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Podium finish for ABEL Motorsports at St. Pete

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St. Petersburg, FL - during the 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg. (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)

Abel takes his second straight second place finish while Sundaramoorthy and Mason impress in the INDY NXT season opener

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (10 March 2024) – ABEL Motorsports made its opening bid for the 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone championship as Jacob Abel scored his second straight second place finish on the streets of St. Petersburg, in front of a sizable Sunday crowd at the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Firestone Grand Prix.

Abel (Louisville, Ky.), Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, Wis.) and Josh Mason (Maresfield, UK) each showed solid pace through the 45-lap race on the 14-turn, 1.8-mile street circuit – the first of 14 INDY NXT by Firestone races in 2024.

Saturday qualifying saw the field split into two groups, with Abel leading the second half of the session – though pipped for pole by an incredible .0066 of a second. Abel started on the outside of row one, with Sundaramoorthy 13th and Mason 20th for Sunday’s season opener.

The 20-car field took the green late Sunday morning and roared into turn one with Abel looking to make a move on the outside of Siegel. Quickly assessing the situation, he chose to tuck the No. 51 ABEL Construction Dallara into Siegel’s slipstream and keep the pressure on, looking to capitalize on any errors by the leader.

Both Sundaramoorthy and Mason had their adventures in the opening laps. Sundaramoorthy found himself shuffled back to 15th as cars jostled early, while Mason – having successfully completed his first ever rolling start – powered through the opening laps of his debut race in the series, pacing in 18th position.

Abel continued to fill Siegel’s mirrors as the race settled in, with Sundaramoorthy up to 13th. As Mason became more and more comfortable behind the wheel of the No. 21 ABEL Motorsports Dallara, he set up calculated passes and took advantage of others mistakes ahead to slide into 15th at the halfway point – while setting lap times among the leaders.

The race action was paused on lap 33 with a full course caution for a car into the wall at Turn 14. The field returned to green with nine laps remaining, with Sundaramoorthy putting the hammer down in his No. 22 S Team Motorsports Dallara and moving into the top 10 – only to have his progress halted as the race returned to yellow one lap later to retrieve a car in the Turn four runoff.

On the restart, Abel balanced an attack on Siegel while keeping an eye on a surging Louis Foster behind. Battling gear shifting issues going into the restart, Mason came to pit lane to allow engineers to check the data feed before heading back out on track. But the issues remained and Mason, not wanting to impact the race, pulled into an AMR INDYCAR Safety Team runoff.

With the final laps under green, Abel battled hard to hold position and took the checkered flag in second place. Sundaramoorthy looked to the outside to make a late pass but found the marbles, losing several positions but bringing it home in 12th, with Mason 17th.

While the results varied, all three drivers were happy with their performances and eagerly anticipate the season’s next event.

“We were strong here last year and that’s just continued,” said Abel. “Nolan had a ton of pace so kudos to him, it was hard to catch him. It was a long race, so I focused on saving the Firestone tires – but with Louis breathing down my back, I had to push as hard as I could and use my push-to-pass. But a good start to the season – it’s super easy to mess up the first race and that would be costly, with this many cars. Getting a good result was paramount: when it’s our time, that first win will come but the championship is the goal.”

“I was pretty cautious on the start, with everyone bunched up,” said Sundaramoorthy. “I didn’t want to do anything too hasty, but in hindsight, I could have kept a bit closer – but it was better than being in the wall here. The car felt great on the restarts, it really came alive late in the race. I was able to make a few good moves, though I tried on the outside which cost me a few positions. But we know we have pace; the team gave me a great car. I need to keep getting used to the car and I think we’ll be quick.”

“I’m happy with the weekend as a whole – and the atmosphere here in St. Pete was great, so it was a good experience,” said Mason. “We improved through the whole weekend and I’m happy with that. My goal early was to keep it clean – being a street course, there’s only one line that has grip and if you go off that, it’s hard to handle the car. I had to learn the rolling start very quickly, but the pace was good. Going into the second restart, I was able to shift to first and could get no further. I boxed, and the data looked good, but it turned out I was stuck in neutral. We’ll look at everything, and with a solid race weekend under my belt, I’m looking forward to Barber.”

Given the competitive nature of the series – and the team’s aim for the title and a solid season for all three drivers – team principal Bill Abel was pleased with the initial race weekend.

“All three drivers improved throughout the weekend,” said Abel. “Josh especially made a big jump, it’s just unfortunate that the car had the mechanical issue. Being the first weekend in the car, it was a learning weekend for him, and he did great. Yuven came in right where he left off last year, he will be a contender soon. Our goal is to be in the championship hunt and it’s hard to do that if you throw away the first weekend. A solid finish for the entire team.”

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

Next up for ABEL Motorsports and the INDY NXT by Firestone series will be the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, April 26-28. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE.com with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com/radio 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 tradition. In 2017, 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 specializes in general contracting and construction management, design build, IPD and facilities maintenance. Based in Louisville, Ky, ABEL is one of the largest contractors in the Kentuckiana region and has helped build some of the area’s most recognizable landmarks.

ABEL Construction was founded in 1938 and is now a fourth-generation, family-owned business, recognized for its experience, stability and capabilities, and focused on relationships and trust. That’s the ABEL way. abelconstruct.com/.

Siegel Produces Command Performance in St. Petersburg Win

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Official Release
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sunday, March 10, 2024) – Nolan Siegel made a championship statement in the first race of the 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone season.

The 19-year-old HMD Motorsports driver, who started the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg from the pole, was never seriously challenged in leading all 45 laps.

Siegel masterfully executed the start of the race, then handled a pair of late restarts to score his third career series victory and third win in the past 11 races. His final margin over Jacob Abel was 1.3959 seconds, but he led by nearly seven seconds before the first caution occurred.

Best of all, Siegel looked the part of the driver signed for four NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season by Dale Coyne Racing, including the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, and, of course, a title favorite in this series.

“It feels amazing,” the driver of the No. 39 HMD Motorsports entry said in victory lane. “We’ve worked hard for this. First (series) pole this weekend, led every lap. (I) should have won here last year – I made a mistake and redeemed myself today.

“The car was fantastic; the pace was there. It made it easy to drive. I’m so happy to start the season this way.”

Even Siegel acknowledged what this domination means for the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone season. Now, the field is chasing him.

“I think it’s definitely making a statement,” he said. “We’re going to be the car to beat this season and I’d like to keep it up front as much as possible all the way throughout the year.”

For the weekend performance, Siegel earned the maximum number of points – 54 – and will take a 14-point lead over Abel heading to the next race, the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday, April 28. Between now and then Siegel will drive Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 18 Honda in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club in Southern California on Sunday, March 24.

Abel was left to ponder what could have been. This second-place finish in the No. 51 Abel Construction machine was his third such result over the past two seasons, including following Siegel to the finish line last June at Road America. But Abel also deftly held back Louis Foster, another of the season’s championship favorites, in a spirited late-race, three-car battle for the podium positions behind Siegel.

Foster, who drives the No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies entry of Andretti Global, finished third, with series rookie Michael d’Orlando grabbing fourth. D’Orlando was only four days removed from signing to drive the No. 3 Andretti Cape INDY NXT entry.

The season began relatively smoothly, with the first lap of the race nearly clean until Josh Pierson tried an inside pass of Jamie Chadwick entering Turn 13. Chadwick got the worst of the contact and was pushed wide in the No. 28 VEXT entry of Andretti Global. Pierson continued in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports car but was penalized for avoidable contact.

Siegel had his largest lead with 13 laps to go when rookie Bryce Aron hit the wall with Andretti Global’s No. 27 Jaguar Land Rover Chesterfield machine in Turn 10. That brought out the race’s first caution.

The second stoppage came four laps later when series newcomer Jack William Miller, the son of former NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Dr. Jack Miller, bounced off the Turn 3 wall with the left side of the No. 40 Patterson Dental Haven Go by SAAM entry of Miller Vinatieri Motorsports entry. Neither he nor Aron was injured.

Reece Gold rounded out the top five in the No. 10 HMD Motorsports entry after being penalized three positions for improperly moving out of line at the start of the race. The field featured 21 car-and-driver combinations, the largest for a series-opening race since 2009.

Jett Lawrence First Back-to-Back Winner with Birmingham Supercross Victory

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First place 450SX Class - Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Tom Vialle Also Repeats and takes 250SX Class Win

Birmingham, Ala., (March 10, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot inside Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama and never relinquished the lead spot to become the first rider to string back-to-back wins in the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Heavy rains the night before the race saturated the red dirt track but only light rain fell during the racing at Round 9 of the 17-round season.

Supercross returned to Alabama for the first time in 40 years and Protective Stadium hosted its first Monster Energy AMA Supercross event. The red clay track featured a 308’ start straight, the longest of the season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb chased Jett from the start but after the opening laps was never close enough to mount an attempt at the lead. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen recovered from outside the top ten to pass his way forward on the rutted track and claim a third-place finish. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle backed up his win last week with a commanding win in Birmingham.

“I’m super pumped I was able to link two races together… That was a very difficult track, it could cost you. I felt like old Jett would have thrown it away like Arlington. [You] just had to be very, very patient and not just push this track, it could bite you pretty quickly. We tried going for a little sneaky corner over there; we came up very short. Thank gosh it’s soft so it stopped me. But no, it’s just an awesome, awesome weekend [and an] awesome race. Shout out to the team they’re awesome and now hopefully we can maybe click off some more, but we’ll have to wait and see… the races, they’re all pretty gnarly with all these great riders out here.” – Jett Lawrence

“…after that incident when I crashed in the Heat it was good to rebound and get a good start; and yeah, it was a great ride. I felt awesome… I made a few mistakes in the beginning and that gap [to Jett] got there and then I felt like I did a good job maintaining that. We played cat and mouse and I know what it takes now to run that pace, so [I’m] pretty happy with tonight, solid second. He’s a hell of a competitor, a great rider, so we’ll try to be better for next week… It feels great to be back up here on the box. [When asked what it’s going to take to close the points gap] Who knows! This season’s been crazy, so I think there’s still a lot of guys that are capable of getting in the mix. So for me, I’ve just got to keep having rides like tonight, but one position better.” – Cooper Webb

“I’m really, really happy with how I rode. I’ve just got to get better off the gate. I’ve been putting a lot of practice starts in at home, but ultimately, I’ve got to start further up front. Being 11th [at the beginning of the Main Event] is not the position you want to be in if you want to fight for a win. But I made some really good passes happen and found myself in third; and I was pretty close behind Cooper and Jett, but I ended up not doing – I just couldn’t find the right line in that one rhythm over here and so I ended up doubling my way through and lost a bunch of time. But I had a good gap to the people behind me. So I’m really happy to be just finally back on the box, that was important.” – Ken Roczen

Round 4 of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class saw Tom Vialle take over the lead on the opening lap and never get challenged for the top spot; the win moved him into the championship points lead. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo took over second place just a minute into the 15-minute plus one lap race to earn his third consecutive second-place finish of the season. After going through the LCQ, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker recovered from a start outside of the top five to grab the final spot on the Birmingham podium.

“Grabbing another win, I didn’t expect it. I felt great all day and I had a good heat race… I didn’t have the best start, but I caught all the guys and I was P-1. [Then I just tried to] do some good laps and be consistent all moto. I tried to save [energy for] the last four or five laps and [it] was great. I love the track and we were lucky with the weather [and so] the track was pretty good and I’m really happy. Another win, taking the red plate, and I mean, it’s been a long time [that] I didn’t win two races in a row, [not] since I was back in the GPs. So I feel good and it’s nice to win, I can tell you.” – Tom Vialle

“This track was, I think we say it almost every weekend now, but it was gnarly. Like, we got almost two inches of rain last night and it was just very technical, it kept you on your toes, so I’m excited to be up here on the podium again. I’m just so grateful to be racing again and fighting for wins, fighting for the podium, in the championship battle – this stuff is so special, so I’m grateful to be up here; I want more, I really want to win, so we’re gonna work hard and come out swinging in Indiana again… [to the crowd] And how about Alabama!? This is my first time here and you guys are all so nice. I love it here. You guys are awesome so thanks everyone, we love this.” – Cameron McAdoo

“It’s definitely not ideal [to] start from the outside but I made it work. In the LCQ I pulled a hellova start and then in [the Main Event I] just kind of did the same thing. But I feel like those other guys on the inside had a little better of a jump [and had] the line going to the inside. But overall, I charged up to the front. I was just trying my hardest. I had a rough start to the night with that heat race crash and yeah, there was a lot of things that I wanted to say but, you know, I just kept my cool. You know, it’s important for me just to focus on myself and go out there and execute my laps; and I feel like I did that well. I’ve got to give it up to my whole team… just everyone for helping me, especially keeping me calm… [I’m] just super stoked to be up here on the podium again and, yeah, had a good time.” – Seth Hammaker

Next weekend the championship heads to Indianapolis, Indiana where Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will line the racers up inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The 17-round Monster Energy Supercross season also pays points toward the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The SuperMotocross League, after an incredibly successful inaugural year in 2023, brings together the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The SMX League then delivers post-season racing with two Playoff Rounds and one Final to crown a SuperMotocross World Champion in both the 450cc and 250cc Classes. Last week the dates and venues for the post-season events were announced:

The Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, now completing its mid-point race, continues its partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Fans who want to contribute towards the St. Jude mission of, Finding Cures. Saving Children, can donate by going to supercrossLIVE.com/St-Jude or text “SUPER” to 785-833.

All 17 rounds of the Supercross season can be watched live and on-demand on PeacockTV, with select rounds broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. International live and on-demand coverage can be viewed through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv).

Tickets are available now to catch an upcoming Supercross round in person. For ticket sales, highlight videos, race results, airtimes, and event info please to go SupercrossLIVE.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/supercrosslive
X: twitter.com/supercrosslive
Instagram: instagram.com/supercrosslive
YouTube: youtube.com/supercrosslive
TikTok: tiktok.com/supercrossliveofficial
Official Merch: SupercrossSuperstore.com

About Feld Motor Sports:

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

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:

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

About the SuperMotocross World Championship:

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

About the American Motorcyclist Association:

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

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Phoenix – Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200

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SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 SafetyCulture Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 23rd for the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 at Phoenix Raceway.
  • The first caution flag of the afternoon waved on lap 6 with Van Gisbergen scored in 22nd. Staying out Van Gisbergen restarted 22nd on lap 12. Continuing to learn his way around the one-mile oval, Van Gisbergen was scored in 22nd on lap 30 and ended the stage in 21st on lap 45. Under the stage one caution, Van Gisbergen brought the SafetyCulture Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, SVG was scored in 19th.
  • Van Gisbergen started the second stage in 19th on lap 55. Running solid lap times, Van Gisbergen was scored in 21st on lap 70 and ended the second stage in 19th on lap 90. Under the stage two caution, Van Gisbergen once again hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, SVG rejoined the field in 16th.
  • Van Gisbergen was scored in 20th by lap 115 and 19th by lap 125 as he was learning different lanes. The fourth caution flag of the afternoon waved on lap 137 with Van Gisbergen scored in 18th. Under the caution, the SafetyCulture Chevy hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, SVG rejoined the field in 18th. The green flag waved once again on lap 144 with Van Gisbergen scored in 18th. A quick caution slowed the field following the lap 144 restart with Van Gisbergen scored in 11th on lap 145. Following a lengthy clean-up, Van Gisbergen restarted 12th on lap 152. Van Gisbergen survived a green/white/checkered finish, and crossed the line in sixth.

“Pretty good day! Lots and learning and patient at the start. Played it smart and had good calls on the pit box with our strategy. We stayed out of the mess and brought home another top-10 finish.” – Shane van Gisbergen

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 10th for the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 at Phoenix Raceway.
  • Allmendinger was running eighth when the first caution came out on lap six. As the stage went on, Allmendinger reported his rear tires were chattering and the front of the car was tight. Allmendinger finished the first stage in 12th place and the team made adjustments under the stage break to help with the handling of the car.
  • Allmendinger restarted the final stage in 17th place. The No. 16 drove up to 12th before falling back to 25th, reporting he had a motor issue. The team came down pit road under caution but they were unable to diagnose the issue. Allmendinger went on to finish 18th in the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. at Phoenix Raceway.
  • Allmendinger restarted the final stage in 17th place. The No. 16 drove up to 12th before falling back to 25th, reporting he had a motor issue. The team came down pit road under caution but they were unable to diagnose the issue. Allmendinger went on to finish 18th in the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. at Phoenix Raceway.

“We struggled today in our No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet. We’ve got work to do to come back here better in the fall, but I know our Kaulig Racing team isn’t going to quit until we make progress.” – AJ Allmendinger  
 
JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams qualified 27th for the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 at Phoenix Raceway.
  • Williams moved into 23rd by lap five. On lap six, the No. 51 got loose underneath Williams, careening him into the No. 18 while in the middle of three-wide. He spun, and the No. 11 came down pit road to replace right-side flat tires, going two laps down before the restart. He finished stage one in 36th, three laps down.
  • Williams stopped for tires, fuel and a packer adjustment during the stage caution, restarting the race in 35th. He finished there, three laps down.
  • Williams restarted in 33rd, two laps down, after taking the wave around under caution, but the No. 11 once again fell to three laps down on lap 122. Williams gained positions following a big wreck midway through the final stage and finished 27th, five laps down.

“It’s frustrating that we keep having issues, whether it’s just bad luck or whatever else. It’s early on though, and I think it’s good that we’ll have an off week to regroup.” – Josh Williams  
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

BROWN WINS PEP BOYS TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT; LANGDON, PROCK, ENDERS & HERRERA QUALIFY NO. 1 AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS

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Official Release
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 9, 2024) – Antron Brown picked up the victory in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway in front of a capacity crowd, knocking off Brittany Force in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Brown went 3.709-seconds at 332.43 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools Toyota dragster, taking down Force’s 3.730 at 328.70. It gave Brown, who defeated Langdon and Steve Torrence earlier in the day, his first Pep Boys All-Star Callout victory, a big payday in the specialty event and a stellar way to start his 2024 NHRA season.

“Our guys had a chance to keep picking at it, and keep picking at it, and we knew it was going to be a tough round against Brittany, another world champion,” Brown said. “Everyone we raced today was a world champion. We knew we had to step it up against her, but we had the added pressure of qualifying. So, to go out there and do what we did and run that 3.709 and move up to fourth on the ladder and get this Pep Boys All-Star Callout win is pretty special.

“It’s going to be tough competition tomorrow on race day. The field is tight, but hopefully we can parlay that and get better tomorrow. We’ve been getting better and better with each lap, and that’s when you get dangerous. I’m focused, and my boys are giving me a hot rod that can do the job, and that’s what it takes. We have an incredible team and we’re looking forward to this 2024 season.”

Langdon earned his first No. 1 spot since 2020, closing out qualifying with a 3.682 at 334.15 under the lights in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers Toyota dragster. After naming Brian Husen crew chief heading into the season, Langdon is already off to a great start, making a pair of runs in the 3.60s this weekend. He’ll now look to pick up his first win since the 2020 NHRA U.S. Nationals as well.

“That just shows the changes we’ve made, with Brian coming in, the changes have shown great rewards so far,” Langdon said. “Brian has a really good control of the car right now. It’s really cool to see and I’m really proud of him. I’m excited that he has this opportunity and I’m really lucky to be his driver. We know what this team is capable, so we’re looking forward to a great year.”

Langdon took the second spot with a 3.690 at 333.08 and defending event winner Mike Salinas qualified third after going 3.705. Tony Stewart qualified ninth in his Top Fuel debut with a 3.725 310.34.

In Funny Car, Prock maintained the No. 1 spot on the strength of Friday’s track-record run of 3.820-seconds at 334.65 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was a sterling qualifying performance in his first NHRA Funny Car race, as Prock made three strong passes heading into eliminations, where he’ll face off with John Smith in the opening round.

“I’m very excited for tomorrow. We really couldn’t have done much better,” Prock said. “I’m happy with this No. 1 qualifier and we’re really going to have to see what it looks like in the morning. If the track is like what it was today or Friday, you’re going to be throwing Hail Mary’s. I’m really looking forward to getting out there in my first NHRA Funny Car start and get this car in the winner’s circle.

Bob Tasca III stayed second with his 3.829 at 337.75, also setting a new track speed record on Saturday after going 338.09. Ron Capps took the third position with a 3.871 at 333.00.

Erica Enders stayed No. 1 in Pro Stock, picking up her 35th career top qualifier, after going 6.549 at 208.10 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car. She’ll open up eliminations against Kelley Murphy and has a great opportunity to win the Gatornationals for the first time.

“We’ve got a really great race car this weekend, so it seems to be translating very well,” Enders said. “But there’s a lot of really great cars out there and great drivers, so we just have to put our heads down and go to work, and hope for no parts failures or weird things happening. But I feel good and I feel confident in the cockpit.”

Enders’ Elite Motorsports teammate Cristian Cuadra stayed second after a run of 6.552 at 209.10 on Friday and Dallas Glenn’s 6.556 at 208.59 gave him the third slot.

Gaige Herrera improved on Friday’s two runs, taking his 10th straight No. 1 qualifier on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.746 at 200.50. It continues a remarkable run for the defending event winner, who won his first race in the class a year ago in Gainesville. He’ll look to repeat that on Sunday, opening eliminations against Joey Gladstone.

“I’m very pleased and we were happy to improve a little bit,” Herrera said. “I’m feeling comfortable and confident going into tomorrow. It’s very cool to come back here and start off where we left off to end last year. I’ve got to give all the credit to my team. They haven’t missed a beat, so it feels good to come back here and basically start like we did last year.”

Matt Smith improved to a 6.768 at 202.45 to stay second, while LE Tonglet qualified third with a 6.771 at 197.88.

Eliminations for the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals begin at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 21 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Shawn Langdon, 3.682 seconds, 334.15 mph vs. 16. Cody Krohn, 3.850, 317.64; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.690, 333.08 vs. 15. Shawn Reed, 3.766, 314.61; 3. Mike Salinas, 3.705, 331.53 vs. 14. Doug Foley, 3.764, 318.84; 4. Antron Brown, 3.709, 332.43 vs. 13. Tripp Tatum, 3.757, 292.39; 5. Tony Schumacher, 3.712, 326.79 vs. 12. Josh Hart, 3.744, 322.65; 6. Billy Torrence, 3.713, 334.15 vs. 11. Brittany Force, 3.730, 328.70; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.714, 330.80 vs. 10. Clay Millican, 3.726, 332.67; 8. Justin Ashley, 3.719, 325.37 vs. 9. Tony Stewart, 3.725, 310.34.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.820, 334.65 vs. 16. John Smith, Dodge Charger, 4.312, 257.48; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.829, 337.75 vs. 15. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.116, 304.87; 3. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.871, 333.00 vs. 14. Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.090, 294.24; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.883, 331.20 vs. 13. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.048, 307.37; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.887, 329.26 vs. 12. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 3.989, 315.86; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.897, 324.90 vs. 11. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.977, 317.94; 7. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.900, 327.74 vs. 10. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.940, 324.67; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.912, 329.58 vs. 9. John Force, Camaro, 3.920, 324.67.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Dave Richards, 5.133, 151.97.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.549, 208.10 vs. 16. Kelley Murphy, Camaro, 6.592, 203.25; 2. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.552, 209.20 vs. 15. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.592, 208.52; 3. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 208.59 vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.589, 208.81; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.561, 208.65 vs. 13. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.580, 208.49; 5. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.563, 209.82 vs. 12. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.579, 208.14; 6. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.567, 209.92 vs. 11. David Cuadra, Mustang, 6.575, 209.20; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.567, 209.39 vs. 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.574, 208.42; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.570, 208.88 vs. 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.574, 208.88.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Camrie Caruso, 6.599, 208.84; 18. Eric Latino, 6.601, 208.17; 19. Chris McGaha, 6.602, 207.94; 20. Sienna Wildgust, 6.621, 208.46; 21. Mason McGaha, 6.629, 206.80; 22. Alan Prusiensky, 6.723, 204.63.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.746, 200.50 vs. 16. Joey Gladstone, Buell, 7.097, 186.56; 2. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.768, 202.45 vs. 15. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 7.019, 193.02; 3. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.771, 197.88 vs. 14. Bud Yoder II, Buell, 6.973, 190.27; 4. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.804, 195.70 vs. 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.966, 191.95; 5. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.809, 197.74 vs. 12. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.965, 195.82; 6. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.817, 198.32 vs. 11. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.935, 197.45; 7. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.825, 198.23 vs. 10. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.899, 196.59; 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.825, 196.39 vs. 9. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.857, 197.22.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Hector Arana, 7.230, 191.24; 18. Wesley Wells, 7.323, 184.62.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final finish order (1-8) at the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT:

  1. Antron Brown; 2. Brittany Force; 3. Steve Torrence; 4. Mike Salinas; 5. Shawn Langdon; 6. Justin Ashley; 7. Doug Kalitta; 8. Josh Hart.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Saturday’s final results from the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Top Fuel All-Star Callout — Antron Brown, 3.709 seconds, 332.43 mph def. Brittany Force, 3.730 seconds, 328.70 mph.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Final round-by-round results from the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

TOP FUEL ALL-STAR CALLOUT:

ROUND ONE — Antron Brown, 3.910, 280.49 def. Shawn Langdon, 4.304, 209.17; Mike Salinas, 4.192, 291.51 def. Justin Ashley, 4.427, 237.09; Brittany Force, 3.795, 331.28 def. Doug Kalitta, 5.816, 118.53; Steve Torrence, 3.708, 336.32 def. Josh Hart, 9.417, 61.09;

SEMIFINALS — B. Force, 3.785, 329.67 def. M. Salinas, 4.477, 195.05; A. Brown, 3.761, 322.50 def. S. Torrence, 3.765, 329.34;

FINAL — A. Brown, 3.709, 332.43 def. B. Force, 3.730, 328.70.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 from Phoenix

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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200
Date: March 9, 2024
Event: Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 (Round 4 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 200-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Chandler Smith of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Chandler Smith of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 1st / Finished 5th, Running, completed 205 of 205 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 4th / Finished 24th, Running, completed 202 of 205 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (3rd with 150 points, 33 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (4th with 146 points, 37 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his second top-five of the season and his fourth top-five in nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix.

● Custer has only finished outside of the top-12 at Phoenix once in his Xfinity Series career.

● This was Custer’s second straight top-five at Phoenix. He won at the track in November.

● Custer finished second in Stage 1 to earn nine bonus points and won Stage 2 to earn 10 more bonus points and one playoff point.

● Custer led two times for 61 laps to increase his laps-led total at Phoenix to 201.

● Herbst finished fifth in Stage 1 to earn six bonus points and fifth in Stage 2 to earn six more bonus points.

Race Notes:

● Chandler Smith won the Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 to score his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season, and his first at Phoenix. His margin over second-place Jesse Love was .365 of a second.

● There were six caution periods for a total of 43 laps.

● Seventeen of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Smith leaves Phoenix as the championship leader with a one-point advantage over second-place Austin Hill.

Sound Bites:

“We started out pretty good, but the track lost some grip and then we struggled a little bit. Our guys did a great job staying with it all day, and our pit crew did an amazing job. It’s frustrating. Obviously, we want to win, but overall, it was a really good points day for us. We just have to keep working on it. I think we’re missing something just a little bit. We just have to keep trying to work on it and get a little bit more of that potential out of it.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“It’s a bummer. We had a strong day building with our No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang. I got stage points and looked to be able to run up front in that final stage. One incident derailed all of that, though. I hate it for my team. They worked so hard and were able to get me back out on track to finish the race at least. We’ll learn from it and regroup during the off week.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, March 23 at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The race begins at 5 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Gainesville Post-Qualifying Report – 03.09.24

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Langdon Earns Top Qualifying Position in Strong Toyota Showing at Gainesville
Antron Brown wins Pep Boys Top Fuel Callout

Gainesville, Fla. (March 9, 2024) – Team Toyota had a strong opening qualifying of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Kalitta Motorsports’ Shawn Langdon captured his 20th career No. 1 qualifying position with a 3.682 elapsed time in his Toyota Top Fuel dragster Saturday evening in Gainesville. Steve Torrence missed out on the top qualifying spot by 0.008 seconds, earning the second spot in Top Fuel for Sunday’s elimination rounds.

After a tough Friday session, Antron Brown came back with a vengeance on Saturday, capturing the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout title and earned the fourth spot for Sunday where he’ll face Tripp Tatum. By winning the All-Star Callout event, Brown earned an additional $80,000.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps led the three Toyota GR Supras with the third fastest time at 3.871. Capps is seeking his fifth career win at the Gatornationals (2006, 2007, 2015, 2020).

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway
Race 1 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster1stVs. Cody Krohn
Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster2ndVs. Shawn Reed
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster4thVs. Tripp Tatum
Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster6thVs. Brittany Force
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7thVs. Clay Millican
Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster8thVs. Tony Stewart

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Austin ProckCornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car1st*Vs. John Smith
Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car3rdVs. Jim Campbell
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car6thVs. Blake Alexander
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car7thVs. Paul Lee

*= Non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

SHAWN LANGDON, Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

Take us through your runs and the momentum this brings you to start the season.

“I haven’t done anything different, right? I mean, I just go out there, hit the gas, keep the thing straight and run it to 1,000 feet. That just shows you the changes we’ve made. We’ve had a good car a few times the past few years and, with Brian (Husen, crew chief) and Justin (Groat, assistant crew chief) coming in, and a couple guys coming in, the changes have worked so far. And yeah, Brian has a really good control of the race car right now. Like on that run, I go ‘what do you think?’ And he said, ‘well if it makes enough power, it should go 3.67.’ So, first race out, we’re within three thousands of a second of his prediction. It’s really cool to see and I’m really proud of Brian and have worked with him for many years. I’m really excited for him to get this opportunity because he’s a really smart guy and he’s a very hard worker. I’m really lucky to be his driver.”

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, AB Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 4th

How special is it to win the Top Fuel All Star Callout?

“This win is very, very special. We didn’t start out with the best car this weekend, but we never quit. We’ve been working through some things, like a brand-new chassis but our Matco boys never stop. Our guys had a chance to keep picking at it, and keep picking at it, and we knew it was going to be a tough round against Brittany (Force), another world champion. Everyone we raced today was a fellow world champion. We knew we had to step it up against her, but we had the added pressure of qualifying because we went into that round in 15th, so to go out there and do what we did and run that 3.709 and move up to fourth on the ladder and get this Pep Boys All-Star Callout win is pretty special. It’s going to be tough competition tomorrow on race day. The field is tight, but hopefully we can parlay that and get better tomorrow. We’ve been getting better and better with each lap, and that’s when you get dangerous. I’m focused, and my boys are giving me a hot rod that can do the job, and that’s what it takes; it takes every piece of the puzzle to make something like this happen. We have an incredible team and we’re looking forward to this 2024 season. The boys have a lot of work tonight to get ready for tomorrow. The weather is going to be cooler, brisker. Everyone is going to make more power, and I think we’re going to see some monumental runs tomorrow. You’re going to have to run in the 3.60s to get past the first round.”

RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 3rd

How was your qualifying and what are you looking forward to tomorrow?

“In preseason testing, you sometimes learn things that will help you. But more often than not, when you learn things, things can be accidental sometimes. And that’s what testing is all about. We came in here and pulled last year’s car out. Guido (Dean Antonelli, crew chief) wasn’t quite confident in our brand-new car only having a few runs on it. And lone behold, we unloaded and this has been one of the most consistent cars going down the track. Obviously, we’re number three and our brand new Supra body is awesome. Ran 330+ mph on all three of our runs. And we’re getting data, which is the most important thing for crew chiefs. Man, it’s hard ball in Funny Car 2024. We say it every year, but we’re going to have our work cut out for us. Sunday is going to be overcast and fast. That’s when we think we have an advantage with this GR Supra. Having something to go through there downforce wise and aerodynamic wise, and we’re pumped about it.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).

Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).

RCR NXS Race Recap: Phoenix Raceway

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Runner-Up Finish Captured by Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 2nd
Start: 7th
Points: 5th

“It stings to finish second and be that close to winning. I hate running second as much as anybody, but at the same time, I’m proud of my Richard Childress Racing team. They gave me a fantastic Whelen Chevrolet today at Phoenix Raceway. We weren’t phenomenal to start the day. We needed to work on it. Danny Stockman made some good adjustments to the Whelen Camaro and my pit crew did great all day. I needed a little bit more at the end. Eventually, I’ll be able to do some of that restart magic again like I was back in my hay day in the ARCA Menards Series. It still stings even though I am happy with how we did.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Secure Fourth Top-Five Finish of 2024 at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 4th
Start: 15th
Points: 2nd

“We will take a top-five finish after that. Obviously, we always want to win, but that wasn’t in the cards today at Phoenix Raceway. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet didn’t have the speed that our other competitors had, so we have some work to do before we come back here for the championship race. I fully expect us to be in the final four in November. The car was really tight and chattered the fronts all day. We were able to help that some with the adjustments made, but in doing that, we hurt the exit off the corner. We will have to go back to the drawing board to see what some of our other competitors are doing better than us and be ready to race for a championship. I saw the same things with our teammate and alliance cars. We were all fighting front turn. Overall, it was a solid points day for us. I love the battle that our Richard Childress Racing team brings to the track each week and we will keep digging.” -Austin Hill

Toyota Racing – NXS Phoenix Post-Race Report – 03.09.24

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SMITH DELIVERS ON FINAL RESTART, WINS IN PHOENIX
Chandler Smith continues strong start to 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season

AVONDALE, Ariz. (March 9, 2024) – Chandler Smith was in the right spot at the right time when the leader wrecked in the closing laps and had a great overtime restart to earn his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) on Saturday evening at Phoenix Raceway. Smith had a strong car throughout – winning the first stage and leading 88 (of 205) laps. With the win, Smith took over the points lead.

Smith’s JGR teammate, Sheldon Creed also bounced back with a strong third-place finish to score his third top-five in four races this season.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Phoenix Raceway
Race 4 of 33 – 200 miles, 200 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, CHANDLER SMITH

2nd, Jesse Love*

3rd, SHELDON CREED

4th, Austin Hill*

5th, Cole Custer*

22nd, COREY HEIM

31st, ARIC ALMIROLA

32nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 QuickTie Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

What was going through your mind when you saw that issue and what was going through your mind on that final restart?

“I truly hate it for them, honestly. They had it in the bag. For something like that to happen, it’s mentally tough. I’ve been in that position myself. All glory to God. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be with Joe Gibbs Racing, my Toyota family. First win back together. That’s great. It has a great ring to it. Our No. 81 Quick Tie Products Toyota GR Supra was definitely as fast as Xfinity Internet today. I needed a little bit there at the end, but I got some good notes to come back with. Hopefully, we can repeat this in the fall when we are running for the championship.”

What was the key getting the race win today?

“First off, all glory to God. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I wouldn’t have a beautiful wife at home with amazing kids he’s blessed us with. They are my everything, my whole world. I can’t wait to get back home to you. I can’t wait to see you tonight. What a day. Went from dominating, to wasn’t great to dominating again to wasn’t great again. Just lacked a little bit on the 7 (Justin Allgaier). I hate that happened to him. He definitely had that in the bag, so I definitely hate that for them. Our car was definitely as fast as Xfinity 10G today, and I’m so proud of everyone back at Joe Gibbs Racing. It is good to finally get this first one off my back with these guys, so let’s keep racking them up.”

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

What more did you need there in the end?

“I tried to get a good restart. If I could have stayed outside of the 81 (Chandler Smith) that would alright. Restart was okay out of the box, and then I don’t know – the distance, or whatever, I was starting to bleed really bad at the end of that green flag run. Just really struggled with grip there. Needed all four tires to fire there, but a top-five after starting in the back, that’s not something to be too upset about. Just need to be a little better to be able to contend all day.”

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 20 Safeway/Albertson’s Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 32nd

What happened out there?

“I don’t know. There was a little bit of contact. Next thing I know, I was sideways. Part of it.”

Are you angry or if it’s not the series you run in, it takes some of the emotion out it?

“I’m sure we will have good conversations on Monday about the whole situation, and whatnot, but now that I’m out, the only goal was to go win. Now the focus is on tomorrow. We have a really good No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE. I’ve got to figure out how to drive from 19th to the front.”

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – NXS Phoenix 1 Post-Race Quotes

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 | Saturday, March 9, 2024

Unofficial Ford Finishing Results
5th – Cole Custer
12th – Ryan Sieg
13th – Blaine Perkins
24th – Riley Herbst
25th – Kyle Sieg
30th – Frankie Muniz
33rd – Hailie Deegan

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 5th) – “We started out pretty good but the track lost some grip and then we struggled a little bit. Our guys did a great job staying with it all day. Our pit crew did an amazing job. It is frustrating. Obviously we want to win but it was a really good points day. We just have to keep working on it. I think we are missing something, just a little bit. We just need to keep trying to work on it and get a little bit more of that potential out of it.”

HAILIE DEEGAN, No. 15 AirBox Ford Mustang Dark Horse – (Involved in a multi-car accident on lap 146) – WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THAT WRECK? “I don’t know.”

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL EARLIER? “Before the caution? I just got free. I got too high up.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR DAY WAS GOING UP UNTIL THE WRECK? “We struggled. We were struggling trying to get it to turn better. We were making a little progress on it but we were struggling with that and we were just in a mode of trying to make it to the end of the race.”

THREE RACES INTO THE SEASON, HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE ADJUSTING TO THESE XFINITY CARS? “I think after Vegas I felt pretty good about it. You have highs and lows. Vegas was good for us and we made good progress there, so it is on to the next one.”

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