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AM Racing | Hailie Deegan Martinsville Speedway Spring Xfinity Preview

By
Official Release
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AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | DUDE Wipes 250

Fast Facts
No. 15 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Hailie Deegan
Primary Partner(s): AirBox
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Michael Fisher
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. X-1028
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Notes of Interest:

Sophomore Journey: After a successful rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season with driver Brett Moffitt, AM Racing will embark on its sophomore journey in 2024 with driver Hailie Deegan for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday night’s DUDE Wipes 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

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

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

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

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

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

Giving You Piece of Air: For the fifth time in 2024, AirBox will serve as the primary marketing partner of Deegan’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday night’s DUDE Wipes 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

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

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

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

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

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Martinsville Speedway Stats: Saturday night’s DUDE Wipes 250 will mark Deegan’s Xfinity Series debut at the 0.526-mile short track.

Deegan, however, does own three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at the famed paperclip short track.

Her track-best result occurred during the 2021 United Rentals 200 and the 2022 Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200 when she steered to a 19th-place finish twice after starting 23rd and 31st, respectively, for David Gilliland Racing (now TRICON Garage).

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

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

AM Minute: It was a quiet Easter weekend for the Statesville, N.C.-based team.

Both the AM Racing Dirt and ARCA Menards Series divisions were off this past weekend and both will continue to sit idle this weekend before the dirt division returns to action at Farmer City Raceway next weekend.

The ARCA Menards Series is enjoying a short sabbatical before their season resumes action at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 20.

Thanks For Your Support: With 18 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Hailie Deegan would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Klutch Vodka, Mechanix Wear, Monster Energy Drink, Mobil 1, Viva Tequila Seltzer and WIX Filters.

Richmond (Va.) Raceway | ToyotaCare 250 Race Recap: The sixth race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday, March 30.

Back in AirBox colors, Deegan found speed from practice to qualifying to land her 24th on the starting grid. Throughout the 250-lap race, Deegan hovered inside the top 25, but during Stage 3, the handling of her No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang improved, allowing the former ARCA Menards Series winner to contend for a top-20 finish.

However, in the closing laps of the race, Deegan’s car abruptly shut off and coasted to pit road. The mechanical gremlin left the rookie driver and team with a frustrating 31st-place finish.

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

He will be crew chief for his 138th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday night and his eighth in the Old Dominion.

In his previous 137 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.

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

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

Hailie Deegan Quoteboard:

On Martinsville Speedway:

“Martinsville Speedway has always been a decent track for me in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. I am hoping that will continue on Saturday night with our No. 15 AirBox Ford Mustang.

“Martinsville has always been about track position and staying out of trouble, and I hope we are able to overcome both and deliver the AM Racing team a good finish.”

Race Information:

The DUDE Wipes 250 (250 laps | 131.5 miles) is the seventh of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Fri., April 5, 2024, from 5:05 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 5:40 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Sat., April 6, 2024, shortly after 7:30 p.m., with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

About AM Racing:

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

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

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

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

Single-Day NASCAR All-Star Race Tickets on Sale NOW

By
Official Release
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  • Single-day tickets for the 40th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 19 at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway are on sale now at www.NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com
  • Single-day tickets for All-Star Friday presented by Raymer Oil (May 17) and Saturday’s Wright Brand 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race (May 18) are also on sale
  • The best values for race fans are a three-day All-Star Weekend ticket package starting at just $229 or a five-day All-Star Week package including two nights of zMAX CARS Tour action (May 14-15) plus all three days of NASCAR activity starting at just $259

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (April 4, 2024) – Available only through a package purchase until now, single-day grandstand tickets to the 40th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 19 are now on sale at www.NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com. Raceday will be jam-packed at the historic 0.625-mile short track with concerts by Warren Zeiders and Tim Dugger plus the All-Star Open and the NASCAR All-Star Race featuring a winners-only field of Cup Series drivers competing for a $1 million prize.

Single-day tickets are also available for Saturday, May 18, which features NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series qualifying and the Wright Brand 250 race; Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace and John Roberts; plus two All-Star heat races to set Sunday’s lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Race.

All-Star Friday presented by Raymer Oil is also on sale. The May 17 lineup of activities will include the first NASCAR practice sessions by both the Cup Series and the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series on the new North Wilkesboro Speedway pavement, followed by the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear and a Neal McCoy concert to cap off the evening.

The best value for NASCAR All-Star Race Week is a package price for the entire week, including the May 14-15 zMAX CARS Tour events starting at just $259, or a three-day NASCAR All-Star Weekend package for Friday, Saturday and Sunday staring at just $229. The 2024 package prices represent an approximately 25-percent discount from last year’s package prices for the historic return of NASCAR to North Wilkesboro.

After opening in 1947, North Wilkesboro Speedway became one of NASCAR’s original race tracks when it hosted the season finale for the inaugural Strictly Stock (now Cup) Series in 1949. The 0.625-mile short track hosted NASCAR races until it closed in 1996. Following an extensive restoration, North Wilkesboro Speedway returned to the NASCAR Cup schedule on May 21, 2023, hosting the NASCAR All-Star Race.

TICKETS:
For May 14-19 NASCAR All-Star Race Week single-day or package tickets, camping and parking, fans should visit www.NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com. NASCAR three-day weekend ticket packages including three concerts, the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear, Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace John Roberts and Jose Castillo, all NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck and Cup Series practices, qualifying and five races start at just $229 per person.

MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding NASCAR All-Star week and North Wilkesboro Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

Weekend schedule for Martinsville Speedway

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

NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend as all three series are set to compete. Kyle Larson is the defending Cup Series race winner at the 0.526-mile track.

It will be a special event for Hendrick Motorsports as the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary at Martinsville. Since their inception in 1984, they have won 304 points-paying races and 14 championships, making them the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Rick Hendrick will be the honorary pace car driver for the Cup Series race. Geoff Bodine, who recorded Hendrick Motorsports’ first Cup Series win in 1984 and nine-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon will be the Grand Marshals of the race. Team drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson will have special ruby red paint schemes as part of the celebration.

The Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program begins this weekend at Martinsville. The field was set after last week’s race at Richmond Raceway with Aric Almirola, Parker Kligerman, Jesse Love and Chandler Smith eligible to compete for a $100,000 bonus.

There have been 13 Xfinity Series drivers who have won at Martinsville. John H. Nemechek, who currently drives in the Cup Series, won the spring Xfinity Series race at Martinsville last year. JR Motorsports driver, Justin Allgaier, won the 2023 fall race.

The Craftsman Truck Series has a similar diverse history. There have been five unique race and pole winners this season in the first five Craftsman Truck Series races. And, to add to the intrigue, there have been 10 different winning drivers in the last 10 races at Martinsville. Two previous winners are entered in Friday night’s event – Grant Enfinger and Corey Heim.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, April 5
3:05 p.m.: Truck Series Practice (Timed) Groups 1 and 2, 15 minutes each – FS1
3:40 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying (Impound) All Entries, Single Vehicle, 2 Laps – FS1
5:05: p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice (Timed) Groups 1 and 2, 15 minutes each – FS1
5:40: p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound) All Entries, Single Vehicle, 2 Laps – FS1
6:30 p.m.: Truck Series Race Coverage on FS1
7:30 p.m.: Truck Series Long John Silver’s 200
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 105.2 miles (200 Laps) Stages end on Lap 50, Lap 100, Race ends on Lap 200
Purse: $746,572

Saturday, April 6
4:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice (Timed) Groups A and B, 20 Minutes each – FS2/MRN/SiriusXM
5:20 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound) Groups A & B, Single Vehicle, 2 Laps/2 Rounds – FS2/MRN/SiriusXM

7 p.m.: Xfinity Series Race Coverage on FS1
7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series DUDE Wipes 250
Radio: MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 131.5 miles (250 Laps)
Stages end on Lap 60, Lap 120, Race ends on Lap 250
The Purse: $1,507,074

Sunday, April 7
2 p.m.: Cup Series Race Coverage on FS1
3 p.m.: Cup Series Cook Out 400
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 210.4 miles (400 Laps)
Stages end on Lap 80, Lap 180, Race ends on Lap 400
The Purse: $7,669,028

Rick Ware Racing: Justin Haley/Kaz Grala Martinsville Race Advance

By
Official Release
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JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Martinsville Advance
Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Ohanafy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Ohanafy Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing (RWR), will make his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in the eighth race of the 2024 season. The paperclip-shaped, .526-mile track located in Ridgeway, Virginia, has played host to the Cup Series since the series’ inception in 1949.

● The 24-year-old driver has struggled at Martinsville in the Cup Series and has a best finish of 27th earned in October 2022. Haley has three NASCAR Xfinity Starts at Martinsville with a best finish of eighth in April 2021.

● Haley also owns six NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Martinsville, his first coming in 2015 at just 16 years of age. He finished both 2018 races in the top-10 with a best finish of sixth in the October race.

● Ohanafy – a management platform for beverage and beyond – returns to the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend. Ohanafy is redefining the beverage industry by harnessing the power of Salesforce, the world’s leading CRM. The mission is clear: to empower beverage producers and distributors to reclaim their time and focus on crafting exceptional beverages while streamlining production and distribution operations. Built on innovation, excellence, and quality, Ohanafy offers a robust, cloud-based solution that revolutionizes how beverage companies operate. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, it enables data-driven decision-making, leading to optimized processes, increased profitability, and reduced costs.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RWR, will make his first Cup Series start at Martinsville in Sunday’s Cook Out 400. The Boston native has two Xfinity Series starts at the Virginia short track with a best finish of 15th earned in April 2023.

● In four Truck Series starts at Martinsville, Grala’s best result was a seventh-place finish in October 2017 for GMS Racing.

● Grala currently sits 33rd in the driver standings with two top-20 finishes in seven races so far this season. His best finish was a 14th-place result earned at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the second race of the year.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● RWR Top Fuel driver Clay Millican heads to Phoenix Friday through Sunday for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Arizona Nationals. Two weekends ago at the Winternationals in Pomona, California, Millican was seeded ninth after qualifying, his best effort so far this year, and he advanced to the quarterfinals, where he was defeated by Brittany Force.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the LMP3 class of the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

This is the third short track of the year, not counting the non-points Clash at the Coliseum. What’s your outlook for Martinsville with some short-track experience under your belt with RWR?

“We obviously had a good run at Bristol, even though you wouldn’t know it looking back on the results. Then at Richmond, we really struggled to find good balance. I’m not sure what to expect at Martinsville since these tracks are all so different. I think there are a couple of things we’ve learned that we can look at, but we’ll definitely be looking to our friends at RFK for some input on what we can do to try to put ourselves up front.”

All of these tracks are very different, but is there anything that can be applied as you move to each one?

“I think the track that we’ve raced on for the Clash the last few years is probably the closest thing we’ve had to Martinsville. The longer straightaways and tight corners are more similar, but the turns at Martinsville are unlike any other place we go. That’s where you see most of the action and I think that’s what makes Martinsville so special. You can pick up a lot of speed on the front or backstretch but, if you miss the corner, it can really mess up your race. But like at most short tracks, track position is important and Martinsville is very tough when it comes to trying to recover.”

The No. 51 team was very impressive at the Clash and it’s still early in the season. Is there any reason we couldn’t see that again with maybe a little improvement?

“Yeah, we were pretty good right out the box at the Clash. I’d like to think it’ll be similar, but you just never know. That was a long time ago and a lot has changed since then. We just need a good, clean race, keep building up our notebook and do the best we can.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

Do you feel like you’re still working through the process of learning the Cup Series car and how it differs from the Xfinity car?

“I feel like I’ve gotten pretty comfortable in the Cup car so far, but it’s a constant evolution. The way you make speed in this car and set up a pass is different from an Xfinity car, but now that I’ve raced each type of track this year, I know what to expect. The biggest challenge in Cup is the experience level of the entire field, so the learning process is never going to be finished. I’ll continue to refine my approach throughout the year and with that will come the ability to truly maximize the result each weekend.”

One of the biggest things you face on short tracks is tire management and Martinsville’s concrete surface creates a lot of physical demand on the tires, as well as stress on brakes. Do you like when a race is more in the driver’s hands and dependent on managing tires and braking?

“I’ve always thought that tire management is one of my greatest strengths as a driver since all the way back in my Late Model days. I absolutely love races that require a little bit of conservation, which is getting more and more rare nowadays, so I’m always excited when I get the chance to do that at this level. It puts more control in the driver’s hands, creates more passing opportunities, and allows for some different pit strategies during the race. The emphasis ends up on execution at the track instead of primarily the teams’ R&D and aero departments.”

TEAM CHEVY NASCAR RACE ADVANCE: Martinsville Speedway

By
Official Release
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TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
Ridgeway, Virginia
April 5-7, 2024

CLOCKING-IN AT MARTINSVILLE

All three NASCAR national series will convene this weekend at one of the most historic short-tracks in NASCAR history: Martinsville Speedway. Famously known as the “Paperclip”, the .526-mile Virginia venue is the only track on the series’ schedule to have hosted NASCAR’s premier series since its inception in 1949.

This weekend will mark the first of two tripleheader race weekends at Martinsville Speedway this season, with the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) returning to the Virginia short-track in November for the final playoff elimination race to set the 2024 Championship Four across all three series.

 
CHEVROLET IN THE CUP SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in NCS’ history at Martinsville Speedway. The Bowtie brand will head into the weekend with 60 wins in the series’ 151-race history at the “Paperclip”. Buck Baker took Chevrolet to victory lane in the 1957 Virginia 500 to deliver the manufacturer its first NCS victory at Martinsville Speedway. Nearly 67 years later, the Bowtie brand has reeled off a series-leading 60 victories – most recently one year ago by Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Martinsville Speedway – April 16, 2023

The 2021 NCS Champion is one of five active Team Chevy drivers that have claimed a coveted grandfather clock in their racing careers, with Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports’ teammates William Byron (April 2022), Alex Bowman (Oct. 2021) and Chase Elliott (Nov. 2020) each earning a victory, as well as Kyle Busch with two triumphs (April 2016, Oct. 2017).

Justin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS Martinsville Speedway – Oct. 28, 2023

CHEVROLET IN THE XFINITY SERIES

AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, five drivers from three different Chevrolet teams claimed top-10 results at Richmond Raceway last weekend, with series’ rookie Jesse Love and the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS team leading the charge with a fifth-place finish. Chevrolet’s drivers and teams will shift towards yet another short-track this weekend – contesting under the lights at Martinsville Speedway in Saturday’s Dude Wipes 250.

The Bowtie brand leads the series’ active manufacturers with seven NXS wins at the .526-mile Virginia venue. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier is the series’ most recent winner at the track after claiming his first grandfather clock and a spot in the NXS Championship Four in the Oct. 2023 event. JR Motorsports is credited with Chevrolet’s last three NXS wins at Martinsville Speedway, with Josh Berry and Noah Gragson driving the organization to a season sweep at the track in 2021.

Kvapil Set for NXS Debut

A notable entry for Saturday’s 250-lap event includes Carson Kvapil, who will be making his first career NXS start behind the wheel of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Camaro SS. Carrying the Chevy Truck Season livery for his series’ debut, the 20-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native has already made his mark in the short-track world. Kvapil is a two-time champion in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Division – both titles earned with JR Motorsports’ late model program. The young Team Chevy driver has previously competed twice at Martinsville Speedway in the Late Model division – earning back-to-back podium finishes (2022 – second; 2023 – third).

CHEVROLET IN THE TRUCK SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return to competition to kick-off the tripleheader weekend with Friday’s Long John Silver’s 200. This weekend’s event will mark the first of two appearances by the NCTS at Martinsville Speedway this season, with the .526-mile Virginia venue returning as the site of the series’ final playoff elimination race for the first time since 2021. The NCTS has just one short-track race in the books thus far this season – an event that saw Team Chevy’s Christian Eckes pick up the win and lead the Bowtie brand to a podium sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway.

William Byron, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST

Martinsville Speedway – April 7, 2022

In the series’ 46-race history at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 17 victories. Mike Skinner piloted the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Silverado to the Bowtie brand’s first NCTS victory at the “Paperclip” in Sept. 1996, with the manufacturer going on to make it three-straight with wins by Rich Bickle (1997) and Jay Sauter (1998). Most recently, it was Team Chevy’s William Byron that took the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado to the victory in the series’ April 2022 event, with the driver going on to return to victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series two days later with Hendrick Motorsports. A victory in Friday’s 200-lap event would tie the series’ current win record by a manufacturer – currently held by Toyota with 18 victories.

 
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS’ ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

CONTINUES AT MARTINSVILLE

At the heart of Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary celebration lies Martinsville Speedway. On April 29, 1984, Hendrick Motorsports became a first-time winner in NASCAR’s top division when Geoff Bodine drove the organization’s No. 5 Chevrolet to victory lane at Martinsville Speedway. Now, 40 years later, Hendrick Motorsports will return to the site of its first win as the winningest organization in NASCAR Cup Series’ history.

From Hendrick Motorsports’ first NCS win at Martinsville Speedway in 1984, to its most recent NCS win at Circuit of The Americas two weeks ago – all of the organization’s victories in the NASCAR national ranks have been in partnership with Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports has been the flag-bearer team in Chevrolet’s racing efforts in NASCAR. The organization owns 304 of Chevrolet’s 855 all-time NCS wins (36%) and 14 of Chevrolet’s 33 NCS Driver Championships (42%) – making it the winningest manufacturer and team partnership in series’ history.

Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports also hold titles as the winningest manufacturer and organization in series’ history at Martinsville Speedway. Leading its manufacturer competitors with 60 all-time NCS victories at Martinsville Speedway, 28 of those triumphs have come in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports – a series’ record of the most wins earned by one team at a single track. Nine different drivers have contributed to Hendrick Motorsports’ winning record at Martinsville Speedway, including all four drivers in the organization’s current lineup: Chase Elliott (one win – 2020), Alex Bowman (one win – 2021), William Byron (one win – 2022) and Kyle Larson (one win – 2023).

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field in the tripleheader race weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Friday’s Long John Silver’s 200; the Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Dude Wipes 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Cook Out 400.

· With 18 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 61% with 11 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – four wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – two wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – four wins).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway:

Kyle Busch – two wins (2016 & 2017)

Kyle Larson – one win (2023)

William Byron – one win (2022)

Chase Elliott – one win (2020)

· In 150 NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 60 victories and 56 pole wins – both of which are series-leading records.

· In the past eight points-paying races on tracks measuring less than one-mile, Larson has tallied finishes no worse than sixth in five of those events – most recently one week ago at Richmond Raceway with a third-place finish.

· Within the first three points-paying races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series races season, each Chevrolet organization had already recorded at least one top-10 finish.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 855 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 258
Toyota: 256 (-2)
Ford: 230 (-28)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Toyota: 224
Chevrolet: 220 (-4)
Ford: 180 (-44)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 193
Toyota: 174 (-19)
Ford: 162 (-31)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Cook Out 400

Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

DUDE Wipes 250

Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 pm. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Long John Silver’s 200

Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

Do you think your name will always be associated with Martinsville because of the hail melon move?

“Absolutely. The goal now is to add a clock to our trophy case to offset it so it’s not just about the hail melon, but I am very proud of it.”

How big is qualifying at Martinsville?

“It’s big. I can attest that I went from the leader trying to lap me and pushing my back bumper to get by me, to lapping him later on when I had track position and he didn’t. It’s pretty cool how track position plays such a role there.”

Where does the grandfather clock rank on your wish list?

“It’s high. I have a tendency to be on time, so if I remember – I don’t even know if you have to wind those things or if they’re battery powered – maybe that will help me be a minute early to some things (laughs). It might help with my time management skills.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CAMARO ZL1

“Martinsville Speedway has been a good track for our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet team over the years. It’s a fun little paperclip and I love having a “home” race because a lot of family and friends are able to come out and support us. It’s going to be important to be aggressive for 500 laps when the time calls for it. Hoping we can get a good starting position and have a clean day on pit road.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1

“Looking forward to rebounding at the paperclip. It’s always good going somewhere you’ve been to Victory Lane in the past. There is much more potential in this 7 team than what the past several weeks’ results have shown, so we’ll go execute like we know we’re capable of and get some points back.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LUCAS OIL CAMARO ZL1

The last three races at Martinsville have been tough for you. Why has it been so challenging?

“I would say Martinsville Speedway has become increasingly challenging with traffic and having a good car that doesn’t burn the tires off. You need to be able to push and go forward and drive past your competitors, but you also can’t blow the tires off.”

Since on track testing is so limited now, what are some tools that you can use to improve your performance without physically being on the track?

“The only tools to use are your notes, film study, and past history of what you know for certain makes you good at a particular track. Going on the simulator is a tool, but as we have found for short tracks, it doesn’t seem to correlate all the way and can lead you in the wrong direction.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Martinsville, is being ‘busy’ inside the race car. You’re making multiple up-shifts and down-shifts per lap, at least with last year’s package. I’m curious to see how that evolves. I love this racetrack, and I love what it has to offer. If we get a little bit of warm weather, the racetrack really turns into a rubbered-up style of track, which allows you to move around, so if it gets to that point, the racing can be pretty good.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

After Richmond, what can you look forward to at Martinsville this weekend?

“We had a lot of positives at Richmond Sunday night. We are making progress. I think that will continue in Martinsville this weekend. My team never gives up and it works hard to give me a fast Focused Health Chevy Camaro each week. Our job is to focus on getting better and continue learning every day.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1

You’ve raced at Martinsville five times in the past, four in the NCTS and last fall in the Cup Series. What have you learned from these previous starts and how do you, as a team, work toward better finishes?

“We had some back luck in my past races at Martinsville, so I feel hopeful about this weekend to put that behind me. I feel confident in myself, and the team feels confident in our program that we can just keep building our notebook.”

Martinsville can get heated on the track. How do you channel your competitive drive without getting caught up in incidents?

“I think we just try to stay patient and survive all 500 laps to have a competitive day. Staying on the lead lap always helps and putting our ourselves in a good spot higher up in the field helps even more to take us out of the equation if anything ends up happening.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on Martinsville?

“We need a good finish Sunday. We have struggled the last three weeks getting those finishes. I feel like we have had good cars, but something has happened in those races that kept us from getting a better finish. We have qualified really well at Martinsville the last few races and it’s going to be important we do that again Saturday. On Sunday you have to run your own race, stay out of trouble and hope you have a shot at the end.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 4

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 591

Top-five finishes: 13

Top-10 finishes: 23

Stage wins: 4

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 3

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 855 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 745

Laps led to date: 249,766

Top-five finishes to date: 4,311

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,884

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,189

       Chevrolet: 855

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 828                                                           

       Ford: 728

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 183

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

The Revolution on the Road: How Portable Tire Inflators Are Changing the Game for Everyday Commuters and Road Trippers

By
SM
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Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive technology, a new hero has emerged for everyday commuters and long-distance road trippers alike: the portable tire inflator. This compact, efficient device is swiftly becoming an indispensable tool in the arsenal of vehicle maintenance, offering a blend of convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind previously unheard of. From the bustling streets of urban landscapes to the remote corners of scenic routes, the tire inflator portable is revolutionizing the way we approach one of the most common vehicular nuisances – underinflated tires.

The Unseen Dangers of Underinflated Tires

Before delving into the transformative impact of the portable tire inflator, it’s crucial to understand the risks associated with underinflated tires. Not only do they compromise the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and handling, but they also significantly increase the risk of tire failure. For commuters and road trippers, this can translate to unexpected delays, added expenses, and, most critically, safety hazards.

The Advent of the Portable Tire Inflator

Gone are the days when addressing a low tire required a detour to the nearest gas station or the manual labor of using a hand pump. The advent of the portable tire inflator has simplified this chore into a straightforward, do-it-yourself task that can be managed anywhere, anytime. Whether you’re a daily commuter facing the morning rush or a road tripper exploring the vastness of the open road, the convenience of a portable tire inflator is undeniable.

Benefits Galore: Why Commuters and Road Trippers Are Embracing Portable Tire Inflators

  • Convenience and Efficiency: The most glaring benefit of a portable tire inflator is its convenience. Compact enough to be stored in the trunk and easy enough to be used by anyone, these devices make tire inflation a breeze. The time and hassle saved by avoiding trips to the gas station or waiting for roadside assistance are invaluable.
  • Safety and Peace of Mind: For the road tripper venturing into less populated areas, the safety net a tire inflator portable provides cannot be overstated. Knowing that you can address a low tire pressure issue on the spot brings peace of mind, allowing for a focus on the journey, not the potential pitfalls.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Over time, the use of a portable tire inflator can translate to significant savings. By maintaining optimal tire pressure, you ensure better fuel efficiency and longer tire life, directly impacting your wallet in a positive manner.

Technological Advancements: The Rise of the Cordless Tire Inflator

As technology has evolved, so too have portable tire inflators. The latest trend? The cordless tire inflator. These battery-powered marvels offer all the benefits of their corded counterparts but with the added advantage of being truly mobile. No longer are you tethered to your vehicle’s power outlet, allowing for even greater flexibility and convenience.

User Experiences: Testimonials from the Road

The impact of portable and cordless tire inflators on everyday life is best illustrated through the experiences of those who rely on them. From commuters who have turned a potential late arrival into a minor hiccup, to families whose road trips remained on track despite a nail in the tire, the stories of quick, efficient tire inflation are both numerous and compelling.

Traditional Methods vs. The Portable Revolution

While traditional methods of tire inflation – from coin-operated air pumps at gas stations to manual hand pumps – have served their purpose, the benefits of portable tire inflators are rendering these methods obsolete. The convenience, efficiency, and safety offered by portable inflators are unmatched by the static and often cumbersome alternatives.

The Future Is Inflated: What’s Next for Portable Tire Inflators?

The evolution of portable tire inflators is far from over. As advancements in battery technology and digital features continue, we can expect these devices to become even more efficient, user-friendly, and integrated with smart technologies. Imagine tire inflators that can automatically adjust to your vehicle’s recommended pressure or that can be operated through a smartphone app. The possibilities are as exciting as they are endless.

Conclusion

The revolution on the road brought about by portable tire inflators is transforming the driving experience for commuters and road trippers alike. Offering a blend of convenience, efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness, these devices are not just changing how we deal with underinflated tires; they’re redefining the very approach to vehicle maintenance and preparedness. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: the journey of the tire inflator portable is just getting started, and its impact is set to expand even further.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview | Martinsville Speedway I

By
Official Release
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CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 17th

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 22nd

CLUB NOTES

Back to where it all started: John Hunter Nemechek has a great track record at Martinsville Speedway in Trucks and Xfinity competition. Last season in Xfinity, he started second and won the 250-lap event by leading 198 laps en route to victory. In the second event, Nemechek started fifth and led 54 laps but ultimately finished 18th. In the Truck series, he has 14 starts and compiled one pole, one win, five top-five, and six top-10 finishes. His first official NASCAR series start came at Martinsville in the Truck Series on Oct. 26, 2013, when Nemechek was just 16 years old.

Skip Barber Racing School: This weekend at Martinsville, Nemechek and the No. 42 will run a Skip Barber Racing School red, white, and black paint scheme. Founded in 1975, the Skip Barber Racing School is the largest in the world with over 400,000 alumni including drivers who currently compete in Formula 1, INDYCAR, NASCAR, and LEGACY M.C.’s own Jimmie Johnson. It currently operates racing schools and safe driving academies at nine different venues across the country such as Sonoma Raceway, Virginia International Raceway (VIR), Laguna Seca, and Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

Homecoming: Winston-Salem native Justin Reissmann, fueler for the No. 43, returns to his roots this week at his “home track.” Reissmann’s journey in motorsports began after earning a BS in Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2012. He worked at Roush Fenway Racing (now RFK) from 2011 to 2014, gaining valuable experience in the engineering departments before transitioning to Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) from 2015 to 2021. During his tenure at both Roush Fenway and RPM, Reissmann contributed to the engineering programs while serving as the fueler, showcasing his versatility and expertise.

Short track, big momentum: The recent race at Richmond Raceway cleared a significant hurdle for Erik Jones and the No.43 team. This marked their best finish at the 0.75-mile track since Jones joined the organization at the beginning of the 2021 season. The team has struggled in the past six races at Richmond, with an average finish of 25.3. However, their 14th-place finish this weekend marks a positive step forward for the organization’s short-track program.

Family Dollar Gold Star: Primary partner Family Dollar will honor store #43, located in Martinsville, Virginia this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go For G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. Throughout the race season, the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries.

Xfinity success: Crew chief Dave Elenz has three starts at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during his time with JR Motorsports. Out of these three starts, he achieved three top-five finishes, led 188 laps, and secured the checkered flag during the 2021 fall race. Elenz has an average start of 6.3 and an average finish of 2.0 at the historic short track.

Ben too!: Crew chief Ben Beshore has a great record at Martinsville in the Xfinity Series, winning two races with Harrison Burton and John Hunter Nemechek. Beshore’s drivers led a total of 333 laps around the paper clip-shaped track.

Tick tock: LEGACY M.C. co-owner Jimmie Johnson has visited Victory Lane nine times at this track, therefore owning nine of the coveted grandfather clock trophies. These dominating victories place Johnson third all-time at Martinsville, tied with Jeff Gordon, only trailing Richard Petty ‘The King’ and Darrell Waltrip.

Career averages: Jones has 40 starts on short tracks in his NASCAR Cup Series career, earning an average start of 17.7 and an average finish of 19.2. Jones has led 293 laps in these 40 attempts, earning four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Skip Barber Racing School Toyota Camry XSE:

“Laps are laps so success in Trucks or Xfinity doesn’t translate over automatically. Working with the Next Gen car we are learning the car itself. The tracks are the same but the car is just so different. There is a lot more to these longer races on the Cup side than the Xfinity or truck side. I am just soaking up information like a sponge. The short practices are tough but Ben and I are just gaining on it throughout the races and we are making improvements. As a driver, I am putting in the work during the week and showing up being prepared. As far as learning how this car feels in traffic, we are spending time during the race to do so but we get better from start to finish.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 Skip Barber Racing School Toyota Camry XSE:

“I think we are doing a good job of running every lap and not making catastrophic mistakes to where we are getting a decent finish out of each of these races. The results aren’t what we had hoped for, but as long as we keep improving every week, that is a positive. We want to keep progressing and getting better and the team, JH and the pit crew are doing a great job getting solid days. Our second half performance of the race is way better than the first – and that is consistent – so it’s just going to take some time and we will start seeing results.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

Talk about the team morale going into Martinsville after a top-15 at another short track in Richmond.

“We hope the momentum keeps rolling after Richmond. We have had a handful of rough races—some of those from lack of speed and some of those are out of our control. It was nice just to have a smooth race; everything went really well and went our way, which was good. Going into Martinsville, we hope that we can continue that on. We learned a lot on our car and some other tools that we have as well, so that is a good note to head into Martinsville on.”

Has Richard given you any tips on how to conquer the paperclip?

“Richard has always talked about the patience that place takes. He always talks about the importance of saving your equipment so you can make it through the entire thing, especially with the racetrack and your fellow competitors. That has been goal number one and what he has shared with me when going out and competing for a win at Martinsville.”

Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

How has the organization’s short-track program improved so far this season?

“Our short track program is a lot stronger this year than last year. The new rules package that we have with the simple diffuser on the back plays an advantage for us. It also helps with the feel that Erik is looking for. Last weekend at Richmond was a little bit of a struggle, but we came out with a good finish in the end. We look forward to continuing to improve our cars going into Martinsville to earn a stronger finish overall.”

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.

Petty History in Martinsville: The Petty Family has a storied history at Martinsville Speedway, with Lee and Richard winning a collective 18 races at this historic short track. Lee won three times in his 24 attempts (Spring ’53, Fall ’54, Spring ’59). However, it was Richard Petty who was truly dominant at Martinsville. ‘The King’ earned 15 wins at the historic short track, setting a record that still stands today, including 10 wins in 13 attempts between 1967 and 1973.

Petty Fest: Race fans far and wide will have the chance to celebrate their affinity with the Petty family at the 14th Annual PettyFest on April 20th. This historic event celebrates all things Petty and will take place at the Petty Museum in Level Cross, N.C., from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event will feature meet and greets with Kyle and Richard Petty, tours of the original Petty homestead, food trucks, vendors, and much more. Meet and greet wristbands are limited to the first 100 guests.

The King’s Hat: The Martinsville King’s Hat will be in the Fan Zone outside of Turn 4 at the Virginia-based track.

BROADCAST INFO

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 7th @ 3:00 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

ABOUT SKIP BARBER RACING SCHOOL: Founded in 1975, the Skip Barber Racing School is the largest in the world with over 400,000 alumni. It currently operates racing schools and safe driving academies at nine different venues across the country. Since the inaugural season of SRX in 2021, the Skip Barber Racing School has served as the official logistics partner for the series, responsible for the care, maintenance, and transport of all series vehicles throughout the season. Many of the regular competitors in SRX graduated from the Skip Barber Racing School including Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, Ken Schrader, and Marco Andretti. In addition to operating over 200 days of racing schools and safe driving academies each year, the Skip Barber Racing School owns and operates the Skip Barber Race Series, a training-focused Formula 4 series. The Skip Barber Racing School also competes in professional racing under the Skip Barber Racing banner with entries in a variety of series including IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, TC America powered by the Skip Barber Racing School, and Toyota GR Cup North America. www.SkipBarber.com

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

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

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

  • Event: DUDE Wipes 250 (Round 7 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, April 6
  • Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
  • Layout: .526-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer is ready for his second consecutive short-track race in the Commonwealth of Virginia for Saturday’s DUDE Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway. The driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse is coming off a 10th-place finish in last Saturday’s race just up the road at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. Custer qualified third on the .75-mile Richmond oval and ran a strong race, earning a total of five bonus points with stage finishes, and he led once for seven laps. While strategy didn’t play out for Custer and the No. 00 team in Stage 3, they were able to recover in the final laps to salvage a top-10 finish, his fourth in a row this season and his fourth in a row at Richmond in the Xfinity Series. In his nine Xfinity Series starts there, he’s never finished outside of the top-15.
  • Saturday’s DUDE Wipes 250 will mark Custer’s 150th career Xfinity Series start and his third at Martinsville. His best finish of third was earned last April, when he started on the pole and led five laps. Custer does have a dozen previous race outings at Martinsville outside of the Xfinity Series – six apiece in the NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series. In the Cup Series, the 25-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, has a best Martinsville finish of 13th in October 2020, and his most recent outing in October 2022 resulted in a 14th-place finish. Best of Custer’s six Truck Series races at Martinsville from 2014 through 2016 was his fourth-place finish from the pole after leading a race-high 96 of 200 laps in the October 2015 race. That was behind the wheel of the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry, which he also drove to a seventh-place finish from the third starting position in the October 2016 Martinsville race, in which he led 17 laps.
  • Custer is back in black. Saturday’s race will sport a new paint scheme on his No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse. It’s a contrast to his iconic white paint scheme that he has run for most of his Xfinity Series career. The black Haas Automation scheme will race at several night races on the 2024 Xfinity Series schedule. The last time he ran a black paint scheme was in last September’s Bristol race, when he paid tribute to his retiring Cup Series teammate Kevin Harvick. Custer started on the pole for the race and finished fourth after leading 52 laps.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • After enjoying some strong moments in last Saturday’s first short-track race of the season at Richmond (Va.) Raceway but not emerging with a top finish to show for it, Riley Herbst looks to finish the job this week on the tricky Martinsville (Va.) Speedway oval. Herbst had to settle for a 13th-place finish in the 250-lap race on the .75-mile Richmond oval despite holding his position in the top-10 and running as high as second in the opening two stages. He looked to have the speed to contend for the win, but an ill-handling racecar and the lack of cautions in the final stage threw the team’s strategy off and forced Herbst to stay on track on older tires. He would fall out of the top-10 by the checkered flag. This weekend, Herbst looks forward to another chance to show off his short-track prowess on the even shorter .526-mile, paperclip-shaped Martinsville oval, where he earned a third-place finish last October. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse is looking to finish two spots better as he goes for his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory Saturday night under the lights.
  • Saturday’s DUDE Wipes 250 will be Herbst’s eighth at Martinsville in the Xfinity Series. Five of his seven previous starts there resulted in top-10 finishes. Prior to his third-place finishes last October and in October 2022, in which he fought valiantly for the win and avoided mayhem in the final laps, he posted a pair of sixth-place finishes there – in October 2020 and April 2022, respectively. He finished 10th in his October 2021 start.
  • Herbst has come to excel on the short tracks in the Xfinity Series, as was evident the previous two seasons. In the four races at tracks less than a mile in length in 2022, Herbst scored three top-fives, starting with his fifth-place run in that April at Richmond. He finished fifth at the half-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway concrete oval in September and third in November at Martinsville. There was no slowing him down in 2023. Of the four short tracks in 2023, Herbst scored a pair of top-10s during the second-half of the season – eighth in September’s Bristol night race and fourth in October’s Martinsville race. Herbst’s Xfinity Series career started on a strong note when the Las Vegas native drove to a sixth-place finish in his first career Xfinity Series start in June 2018 on the .875-mile Iowa Speedway oval in Newton.

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

Martinsville is such a polarizing track for drivers because of how difficult it can be. Both of your starts there last year in the Xfinity Series were strong, with a best finish of third in last April’s race. Do you enjoy racing at Martinsville?

“For sure. I really enjoy going to Martinsville. With that said, I’ve never been so nervous for a race as I was heading into the second Martinsville race last year. It was a cutoff race and the nerves were crazy. Ever since I first went to Martinsville in the Truck Series, I’ve always loved racing there. It’s definitely a place that you will love when everything is going well and hate when it starts going bad – mostly because when it’s bad, it’s really bad. We had a strong car last April to finish third and, honestly, our car in the fall was just as good. There was just so much on the line in that race. Then, to cross the finish line backwards and on fire, it was just one of those crazy Martinsville endings. Now we can go there without all that pressure and just race for the iconic grandfather clock trophy. That’s a trophy everyone wants to win.”

Despite a rough day in last Saturday’s race at Richmond, you recovered for a top-10 finish. What do you think you can take away from last weekend’s race for Saturday night’s race at Martinsville?

“There’s some things you can take away just on how to run a short track and not use up the brakes, but overall Richmond and Martinsville are two very different short tracks. Richmond is a little larger with higher banking, where Martinsville is so short and flat. Strategy is always key at Richmond, where sometimes Martinsville is just about surviving and staying out of trouble. Our guys are working hard to give us the best car for Martinsville, but it’s also on me to keep my head cool and take Martinsville one lap at a time. I’m confident that we can be in contention to win this weekend.”

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

Martinsville has been a strong track for you despite some roller coaster races in your career. On top of that, you’ve finished third in the past two fall races at Martinsville. Are you excited to head back there this weekend to race for a grandfather clock?

“Martinsville has always been a tough one for me to tackle, but it’s like that for every driver in the field. You can have the best of days there and the worst. I’ve been on both sides of it, but overall, I really do enjoy going to that track. Short-track racing is always fun for me, but Martinsville is where you’re really beating and banging to try and get a win. At the end of the day, it’s about staying out of trouble and being there at the end. I think the No. 98 Monster Energy team has done a great job of that in the past few seasons.”

Despite some bad luck in the first few races, 2024 has been strong for the No. 98 team. You’ve shown speed in every race so far. Does this give you confidence heading into the rest of the season?

“It’s promising, but it still tells me that we left a lot on the table. I think we’ve had really good speed at every track so far, except for COTA, but I kind of knew that going in a little bit, just not really being my strong suit as a racetrack, but we’re going back to a short track. I’m excited to see what Davin (Restivo, crew chief) is bringing to Martinsville this weekend after our third-place finish there in the fall. I know it’s going to be fast and hopefully we can get back on track with top-threes and top-fives and get some points back. It’s cool to see how far I’ve progressed and how far this No. 98 team has come since my first season here and how we continue to just get better each and every week.”

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Martinsville 1 Advance

By
Official Release
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MARTINSVILLE 1

Friday, April 5 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, April 6 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, April 7 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (FS1)

A pair of consecutive night races kicks off the first of two NASCAR weekends at Martinsville Speedway as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series kicks things off on Friday night with the NASCAR Xfinity Series following 24 hours later. The weekend culminates with an afternoon race on Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series.

CAM WATERS SET TO MAKE NASCAR DEBUT

Cam Waters, a fixture in the Australian Repco Supercars Championship, is scheduled to make his NASCAR debut in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. Waters, who drives for Tickford Racing, has won three races in each of the last three seasons and has 10 career victories overall. He will be in a fifth truck for ThorSport, joining Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski and Jake Garcia.

BLANEY REPEAT?

The last time NASCAR came to Martinsville Speedway, Ryan Blaney passed Aric Almirola with 22 laps to go and never looked back to win the Xfinity 500 and clinch a spot in the Championship 4. Blaney came into the race with a 10-point cushion, but extended that by finishing second in Stage 1 and winning Stage 2. In all, Blaney led four times for 145 laps enroute to his third victory of the year, which matched his career-best for a single season. One week later, Blaney was celebrating his first championship. Overall, Martinsville is Blaney’s best track in terms of averaging finish. In 16 career starts, the Team Penske driver has a 9.0 average finish, which includes a current streak of four consecutive top-10 runs.

LOGANO LIKES MARTINSVILLE

Only one other track on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit has been better for Joey Logano when it comes to qualifying than Martinsville Speedway. Logano enters this weekend with an average starting position of 8.4 at the half-mile facility and is only bettered by his 7.8 average at Las Vegas. He has six poles, including three in a row in 2015-16, and had an active streak of 18 straight top-10 starts (including races where qualifying was rained out) at one point. In 30 career races at Martinsville, Logano has an average finishing position of 10.9 and has been running at the finish of every event. He come into Sunday’s race with a streak of nine straight top-10 finishes, including runner-up finishes in this event each of the past two years.

BUESCHER SHOWING TOP 10 CONSISTENCY

Chris Buescher heads into this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway looking to extend a top-10 finishing streak that reached four after his ninth-place run Sunday night in Richmond. After an 18th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, Buescher has registered five top 10 efforts in the last six races with Las Vegas being his only hiccup as a wheel issue resulted in him hitting the wall and finishing 37th. Other than that, he’s been a model of consistency at Atlanta (9th), Phoenix (2nd), Bristol (7th), COTA (8th) and Richmond (9th). In 17 career series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Buescher has only a pair of top-10 results, but one of those came on his last visit when he finished eighth.

RYAN BLANEY: “Bristol and Martinsville are the same size, but very different shapes and banking and speed. I feel like at Martinsville I find myself getting into more of a rhythm than Bristol. At Bristol things are happening super quick and you’re always loaded up in the corner. Martinsville is more finesse. You ease it down in the corner and try to find your own rhythm there if you get a little bit of a break from someone pressuring you or you trying to pressure somebody else. You kind of get in this mode at Martinsville 50 or so laps into a run onwards and you just kind of find yourself in a little bit of a trance of making laps and adjusting for what the track wants. It’s a big rhythm racetrack.”

CHASE BRISCOE: “Five hundred laps is definitely a long time at Martinsville. Physically, it’s one of the harder races we go to. When we got done with the fall race there last year I literally couldn’t even bend over to take my shoes off because my back hurt so bad just with all of the braking we’re doing there constantly, so it’s hard from a physical standpoint. Mentally, I feel like it’s harder for some guys than others just to stay mentally focused for that long and just always being around somebody and keeping your emotions in check, but it is a marathon. It’s 500 laps, but it goes by super quick. At the same time it’s super long. There are a lot of opportunities to make mistakes, but you’ve got to be so aggressive there now with this Next Gen car because it is so hard to pass. It’s so hard to get track position that, honestly, you run 500 qualifying laps and it’s a challenge to do that well. I’m looking forward to getting to Martinsville. That’s been a place where I feel like we’ve done everything but win there the last four times, so that’s probably the one race I’ve had circled on the schedule for a while now.”

HARRISON BURTON: “I feel great about Martinsville. It’s always fun to go there because the Wood Brothers have a huge following there and we have a lot of support. I think we’ve run well there at times, but Martinsville is either a good run or a bad run for a lot of people and it all depends on qualifying recently. You’ve got to really qualify well and if you don’t, you can have one of the best cars and still go a lap down. Martinsville, for me, qualifying is everything and it’s going to be half-a-tenth that makes the difference in five or six spots, so we’re gonna have to just really nail that and have a good lap. Once you get in the race, it’s really managing the runs and trying to restart well. I think restarts are really important to get spots early and then hopefully tuck back in line and try to manage your tires and run a little bit. For me, it’s super exciting to go there. I love Martinsville. It’s one of my favorite racetracks.”

KESELOWSKI WINS FIRST CLOCK

Brad Keselowski outdueled Kyle Busch down the stretch to win his first grandfather clock after capturing the STP 500 on Apr. 2, 2017. The two drivers waged a memorable battle that saw them swap the lead five times in the last 160 laps, but Keselowski ended up making the decisive pass on lap 458 and led the final 43 circuits to become the first repeat winner in 2017. Prior to winning at Martinsville, Keselowski took the checkered flag at Atlanta in the second race of the season.

BOWYER NETS FIRST FORD WIN

Clint Bowyer snapped a 190-race winless stretch by leading the final 114 laps to win the weather-delayed STP 500 in 2018. The win was Bowyer’s first with Ford and ninth of his career. He passed Ryan Blaney on lap 285 to gain the lead for the first time, and when Jamie McMurray brought out the caution 100 laps later after hitting the wall, Bowyer’s pit crew got him back out with the lead and that proved to be the difference. That capped a big day for Ford, which had five drivers finish in the Top 10 and saw Blaney win Stage 2.

A FIRST FOR FORD AND FRED

The first time Ford won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway also marked the first career victory for 2015 NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen. The date was April 9, 1961 and Lorenzen battled Rex White, who led the first 118 laps after starting on the pole. Lorenzen, driving for Holman-Moody, grabbed the lead on lap 119 and held it until rain came ending the race prematurely after 149 circuits. Little did anyone know that 54 years later both men would be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the same induction class. Martinsville was a place Lorenzen dominated, winning six times, including four straight from 1963-65 – the only driver to date to accomplish the feat. He was absolutely unbeatable in 1964 as he led 990 out of a possible 1,000 laps (487 in the first and 493 in the second) in winning both races.

CUSTER EXTENDS TOP 10 STREAK

Cole Custer had to drive through the field during the latter stages of last week’s race at Richmond Raceway, but he was able to extend his streak of top-10 finishes to four after a 10th-place finish. The streak started with a runner-up finish in Las Vegas and continued with runs of fifth at Phoenix Raceway and fourth at Circuit of the Americas. Custer, who is third in the point standings, has two career series starts at Martinsville Speedway. He sat on the pole and finished third in 2023 before ending up 19th last year.

MAJESKI SECOND IN POINTS

Ty Majeski is still looking for his first win of the season, but he comes into Friday night’s race at Martinsville Speedway second in the point standings and only 10 points out of the overall lead. Majeski, who has started in the top 10 in all five races this year, has finished 11th and fourth in his two previous series starts at Martinsville Speedway.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT MARTINSVILLE

1961 – Fred Lorenzen (1)

1962 – Nelson Stacy (2)

1963 – Fred Lorenzen (2)

1964 – Fred Lorenzen (Sweep)

1965 – Fred Lorenzen and Junior Johnson

1966 – Fred Lorenzen (2)

1969 – Richard Petty (Sweep)

1986 – Ricky Rudd (1)

1990 – Geoffrey Bodine (Sweep)

1992 – Mark Martin and Geoffrey Bodine

1993 – Ernie Irvan (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace (Sweep)

1995 – Rusty Wallace (1)

1996 – Rusty Wallace (1)

1997 – Jeff Burton (1)

1998 – Ricky Rudd (2)

2000 – Mark Martin (1)

2001 – Dale Jarrett and Ricky Craven

2002 – Kurt Busch (2)

2017 – Brad Keselowski (1)

2018 – Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano

2019 – Brad Keselowski (1)

2023 – Ryan Blaney (2)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT MARTINSVILLE

1994 – Kenny Wallace

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT MARTINSVILLE

1995 – Joe Ruttman

2003 – Jon Wood (2)

2004 – Rick Crawford (1)

2005 – Ricky Craven (2)

2015 – Joey Logano (1)

2020 – Grant Enfinger

Matt Mills – Long John Silver’s 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Matt Mills (New Philadelphia, Ohio) | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Matt Mills: Twitter: @MattMillsRacing | Instagram: @MattMillsRacing | Facebook: /OfficialMattMillsRacing | Web: mattmillsracing.com

Matt Mills on Friday’s Race at Martinsville Speedway: “I’m excited about this weekend’s race at Martinsville,” said Mills. “Although it’s my first Truck Series start at this track, I have a lot of laps here in Xfinity cars that should help me get up to speed quickly. I know this 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra team and everyone at Niece Motorsports are working hard to build fast trucks to bring to the track.”

By The Numbers: Friday’s race at Martinsville Speedway will mark Mills’ first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the .526-mile short track.
Mills has six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts under his belt at the Virginia short track.

On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.

Recapping the Last Race: turned his first laps at Circuit of the Americas during Friday afternoon’s practice and qualifying session. Mills ended the afternoon with a 24th-place starting spot for Saturday’s race. Mills ran a clean race, learning the course and ticking off laps. As the laps wound down, Mills found himself competing for position inside the top-15, before a 30-second penalty at the end of the race left him with a 24th-place finish in the No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet.

Mills on Last Race at Circuit of the Americas: “It was for sure a learning day,” said Mills. “We didn’t feel like we had the exact speed we needed, but each lap we were getting faster and that’s on me learning the track and picking up on some of the situational things you don’t see as you do at ovals. Overall, it was a good day. We got what we could, and we were competing for the top-15 there at the end. I felt like I got a bump off the track through the esses at the end and ultimately got a penalty from that.”

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.

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.

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