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Stewart-Haas Racing: Darlington NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

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Official Release
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COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Darlington NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 (Round 11 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, May 11
  • Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
  • Layout: 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer is paying tribute to the early days of Stewart-Haas Racing in Saturday’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with his tribute to one of his racing heroes who was a driver from the Haas CNC Racing era. The No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse will sport a vibrant orange and black scheme that is akin to Johnny Sauter’s 2006 No. 00 car that he drove for Haas CNC Racing in the Xfinity Series. Coincidentally, Custer’s current crew chief, Jonathan Toney, worked as an engineer with Sauter during his time with the team in the mid-to-late 2000s. In 2006, Sauter ran the full Xfinity Series season in the No. 00 car for Haas CNC Racing, earning two top-fives and nine top-10s. He earned one pole, in the October race at the .75-mile Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park oval, and went on to finish the season eighth in the driver standings. Sauter, the 2016 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, returned to Haas CNC Racing for the 2007 season, this time in the NASCAR Cup Series, and Toney made the move with him.
  • Saturday’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington will mark Custer’s fifth career Xfinity Series start at the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame.” Despite never having led a lap at Darlington, the native of Ladera Ranch, California, was credited with the Xfinity Series victory in August 2019 after he crossed the finish line .602 of a second behind apparent race-winner Denny Hamlin. But Hamlin’s racecar was disqualified after a ride-height violation discovered in postrace inspection, giving Custer his sixth of seven Xfinity Series wins that season. In the September 2018 race at Darlington, Custer was runner-up to Brad Keselowski by .738 of a second. Custer finished ninth in his Xfinity Series debut at Darlington in September 2017. Custer has not finished worse than ninth at the track.
  • Custer has an additional seven starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Darlington, all in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2020 to 2022. His best outing there was an 11th-place effort in the September 2021 Southern 500. He scored two other Darlington top-15s in the Cup Series – a 12th-place finish in September 2020 and a 14th-place finish in his most recent Cup Series start in September 2022.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst is putting the focus on his unique racing roots as the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns from its second off weekend of the season for Saturday’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The No. 98 Ford Mustang will pay homage to Herbst’s family, specifically his father, three-time Baja 1000 champion Troy Herbst, by turning his matte black Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse into bright red with the markings of his family’s business, Terrible’s. Troy, his brothers, Ed and Tim, and Riley’s grandfather dominated the SCORE International Trophy Truck off-road-racing world, especially during the late 1990s and early 2000s with the family’s Terrible Herbst Motorsports team. All four of them were inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame. While Riley chose to pursue pavement racing in NASCAR, he still returns to his roots during the offseason to race for the family team in the Baja 1000. Last November, the younger Herbst co-drove with his father to a class victory in the Trophy Truck Spec class. He and the team finished the 2021 and 2022 races ninth and third, respectively.
  • Saturday’s 200-mile race will mark the ninth Xfinity Series start at Darlington for Herbst. While he’s experienced a mixed bag of results at the track affectionately known as the “Lady in Black,” he’s also earned some of his career-best finishes there. In his eight prior starts at the track, Herbst has earned three top-10 finishes with a best of third, earned in the May 2022 race on the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval. While his last race there in September 2023 was an up-and-down day of emotions as he was racing to make the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, he came out on top with a sixth-place finish after starting 15th. While Herbst seeks his first win of the season at Darlington, he’s doing so with a team that has been victorious twice there in the Xfinity Series – August 2019 with Custer and May 2020 with Chase Briscoe.
  • Herbst knows how to win on intermediate tracks. His first career Xfinity Series victory came at his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October. Not only did the 25-year-old driver park his Ford Mustang in victory lane, he bested the field by more than 14 seconds, the second largest margin of victories in the series. The team currently holds 17 Xfinity Series wins on NASCAR’s intermediate tracks, nine of which have come with the No. 98 team.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Throwback Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re notorious for picking your own throwback paint schemes almost every year at Darlington. What makes you so passionate about picking ones that are meaningful to you?

“Throwback weekend has always been a fun concept for me. I got started racing at such a young age, but I was always a fan of a lot of these people I’m choosing for throwbacks. A lot of them have been connected to Haas Automation and Haas CNC Racing, but it’s always cool to see how we can switch up our paint scheme to honor some of the best drivers in our sport. I’ve done Jason Leffler for several years now, so it’s cool to pick a new one with Johnny Sauter, who also drove the No. 00 for Haas CNC Racing. I was a big Johnny Sauter fan growing up, and I don’t think I missed watching a race during that 2006 season when he drove the No. 00 for the team. The No. 00 has a legacy to it and I’m proud to be a part of it. Johnny was an asset to the beginnings of Haas CNC Racing before it became Stewart-Haas Racing, so I’m proud to be able to honor someone who then went on to be a NASCAR champion like myself.”

Darlington is a difficult track where a lot of drivers struggle to find success. Yet, you’ve earned four top-fives, five top-10s, and one win at the 1.366-mile oval in your five starts. What’s your secret to navigating the track?

“Darlington is called ‘Too Tough to Tame’ for a reason. It’s such a difficult track for a driver. If your car isn’t set up right, it can make for a bad race. I’ve been lucky to have some good runs there and continue to score top-10s, but we still have yet to lead laps at Darlington. I got the win in 2019, but I would like to run up front all day and lead laps. We’ve been close, but we just need that little bit more. Luckily, JT (Jonathan Toney, crew chief) and the guys have been working on it, and I know they’ll bring me a fast racecar this weekend. We’ve been good there, but I know we can be the best of the best.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Terrible Herbst Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Darlington has been one of those tracks where you run well but often find bad luck. What do you need to do in order to not only stay out of trouble Saturday, but also find your way to victory lane?

“Honestly, this racetrack is all about being patient. You can’t get too heated if you’re working your way through traffic or it’ll come back to bite you. I’ve had some of my best runs at Darlington and some of my worst. I’ve made some mistakes and gotten back in the pack, which ended up not working out in my favor. Bad luck can hit you hard there, and I can say that I’ve seen both the good side and bad side of Darlington. If we can just stay focused and keep out of bad luck’s way, I know the No. 98 team can find its way to victory lane at Darlington. We’ve had the speed all year, it’s just about staying out of trouble.”

Your throwback scheme is a special one for you as you honor your dad’s championship-winning Trophy Truck and your family’s off-road racing legacy. What does it mean to be able to pay tribute to not only your family, but your very unique racing roots?

“This throwback means a lot to me. Not many people in the sport come from an off-road-racing background like mine. It’s just not as common. My dad used to show up to racetracks and when people saw that red Trophy Truck come off the trailer, they knew they were all racing for second. He’s had such an influence in motorsports, even if it wasn’t specifically NASCAR. Off-road racing was what I grew up around and knew best. I chose to pursue NASCAR to make a career out of it, but I’ve been going back every offseason to race in the Baja 1000 with my family’s team. To be able to run this paint scheme means a lot, and I hope I can put it in victory lane for Monster Energy, Terrible’s, and my family at Darlington.”

Layne Riggs Pays Homage to Father in Darlington Throwback Scheme

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Official Release
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Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150 Features 2000’s Look

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 7, 2024) – Layne Riggs will honor his family’s rich racing heritage at the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with his throwback paint scheme.

The No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150 will pay homage to Riggs’ father, Scott, who raced the featured scheme during the 2000 season for Impact Motorsports. In his limited schedule that year, Scott Riggs had seven top-10s in 15 starts, including a 5th-place finish at Richmond (V.A.) Raceway.

“It’s really cool to go [to Darlington] and pay homage to my dad,” Riggs said. “I’ve raced some of his schemes in the past, but this one is really cool because it was his first full time opportunity at the national level, and this is my first full time opportunity at the national level.”

“Darlington is a pretty gnarly track from what I’ve seen, I’m excited to get on it. It’s going to be a tough race, but it brings me back to my roots in tire management and old school racing.”

In addition to the scheme, Riggs will be carrying the Orange County Speedway track logo on the name rail, his hometown track.

“It’s surreal to me to be watching Layne in the truck series at the same tracks I’ve raced in this scheme,” Scott Riggs said. “The paint scheme is older than Layne. It means a lot to have Infinity Communications Group support this scheme and let me relive those memories while also supporting my son.”

Riggs will race Friday night at the Darlington Raceway with track activity starting with practice and qualifying at 3:00 pm ET. The 147-lap event will take place that evening at 7:30 pm ET.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Darlington 1 Advance

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Official Release
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DARLINGTON 1

Friday, May 10 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, May 11 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, May 12 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (FS1)

NASCAR’s original superspeedway will take center stage this weekend as Darlington Raceway hosts a tripleheader, featuring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series. Darlington has been on the stock car circuit since 1950 and Ford has had its share of success, posting 32 wins under the Blue Oval banner and 42 overall when including Mercury.

WOOD BROTHERS LEAD THE WAY

It comes as no surprise that the Wood Brothers are Ford’s all-time winningest team at Darlington Raceway, posting eight career victories. All but one of those triumphs came in a Mercury, which the team ran in the 1960’s and 70’s. David Pearson, who holds the record with 10 career Darlington Cup victories, led the way with six while Cale Yarborough captured the team’s first in 1968. The last Darlington win for Wood Brothers Racing came in 1981 when Neil Bonnett took the Southern 500 behind the wheel of a Ford.

BUESCHER AT DARLINGTON

Chris Buescher will look to bounce back from Sunday’s photo finish by building on his recent success at Darlington Raceway. Buescher, who got nipped by 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in NASCAR history at Kansas Speedway, had top-10 runs in both Darlington races a year ago, finishing 10th in the spring and third in the Southern 500. Overall, he has nine starts with RFK racing since returning to the organization in 2020 and has four top-10 runs at The Lady in Black. He currently sits 11th in the series point standings after his second runner-up finish of the season and is the second-highest Ford driver behind Ryan Blaney.

LOGANO PICKS UP FIRST DARLINGTON WIN

Joey Logano passed William Byron with two laps to go to win the Goodyear 400 in 2022 for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and first at Darlington Raceway. Logano dominated the Throwback Weekend, capturing the pole on Saturday and then winning the first stage before green flag pit stops and race strategy took over. He ended up leading eight times for 107 laps, most among all drivers, and dueled with Byron for the win over the final 26 laps.

KESELOWSKI SPARKS BACK-TO-BACK 1-2 FINISHES

Brad Keselowski was at the forefront of consecutive 1-2 Ford finishes when he swept the NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Cup Series fall Darlington weekend in 2018. Keselowski led the final 33 laps and won Saturday’s NXS event after Ross Chastain and Kevin Harvick made contact while battling for the lead. Cole Custer finished second to Keselowski, who registered his first win at Darlington. One night later Keselowski got his second after the No. 2 pit crew got him the lead on the final round of stops. Keselowski took off on the restart and beat Penske teammate Joey Logano to the finish line for Ford’s first Cup win at Darlington since Greg Biffle in 2006.

DARLINGTON MASTER

David Pearson holds the record for most NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington Raceway with 10 and eight of those came in Ford Motor Co. products. He won six times driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury (1972,’74,’76-2,’77), winning the Southern 500 twice in that span (1976-77), and two more times in a Holman-Moody Ford (1968 and ’70). Pearson won three Southern 500 titles overall.

FIELD OF 70

The first time Ford won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway was when Curtis Turner took the Southern 500 on Sept. 3, 1956. Unlike today, where the field is set at a maximum of 40 cars, there were 70 vehicles in the race that saw Turner lead 224 of the 400 laps. He beat Speedy Thompson to the finish line by more than two laps, and did it in record fashion with an average race speed of 95.167 mph.

CUSTER LOOKS TO CONTINUE STREAKS

Cole Custer will try to extend a pair of streaks this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion has reeled off eighth straight top-10 finishes after starting the season with runs of 13th (Daytona) and 16th (Atlanta). He’s coming off a fifth-place showing at Dover Motor Speedway two weeks ago in which he led a race-high 95 laps. The other streak he’ll try to keep intact is at Darlington itself, where he has one career victory (2019) and finished in the top-10 in all five series starts.

MARTIN ALL-TIME DARLINGTON NXS WINNER

Mark Martin is Darlington’s all-time winningest driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, having won eight times during his Hall of Fame career. He won 8-of-15 series races from 1993-2000, which included a pair of three-race winning streaks (1993-94, 1999-2000) and consecutive triumphs in 1995-96. Overall, Ford has won 19 times at the Track Too Tough to Tame, including a stretch where Martin (3), Jeff Burton (3) and Jeff Green (1) combined to win seven straight.

MAJESKI AND CRAFTON TOP 10

Ford currently has two drivers in the Top-10 of the series point standings with Ty Majeski leading the way in fourth and Matt Crafton eighth. Crafton is coming off a 10th-place effort last weekend at Kansas Speedway while Majeski qualified second but hit the wall and was forced to the garage early after getting a flat tire on lap 11. That resulted in a 33rd-place finish and a one spot drop in the standings.

RHODES WINS OT THRILLER

Ford has one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at Darlington and it came when Ben Rhodes won the South Carolina Education Lottery 200 on Sept. 6, 2020. Even though he led only four laps, Rhodes took advantage of a late-race caution that resulted in an overtime finish. Running fourth at the time, he stayed out on the track while the top three trucks pitted for tires. Despite being on old tires, Rhodes was able to hold off Dennis Kraus on the final lap and snapped a 48-race winless streak.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT DARLINGTON

1956 – Curtis Turner

1960 – Joe Weatherly (1)

1961 – Fred Lorenzen and Nelson Stacy

1962 – Nelson Stacy and Larry Frank

1963 – Fireball Roberts (2)

1964 – Fred Lorenzen

1965 – Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett

1968 – David Pearson (1)

1969 – Lee Roy Yarbrough (2)

1970 – David Pearson (1)

1981 – Neil Bonnett (2)

1982 – Dale Earnhardt (1)

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1988 – Bill Elliott (2)

1992 – Bill Elliott (1)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Bill Elliott (2)

1997 – Dale Jarrett (1)

1998 – Dale Jarrett (1)

1999 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)

2001 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2005 – Greg Biffle

2006 – Greg Biffle

2018 – Brad Keselowski

2020 – Kevin Harvick (1) and (3)

2022 – Joey Logano (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT DARLINGTON

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

1995 – Mark Martin (2)

1996 – Mark Martin (1)

1997 – Jeff Burton (2)

1999 – Mark Martin (2)

2000 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Jeff Burton (2)

2002 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)

2004 – Greg Biffle

2005 – Matt Kenseth

2009 – Matt Kenseth

2018 – Brad Keselowski

2019 – Cole Custer

2020 – Chase Briscoe (1)

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT DARLINGTON

2020 – Ben Rhodes

RFK Advance | Darlington I

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Official Release
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Darlington I Event Info:
Date: Sunday, May 12
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Format: 293 Laps, 400.238 miles, Stages: 90-95-108
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 10:35 a.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 11:20 a.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • RFK returns to the track ‘Too Tough to Tame’ this weekend for the official NASCAR Throwback race. RFK is coming off top-6 finishes with both of its drivers in the September race last fall, and top-10 results in this race last spring.
  • Chris Buescher is coming off one of the more heartbreaking scenarios in recent memory, a P2 finish in Kansas after initially being declared the winner. It marked the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.
  • The P2 result is RFK’s fourth runner-up finish of the season after Buescher also finished second in Phoenix, and Brad Keselowski earned P2 results in back-to-back races at Texas and Talladega.
  • Jack Roush has 20 wins all-time at Darlington, including five in the NCS.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Castrol Throwback

Keselowski and RFK will pay homage to the Castrol TOM’s Toyota Supra GT, one of the most recognizable and most beloved cars from the early years of the Super GT series in Japan. The Castrol TOM’s Supra made its debut in the 1995 All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC), and helped to firmly establish the GT500 class, which would eventually evolve into the fastest GT racing category in racing to this day.

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fifth Third Bank

  • As part of the Fueled by Fifth Third Program, SteelPoint will ride on the decklid of the No. 17 this weekend with Buescher. SteelPoint has been committed to excellence in trailer manufacturing since 2008.
  • SteelPoint Excellence: At SteelPoint, we’re committed to excellence in trailer manufacturing, setting industry standards in quality and durability since 2008.
  • Full Range of Trailer Options: From equipment trailers to utility trailers and dump trailers to tilt trailers, SteelPoint has the right solution for your application.
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  • Beyond Manufacturing: At SteelPoint, we solve complex engineering challenges, offering innovative and efficient solutions tailored to our customers’ unique needs.
  • Customer-Centric Approach: SteelPoint isn’t just about trailers; we focus on offering the most responsive customer experience, ensuring every client feels supported and valued.

Keselowski at Darlington
Starts: 20
Wins: 1 (2018)
Top-10s: 11
Poles: 3 (2015, 2020, 2021)

  • Keselowski makes his 21st Cup start this weekend at Darlington, where he’s coming off three-straight top-10s, including sixth or better in each of last season’s events.
  • With an 11.4 average finish at Darlington, Keselowski is coming off a fourth-place run last spring after starting 10th, and a sixth-place finish last fall after starting fifth.
  • Keselowski won the fall race back in 2018, one of his six top fives overall at the track Too Tough to Tame. Overall he’s finished 15th or better in 12 out of the last 14 Darlington races.
  • Keselowski does have three poles at Darlington – 2015, 2020, 2021 – with an average starting position of 10.7 and 13 starts inside the top-10.
  • He also made seven Xfinity Series starts with one win (2018) and three top-10s.

Buescher at Darlington
Starts: 13
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —

  • Buescher makes his 14th start at Darlington this weekend where he’s coming off back-to-back top-10s, including a P3 podium finish last fall. Buescher finished 10th in this race last spring, as all four of his Darlington top-10s have come in the last three years.
  • He carries a 22.3 average starting position and is coming off his career-best qualifying effort – P8 last fall.
  • Buescher also made four Xfinity starts at Darlington with a fifth-place run in 2015.

RFK Historically at Darlington
Cup Wins: 5 (Mark Martin, 1993; Jeff Burton, 1999, 1999; Greg Biffle, 2005, 2006)

Darlington Two-Step: RFK has twice won consecutive NCS races at Darlington, including a season sweep in 1999 with former driver Jeff Burton. RFK also earned victories in consecutive seasons at the egg-shaped oval in 2005 and 2006 with Biffle.
Tale of the Tape: In 262 all-time NASCAR starts at ‘The Lady in Black,’ Jack Roush’s Fords have 20 wins, 71 top-five and 124 top-10 finishes, along with 20 poles. Over the years RFK has led 4,600+ laps across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series, with more than 92,000 miles logged at the 1.366-mile track. In NCS action alone, RFK has finished top-10 in 43 percent (77-of-176) of the races with 37 top-five results and five wins.

Kickin’ it Old School: Legendary RFK drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle are responsible for the five Cup wins for Jack Roush at Darlington. Martin earned Roush’s first Cup win back in 1993 after leading 178 laps. Burton swept the 1999 events as the dominant car, and Biffle earned the two most recent victories in 2005 and 2006.

Most All Time: It’s no secret that when Roush has dominated in the Xfinity Series at Darlington. In 79 starts, the organization has 15 wins, 33 top-five and 44 top-10s. Mark Martin is responsible for eight of the victories, second-most for him among any track, after winning five of the first seven races at the track for Roush from 1993-96. He also went on to win in 1999 and swept again in 2000. Jeff Burton got in on the fun with wins in 1997, 2001 and 2002, while Biffle earned a win in 2004. Most recently, Kenseth drove to victory lane in 2005 and 2009.

RFK Darlington Wins

1993-2 Martin Cup

1999-1 Burton Cup

1999-2 Burton Cup

2005 Biffle Cup

2006 Biffle Cup

1993-2 Martin NXS

1994-1 Martin NXS

1994-2 Martin NXS

1995-2 Martin NXS

1996-1 Martin NXS

1997-2 Burton NXS

1999-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2000-2 Martin NXS

2001-2 Burton NXS

2002-1 Burton NXS

2002-2 Burton NXS

2004-1 Biffle NXS

2005 Kenseth NXS

2009 Kenseth NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Kansas: Buescher finished P2 in heartbreaking fashion and the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. He won stage two and earned stage points across the board, while Keselowski finished 11th.

Points Standings (17: 11th, 6: 15th): Buescher used a great points day in Kansas to advance all the way to 11th, while Keselowski also jumped one spot to 15th.

Automotive Aftermarkets Leader Meyer Distributing Partners with Altor to Distribute the ICON Trailer Lock

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Official Release
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Patented ICON stands up to modern power tools that easily cut, drill, and break conventional locks

STERLING, Va., May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altor Locks, the Virginia manufacturer with the strongest coupler lock available on the market, and Meyer Distributing, Inc., a leader in automotive specialty products marketing and distribution, have partnered to make the ICON Trailer Lock available to their Retail and Wholesale customers. Meyer chose to offer the Altor ICON Trailer Lock because it keeps trailers safe.

“Meyer is pleased to be supplying one of the strongest coupler locks in the industry. After getting a hands on look at the ICON coupler lock we were immediately convinced this was a product we needed to partner with. The quality and security is evident once you get your hands on it.” said Ben Johnson, Category Sales Manager RV Towing & Marine for Meyer Distributing.

Altor’s US Patent 11,766,905 B2 was issued in 2023 for a premium lock specifically engineered to stand up to thieves using angle grinders, reciprocating saws, drills, lock picks, pry bars and hammers. Conventional locks on the market can be compromised in 120 seconds or less. The innovative ICON survived a concentrated attack with an angle grinder, lasting more than 1 hour and 32 minutes, using 14 blades, and eight battery packs. (See the testing video here).

The ICON Trailer Lock is made with over twenty pounds of high quality cast steel hardened to 450 Brinell making it able to withstand a lot of force. Common conventional locks use cheaper low carbon steel which is more malleable and vulnerable to saw blades and drill bits. In addition to the patented radial fin design, the ICON features a premium disc detainer lock core, extreme weather resistant seals and one-piece design for easy lock and go experience.

Meyer Distributing is a leader in specialty products marketing and distribution. Through numerous strategically positioned warehousing facilities, Meyer serves thousands of customers nationwide via Meyer Logistics direct ship. All Meyer associates have but one goal: To improve their ability to offer the fastest, most flexible and most reliable service in the industry. Their hardworking sales staff, mix of over 700 product lines and high fill rate provide retailers with what they need to be profitable on a dependable, repeatable basis.

“Meyer’s strong work ethic, focus on customer service, technology and wide array of products have made them a trusted partner for automotive aftermarket wholesalers and retailers for 40 years,” said Larry Thomas, Chief Revenue Officer at Altor Locks. “We look forward to working with this industry leader.”

Meyer customers can contact your account manager or log into their ecommerce portal at https://online.meyerdistributing.com/public/login for more information.

The ICON Trailer Lock Review – Towing expert and influencer Mr. Truck called the ICON Trailer Lock “the best lock you can buy” after he “tests, tortures, and reviews” it. See what else he had to say in this video.

About Altor Locks, LLC. – Headquartered in Virginia, Altor Locks is an American manufacturer redefining physical lock security by designing a better product that addresses common lock vulnerabilities in the age of power tools. The trailer lock products are engineered to creatively use premium materials, technology and design that creates a level of security that conventional lock manufacturers simply cannot attain. We are a small, woman- and minority-owned company created by Karen Schaufeld and Dylan Cato through a product development program at Lehigh University. All Altor locks are designed, assembled, packed, and inspected by hand in Sterling, VA. Visit www.altorlocks.com.

CORVETTE RACING AT SPA: Progress Toward Le Mans

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Official Release
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TF Sport aims to continue strong Spa Six Hours history, now with Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs

DETROIT (May 7, 2024) – TF Sport and Corvette Racing will look to continue its strong first year together as the FIA World Endurance Championship moves to legendary Spa-Francorchamps for Saturday’s Six Hours of Spa.

The pair of TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will look to increase their points total through two races this year and also continue the team’s impressive history in the event. Also looming is the biggest race of the season – the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Both Corvettes tested at Spa in March and completed more than 2,700 kilometers (1,670 miles) in two days around the 4.35-mile, 20-turn circuit. That data will prove useful when it’s combined with TF Sport’s WEC history at Spa – six consecutive podium finishes including third in GTE Am a year ago.

The trio of past Spa 24 Hours winner and Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood, past Spa LMP2 winner Rui Andrade and Belgian driver Tom Van Rompuy lead the TF Sport contingent in championship points and stand ninth in the highly competitive LMGT3 class. Van Rompuy’s point for pole position in the No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R at the season-opening race in Qatar is the difference, and the group led the TF Sport attack in the most recent WEC round at Imola with a seventh-place class finish.

The No. 82 Corvette of factory driver Daniel Juncadella – another previous Spa 24 Hours winner – plus Sebastien Baud and Hiroshi Koizumi have recorded points-paying finishes in both WEC rounds to date and in their first two races with TF Sport.

The FIA WEC’s Six Hours of Spa is set for 1 p.m. Central European Time / 7 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, May 11. MotorTrend will air live television coverage from 6:30-8 a.m. and noon-1:30 p.m. ET. Streaming coverage of the race and plus Friday’s final practice and qualifying will be available through the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans will stream audio coverage of the race plus final practice and qualifying.

TF SPORT PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

TOM VAN ROMPUY, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I am very excited to drive the Corvette Z06 GT3.R at my home race this week in Spa. Together with my teammates, we will give everything to fight for a good result. The whole TF Sport crew will provide us again with all the ingredients to aim for a podium finish. Thanks to all the fans for their support and see you in Spa for a great battle in our Corvette Z06 GT3.R!”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Spa is a super-cool place. I love racing there. The track is super special because you have all sorts of combinations of high- and low-speed corners. It’s a long track so it’s quite a challenge to set up a car properly. It can be very difficult and tricky. The middle sector is a high-speed sector where you need a lot of downforce, but then you have the first and third sectors where there are very long straights. It’s always a compromise of how much aero do you want in the car versus how much top speed do you want to get out of it. It’s very unique in that sense. It’s a special place. I won the 24 Hours of Spa three years ago, and those were great memories. I’ve never raced there in the WEC but it’s always cool to go back there no matter the race or championship.”

SEBASTIEN BAUD, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s the third round of the championship at Spa after a rather positive race at Imola where I felt confident with the car by winning the Goodyear trophy. Now at Spa I would like to win a collective trophy with my teammates! We have great pace in the race. Now we have to get on the right track in the race to play at the front. I can’t wait to get to Spa to see the team and this incredible car again!”

2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Points

LMGT3 Drivers Standings

  1. Aliaksandr Malykhin/Joel Sturm/Klaus Bachler – 54
  2. Augusto Farfus/Darren Leung/Sean Gelael – 37
  3. Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James – 37
  4. Ahmad Al Harthy/Maxime Martin/Valentino Rossi – 36
  5. Clement Mateu/Erwan Bastard/Marco Sorensen – 24
  6. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 7
  7. Daniel Juncadella/Hiroshi Koizumi/Sebastien Baud – 6

LMGT3 Teams Standings

  1. No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing – 54
  2. No. 31 Team WRT – 37
  3. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team – 37
  4. No. 46 Team WRT – 36
  5. No. 777 D’Station Racing – 24
  6. No. 81 TF Sport – 7
  7. No. 82 TF Sport – 6

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS: Spa-Francorchamps

  • 3: Previous starts for Corvette Racing-affiliated entries at Spa-Francorchamps. Last year’s runner-up finish in GTE Am was the program’s best result
  • 4: Generations of Corvette ZR1 (C3, C4, C6 and C7). The eighth-generation Corvette ZR1 will be revealed this summer
  • 5: Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs in competition this weekend – Nos. 3 and 4 of Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and No. 13 of AWA at Laguna Seca, No. 81 and No. 82 of TF Sport at Spa
  • 6: Consecutive podium finishes for TF Sport in the Six Hours of Spa
  • 7: Different drivers to compete for Corvette Racing at Spa since 2021. That number will nearly double to 13 when TF Sport races in WEC this weekend
  • 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
  • 47: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999 – Bryan Sellers and Scott Smithson being the latest in GT World Challenge America. 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
  • 290: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999
  • 376,569.57: 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 at Spa

2021

No. 63 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Oliver Gavin – 4th in GTE Pro

2022

No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 4th in GTE Pro

2023

No. 33 Corvette C8.R: Nicky Catsburg/Ben Keating/Nico Varrone – 2nd in GTE Am

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.

OSCAR MAYER AND ARTESANO COLLABORATE FOR DARLINGTON THROWBACK

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Official Release
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LOCUST, N.C. (May 7, 2024) – Oscar Mayer and Artesano have teamed up for this year’s throwback paint scheme on the No. 47 Kroger Racing Camaro for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the famed Darlington Raceway this weekend.

The scheme will pay homage to Mark Martin’s 2004 Budweiser Shootout paint scheme, which competed at the Daytona International Speedway. Martin would finish fourth in the event.

“This is such a cool paint scheme to throwback to at Darlington,” said Stenhouse Jr. “Mark Martin has always been an icon of this sport and so has Oscar Mayer with their involvement over the years. To have them partner with Artesano for this race weekend is a perfect pairing and should motivate all the fans to get to their local Kroger and get stocked up for an exciting race on Sunday.”

The co-promotion between Kraft-Heinz and Bimbo Bakeries USA is the second time the two powerhouses have come together this season. A successful partnership was also evident at Talladega Superspeedway a few weeks ago with Thomas’ Bagels and Philadelphia Cream Cheese adorning the sides of the No. 47 Camaro. In addition to the on-track partnership, the two brands work together within Kroger to offer shoppers deals when purchasing the items together with offers appearing both in-store and online for added shopped convenience.

“Bringing back the 2004 Mark Martin Oscar Mayer paint scheme for this weekend’s throwback race at Darlington is something special for our entire organization,” said Adam Clay, Director of Kroger Meat for Kraft Heinz. “And the opportunity to participate in another co-promotion with our friends at Bimbo Bakeries USA continues to help us all bring more convenience for meal solutions to the Kroger shoppers.”

The Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway will take place on Sunday, May 12 at 3:00 PM ET with live coverage on Fox Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Channel 90).

WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Teams Focused on a California Reset at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

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Official Release
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MONTEREY, California (May 7, 2024) – The West Coast swing continues for the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) pair of Acura ARX-06 GTP teams as they head to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the MOTUL Course de Monterey. WTRAndretti’s success runs deep at Laguna Seca as the team has four victories (2006, 2013, 2021, 2022) around the iconic 2.238-mile road course. Along with the team’s success, all four full-season Acura ARX-06 drivers have previously won at Laguna Seca.

On the note of victory at Laguna Seca, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 team is searching for victory once again after back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022. Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque notched a top-five result last year and the pair is looking to repeat their prior success come this weekend. Taylor and Albuquerque also have a combined five pole positions, two of which their victories in 2021 and 2022 were scored from.

Although the result may not have ended the Long Beach weekend as anticipated for the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 team, Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz are eager to reset as the they hit the track at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. In the field of 34 cars, Taylor is tied with his brother, Ricky, for the record number of pole positions with four at the 11-turn road course. Despite 2024 being his first full season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTP Championship, Delétraz returns to a track familiar to his resume and has collected a LMP2 class victory in 2022.
The WTRAndretti team will begin on-track preparations at 4:15 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m. PT) with practice on Friday, May 10 and followed by 15-minute qualifying on Saturday, May 11, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) to set the field. Sunday, May 12, will showcase the traditional 2-hour, 40-minute sprint format see the clock countdown begin at the drop of the green flag at 3:10 p.m. ET (12:10 p.m. PT) with full race coverage on NBC.
Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “After a tough weekend at Long Beach, the team went testing at Laguna Seca and we got our speed back. The test for the two GTP cars went extremely well. The drivers were very excited. The track’s just been resurfaced, high grip levels. I think we can go now to Laguna knowing that we will have a competitive car. We’ve had a lot of success at Laguna, but last year for some reason we were off the pace and don’t know why. Having said that, we were competitive at the test. Now we have two cars, so that always help us because we can try different setups. We can also strategize over the course of the race to maximize the result for both cars. I’m excited for the guys, both GTP and GTD. Unfortunately, this is the one race this year I’m going to miss as I’ll be at the Monte Carlo historics race, racing my F1 car. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine. Of course, I’ll be very anxious while being there to know what’s going during the course of the Laguna Seca weekend.”

No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Ricky Taylor: “We are now in the meat of the season and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 team has had a tough start to the year. Laguna has been a strong track for the team historically, and with the new pavement, we will see a whole new race dynamic. The test a few weeks ago went very well and I am looking forward to applying what we learned to the race weekend. The track had become very polished and slippery over Laguna Seca’s long history, the new pavement completely revitalized the track. The corners are all much higher commitment, and the cars are now going much faster in every portion of the racetrack. Because of how much the track changed, we learned things about the car that would’ve been very difficult to anticipate without a test, so coming into the race we can have a bit of extra confidence that we have that under our belt along with our competitors.”

Filipe Albuquerque: “Things have been tough for the No. 10 car this season, but when things like this happen, we just want the next race. We were testing at Laguna Seca a few weeks ago; which went pretty well. At the end of the day, it’s not what you think you have, it’s down to how competitive you’re going to be against your rivals. The track’s very different than before – it’s a completely different track in fact – much nicer to drive with a lot more grip. But again, we will only be happy if we win, so let’s go! Second sprint race of year in more normal conditions, 2-hours and 40-minutes, so I can’t wait to go there with Ricky, we’ve won there in the past, so we want to keep that streak going.”

No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Louis Delétraz: “I’m looking forward to being back in the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 at Laguna Seca! It’s a track I really enjoy, with a lot of elevation changes and now a brand-new tarmac with a lot of grip which will make things interesting. We have tested on the new pavement few weeks ago and learned a lot. Since then, everyone at WTRAndretti has been hard at work to get ready for this event.”

Jordan Taylor: “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Laguna. This year is going to be much different to years past with the new pavement they have. We did a two-day test after our Long Beach race and learned a lot as a team. From a driver’s perspective it’s a completely different track. The grip level is much higher and it’s a very narrow margin for error with how high commitment it is. I think with this new track, it’s really going to help our learning curve as a team to be able to gather twice the data once we hit the track on race weekend and explore the different setup options with our two cars. The race itself will be interesting to see how it plays out differently with tire degradation and traffic, but everyone will be in the same boat. Hopefully we can get things sorted out quickly and be battling right up front.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.

WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.

WTRAndretti’s long term partnerships include Acura, Honda Racing Corporation US (HRC), Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.

Auto-Owners Insurance Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Darlington Advance

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Official Release
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Martin Truex Jr.
Darlington Advance
No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Goodyear 400 (Round 13 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 12
● Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
● Layout: 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval
● Laps/Miles: 293 laps/400.2 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 108 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native heads to Darlington (S.C.) Raceway second in the driver standings with 438 points, 29 behind leader Kyle Larson. Three of the four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-10 in the standings heading to the 13th points-paying race of the season, with Denny Hamlin fourth and Ty Gibbs eighth.

● Up Front: All four JGR Toyota Camry XSE drivers are among the leaders in total laps led this season. Larson’s 634 laps led tops the list for the Cup Series, followed by Hamlin (606), Truex (437) and Gibbs (201) in second, third and fourth, respectively. Bell is 10th on the list with 125 laps led.

● Party like it’s 2016: With Auto-Owners Insurance as primary sponsor at Darlington this weekend, Truex’s throwback paint scheme will take him back to his Southern 500 win at Darlington in 2016. The memorable Auto-Owners Insurance scheme saw Truex lead 28 laps en route to his first of two Southern 500 wins.

● Truex has two wins, four top-five finishes and 10 top-10s and has led a total of 914 laps in 23 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington. Truex’s average Darlington finish is 13.4.

● Truex notched his most recent Darlington win in May 2021, when he dominated the race and led 248 laps en route to his second victory at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval.

● While he doesn’t like to play favorites, Truex certainly excels at tracks with worn-out surfaces, where driver skill is key to managing the tires and the racecar over the course of a long race. At four such tracks, Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Darlington, Truex has six wins, 24 top-five finishes and 46 top-10s, and has led 2,209 laps.

● 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 63 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 second stage win of the season at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway two weekends ago, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry XSE

What kind of an afternoon is 400 miles at Darlington?

“It’s quite the challenge. I love going there. I’m still mad about the Southern 500 last year, leading late and having the engine issues, so a little bit of redemption, hopefully, this weekend. It’s been so good to us and we’ve only been able to win there twice. I feel like we should have won there seven or eight times over the years. You’ve got to race the racetrack, but somehow with these cars you’ve got to find a way to get track position, as well. It’s very difficult to do but I’m really looking forward to the challenge. I can’t thank our friends at Auto-Owners Insurance enough for being along with us yet again this weekend. It’s going to be a fun weekend, for sure.”

Does it take a driver a long time to get used to how to drive Darlington and get used to its nuances?

“I think it just suits some guys, and others it doesn’t. For me, I feel like it’s about how I like to drive my car and the feel I need for the long run. For as long as I remember, I don’t really know what I do differently than everyone else, and I don’t know if my team does, either, it’s just the way that it happens. Even with all the technology today, sometimes you just can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that makes us good there. You can see the SMT and see exactly what a driver is doing, but there’s more to connecting that feel and those inputs than you can imagine. It just suits me, and I really enjoy it. Looking forward to this weekend with our Auto-Owners Insurance Camry.”

Some drivers say they love Darlington and others say they just can’t get a grasp on it. Is it just tires, or much more, to be good at Darlington?

“It’s very unique, I love it. It’s really hard on tires and hard to get your car working good. For me, I’ve had a lot of really good runs there and have won a bunch of races and have been really strong in the last four years, so I really enjoy it. I had bad cars there years ago and I can see how that could be just miserable if you don’t have a good car. Fun track and a place I really like.”

How technical of a track is Darlington?

“It’s definitely really technical. It’s a track that is really fast but the two ends of the track are completely different, which makes the crew chiefs scratch their heads. It’s hard to get your car working right on both ends, so you have to compromise. It’s never going to be perfect. It’s never going to be comfortable, but you’ve got to figure out a way to be comfortable with it and that’s what I love about Darlington. You are on the ragged edge so much and the tires wear off the car so bad on the long run that you are just on ice. You are sliding and trying to keep the right rear from dragging against the wall and you are just sliding everywhere. I just think it’s so much fun. It’s been a great track for me, I think, just because I like it so much. Hoping we can have a great run there this weekend with our Auto-Owners Insurance Camry and pick up where we left off in the fall with having such a strong car.”

How important is qualifying these days with track position at such a premium?

“I think, these days, qualifying is important everywhere we go. The whole field is closer together than they’ve ever been. It makes passing more difficult and you definitely want to get a good pit stall, which is also important at a lot of the places we go. Track position is a big deal and, with this car so far, that seems to be magnified a bit more, as well. It’s all part of it, though, and you take what you have and make the best of it each week.”

No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance 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 Laheta

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Sprecher Back on Board for ARCA Menards Series Race at Milwaukee

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Official Release
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TEMPERANCE, Mich. (May 7, 2024) – For the third consecutive year, Milwaukee-based Sprecher craft soda will be the entitlement sponsor of the ARCA Menards Series race at The Milwaukee Mile. The Sprecher 150 will run on the same day as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 175-mile race, giving race fans a total of 325 miles of door-to-door racing action with the purchase of one ticket.

The ARCA Menards Series’ history at The Mile dates back to 1958 when NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen won a combined race with the United States Auto Club stock car tour. The next six races at The Mile were combination races with USAC; Tony Bettenhausen won in July 1959, Rodger Ward won in August 1959, Lorenzen won again in September 1959, and Bettenhausen won for the second time in July 1960. After a 22-year hiatus, Dean Roper scored the victory in August 1982, and “The Dyer Flyer” Dave Weltmeyer earned the first of his 13 career ARCA Menards Series wins in August 1983.

After another 22-year hiatus, Frank Kimmel scored his 58th career ARCA Menards Series win in 2005. Phil Bozell won in 2006, with Kimmel earning his 71st career series victory in 2007. After a 14-year hiatus the series once again returned in combination with the ARCA Menards Series East; Ty Gibbs led every lap in 2021, the first of three consecutive wins at The Mile for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sammy Smith won in 2022, and 16-year-old William Sawalich won in 2023.

“We are pleased to have our friends at Sprecher back on board in their hometown as we extend our long and storied history at The Milwaukee Mile,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “Milwaukee is one of the most challenging racetracks on the schedule, and the fans in attendance will get to see two great races on the same day with the ARCA Menards Series leading into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.”

“Milwaukee is our hometown, so we’re thrilled to continue our relationship with the ARCA Menards Series and The Milwaukee Mile,” said Sharad Chadha, CEO of Sprecher. “We hope to see all of our friends and neighbors out at the racetrack in August!”

Ticket information for the Sprecher 150 can be found at TrackEnterprises.com; for complete event information, including live timing & scoring of all on track activities, the complete weekend schedule, and broadcast updates, please visit ARCARacing.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, please follow @ARCA_Racing on Twitter.

About ARCA
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization administers more than 100 events annually, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!

Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture. Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries. And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more.
Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

About Sprecher
Established in 1985, Sprecher is Milwaukee’s original craft brewery. Sprecher brews more than 20 different craft sodas, including their world-famous, award-winning Sprecher Root Beer. Sprecher craft sodas are fire-brewed and made with honey to produce a unique bold flavor with antioxidants. Sprecher’s craft sodas are available in more than 49 states as well as online.

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