getting the laps and having a 400-lap race to settle in – figure it out in stage one, settle in, in stage two, and hopefully, close in on stage three, and that is sort of what I did. As you mentioned, concrete race track at Dover will translate to Nashville. All of the drivers in the Cup Series, and me included, have agreed that seat time trumps everything, so to have those two races is crucial for my experience going up to Nashville with 23XI and hopefully it pays off.”

What was about Corey that you knew he was ready for this opportunity?

GIBBS: “I think the first thing for the driver is that they need to be fast, but growing up in culture, he learned those things, but some of it is just Corey (Heim) and the person that he is, so from that perspective, the moment isn’t too big for him. We know that he has the talent – that is pretty clear. When you watch the way he races, even before he was racing with LEGACY. From that perspective, he was one of two or three choices that were pretty clear for us, and when you look at his relationship with Mobil 1, us, the 50th anniversary, the story of bringing him in the series this year – it was a clear choice.”

How close do you think you are to a third charter for 23XI?

LAULETTA: “We are not close because everything right now is what ifs and maybes and who knows until there is a charter agreement. That is the key. That is what needs to happen. That is what, I know, everyone is working hard and focused on doing, so at the end of this year, there are charters so that there is something we can then talk about and see what the future plays out to be.”

Does 23XI have the infrastructure to run a third car?

LAULETTA: “Look, when we moved to Airspeed – we are going to open that to the public at the end of the year – we didn’t build it to only run two cars. We are proving that. I’ve said that all along – we ran a third car twice last year, and we wanted to do it at least that many, and we are going to do it three times this year. We are building towards that. Whether or not that is in the immediate future of next year or beyond, that is something that we will have our eyes on.”

Can you add another car from the Toyota side?

GIBBS: “From our side, the key thing is going to be the timing. If decisions are made in October or November, that is a whole lot more difficult if they are made sooner. So from our perspective, we are working towards being ready to do that, if the opportunity arises.”

What stands out about Corey to you?

LAULETTA: “He does it with a great attitude and he fits right in. Personality wise, you guys have been around him, you can see what a genuine person he is – which is important – that is the kind of people and culture that we want to have at 23XI. He’s a sponge in terms of what he is learning. I get that from our competition guys. He’s asked to sit in some of our meetings already, and I think what he gets from that is really important as he builds his knowledge, and as I’ve said, Denny (Hamlin) is super impressed with him, and has been for a long time. It was not a big leap for us to say – we did the 67 in Daytona with Travis (Pastrana), but it was time to get on an oval – a mile-and-a-half – and see what we could do, and there was only one name that we talked about and he is sitting right here.”

You have a lot of a young talent with the team. Is that how you are trying to build 23XI?

LAULETTA: “Everything is opportunistic, and the pieces have to fit together at the right time, which did quickly with Bubba (Wallace) and we a little more time with Tyler (Reddick) and now we are going to take our time to see what the next move is. When those pieces fit together, I’m sure we are not going to do it unless it is the perfect fit because we don’t want to take any steps backwards from where we are today, so it is definitely with a super diligent mindset that we are going to do anything moving forward.”

How do you evaluate who gets these opportunities?

LAULETTA: “From as far as setting it up, there is a lot of conversations with a lot of partners involved. We talk to Toyota all of the time, obviously Mobil 1 in this instance, our internal competition staff and staff on how we want to position ourselves as a race team, so there are a million things that go into every decision that we make, this one was really important. There was a lot of things that really needed to line up to make it happen. There is a lot of parts and pieces – I mean, if I had to show you the spreadsheet on how we decided on Nashville, it is a lot of work to make sure we put our best foot forward as a team all the time, and that is what led us to Corey (Heim) and that is what led us to Nashville.”

What are you doing behind the scenes to prepare for this?

HEIM: “From my standpoint, this year, I’m really focused on trying to win a truck championship first of all. I’ve always been a person to take it a week-by-week basis. I’ve never really projected ahead into the year. I’ve never been a person to focus on a year, because for me it is just a week-by-week basis. This is an incredible opportunity with 23XI when the time comes and the moment is there, but I’m focused on winning the truck championship and being ready for that.”

How do you stay ready in a reserve driver role?

HEIM: “Luckily with the Truck Series, we follow the schedule for the most part, so I will have a general idea of what to look for on certain racetracks. Now when a week comes up, such as a Sonoma, that’s a couple of weeks ago – that is definitely tougher to be prepared, when you don’t have a lot of laps at a certain race track, but as I touched on earlier, I do all of the simulation and reserve driver kind of things for LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) and 23XI, so I do get laps during the week to get experience from a virtual side of things, which helps, but it is tougher when you don’t have that real life experience, but it is part of the learning process on my part.”

What is it like receiving praise from your Toyota teammates?

HEIM: “Over the years, I’ve gotten along great with my Toyota teammates. We all work out of the same buildings during the week, between the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville, and TRD in Salisbury, North Carolina. We see each other in passing a lot between all of the Toyota teams, from late models all the way to Cup. I’ve gotten along great with all of my Toyota teammates, and John Hunter (Nemechek) is a guy that I’ve been fortunate enough to be teammates with all of the way back at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) and now, somewhat, at LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB). It has been great. He has been a great teammate; a great supporter and I love reaching out and picking his brain out about certain things. It definitely helps with those two Cup starts as well. Him as well as all of our other Toyota teammates that I’ve been fortunate enough to pick their brain throughout the years, has definitely been really good for me in my development.”

Does hearing from other Toyota drivers that they agree with decision make you feel even better about it?

LAULETTA: “For sure. Again, I don’t think anyone should have been surprised that we tapped him on the shoulder to give him his chance to run a Cup race. He’s earned it, and I think he proved with the two races with LMC (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) that we made the right decision for sure.”

GIBBS: “I just think the work that Corey (Heim) has done as the reserve driver, in terms of some of the meetings he sat in, some of the work that he does during the week, just reinforces that. It is certainly nice to hear the other drivers say that, but to Steve’s (Lauletta) point, I don’t think anyone is really surprised just knowing the contribution that Corey puts in behind the scenes.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Truth Behind Online Casino Games: Ensuring Fairness and Randomness

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SM
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Photo by Kvnga on Unsplash

Online casinos have exploded in popularity over the last decade. With millions of people playing casino games on their computers and mobile devices every day, it’s crucial that these games are fair. But how exactly do online casinos ensure that their games are truly random? In this article, we’ll explore the rigorous testing processes used to confirm game fairness and explain why players can trust that Evolve Casino games aren’t rigged.

Importance of Random Number Generators (RNGs)

At the core of any online casino game is the random number generator (RNG). This is a complex piece of software that continuously and randomly generates numbers. These randomly generated numbers determine everything from the cards dealt in blackjack to the symbols that appear on slot machine reels.

RNGs are designed to operate in an unpredictable manner and be impervious to outside influence. A quality RNG will produce billions of random outcomes per second and make it impossible for players or casinos to know what’s coming next. This ensures every spin, hand, or roll of the dice is fair.

Testing Processes to Confirm Fairness

All reputable online casinos have their games tested and certified by independent auditing companies. These auditors analyze the games to confirm that the RNGs are truly random and that the stated rules and payout percentages match the actual outcomes.

There are several ways auditors test for randomness. Some methods include:

  • Chi-squared analysis: Comparing expected outcome frequencies to observed outcomes to check for statistical biases
  • Shuffle tracking: Checking that card sequences in games like blackjack contain no predictable patterns
  • Number correlation analysis: Looking for relationships between RNG outputs that could compromise randomness

Auditors also verify game return-to-player (RTP) percentages by simulating millions of spins or hands. If a slot claims a 95% RTP, auditors will check that it pays out 95 cents for every $1 wagered over billions of spins.

Understanding House Edge and How Casinos Profit

While casino games rely on randomness, the house still maintains an inherent mathematical advantage known as the house edge. This means that over many bets, the casino is likely to win more than it loses, allowing it to remain profitable.

Here are some typical house edges:

  • Slots: 4-10%
  • Blackjack: Under 1% with perfect play
  • Roulette: Around 5%

The house edge exists because of how games are structured, not because they are rigged. For example, slots are programmed to pay out less than the amount wagered over the long run. Blackjack gives the dealer an advantage if both dealer and player bust. Payouts on roulette bets are less than the true odds.

Casinos have a business incentive to operate fair games. If games are proven unfair, they get shut down and lose customers. The house edge alone allows them to maintain healthy profits over time.

Trusting in Reputable Online Casinos

While no system is perfect, reputable online casinos go to great lengths to ensure their games are truly fair through RNG testing and ongoing auditing. Players can have peace of mind that the cards, dice, wheels and reels have not been rigged in the casino’s favor as long as they stick to trustworthy, licensed sites.

However, players should be wary of unregulated casinos that have not had their games properly vetted. These sites should be avoided, as they may rig games or fail to pay out winnings. But major online casinos invest heavily in fairness testing to build player trust.

So next time you enjoy your favorite slots or blackjack game online, you can bet on a fair outcome knowing the site has taken steps to confirm the validity of their RNGs. While the house may hold an advantage, with the right controls in place, both you and the casino can benefit from truly random gameplay.

Power of Peer Validation: Why User Reviews Make or Break Online Casinos

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SM
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Photo by Kaysha on Unsplash

The online casino space grows more crowded by the day. With so many options to choose from, players tend to gravitate towards sites with positive reviews and testimonials. User feedback serves as social proof that validates a casino’s trustworthiness. This “peer validation” goes a long way in convincing signups and engendering loyalty.

In this article, we’ll explore why user reviews hold such sway in the online casino industry. We’ll also provide tips for operators, like Playfina, looking to leverage reviews and testimonials to stand out from the competition.

Reviews Build Trust in an Untrustworthy Space

The online casino industry suffers from an image problem. After years of rogue operators engaging in unethical practices, players have grown wary. Recent statistics paint a concerning picture:

  • 71% of players distrust online casinos without verifiable testimonials
  • 62% won’t create an account on sites with low or no reviews

Negative perceptions stem from past issues around game fairness, payment security, and problem gambling. But user reviews help assuage these concerns. Positive feedback from real players signals that a site is safe, secure, and trustworthy.

Essentially, user reviews serve as social validation that an online casino meets certain standards around safety and ethical operations. This “peer validation” means more than claims made by the operators themselves. As the saying goes, “actions speak louder than words.”

Reviews Attract Signups in a Competitive Market

Today’s online casino market grows more competitive by the day. In North America alone, the number of licensed gaming sites increased by 15% from 2020-2021. Players enjoy no shortage of options.

With so many sites vying for attention, user reviews give operators a vital edge:

  • 81% of players are more likely to sign up with a casino after reading positive reviews. Feedback indicates that real users have tried the site and recommend it. This vote of public confidence provides the social proof needed to drive conversions.
  • 78% of players consult review sites like Trustpilot when choosing a new casino. Many players head straight to third-party review aggregators to inform their decision. Strong feedback scores here make a powerful first impression.

Positive reviews attract signups by lending credibility amid a sea of unfamiliar options. They provide the validation players seek before handing over personal information and making a deposit.

Reviews Drive Loyalty Through Improved Experiences

User reviews attract new signups and drive loyalty through better experiences. The vast majority of players read feedback before signing up. As a result, they enter with clear expectations around things like:

  • Game libraries
  • Bonuses and promotions
  • Payment options
  • Customer support

When the actual experience aligns with expectations set by reviews, players enjoy a positive outcome. They’re more likely to return and become regular patrons.

But misaligned expectations often lead to frustration and churn. This is why sites with glowing feedback retain players longer. One survey found that casinos with “excellent” ratings enjoy:

  • 3x longer average player lifetime value (LTV)
  • 2x higher daily active users (DAUs)
  • 1.5x higher monthly player retention rates

In essence, user reviews create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Positive feedback sets accurate expectations that lead to positive outcomes and long-term loyalty.

Key Takeaways

In the fast-growing yet crowded online casino market, user reviews are hugely impactful. By validating site trustworthiness and managing player expectations, feedback delivers higher conversion rates, longer LTV, and better retention.

For operators, focusing on reputation should be a top priority. Proactively soliciting reviews builds social proof players seek when choosing a new site. Responsively addressing negative feedback prevents churn.

With the right review strategy, operators can stand out from the crowd and turn new signups into devoted, high-value customers.

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