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Toyota Racing – NCS Darlington Quotes – Erik Jones – 05.11.24

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Erik Jones
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 11, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Erik Jones was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on Saturday.

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

What makes you so good at this track?

“I don’t know. I think it is a combination of things. I don’t think it’s one thing. Through the years, I’ve had some good cars here, which obviously helps. I always feel comfortable here, and always have. I came here in the Xfinity Series in 2016 for the first time, and felt good, but first race here in Cup in ’17, I was just really comfortable with what the track was doing and how it changed and transitioned and how the tires fell off and how you need to manage your race. I feel like I have a good feel for that. I think that is a lot of it. It’s the feel of how the car transitions through the run, how these tires fall off. The track is changing every year as it is getting older. We have the patch off of (turn) two, which has changed things more than probably a lot of people thought, but overall, I think a lot of it is being able to manage through the run, and through the race – really racing the track too. You hear that term, less and less now, but being able to go out and race the track is something useful as well.”

Do you feel like it helps to come back at a place like Darlington?

“I think so. I think the schedule looking at it – kind of worked out well, knowing what my injury was, what the timeline looked like. There was probably a possibility coming back right away with the injury, but Dover was not a place where that was going to happen. Even Kansas was a place that was going to be challenging with high speed and a lot of risk being an incident – not of your own doing necessarily. Coming to Darlington, I feel like you can control your own destiny a bit. There is less risk for an accident like that. Also, three weeks in, I feel like we are on the safe side of 100 percent, and I feel 100 percent. It does make me feel comfortable though, about making laps today. When you are out of the car for a couple of weeks, it is tough in some ways, probably tougher than you realize until you hop back in and you are a couple of weeks behind everybody, but coming to a place like Darlington, where I feel like I get around well and know what I need to do as a driver to be strong and contention – it does ease your mind a bit.”

How do you evaluate where LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is?

“I thought Dover – Dover was a hard one, because Corey (Heim) – it was his first race in Cup, and he was trying to learn, drinking through a firehose a bit. I thought Kansas was kind of a better evaluation, and I thought all three of our cars were decent in Kansas. John Hunter (Nemechek) ended up having a good finish – he finished 13th. But our other two cars – Corey was capable of a top-15, except for that restart in the end. Jimmie (Johnson) was definitely top-15 without getting wrecked, maybe top-10. He was one of our best cars through the early part of the race there. I thought that was good. Our mile-and-a-half program has been more of a struggle than it has been, and in the last couple, that’s been our strong suit. I hope that bodes well for here – what we did at Kansas, and can transfer some over. It is a lot different, but there is some stuff that you can bring. We are getting there. We are making some big changes right now that are going to take some time to get into play. I think that everything is taking longer than we anticipated, but we are making the changes and taking the steps to get there now.”

How much time have you got to spend in the simulator, and did you have to change anything with your seat?

“I got back in last week before Kansas, and I felt good. I ran about an hour and a half, and actually ran a couple of tracks in there, just trying to pick tracks that it was going to move the sim a lot and put some bigger impact on my back and make sure everything was good – and I felt fine from the impact and also being in there that long. So that was good. I have changed a lot in the car. I changed my seat, and some belt angles – a handful of things that we found that could have been better before the wreck at Talladega. I think it has been a big learning experience, really, I think we have all learned a lot internally at what we can do better at with safety. There are all kinds of different opinions out there on what you can do, and we are always learning, but I feel like we are in a better spot – for me at least – and what I can do in the car. I haven’t made a lot of changes, frankly, in a lot of years. I’ve ran the same seat for about eight years. It was time to switch things up.”

How would classify your health?

“I would say 100 percent. Well maybe 95. I feel 100 percent, but I say 95 because I can’t go in the gym and lift weight. I can’t put that kind of load on my spine from a precautionary standpoint. I would say 95, just from that, but I feel 100 and ready to get back.”

What other restrictions do you have on yourself?

“Not much right now. Through this injury, it has kind of been a pain tolerance thing, more than anything. It is a stable fracture – there is not really a risk of it become unstable or anything like that – so it is mostly what I feel like I can take. Some of it has just been getting back outside, working at my house seeing what feels comfortable and what makes me sore and what doesn’t. I would say we are at three weeks tomorrow. Four weeks, next week, I feel like I will be able to get back in the gym and do my normal thing again, and at five weeks, be totally back to normal.”

What are you referring to when you say that you missed some things by being out of the car the last two weeks?

“I think just being in that rhythm week-to-week. In the Cup Series, you are running nearly 38 straight weeks every year. Everybody has stayed in that rhythm the last couple of weeks, and they are hopping in today, and it’s a normal weekend for them. For me – it’s only been two weeks – but still you have to get your bearings again, recalibrate them when you strap back in. I don’t think it will take long. I would say I’m way behind, but you lose that rhythm of it being week-to-week, and communication with the crew. I’ve stayed talking to them a lot these last two weeks, but that was also two weeks of them with a different driver, different feedback, different work through the week, so getting back in that flow of normal things for everybody is going to take a second.”

Do you have a feel or an opinion on the option tire for the All-Star Race next weekend?

“I looked at it some. I don’t know how much that tire is going to be different. I know the compound difference, and you don’t know how that adds up on track. I remember the All-Star Race a few years ago with the option tire, and that was not what we wanted. The true win with the option tire would be for someone to come in, get the option tire – maybe one or two cars – and go to the back and drive straight to the front in 10 laps. I think that would be a win for the option tire. If it goes green and it falls off, so be it. That is kind of the box you are in with that tire. You are going to have to see a large variance in lap time with that tire for it to be a win – three tenths, probably, of track lap time at North Wilkesboro to really make it work and cut through the field and do what you want to do. I don’t know if that is possible. I don’t know if that is what it is going to be, but it would have to be that to be a win.”

Are there any merits to run the short track package at Darlington versus the intermediate package?

“I think it is too marginal. I think that we don’t have a proper tire for the short track package that would wear enough. Maybe here would be an exception – just with the surface. I think that is some of the problem at short tracks, just the tire doesn’t wear out and there is no load on the car either with the downforce that we have. I don’t know. I think we through messing with aero. I think the package on mile-and-a-halves has shown good. It is more challenging here than some, but you able to work around and move. I don’t think it would make a huge difference right now.”

How is a driver convinced to not get in the car the moment they’ve been cleared?

“It is tough because in one way – in that moment – when you get the all clear, you are thinking that I’m coming back and then you have more conversations and you realize that it is not going to happen, but I think at the end of the day, you are talking with multiple people through it, and figuring out the best options through it – it is for the best – and at that point, I think look – if I really pushed it – I could have been in the car last week, I think, if I really, really wanted to be, but if I make that call on my own, and overrule and go out and re-injure myself, I kind of look like an idiot in some ways, right? Barring anyone else’s words. I think sitting down, thinking about and getting past that first moment of you get cleared and you’re coming back, and then taking a moment to step back and say okay, yes, we are clear, you’ve done some things to make yourself feel good, but where are you really at? This was on Thursday morning. I was still sore. I still had soreness at that point, really until Sunday. Sunday of Kansas was really when I started feeling better, so to say that I could have gotten in last week and truly been at my full potential, and not – number one, be sore – and not, number two, be in the back of my mind saying, if I hit the wall right now, how is that going to go? I think I would have probably been lying to myself, so when you take those conversations and take a step back for a second, I feel like you get a broader picture and that’s kind of where I ended up on the weekend.”

How did you get to that point?
“I think the way that we really looked at it – at the end of the day – I’m 27, 28 this month, years old. I hope to race in NASCAR for a handful of more years, right? I hopefully have a more than a decade. That is a lot of races. That is 500 or something like that. You look back, and say what is the difference of one or two? We go to Kansas twice a year – 20 more times in my career, at least to go back there. There is so many more races down the road are really the conversations that we had, and those conversations that we want to have those races together, and be in this sport for a long time, and not do something right now that is going to put me in a spot where I would have an early in to my career, and we’ve seen it happen with drivers over the years with these nagging injuries – they add up and eventually guys are out of the seat sooner than they want to be, whether it is, head or body, along those lines. I think it was along those lines of those conversations that I really had with people to come to a peace with that decision that one more week out – we look back two years from now – it is just such a small blip on the radar.”

What is your team going to do to give you more comfort for the upcoming Coke 600?

“We’ve changed the seat a lot. This will be the first race on that seat. I’m sitting in a pretty different position than I’m used to for almost all of my racing career. Guys that have went through this similar injury have gone through the same transition to their seating position as well. Fortunately – it is not a short race, it’s 400 miles – but it feels short here, I feel like. It will be a good test here, and next week at (North) Wilkesboro – how does the seat feel, what can I change before the 600. I would say it is two good weeks of that, seeing how I feel, seeing what is bothering me – especially after Darlington tomorrow, and saying this what hurts, this is what we are going to change, and this is how we are going to more forward. Hopefully, hopping out after tomorrow, I feel great after the race. That is the ultimate goal, but with as much as we’ve changed there is going to be different things that are going to be bothering me, or that I’m going to want to move or do different. It is the first time in eight years that I’ve really moved a lot of things in the car, and how I’m sitting and how I’m positioned in there, it is definitely going to be different.”

What have they allowed you to do physical therapy wise? What did the doctors ask from you before you got cleared? Are you wearing a back brace?

“I didn’t have any back brace. My injury was on the minor side – just one vertebra – so with it being stable, there was really no brace required from the start. As far as what I did getting back in the gym, really it was right after I sat out that week of Dover. Right after Dover, I was back on Tuesday getting in the gym. Some of it was pain management, treatment stuff – hot, cold – everything we could to make it feel better, and then I just started with walking, walking on the treadmill, walking on a high incline. Got up, started jogging a little bit to see how the impact felt on my back, and that felt good. So right now, it is more body weight workouts. I can’t lift a lot of weight or it’s going to put pressure on my spine, downward, but I can do any kind of bodyweight movements – just a lot of stretching, trying to keep – when you have an injury like that in your back, your back is spasming a lot to try to support your spine, so trying to loosen that back up is mostly what I’ve been doing, so the physical therapy side, there wasn’t much. Unfortunately, I learned with this injury – there is not a lot that you can do to speed things up – it’s more of one that you have to rest and wait. It has to heal on its own. The bone doesn’t grow back. It’s just going to harden. You’ve lost that chunk of vertebra forever, so I guess, I’m a little shorter than before, but you just have to wait for it to harden back up and where it can support and feel good again.”

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.

Opportunistic Ross Chastain claims emotional NASCAR Truck Series win at Darlington

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Official Release
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Photo by John Knittel for Speedwaymedia.com

May 10, 2024
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

DARLINGTON, S.C.— Taking advantage of a late caution, Ross Chastain surged ahead during an overtime restart and held off charging Nick Sanchez to win Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Moonlighting from the NASCAR Cup Series in a race delayed more than two hours by rain, Chastain, driving for Niece Motorsports, led only the last three laps after seizing the top spot from Ty Majeski on the overtime restart on Lap 149.

Sanchez finished second, 0.315 seconds behind Chastain. Defending series champion Ben Rhodes was third, followed by Christian Eckes. Majeski, who chose the top lane for the final restart, faded to fifth.

“We have been trying to win at Darlington,” said Chastain, who picked up his fifth Truck Series victory and his first of the year in his second start. “This is where my career changed, my life changed forever.

“It’s so cool—we won Darlington.”

It was at the Lady in Black in 2018 that Chastain first turned heads in the NASCAR world. Driving a handful of NASCAR Xfinity Series races for owner Chip Ganassi, he won the pole at Darlington and swept the first two stages before an accident relegated him to a 25th-place finish.

But at that point, he had made his mark, and on Friday night, Chastain completed the circle.

Sanchez won the pole for Friday’s race but had to start from the rear after his team replaced a right rear hub on his No. 2 Chevrolet. On the final restart, he surged from the inside of the third row into second place but couldn’t catch Chastain before the finish.

Majeski lamented his lane choice after the fact.

“I should have taken the inside,” said Majeski, who held a lead of more than five seconds before Jack Wood hit the outside wall with five laps left to cause the seventh caution and force overtime.

“It sucks when you’re in position to win with a truck like that. We were so good on the long run and not so good on the short run. It would take 10-15 laps for this thing to get going, and then the thing was just lights-out.

“But it came down to a short run, and I didn’t execute like we needed to.”

Corey Heim, the series leader entering the race, swept the first two stages with 77 laps led, but after a Lap 98 restart, the No. 5 Toyota of Dean Thompson broke loose beneath Heim’s No. 11 Tundra at the exit from Turn 2 and ignited a wreck that severely damaged the trucks of Heim, Rajah Caruth, Layne Riggs and Matt Crafton.

Caruth, who was eliminated along with Heim, Thompson and Crafton, had started from the rear after scraping the wall during qualifying earlier in the day but had worked his way up to second by pitting for fresh tires midway through Stage 2.

“It’s real tight there off of (Turn) 2, and the 5 just kind of lost it there,” Caruth said after exiting the infield care center. “We had a really fast truck. We’ll get ‘em next time.”

Heim surrendered the series lead to Eckes and trails by 14 points.

Racing for the first time in a truck at Darlington, Kyle Busch was challenging Heim for the lead on Lap 2 when his No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet snapped loose on the backstretch and nosed into the inside wall.

Busch lost seven laps on pit road as his crew tried to make repairs. After he returned to the action, Busch pounded the Turn 1 wall and exited the race in 32nd place.

That result marked a dubious distinction for the all-time Truck Series winner with 66 victories to his credit. Before Friday night, Busch had never finished last in a Truck Series race.

“The truck was wrecked—there’s no reason it should have been back on the race track,” Busch told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass after the second accident.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Buckle Up South Carolina 200
Darlington Raceway
Darlington, South Carolina
Friday, May 10, 2024

(6) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 150.
(1) Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 150.
(12) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 150.
(7) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 150.
(16) Ty Majeski, Ford, 150.
(19) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 150.
(18) Colby Howard, Toyota, 150.
(3) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 150.
(15) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 150.
(5) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 150.
(25) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 150.
(22) Lawless Alan, Ford, 150.
(27) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 150.
(11) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 150.
(29) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 150.
(9) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 150.
(28) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 150.
(32) Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, 150.
(30) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 150.
(14) Jake Garcia, Ford, 150.
(8) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 148.
(17) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 148.
(10) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 148.
(21) Conner Jones #, Ford, 145.
(23) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, Accident, 139.
(24) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 136.
(31) Mason Maggio, Ford, Brakes, 121.
(2) Corey Heim, Toyota, Accident, 105.
(13) Dean Thompson, Toyota, Accident, 97.
(26) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, Accident, 97.
(20) Matt Crafton, Ford, Accident, 97.
(4) Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 6.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 101.983 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 0 Mins, 33 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.315 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: N. Sanchez 0;C. Heim 1-49;T. Gray 50-52;C. Heim 53;T. Gray 54-57;C. Heim 58;T. Gray 59-67;C. Heim 68-93;G. Enfinger 94-96;T. Majeski 97-105;C. Eckes 106-120;T. Majeski 121-147;R. Chastain(i) 148-150.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Corey Heim 4 times for 77 laps; Ty Majeski 2 times for 36 laps; Taylor Gray 3 times for 16 laps; Christian Eckes 1 time for 15 laps; Ross Chastain(i) 1 time for 3 laps; Grant Enfinger 1 time for 3 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,19,98,17,38,45,5,99,52,9

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,71,19,98,9,88,38,45,17,13

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Darlington Raceway

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Official Release
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NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: DARLINGTON RACEWAY
Race: Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles) | Race 9 of 23
Track: Darlington Raceway
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Date & Time: Friday, May 10th | 7:30 PM ET

No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman, Jr.
Bayley Currey
@BayleyCurrey
@BayleyCurrey05
Website
Start: 17th
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 16th
Finish: 22nd
Driver Points: 14th
Owner Points: 18th

  • Key Takeaway: Close to securing their first top-10 of the season, Bayley Currey and the No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics team would be relegated down the finishing order after a flat right front tire forced a green flag pit stop. Currey started the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 from 17th, dropped to 20th at the conclusion of stage one, and made ground up to 16th in stage two. By virtue of the flat right front tire issue, the team would ultimately be scored with a 22nd-place finish as their final result.
  • Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Once again, I’m really proud of our No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision team here with Niece Motorsports for giving me a good truck tonight. We were in position to run in the top-10 again, and I messed up. I got into the fence and gave us a flat right front and basically gave it away. It’s tough, but you live and learn. I feel like we had a really good truck and we’ll move onto North Wilkesboro.”
  • About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
  • About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Matt Mills Racing
@MattMillsRacing
@MattMillsRacing
Website
Start: 25th
Stage 1: 25th
Stage 2: 22nd
Finish: 11th
Driver Points: 26th
Owner Points: 29th

  • Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra team fought hard to secure their best finish of the season at Darlington. Qualifying in 25th, Mills and the team would hold steady throughout the first two stages. However, with late-race carnage, Mills navigated through several crashes to pick up track position. Skillful driving would lead his team home with an 11th-place finish just one spot shy of their first top-10 result.
  • Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: It’s been kind of a trying season for you, but here at Darlington you walk away with an 11th-place finish. How good does it feel?

“I mean, it feels like a win, even though there’s still a little bit of disappointment there. We were so close to a top-10, just didn’t need that caution there at the end. We were going to be ninth and that was going to be a good day, but I knew the caution was going to come out, it wasn’t going to be that easy for us. But still to finish 11th, I learned something there on that last restart that was an experience thing with not having many restarts up towards the front. All-in-all, it’s still a good day. It definitely took longer than we wanted it to this year to pull off a top-15 finish, but it’s something that we can build off of. It’s momentum that we’ve been trying to get and we showed speed today where I feel like I can do this and the team can do this, so it was nice to have that today.”

  • About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
  • About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 45 Buckle Up South Carolina Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Ross Chastain
@RossChastain
@RossChastain
Website
Start: 6th
Stage 1: 6th
Stage 2: 8th
Finish: 1st
Driver Points: N/A
Owner Points: 7th

  • Key Takeaway: Five years to the date of Niece Motorsports’ first race win, Ross Chastain delivered the team its ninth NASCAR Truck Series victory at Darlington Raceway. Chastain, who has driven for the team in some capacity since 2018, was emotional following the finish of the race which ended just past midnight. Team Owner, Al Niece, was in attendance to witness the victory, making it a special night of many reasons for the organization.
  • Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: Ross, as much as that watermelon smash will be the highlight of this race, the other punctuation was that restart. How much grit does this track require?

“Grit, I don’t know. It takes Phil Gould, it takes Niece Motorsports. We have been trying to win at Darlington. This is where my career changed, where my life changed forever! For better or worse, however all this works out. That first opportunity with CGR (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Spire to put me together with that group and the year before, see me pumping the honey wagon, getting the honey wagon over off of turn two, to now finally getting the Florida Watermelon queen here. It’s Florida Watermelon season. They’ve been with me for so long with Ms. Deborah. And Mother’s Day weekend; my mom’s here, the moms in our group. And to win it with ‘Click It, Don’t Risk It’ with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. This ‘Protect Your Melon’ campaign is something that funded my career for several years, and now to have these cool moments that we get to have it on these trucks and cars on Friday and Saturday, and it’s so cool. We won Darlington.”

Well, after that epic burnout, you were welcomed with your team and that watermelon. Just how satisfying is it standing on top of that truck and smashing that watermelon?

“Well, Dad drove this up yesterday from the farm. I was down there Monday and Tuesday, and Dad drove these up. He drove through the night to get up here. There’s so much sacrifice from so many people back at the farm and those in the ag industry. That’s why you see me talk about watermelons and talk about agriculture. There’s so much misinformation, there’s such a small percentage of our population in charge of feeding the rest of the world. Not that a watermelon is part of anybody’s every day diet, like I’m trying to shovel this down right now. It tastes so good, but a watermelon farmer just won Darlington. And for everything this means for Niece Motorsports. I think five years ago to the day we won our first race, and we’re back in victory lane!”

  • About the South Carolina Department of Public Safety: The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.

SCDPS has approximately 1,300 employees serving across the state, providing a wide range of public safety services focused on making South Carolina a safer place to live, work and raise a family.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Toyota Racing – NCTS Darlington Post-Race Report – 05.10.24

By
Official Release
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HOWARD LEADS THREE TRICON TOP-10 FINISHES AT DARLINGTON
Heim wins first two stages before being involved in an on-track incident

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 10, 2024) – In just his second start of the season, Colby Howard ran an impressive race – running nearly the entire final stage inside the top-10 before finishing seventh. For the South Carolina-native, it is his second-best career Truck Series finish – just behind a top-five run in the Daytona season opener last year.

Howard’s seventh was the first of three top-10 finishes for TRICON Garage with Taylor Gray in eighth and Tanner Gray in 10th.

Fellow TRICON Garage driver Corey Heim started second and led 77 of the first 93 laps, while picking up two Playoff points before being involved in an on-track incident in the early part of the third stage that also ended the night for his teammate, Dean Thompson.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 9 of 23 – 147 Laps, 200.802 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Ross Chastain*
2nd, Nick Sanchez*
3rd, Ben Rhodes*
4th, Christian Eckes*
5th, Ty Majeski*
7th, COLBY HOWARD
8th, TAYLOR GRAY
10th, TANNER GRAY
13th, TIMMY HILL
14th, STEWART FRIESEN
28th, COREY HEIM
29th, DEAN THOMPSON
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

COLBY HOWARD, No. 1 Coastal Sports Cards Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 7th

Can you tell us about this strong run and that final restart?

“It was an uphill battle all night with our Coastal Sports Cards Tundra. We started in the midpack, and we drove our way up to 13th, and we had a bad pit stop – the jack dropped – and we went back to about 20th. We drove all the way back up there through all of these guys out here, and dodged a pretty big wreck coming off of (turn) two – that was huge for us. That really put us in a good position. We were just running it out, and had that late caution, and people were just not using their heads. It could have been a really special night.”

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 28th

What happened out there?

“It is certainly disappointing. I felt like we had a really good Safelite Tundra TRD Pro. We made it a lot better throughout the race. I thought we got really tight in stage one, and we made it better in stage two and was looking forward to making it better in stage three and kind of running away with that one. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy. We got taken out, and that is part of it.”

DEAN THOMPSON, No. 5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 29th

What happened?

“The truck just got really free. These trucks race so free on restarts, and hard racing turned into a wrecked truck. TRICON Garage brought me a really good Thompson Pipe Group Tundra. We got some stage points, and ran really well in stage two. I feel like we could have finished well too, just hard racing.”

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.

ABEL Motorsports captures race win and championship lead at Indy

By
Official Release
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Jacob Abel paces wire to wire to take the race one victory on a difficult day for teammates Sundaramoorthy and Missig

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (10 May 2024) – Jacob Abel and ABEL Motorsports scored the race one victory from pole, taking the championship lead on a crucial INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday.

The race did not fare as well for teammates Yuven Sundaramoorthy and Jordan Missig, who both saw solid runs go for naught with late race incidents.

Sharing the weekend with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Sonsio Grand Prix, the INDY NXT series began the two-day event with a full slate of action – practice, qualifying and race one on Friday. Abel (Louisville, Ky.), Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, Wis.) and Missig (Joliet, Ill.) had just the lone practice session to come up to speed before qualifying. All three drivers focused on finding balance and grip, and at the end of practice, Abel held the fifth quickest time, with Missig 16th and Sundaramoorthy 17th – and the top 15 separated by a mere second.

When qualifying was done early in the afternoon, Sundaramoorthy was set to start P15 and Missig P16 in race one – and on the heels of two flyers to start the session, Abel earned pole positions in both Friday’s race one and Saturday’s race two.

“I didn’t feel as though I was driving my best this morning and the car needed a bit of work as well, so I just focused on how to make the car better through that session,” said Abel in the race winning press conference. “The team worked hard between sessions to put me into a position to feel good going into qualifying, and obviously they did a great job of that. The car was so strong, but we know that it’s a lot harder to win from pole here than it is at Barber.”

Abel led the field to the race one green, getting a good jump and avoiding the slingshot draft from behind. While Missig was forced to check up through Turn 2 as cars slowed dramatically ahead, Sundaramoorthy saw an advantage, punching the pedal and taking 10th position. A quick spin in turn 7 put Missig back into 20th, as the field settled in behind Abel.

Sundaramoorthy continued to advance, making solid passes and claiming P6 by lap 10 while Missig rebounded as well, into P15. At the front of the field, Abel had broken out to a five-second lead over co-championship leader Nolan Siegel, just focusing forward and managing tires.

Out of push-to-pass mid-race, Sundaramoorthy fell back to 7th, then was freight trained into turn 1. Adding to his misery was a clip by another car that sent him onto the Turn 8 grass and into pit lane with a punctured front left. He went back out on track in 25th, just behind Missig, but spun and landed in the gravel, bringing out a caution flag.

Abel took the restart with nine laps remaining, powering onto the front stretch and again breaking the draft to Siegel and holding his advantage. But two laps later, Missig made contact with the turn 7 wall, bringing out another yellow.

Abel managed the restart perfectly with just three laps remaining and while Siegel briefly pulled alongside in turn 1, Abel held his ground, taking the race win and the championship lead. Missig came home 18th and Sundaramoorthy 20th.

“This was awesome,” said Abel. “We’ve always just kind of struggled at this track, which is unfortunate because we race here a lot, but in the past, it wasn’t really a good track for us so to get this win today is really special. That it felt like a long race, just managing tires the whole time so I could be ready if there was a restart. Unfortunately, the first yellow took away the four-second lead that I had – and was just taking a nice sunset cruise on! But it was still good at the end, though Nolan made me work for it there a little bit. Props to him for driving me clean and we will see how tomorrow goes.”

“There was some calamity in the first corner on the start and that set me back,” said Missig. “Once I got into a good rhythm and my pace was good, I just focused on saving push-to-pass and worked on getting closer and closer. But once we all started kind of getting into traffic and everyone started fighting with us, drivers were kind of just parking at the apex and that caught me out a bit. That’s when the incident happened. But the ABEL Motorsports group put a great car together. We had such great pace, especially on the long runs. I gained a lot of experience today and now we are looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully being able to make some more passes and get towards the front.”

“It was a good start – I got lucky and was really moving forward,” said Sundaramoorthy. “I was hoping I could stay at their pace but just didn’t quite have it. I burned up my push-to-pass and was a sitting duck after that. I’m just really glad that the caution I brought out didn’t hurt Jacob’s race, that would have sucked. Hopefully better tomorrow.”

Veteran team manager John Brunner has won numerous races at the Speedway but knows that the Victory Lane experience never gets old.

“It is the coolest thing – you come here so many times and you think you’d get used to it, but you never get used to winning here,” said Brunner. “We really didn’t need those yellows, and unfortunately, we caused them ourselves as a team. But Jacob had control from the beginning so we thought we would be fine on restarts, since we were saving tires and push-to-pass. We were pretty confident.”

ABEL Motorsports thanks partners ABEL Construction Company, Advance Ready Mix, Boyd Cat®, S Team Motorsports and OMP for their continued support.

The second race in the INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix takes the green flag Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE, with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com and on Sirius XM.

About ABEL Motorsports: Team principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family racing tradition. In 2015, ABEL Motorsports was launched, starting in the USF2000 series and building up the junior open wheel ladder. The team captured the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood in 2018.

ABEL Motorsports currently competes in the INDY NXT by Firestone series, the official development series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, led by third-generation driver Jacob Abel. The team made its INDYCAR debut in 2023 with driver RC Enerson in the Indianapolis 500. For more information visit the official team website at abelmotorsports.com.

About Abel Construction Company: ABEL Construction is one of the largest general contractors in Kentucky, holding licenses in thirteen states. The company has offices in Lexington, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana, with the corporate office in Louisville. Their expertise spans many areas, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and facilities maintenance.

Abel Construction has helped build some of the region’s most recognizable landmarks. Their projects cover diverse sectors, including automotive, healthcare, post-secondary education, commercial, food/beverage, tech, and industrial/manufacturing. They prioritize client satisfaction, focusing on efficient project delivery regardless of size or cost. The company’s skilled professionals utilize cutting-edge technology and software to ensure successful outcomes. abelconstruct.com/.

ABEL Motorsports social media

Facebook: ABEL Motorsports
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Instagram: ABEL Motorsports

Choosing the Best Trucking Companies in Miami

By
SM
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When it comes to choosing a reliable trucking company in Miami, what do you prioritize? Equipment quality, safety standards or impeccable customer service? Perhaps it’s all of the above. This guide will illuminate the key factors that you need to thoroughly consider before making your pick.

Essential Factors in Choosing Companies

While other factors might be enticing, price and reputation are two essential considerations when evaluating different trucking companies miami. Yes, affordability is a key factor but remember that cheaper isn’t always better. Cost should match the quality of service provided. Instead of gravitating towards the lowest price, look for companies that offer value for your money.

Expect good companies to have a decent online presence showcasing positive reviews and testimonials. Such reviews indicate reliability and assure potential clients of consistent delivery – literally and metaphorically. Conduct thorough online research, peruse company websites for client testimonials, and even consider seeking recommendations from colleagues or friends.

Transparency is another crucial element in your decision-making process. Credible trucking companies willingly disclose their processes, policies, fees and any additional charges. Hiding such crucial information could indicate potential problems down the line. Reliable companies rise by their transparency and upfront honesty.

Moreover, scope of service can significantly influence your choice. Certain trucking companies restrict their services geographically or industry-wise. Ensure the company you integrate can accommodate your specific transporting needs regardless if they’re state-wise or across country.

Checking Company Accreditation

Paying attention to a trucking company’s accreditation ensures you are dealing with a reputable business. One indispensable accreditation to look for: The Department Of Transportation (DOT) number. This federal requirement signifies that the company meets all safety standards put forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Additionally, being part of legitimate industry organizations – such as the American Trucking Associations (ATA) – denotes credibility. ATA membership entails adherence to specific codes of practice and high professional standards.

Another essential accreditation is a valid Motor Carrier (MC) number indicating compliance with federal regulations. Be warned against companies without a DOT and MC number as they are either non-compliant or illegally operating.

Operating authority falls under MC credentials. Operating authority classification indicates the type of operations a company can execute and the cargo it can carry. All this information is accessible online via the FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) system.

Analyzing Fleet and Equipment

Fleet age is an aspect that often slips through the cracks yet remains pivotal in gauging service reliability. State-of-the-art trucks are apt to experience less mechanical issues, ultimately reducing the potential for delivery delays.

Paying heed to the type of equipment used by prospective carriers is equally important. This pertains especially if you require specialized equipment such as refrigerated trailers or flatbeds. Can the fleet accommodate your distinct transportation needs?

In addition to ensuring a company has appropriate equipment, consider how well it maintains its fleet. Regular maintenance clearly signals that the firm values safety and reliability.

Don’t forget payload capacities. Companies should provide specifics about the loads their trucks can comfortably handle. This reduces risks linked to overloading which may impact structural integrity of goods transported.

Evaluating Safety Standards

Amongst factors discussed, safety stands paramount when choosing a trucking company. Reputed firms follow strict safety practices and regulations–and rightfully so–since accidents can gravely impact their operating license plus client trust.

You’re at liberty to request safety records from potential freight carriers. A consistent record of safe driving suggests that the company fosters a culture centered around safety. The FMCSA’s SAFER database can aid your quest.

Accident occurrences can trigger costly setbacks. Therefore, your chosen trucking company should adhere to all equipment safety checks before and during transit. Properly equipped cabs with functioning seat belts, airbags, and electronic stability control are telltale signs of prime safety standards.

The caliber of drivers can’t be emphasized enough. Are their drivers skillful? Exemplary companies maintain strict criteria when hiring new drivers, including validating licenses, running drug tests, plus background checks.

Importance of Customer Service

Last, but not least, is customer service. Solid customer service proves indispensable especially when anomalies arise regarding your haul. Effective communication with the firm should lay any uncertainties to rest.

If the staff extends prompt responses to queries or concerns, it assures you that you’re appreciated and thereby valued. This fosters a relationship built on trust which is crucial for long-term business associations.

You would want to assess how proactively they resolve disputes. Do they take ownership or deflect blame? Excellent companies address customer grievances in a professional manner without shirking responsibility.

A firm’s commitment to customer service excellence is often mirrored in their accessibility. Options such as 24/7 service or tracking systems spell convenience by offering real-time updates about your load’s location. Success lies in detailed orientation!

Considering Delivery Timeframes

When selecting a trucking company in Miami, a vital consideration is the delivery timeframes. Businesses operate on tight schedules, and delaying shipments impact productivity and profitability. The ideal trucking company should guarantee timely deliveries without compromising the state of goods transported.

Fast delivery isn’t just about speed. You’ll need truckers who understand the routes, can maneuver traffic, and provide dynamic logistics solutions when need arises. This level of efficiency stems from in-depth local knowledge and years of experience.

Beyond deadlines, are they flexible enough to accommodate last-minute shipments? Occasional urgencies are inevitable in business. A company that can cater to such emergencies proves its reliability while offering you much needed peace of mind.

Dedicated customer service comes into play here too. Tracks break down unexpectedly or weather changes can cause delays. Should any of these occur, a representative should promptly reach you offering both explanation and solutions. Maintaining open channels for communication speaks volumes about operational transparency.

Reviewing Company Reputation

The reputation of a Miami trucking company matters significantly in your choice-making process. Most transport companies may manage to fulfill basic service criteria but fall short when it comes to developing a worthy reputation. It takes consistency to build a good name; a sporadic good performance won’t cut it.

Commence with online reviews and ratings. People will often share their experiences – both pleasant and unpleasant – with service providers. Look out for habitual complaints that might point to systemic inefficiencies which could affect your business operations.

Third-party review sites and industry forums offer unadulterated opinions about a company’s services. Visit these platforms and scan through comments targeting the companies you’re considering. Be thorough in reviewing the information available to you, including social media feedback and responses by the company.

Remember, damage control on social media is a great indicator of professional maturity. Steer clear of companies that shy away from online negativity, instead consider those that gracefully embrace criticism, iterating their commitment towards resolution and customer satisfaction.

Comparing Pricing Structures

Compare the pricing structures of different Miami trucking companies. Confirm whether they charge by distance, weight, or both. This gives you a clearer picture of the potential costs down the lane. Understanding what every charge entails curbs you against hidden costs thrown for which you weren’t prepared.

  • Evaluate your budget vis-a-vis the cost implications across your options.
  • Identify services fundamental to your operations and trigger price negotiations around those particular points.

With the price structure before your eyes, juxtapose it with service value offered by each trucking company you’re considering. Choose a service offering maximum value within your budget bracket. Do not opt for lower costs at the expense of quality service nor should you break bank for services you scarcely use.

In all this, remember that investments made in reliable and efficient transportation services pay back through seamless operations and satisfied clients.

Assessing Company Experience

The longevity of a trucking company in business often underpins confidence in their experience. While startups might offer innovative solutions, established enterprises bring a wealth of experience onto the table.

Certain sectors require specialized knowledge that only seasoned truckers can provide. For example – transporting perishable goods calls for keenness on transit times and equipment quality; puny oversight can lead to hefty losses. Experience in such areas inspires confidence in the transport company’s competencies.

Remember, such an institution has weathered various industry storms and still managed to stay afloat due to resilience, ingenuity and reliability. Pick those who’ve proven their worth over time; these companies have not only survived but thrived in the transportation industry.

Identifying Specialization Areas

Understanding a trucking company’s specialization directly affects its efficacy in your business operations. Various trucking providers in Miami specialize in different types of cargo. Ascertaining this beforehand helps align your needs with their service offerings.

Liquid products, refrigerated goods or heavy equipment demand specialized haulage solutions. Choose truckers well-versed with the nuances of handling your specific type of cargo for optimal results.

Explore portfolios to drink their range of services offered and sectors previously serviced. If they’ve previously excelled in areas akin to yours, it’s a good sign they’ll replicate similar successes with you.

In conclusion

Given the variety of Miami-focused transport firms existent, picking the right one seems overwhelming. The best trucking company should match your unique set of requirements while offering superior service quality at competitive prices. A little research goes a long way in ensuring you make an informed choice focused on delivering value and exceeding expectations.

Ross Chastain wins the Truck Series race at Darlington in overtime

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ross Chastain persevered to win the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway after taking the lead in overtime to claim his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of 2024.

He only led the final three laps during the race in his No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet but he led the one that mattered most.

“We have been trying to win at Darlington,” Chastain said, “This is where my career changed, my life changed forever. It’s so cool — we won Darlington.”

Nick Sanchez finished second in the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet to an impressive second-place finish. He was fastest in qualifying but the team had to replace the right rear wheel hub due to a leak and he started at the rear of the field.

Corey Heim won the first two stages in his No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota and led 77 laps but was caught up in a racing incident on Lap 98 when Dean Thompson’s truck got loose and Heim was relegated to a 28th-place finish. Rajah Caruth, Layne Riggs and Matt Crafton also sustained damage.

Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes and Ty Majeski rounded out the top five. Eckes now leads the standings by 14 points over Heim.

Chase Purdy, Colby Howard, Taylor Gray, Ty Dillon and Tanner Gray rounded out the top 10 at Darlington.

You can catch the next Truck Series race on May 18 at 1:30 p.m. ET at North Wilkesboro Speedway on FS1 with radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

*Post-race inspection was completed with no issues.

Darlington-Truck-Series-results-2024-May32409_UNOFFRES

Cole Custer awarded Xfinity Series pole at Darlington after qualifying canceled

By
Angie Campbell
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Cole Custer, driver of the #00 Haas Automation Ford. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Cole Custer will lead the field to green in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway after the practice and qualifying sessions were canceled due to rain and hail at the track.

The field was set per the NASCAR Rule Book performance metric which is based on the previous event: 15% of a fastest lap time position, 25% of the driver’s final race finish position, 25% of the owner’s final race finish position and 35% of the owner points position.

Chandler Smith will join Custer on the front row followed by Sheldon Creed, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill to complete the top five starters. Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Anthony Alfredo, Riley Herbst and Parker Retzlaff will round out the top 10.

All of the cars passed pre-race inspection.

The Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 is scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 with radio coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

darlington-i-xfinity-starting-lineup

Abel Keeps Rolling with Wire-to-Wire Win at IMS; Chadwick Third

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 10, 2024) – All it takes is one.

Jacob Abel spoke to how much confidence his maiden INDY NXT by Firestone victory April 28 at Barber Motorsports Park did for his psyche. Friday, Abel scored win No. 2.

Abel held off second-place finisher Nolan Siegel in a three-lap shootout on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course to score his second consecutive victory in the No. 51 Abel Construction entry.

“This is awesome,” Abel said after leading all 35 laps in this race. “Unfortunately, we don’t get to celebrate for too long here. We’re getting another chance tomorrow. That was a really great race, though.”

Siegel came in tied with Abel for the points lead and charged from a fifth-place starting position to bring his No. 39 HMD Motorsports entry home second, .5470 of a second in arrears. He trails Abel by 14 points entering Saturday’s second race of the Indianapolis Grand Prix doubleheader at 1 p.m. ET, with live coverage on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Friday’s result was the third time in as many races this season the duo finished 1-2, as Siegel won the season opener in March in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Andretti Global’s Jamie Chadwick scored the best finish for a female driver in INDY NXT by Firestone since Pippa Mann’s 2010 win at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 4, 2010, when she brought her No. 28 VEXT entry home third. Chadwick’s previous best finish was sixth last September at Portland International Raceway.

Rookie Callum Hedge finished fourth in the No. 17 HMD Motorsports entry, with fellow rookie Myles Rowe rounding out the top five in the No. 99 HMD Motorsports with Force Indy car.

Abel initially had the win on cruise control before a pair of late-race cautions caused by both Abel Motorsports teammates erased his advantage. He leaped to nearly a five-season lead over Siegel before the first caution flew for Yuven Sundaramoorthy stopping off course in his No. 22 S Team Motorsports/Abel Motorsports entry in Turn 4 on Lap 21.

On the Lap 26 restart, Abel led Siegel to the green on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. Two laps later, his advantage grew to .9704 of a second.

On Lap 30, Jordan Missig (No. 21 Abel Motorsports) went off course after contact with the wall in Turn 7, sparking the second full-course caution.

Siegel had a second chance to pass Abel for the win. Even with a great launch on the Lap 32 restart, Abel prevailed.

“Nolan and I had a great battle,” Abel said. “I had it under control the whole time. I had a big lead there, and unfortunately a lot of yellows really made me work for it at the end. I was just saving tires early on, so I was ready for that.

“Massive thanks to all the Abel Motorsports crew. They delivered an amazing car. We didn’t roll off 100 percent here, but we everyone figured it out in that one practice session that we had, and that’s almost more gratifying than last weekend, when we just rolled off perfect.”

The exciting race featured 165 on-track passes and 136 passes for position, both series records for this circuit.

INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 Results

INDIANAPOLIS – Results Friday of the INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix INDY NXT by Firestone event on the 2.439 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway RC, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, laps completed and reason out (if any):

  1. (1) Jacob Abel, 35, Running
  2. (5) Nolan Siegel, 35, Running
  3. (6) Jamie Chadwick, 35, Running
  4. (8) Callum Hedge, 35, Running
  5. (12) Myles Rowe, 35, Running
  6. (10) Reece Gold, 35, Running
  7. (4) Louis Foster, 35, Running
  8. (7) Jonathan Browne, 35, Running
  9. (17) Christian Bogle, 35, Running
  10. (19) Niels Koolen, 35, Running
  11. (13) Salvador de Alba Jr, 35, Running
  12. (9) Michael d’Orlando, 35, Running
  13. (18) Nolan Allaer, 35, Running
  14. (11) Bryce Aron, 34, Running
  15. (3) James Roe, 34, Running
  16. (20) Jack William Miller, 34, Running
  17. (21) Lindsay Brewer, 33, Running
  18. (16) Jordan Missig, 33, Running
  19. (2) Caio Collet, 32, Running
  20. (15) Yuven Sundaramoorthy, 31, Running
  21. (14) Josh Pierson, 6, Off Course

Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 105.437 mph
Time of Race: 48:34.6690
Margin of victory: 0.5470 of a second
Cautions: 2 for 7 laps
Lead changes: 0

Lap Leaders: Abel, Jacob 1 – 35

Palou Powers to NTT P1 Award for Sonsio Grand Prix

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 10, 2024) – Alex Palou started his defense of his 2023 Sonsio Grand Prix victory in the best way possible Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning the pole for this year’s race.

Two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou earned his fourth career NTT P1 Award and his first since the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear last June. His best lap today in the Firestone Fast Six was 1 minute, 9.0004 seconds in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The pole on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course came after Palou ended up 17th and 11th, respectively, in the two practice sessions today that preceded qualifying.

“It’s been a tough day, honestly,” Palou said. “Practice 1 and Practice 2 wasn’t amazing. Even the start of qualifying, too. So, really happy to be there. Didn’t expect it. I’ll take it.

“It was my mom’s birthday today, so it’s probably a good birthday present.”

Live coverage of the 85-lap race starts at 3 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network. A 30-minute warmup session starts at 11:15 a.m., with live coverage on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Christian Lundgaard qualified second at 1:09:0921 in the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. This was his third consecutive front-row start on the IMS road course, as he won the pole for this event last May and started second in the Gallagher Grand Prix last August.

Two-time series champion Will Power will start third after his top qualifying lap of 1:09.1636 in the No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet. Teammate Josef Newgarden will join Power in the second row of the starting grid after qualifying fourth at 1:09.2528 in the No. 2 Snap-on Team Penske Chevrolet.

The strong performances for Power and Newgarden came despite working this month without their respective strategists and key engineers. Team president and Newgarden strategist Tim Cindric, Power strategist Ron Ruzewski, Newgarden engineer Luke Mason and Power data engineer Robbie Atkinson were suspended by Team Penske for this event and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for their roles in the Push to Pass technical infractions found on the cars driven by Power, Newgarden and teammate Scott McLaughlin.

Pato O’Ward will start fifth after his best lap of 1:09.3320 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon rounded out the Firestone Fast Six at 1:09.5270 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi qualified a season-best seventh at 1:09.0801 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after missing the Firestone Fast Six by .0185 of a second. Rossi’s previous best start this season was 13th at Long Beach.

Series points leader Colton Herta faces a long climb in the race Saturday after qualifying a season-low 24th in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian. Herta’s car ran out of fuel on his final flying lap during the first round of qualifying. He led the first practice this morning.

This is Herta’s lowest qualifying position since he also started 24th for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear last June.

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