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CHEVROLET INDYCAR AT THE THERMAL CLUB: Team Chevy Qualifying Report

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET QUALIFIES FOUR IN THE TOP-FIVE FOR NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ $1 MILLION CHALLENGE HEAT 1

  • Chevrolet saw four drivers finish in the top-five of qualifying’s Group 1, with Scott McLaughlin, driver of the XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet, leading the Bowtie brigade in second with his fastest lap of 01:38.6068 seconds.
  • Alexander Rossi, driver of the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, led Team Chevy in Group 2 in seventh with his fastest lap of 01:39.1140 seconds after a mid-session caution shook up strategy.
  • Ahead of Sunday’s heat races and main event, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES completed four test sessions with Callum Ilott, driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, topping the charts with his fastest lap of 01:38.7784 seconds in Test Session 3.
  • In the fourth open test Saturday afternoon, Chevrolet occupied the first two or three positions for most of the session, finishing with four teams in the top-five, and seven in the top-10.
  • Sunday’s $1 Million Challenge from The Thermal Club airs live at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with additional broadcast coverage on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160.

TEAM CHEVY GROUP 1 QUALIFYING RESULTS, HEAT RACE 1 LINEUP:
2nd Scott McLaughlin
3rd Rinus VeeKay
5th Josef Newgarden
6th Will Power
7th Romain Grosjean
8th Agustin Canapino
10th Santino Ferrucci
14th Sting Ray Robb

TEAM CHEVY GROUP 2 QUALIFYING RESULTS, HEAT RACE 2 LINEUP:
7th Alexander Rossi
8th Callum Ilott
9th Pato O’Ward
11th Christian Rasmussen

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes):

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“I feel solid in race running. It’s a tricky surface. There’s definitely going to be drop off and tire wear, but I think we’re looking after the tires super well so I’m excited for race running. Got to stay out of trouble to start, and then I think our longevity should prove to be pretty competitive. Proud of the Hitachi Chevrolet crew. It’s been fun testing here and getting through a list of items and seeing if we can win some money tomorrow.”

A pretty strong start to the season with Chevrolet, a pretty strong package…

“Chevy’s done a great job. They continue to bring us great performance on the weekend. Excited to get through tomorrow, but also really excited to get back to Long Beach as well and keep proving our worth.”

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“I’m hell bent. To have a qualifying session which was just bang, bang, bang in a shootout lap, one lap, is pretty awesome and that’s effectively what that was. To do a good job there was good. Congrats to Felix (Rosenqvist). I feel like I could have had him. I just marked up that last corner, but that’s… You’ve got to do the lap, it’s pressure, and that’s cool.”

You’ve got to get it right on the push-to-pass lap…

“Exactly. I think that’d be really cool, but I think our XPEL Chevy was great. Obviously, Chevy has been giving us great power this year and fuel mileage so really stoked for everyone there, and hopefully we can keep this XPEL Chevy up front.”

So what do you expect for the heat race tomorrow? How do you approach that?

“We’ll do what we can. Every race, we go out and try to win it. It’s a learning process too. We’ll figure out what the car does even more so over ten laps, but yeah, I’ll be doing my best to at least get ahead of Felix (Rosenqvist). It’s going to be interesting where we’ll shake up at the end of ten laps.”

Will Power, No. 12 Chevrolet at Team Penske:

“Because you have push-to-pass, it’s just one lap and big (degradation). It’s very difficult to wait two hours, then have a different condition and just go. It’s tough.”

Did you know what the track was going to be like?

“I did. I tried a couple of different things and made mistakes. I mean, honestly, the quickest time was a quick time. It was hard to put all of that together. For (Felix) Rosenqvist to be P1 is solid.”

How do you think the heat races will play out?

“It just depends on what you want to do. I don’t feel like doing much damage for P6 or something. It’s such a short race, anything can happen.”

With all of the test sessions, do you feel as a group it was worth it? You were able to try a bunch of different stuff.

“I think the whole qualifying and racing made you not try stuff. You were doing these qualifying sims because you knew the only way you’ll do well in these things is qualifying up front.”

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren:

“This track is very sensitive to heat, wind. It was getting really gusty, especially there in the back over by the esses. There was a lot of sand on track. You could see it from the rooster tails coming out of the cars. As it was for us, it wasn’t the most perfect lap for me, but I just could never get the car to set. It was always wanting to go the opposite direction of where I wanted it to go. It was a bit of a fight out there, but it seems like we’re not the only ones. A lot of guys are struggling with it, and it’s just really, really gusty and feels icy out there.”

Do you remember a weekend like this where it’s different to run all the time?

“Not in INDYCAR, but in a Formula 1 test, yes. Those cars are really, really wind sensitive and I feel like we’re getting a taste of that here. Maybe in Indy, where you’re going so fast and the wind is a bit more of a factor. It’s definitely shifted a lot. You think you have a good car, and then you’re going into it and what happened to the balance? Not that if felt horrible, but it just never actually got into, I feel like, an operating window. I feel the tires never got to their sweet spot, and this qualifying session that we’ve with overtake, you’ve got one lap to do it. Once you choose your lap, you’ve got to stick with it. I’m glad that we tried in Lap 2, I think Callum (Ilott) did as well. But it seems that we’re not the only ones that are struggling.”

Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“It’s interesting. Just like this whole weekend, right? It’s different. You’ve got the push-to-pass too, which usually you can focus on one thing, but now we’re pressing a button on the top of the steering wheel. It felt really good. One thing about this track, with the wind and basically a sandstorm that came through, every session, maybe every outing, the car felt different. We just kind of nailed it for the conditions the way they were. A little bit surprised. Didn’t feel as good as in practice, but very, very happy and great job by the guys.”

What will be the biggest key tomorrow? Will it be aggressiveness? Conservative?

“Staying on track. I think that’s my thing. You only have to lead one lap and that’s the last one. First got to make it through to the all-star race and then to the $1 Million Challenge, and then we look forward there. This starting position definitely makes tomorrow a little bit easier.

If you’re second with $500,000 on the line, are you willing to move someone to win?

“If I’m close enough and I see a gap, I’ll definitely go for it.”

Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“We knew qualifying was going to be a challenge. Very tricky conditions out there. I made a small mistake in our lap that cost us, but we are up there in the mix, so a lot of potential in the car.”

Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“We are in a good position. Honestly, the lap wasn’t good. We didn’t find the speed in the fastest corner, and we need to check what happened. But the good thing is we are in a good position for tomorrow to try and make it to the main race.”

From that kind of position, you know you need to pick up a couple of spots. What is the approach in this short heat race tomorrow?

“I think the target is try to end better. Of course, we are starting P8 alongside my teammate Romain (Grosjean). We need to only need to advance two positions. It will be difficult of course. Many good drivers and top teams, but we had a good car, especially in practice. We were much better. For some reason, my car wasn’t good in qualifying again on the faster corners, but I think we can find some speed for tomorrow.”

What have you learned this weekend that will help you moving forward this season?

“Oh, a lot. I remember this same moment, same place, last year, and I was completely lost. Completely, completely lost. I made a big improvement during my first year. I need more practice, more experience, especially with the new tires, but we are in a good situation. The team has improved a lot, especially with Romain (Grosjean). We are in a good situation. You can see that with the guys we have now behind us.”

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.

Meyer Shank Racing Scores First INDYCAR Pole at The Thermal Club

By
Official Release
-

Rosenqvist scores pole position while Blomqvist’s strong qualifying run places him fifth on the grid for heat race 2

Thermal, Calif. (23 March 2024) – The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge may be a new event on the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar, but Felix Rosenqvist and Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) found nothing new about their qualifying results as the Swede scored the pole for Sunday’s heat race 1 in today’s qualifying at the 17-turn, 3.067-mile circuit near Palm Springs.

As he did two weeks ago in the season opener in St. Petersburg, Rosenqvist took his No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda to the front row in qualifying, leading the session that set the starting grid for Sunday’s first heat race. The results of the heats will determine which 12 drivers qualify for the feature race, with the top six from each heat advancing to the 20-lap main event.

Rosenqvist and MSR bounced back from an issue in Saturday’s final test session as the Bon Jovi Radio (SiriusXM Ch. 312) themed car was unable to use its push-to-pass feature. The team worked through the session and during the hours leading to qualifying to diagnose the problem, giving Rosenqvist the opportunity to have all his Honda power at his disposal in the 12-minute session.

The short session meant that teams realistically had two flying laps to settle the score, but Rosenqvist worked quickly to put up a time of 1:38.5831 (111.999mph) to lead his session.

Tom Blomqvist (No. 66 AutoNation / Arctic Wolf Honda) ran in the second qualifying session and finished a strong fifth in a truncated outing that was reduced to a one-lap shootout due to a mid-session crash. The British-born driver will start on the inside of the third row in tomorrow’s second heat after carding a time of 1:39.0920 (111.435mph).

Sunday’s two heat races will be contested over 10 laps, or 20 minutes, with the first six finishers from each heat moving on to the feature race. Sunday’s finale will consist of two 10-lap segments, with teams allowed to refuel and make any changes during the break.

The winner of the second segment will take home $500,000 with $350,000 going to the runner-up and $250,000 to the third-place driver.

The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge will air on NBC on Sunday starting at 12:30 p.m. ET. SiriusXM will also host live INDYCAR Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 218.

Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:

Felix Rosenqvist: “We tried to stay cool after a tough morning session, we took a deep breath and worked on the problem. But the team did a great job getting ready and we ended up with another great car. The test sessions have been great for us as a team this weekend. We’re jelling, we are figuring out what we need to do to be fast and I feel good. It’s an angry pack to be ahead of (for tomorrow’s heat race), but if we can get away clean at the start, we should be OK because the (tire) degradation isn’t too bad. But the guys are going to be coming at us hard.

Tom Blomqvist: “I’m really happy. I am slowly, but surely going in the right direction. Yesterday was really difficult for me, but we made really good steps overnight with the car. I’m just focusing on getting more comfortable every lap and learning what I need from the car to go fast.”

Buying a Used Car: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls

By
SM
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Photo by Obi - @pixel8propix on Unsplash

Getting a new vehicle is a great feeling for any driver. However, the process of buying a used car can become quite challenging. The reason is that the news users are likely to get a nice car at one-third the price of the new one. However, previously used vehicles do not have the “standard new car guarantees.” But the pitfalls are possible to avoid by taking well-considered precautions and being aware of important details.

Finding Reputable Sellers

You’ve chosen to buy a used car. Then you need to find reputable sellers. While private sales through online marketplaces might seem cheaper overall, many used cars are not well-maintained, or worse, have hidden faults. Reputable dealers will check all their cars for sale thoroughly and offer some form of warranty, and thanks to various consumer protection laws will provide accurate information regarding the state of the vehicle. 

When searching for a dealership, be sure to review the reviews. Like all businesses, a dealership with a strong track record of customer satisfaction is always a plus.

However, even the best of these sellers are still in the business to sell, and you don’t want to make such a large purchase with only a naive understanding of what you want and what you should expect. Be sure to conduct thorough research before making a purchase.

Cars for Sale Searching

Securing the best deal is a priority. But, securing the best car for you is even more important. Make sure to do plenty of research before starting your search. Understand what type or brand of car suits your lifestyle and budget best.

A small city hatchback may be excellent for zip-lining through city roads, while an SUV would fit better a family regularly taking road trips. Consider other factors like fuel consumption, the cost of spare parts, and insurance cover.

Online research will be a huge help in your quest. Use trustworthy websites that have multiple listed cars for sale. They often give detailed specifications including mileage, model year, pricing, and more.

Negotiating the Price

Negotiating is half the fun when buying a used car. Yet negotiations can be stressful. With the right strategies and knowledge you’ll be able to buy that dream car without breaking your bank account.

Get familiar with the average price for the make and model you’re interested in. Online resources can provide ballpark estimates of what people are typically paying. Be sure to compare similar models, considering the age, mileage, condition, and optional extras.

If you have a car to trade in, know its value before you ever step foot at the dealership. Typically, dealerships try to get as much as they can for trade-ins—so invest time doing accurate market research so you know exactly what it’s worth.

VIN Number Importance

The Vehicle Identification Number is what serves as the fingerprint of your car. It is different for different vehicles and contains vital information of its past, including the data about the manufacturer, vehicle features, specifications, and even a history of all accidents and repairs that needed to be done.

To make decoding that fingerprint quick and easy, use a reliable vin decoder. Simply enter the 17-digit VIN, and you’ll instantly get a breakdown of production details, engine type, trim level, and more, helping you verify that all received info matches the seller’s claims.

It is a detail people usually overlook about during purchasing; however, it is the most important aspect of your buying choices. The best time to check the VIN is when you arrive at a dealership or the house of a private seller. It should correspond with registration documents and not show any signs of being erased or altered.

Other than that, it is a reliable proof of ownership of your vehicle; however, if there are irregularities and different numbers around the parts, it might mean that there is trouble. It can be either stolen, or there are bigger concerns, such as the returning of a mileage indicator.

Inspection Before Purchase

It’s not a secret that inspection before buying a used car is an absolute necessity. Plus, it’s more than just kicking the tires. I mean, everything should be in order, starting from the engine, electrical systems and brakes, to lights.

To start with, you can do the first level of inspection yourself. Check exterior parts, such as tires and wheels for damages, also, look for rust or body damage on the car and leaks under it. As well, turn the engine on and listen to it making sure that there is nothing wrong with it. Shift gears if it’s a manual and drive it a bit. Finally, check if there are any strange smells coming from the car.

For the next level, you already need the help of a professional. Here is where you need to find a trusted independent mechanic. Yes, it will cost you some money, but it’s better to spend a couple of hundred than end up buying junk.

Spotting Hidden Damages

Overall, when you are buying a car you should know how to spot hidden damages because some people can draw a beautiful picture to persuade you into buying a piece of junk. Noticing some types of stuff may require some professionalism, but many of them can be seen on the visual examination.

You may want to inspect the engine compartment, trunk, undercarriage, dashboard, and upholstery. Here is a short checklist for hidden car damages: a different shade of paint indicates an accident, rust or paint drips suggest that the repair was done in a hurry and sloppily, and traces of strong detergents or perfumes indicate that something has been concealed from smell.

Check for Odors

Smell the car: the presence of a very intense scent means excessive use of a cleaner or perfume to mask the dirty and mold smell. Call it off if there is any gasoline smell; fresh, unthinned gasoline-specific color and smell on the hands mean a leak in the fuel system. Smoke emission during the ignition attracts maligning applications.

Other hidden damages include a non-working electrical system, and many drivers are not lucky to detect it.

It is good to test the operability of every electronic stuff, like power windows or locks, sound systems or navigators, and safety features such as traction control or anti-lock brakes. Also, try to test the air conditioning and heating.

Assessing Car Paperwork

One vital part of buying a used car is assessing the vehicle’s paperwork. Incomplete or inconsistent paperwork is one of the surefire signs that something isn’t right about a vehicle.

The vehicle’s title document reveals its ownership history while any maintenance receipts show the car’s repair history. Should the odometer reading not appear consistent with documented mileage, this discrepancy could imply tampering.

A missing title or inaccurate VIN number entries on documents are major red flags; both might signify theft or other illegal activities. Ask for service records—consistent maintenance work tends to suggest that the car was well kept.

Paperwork for any modifications done on the vehicle must also be available. This will help you understand the impact the changes might have on the car’s performance or lifespan.

In a Nutshell

It takes some effort to buy a used car. But the effort is worthwhile if it leads to a quality vehicle within your budget.

From finding reputable sellers to negotiating prices, checking VIN numbers, assessing paperwork and warranties and understanding your rights—you’re well prepared to avoid common pitfalls. Maintain your used car well post-purchase for continued drives free from worries!

Kyle Larson wins Xfinity race in chaotic double-overtime finish at COTA

By
Angie Campbell
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Kyle Larson, driver of the #17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 23, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Kyle Larson was in the right place at the right time in the final laps of the Xfinity Series race to capture the win at Circuit of The Americas amid the late race chaos.

The Focused Health 250 finished in double overtime as Shane van Gisbergen battled with Austin Hill for the top spot. As the two drivers made contact, Larson made his move and passed them both to lead the final lap in his No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and collect the checkered flag for his 15th Xfinity Series career win.

“It feels really special because seems like every time we’ve run the 17 car, any of us four drivers, we’re always fast on track and somehow give it away,” Larson said. “Today I was definitely not the fastest, but we were patient. I knew the 21 (Hill) had shoved SVG through (Turn) 1 and if he got to him it could get dicey.

“I was just trying to be patient. I was thinking when to make my move and when I saw him shoving him through 15 and 16, I thought this could get good and thankfully I cleared them off in that corner. Pretty crazy. Just wild there, really cool, just awesome to win here at COTA.”

Van Gisbergen led 20 laps in the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet and finished second but was assessed a 30-second post-race penalty for shortcutting the course on the final laps, relegating him to 27th place.

“It was a crazy race and the car got better and better,” van Gisbergen said. “On that last restart, he (Hill) just drove through me in (turn) one. I guess I stood up for myself. But it was pretty awesome racing with (teammate) AJ (Allmendinger) and in the end just turned into a mess. That’s how it is.”

Allmendinger led 20 laps during the race but was caught up in a crash during a battle for the lead and finished in 10th place.

“Not the ending we wanted,” Allmendinger said. “We had a really solid day, I’m proud of everyone on the 16 car for digging and trying to make it better after practice and qualifying yesterday. I was really happy with the speed we had, we missed the last run there by a little bit which was going to cost us winning the race, but we were going to finish second and it was going to be a Kaulig one-two.

“With these late race restarts, you have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We came out on the wrong end, but we fought hard and happy to restart at the back on the last restart and come back to a 10th-place finish.”

John Hunter Nemechek finished third, followed by Cole Custer in fourth and Parker Kligerman in fifth place. Jesse Love, Austin Green, Chandler Smith, Sam Mayer and Allmendinger rounded out the top 10.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Richmond Raceway next Saturday for the ToyotaCare 250 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 with radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Results:

Xfinity-results-at-COTA-22405-unoffres

Heim wins the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas

By
SM Staff
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Corey Heim, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas on March 23, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Corey Heim has enough fuel to capture his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) win of the season on Saturday in the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).  Heim and the Tricon Garage No. 11 Toyota led a race-high of 31 laps for his win at the 3.41-mile road course and the sixth of his NCTS career.

“On the last lap of the last restart, I stuttered a little bit on the right-handers because the fuel pick up is on the other side. The whole fuel load would go to the other side. I thought I was going to be out by the time I came around, but luckily I had a couple of left-handers at the end of the course, and I had fuel, but regardless of that, I’m super thankful for everyone at TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing.” Heim said. 

“I worked my butt off for this one. With the one (road course) race a year for the Truck Series, I felt like it was just so important for me to prove my road course ability. I knew I needed to capitalize on today, and I did. After it was done with all of the late cautions, I was glad it was over, and it was time to celebrate. It definitely means a lot,” Heim added.

Teammate Taylor Gray recovered from an early penalty and stretched his fuel mileage to finish second in the Tricon’s No. 17 Toyota.  The second-place finish ties his career-best with a runner-up finish and also gives TRICON Garage their first 1-2 finish.

“I can’t thank everyone at TRICON Garage enough for bringing me a really good JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. I thought I ruined our race at the beginning of the race by getting that penalty, but just can’t thank all of our guys enough. We put ourselves in position and Jeff (Hensley, crew chief) did a great job with the strategy, just couldn’t attack on those last couple of laps. Something to figure out on how to give him a little bit of a tougher race at the end, but those guys executed all day long, and we have to keep executing ourselves,” said Gray.

Ty Majeski finished third. Polesitter and rookie Connor Zilisch recovered from a lap down and finished fourth after overshooting the first turn on the first lap, and NASCAR Cup Series regular Ross Chastain rounded out the top five.

The rear-end housing broke off the No. 04 Roper Racing Chevrolet driven by Marco Andretti, bringing out the red flag and extending the race by four laps.

Heim leads the series standings by 10 points over Majeski, Tyler Ankrum is third, Gray fourth, and Rajah Caruth rounds out the top-5 in the standings after five races.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for the Long John Silver’s 200 on April 5th for the sixth race of the season at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – XPEL 225
Circuit of The Americas
Austin, Texas
Saturday, March 23, 2024
(Pos, Driver, Make, Laps)

  1. Corey Heim, Toyota, 46.
  2. Taylor Gray, Toyota, 46.
  3. Ty Majeski, Ford, 46.
  4. Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 46.
  5. Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 46.
  6. Jack Hawksworth, Toyota, 46.
  7. Ben Rhodes, Ford, 46.
  8. Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 46.
  9. Dean Thompson, Toyota, 46.
  10. Tanner Gray, Toyota, 46.
  11. Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 46.
  12. Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 46.
  13. Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 46.
  14. Jake Garcia, Ford, 46.
  15. Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 46.
  16. Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 46.
  17. Timmy Hill, Toyota, 46.
  18. Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 46.
  19. Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 46.
  20. Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 46.
  21. Carter Fartuch, Ford, 46.
  22. Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 46.
  23. Matt Crafton, Ford, 46.
  24. Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 46.
  25. Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 46.
  26. Dale Quarterley, Toyota, 45.
  27. Layne Riggs #, Ford, 43.
  28. Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 42.
  29. Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 42.
  30. Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 42.
  31. Marco Andretti, Chevrolet, Suspension, 40.
  32. Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, 39.
  33. Lawless Alan, Ford, Rear Gear, 34.
  34. Vicente Salas, Chevrolet, Transmission, 33.
  35. Mason Massey, Chevrolet, Brakes, 32.

Prime Heim: Corey Heim Bests Field in Overtime Thriller to Earn First Win of the Season at XPEL 225

By
Official Release
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TRICON Garage driver Corey Heim celebrates winning the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Circuit of The Americas outside of Austin, Texas on Saturday. Photo Credit: NASCAR at COTA/Harold Hinson Photography
  • TRICON Garage driver Corey Heim ends recent Front Row Motorsports COTA dominance with XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at Circuit of The Americas.
  • Tickets to Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are available at NASCARatCOTA.com.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 23, 2024) – The opening act of Saturday’s doubleheader at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) saw Corey Heim dominate the field, lead a race-high 31 laps and survive a hectic overtime finish to win the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) showdown.

“I knew I was capable of getting it done,” Heim said. “I worked hard for this one. It was just so important to prove our road course ability. It definitely means a lot.

“It’s a big statement for us. I feel like we’ve been able to win every week. To come here, be fast from the start. We have big goals this year, so to get a start like that is really special.”

Despite having the truck to beat, the win didn’t come without some drama. Marco Andretti brought out a caution as the leaders were coming to the white flag when the rear end housing broke loose from his Roper Racing Chevrolet. The incident led to a red flag that evaporated a comfortable lead by Heim and bunched up the contenders for a two-lap overtime shootout.

As he had multiple times earlier in the day, Heim pulled away from the field on the restart to take the checkered flag 1.625 seconds ahead of teammate Taylor Gray. Ty Majeski of ThorSport Racing finished third and polesitter Connor Zilisch was fourth in his NCTS debut with Spire Motorsports. NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) regular Ross Chastain, driving for Niece Motorsports, rounded out the top five.

“I definitely think I got all the rookie mistakes out of the way,” Zilisch said after the race. “I know where I’ve got to learn. It’s bittersweet.”

The victory was Heim’s first of the season, sixth of his career and third top-three finish through the first five races. He also ended Front Row Motorsports’ NCTS dominance at COTA, where the organization had claimed victory in each of the three previous XPEL 225 races.

Nick Sanchez took the green-and-white checkered flag to win Stage One, while Heim powered his Toyota Tundra to the front of the field to win Stage Two.

The weekend wraps up Sunday with the fourth running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron will start on the pole.

Tickets:

Fans can purchase tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix online at NASCARatCOTA.com.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

Toyota Racing – NCTS COTA Post-Race Report – 03.23.24

By
Official Release
-

COREY HEIM DELIVERS FIRST WIN OF SEASON IN DOMINATING FASHION AT COTA
First five-truck top-10 finish for TRICON Garage

AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 23, 2024) – Corey Heim dominated the afternoon at Circuit of the Americas and battled through multiple late race restarts to take his first Truck Series win of the season and sixth victory of his career. The Toyota development driver continued his streak of strong performances – delivering his 20th top-10 in the last 21 Truck races. Heim led 31 of the 46 laps.

It was a day of firsts for TRICON Garage as they earned their first 1-2 finish and the first time with five top-10 finishes in the same race. Taylor Gray tied his career-best with a runner-up finish, while reigning IMSA GTD Pro champion Jack Hawksworth finished sixth in his Truck Series debut. Dean Thompson (ninth) and Tanner Gray (10th) closed out the top-10 success for TRICON Garage in Austin.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Circuit of the Americas
Race 5 of 23 – 42 Laps, 144.32 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, COREY HEIM
2nd, TAYLOR GRAY
3rd, Ty Majeski*
4th, Connor Zilisch*
5th, Ross Chastain*
6th, JACK HAWKSWORTH
9th, DEAN THOMPSON
10th, TANNER GRAY
17th, TIMMY HILL
20th, STEWART FRIESEN
26th, DALE QUARTERLEY
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

Everyone was wondering if you were going to be good there on fuel. Can you take us through those last few laps? Were you nervous?

“Yeah, I was super nervous. On the last lap of the last restart, I stuttered a little bit on the right handers, because the fuel pick up is on the other side. The whole fuel load would go to the other side. I thought I was going to be out by the time I came around, but luckily I had a couple of left handers at the end of course – and I had fuel, but regardless of that, I’m super thankful for everyone at TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing. This Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro was just kickass all day long. We put a beating on them, so that is that a pretty good feeling. To do that at Mid-Ohio last year, and to come back here and do the same thing with better equipment, was really special. I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for us.”

Did this have a special meaning to you?

“I worked my butt off for this one. With the one (road course) race a year for the Truck Series, I felt like it was just so important for me to prove my road course ability. I knew I need to capitalize on today, and I did. After it was done with all of the late cautions, I was glad it was over and it was time to celebrate. It defintiely means a lot.”

TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 Factory Canopies Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 2nd

So close to your first win. Can you tell us about your race?

“I can’t thank everyone at TRICON Garage enough for bringing me a really good JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. I thought I ruined our race at the beginning of the race by getting that penalty, but just can’t thank all of our guys enough. We put ourselves in position and Jeff (Hensley, crew chief) did a great job with the strategy, just couldn’t attack on those last couple of laps. Something to figure out on how to give him a little bit of a tougher race at the end, but those guys executed all day long and we have to keep executing ourselves.”

JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 1 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 6th

Can you talk about your experience today?

“It was a lot of fun. The race was going well. The first two stints I was feeling pretty good. I definitely wasn’t the fastest but I had reasonable pace, and was able to keep in touch with everybody. Just in that last stint, I was trying to pass the 98 (Ty Majeski) and I smoked my right front tire, and I had a massive flat spot in that last stint. That made it pretty difficult. I was just hanging on there in the end, but it was a lot fun and I was glad to bring it home with a decent result in the Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. It was fun, and Corey (Heim) won – so good day all around for TRICON Garage.”

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.

Back-to-Back: Byron Wins Second Consecutive EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Pole

By
Official Release
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William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports will start on the pole for the second year in a row at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas outside of Austin, Texas. Photo Credit: NASCAR at COTA/Harold Hinson Photography
  • William Byron continues hot start to season, will lead the field to green in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix alongside Joe Gibb Racing’s Ty Gibbs.
  • Tickets to Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are available at NASCARatCOTA.com.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 23, 2024) – William Byron says he’s starting to find his rhythm. For the second time in as many tries, the Hendrick Motorsports hot shoe powered his No. 24 machine to the top of the leaderboard and claimed the pole for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

Following his Daytona 500 win to open the 2024 campaign and six wins last season, Byron’s lap of 129.636 seconds at 94.696 mph, earned him his first pole position of the year and 13th of his career. In addition to a fast race car, the 26-year-old Charlotte, N.C. native attributed some of his success in Saturday’s qualifying to finally settling into a routine after a chaotic yet rewarding start to the season.

“Honestly, this has been my first normal week since the 500, just being able to be back home and be in my rhythm and be able to focus on driving my race car,” said Byron, who will look to build off last season’s fifth-place finish. “I feel really happy with how the week’s gone and feel very fresh going into the race.”

Byron will be joined on the front row by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs, who was edged for the pole position by a mere 0.015 of a second on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile permanent road course layout. Gibbs was able to fend off his fellow Toyota-powered drivers Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell as the three were separated by just 0.279 of a second. Reddick, of 23XI Racing, will start third while Gibbs’ JGR teammate Bell will start fourth. Corey Lajoie of Spire Motorsports landed Chevrolet the final top-five position in the starting lineup.

It was a banner day overall for Joe Gibbs Racing as the four-car organization secured half of the top-eight qualifying positions. In addition to Gibbs and Bell, Martin Truex Jr. qualified seventh and Denny Hamlin eighth.

Green flag is scheduled for 2:49 p.m. CT Sunday.

Tickets:

Fans can purchase tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix online at NASCARatCOTA.com.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

William Byron captures Cup Series Pole at Circuit of the Americas

By
Angie Campbell
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William Byron, driver of the #24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 23, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

William Byron won the Busch Light Pole at Circuit of the Americas and will lead the field to green Sunday afternoon in the Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. It’s his first pole this season, his 13th career pole and his second-straight pole at the 3.426-mile track.

“I feel really happy with the way the week’s gone and I feel very fresh going into this race,” Byron said. “We’ve just got to go through the process of the race. Just manage the runs, have enough long-run speed. I feel we got a good balance with our car. We’ve been struggling to have smooth races, so this is a good start.”

The Hendrick Motorsports driver was fastest overall in his No. 24 Chevrolet during practice Saturday and he carried that momentum over to earn the top spot in the qualifying session with a lap of 94.696 mph.

Ty Gibbs will join him on the front row in the No. 54 Toyota as 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick will start third in the No. 45 Toyota. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (No. 20 Toyota) and Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie (No. 7 Chevrolet) claimed the remaining top five starting spots. It will be LaJoie’s best Cup Series career starting position.

Ross Chastain, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top 10.

The highest qualifying Ford was the No. 2 Team Penske Ford driven by Austin Cindric who will start 11th. Rookie Shane van Gisbergen will start 12th in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.
You can tune into the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX with radio coverage provided by PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Notes:

Kyle Larson was late to the qualifying session as the Hendrick Motorsports team had to change a rotor. Larson will start Sunday’s race in 15th.

Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi, who will be making his second NASCAR start, qualified 25th in the No. 50 23XI Racing Toyota.

  1.   William Byron
  2.   Ty Gibbs
  3.   Tyler Reddick
  4.   Christopher Bell
  5.   Corey LaJoie
  6.   Ross Chastain
  7.   Martin Truex Jr.
  8.   Denny Hamlin
  9.   Chase Elliott
  10. Bubba Wallace
  11. Austin Cindric
  12. Shane Van Gisbergen
  13. Justin Haley
  14. A.J. Allmendinger
  15. Kyle Larson
  16. Kyle Busch
  17. Alex Bowman
  18. Carson Hocevar (R)
  19. Daniel Suarez
  20. Chris Buescher
  21. Austin Dillon
  22. John Hunter Nemechek
  23. Kaz Grala (R)
  24. Ryan Preece
  25. Kamui Kobayashi
  26. Todd Gilliland
  27. Michael McDowell
  28. Ryan Blaney
  29. Harrison Burton
  30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  31. Josh Berry (R)
  32. Chase Briscoe
  33. Daniel Hemric
  34. Zane Smith (R)
  35. Joey Logano
  36. Brad Keselowski
  37. Timmy Hill
  38. Erik Jones
  39. Noah Gragson

A Quick Guide to Wheel Automotive Maintenance

By
SM
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Photo by riis riiiis on Unsplash

Does your car make strange noises when you brake? Are you hearing metal churning noises when you turn? Aside from the engine, your car’s wheels are subject to a massive amount of wear and tear and will require regular maintenance. From worn-out tires to noisy brake pads and worn rotors, your wheels can have a plethora of problems. Continue reading this guide to learn more about how to maintain your wheels for your vehicle.

Brake Rotors

Brake rotors are attached to every wheel and it’s what brake pads press into to provide friction to slow and stop your car. Understandably this friction causes significant wear.

To maintain your brake rotors, you must first inspect them to the best of your ability. Signs of wear include grooves, scores, and discoloration. Any of the previous could mean that your rotors need resurfacing or replacement.

Resurfacing a brake rotor is done by machining the grooves and scores into a new flat surface for the brake pads to contact.

Brake rotors are replaced when they are too heavily worn to be resurfaced or have suffered sufficient damage. It is essential to match the specifications of the original rotors, which you can find a list of replacement rotors at websites such as https://www.allrotors.com.

Brake Pads

As mentioned before, brake pads are what provide the friction to slow your car. Ensuring proper maintenance of your brake pads is essential for avoiding spontaneous collisions and hazards.

An indicator of worn brake pads can be squealing or grinding noises when applying the brakes or turning. Additionally, they can be inspected manually for damage, but it can be difficult to spot.

Unlike brake rotors, brake pads cannot be resurfaced and must be replaced when they reach the end of life. Your vehicle’s brake pads have a specified thickness of when they need to be replaced which you can find in your car’s manual or by looking it up online.

Tires

Lastly, and the most replaced are your actual rubber tires. Driving along road surfaces will slowly wear and erode your tire’s treads and they must be replaced as it can be a huge risk while driving.

You can identify when your tires need replacement by visually inspecting for the following:

  • Tread Depth
  • Uneven Wear
  • Cracks
  • Bulges
  • Foreign Objects

Each of the above can be addressed in many ways depending on severity. Tread depth for example can be measured to know if you need to have your wheels replaced.

Foreign objects and punctures can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and can be plugged without needing to replace the tire. However, it is still critical that you replace the wheel whenever you can.

Lastly, ensure that you get the proper tires for your car and its use case. If your car is primarily used in snowy and stormy weather, getting tires that are favorable in those conditions can improve handling and safety.

Bottom Line

For those with a quick wit after reading this, you will have understood that a lot of car maintenance is dealt with by visual inspection. If a part of your wheels fails a visual inspection, you can then dive into addressing the specific problem before it becomes a bigger problem.

We recommend you have a set day where you spend a few minutes inspecting your vehicle every 2-3 weeks. By staying on top of your car’s needs you can extend the lifespan of your car significantly.

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