CHASE BRISCOE
Atlanta Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview
● Event: Ambetter Health 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 25
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe got his 2024 season off to a solid start by finishing 10th in the season-opening Daytona 500, held Monday after persistent rain postponed The Great American Race to the President’s Day holiday. It was Briscoe’s 22nd career top-10 finish and his second top-10 in seven career Cup Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

● Atlanta Motor Speedway has been around since 1960, but the Atlanta track Briscoe and his NASCAR Cup Series brethren will compete on this Sunday is only two years old. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured after the final race of the 2021 season. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Drivers competed on the new layout for the first time in March 2022 and the Ambetter Health 400 will be the fifth Cup Series race on the revamped track.

● The Ambetter Health 400 will mark Briscoe’s seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta. His first two starts came on the old configuration, where his best finish was 15th, earned in July 2021. Despite the new layout in 2022, Briscoe equaled that finish in the debut of “new Atlanta” in March, where he started from the pole and led five laps. Fifteenth remains his best career Cup Series result at Atlanta.

● Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series, Briscoe has four other Atlanta starts. He ran three NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the track, each on the old layout, and never finished outside of the top-15. His best result was ninth in June 2020. He made a lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta in March 2017 and finished 25th.

● Riding along with Briscoe this weekend at Atlanta is HighPoint.com, a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions. HighPoint has been a partner of Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing since 2020 when the company supported Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a season-best nine victories and earned Briscoe a promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. Said Briscoe about the partnership: “Even though we race stock cars, there’s nothing stock about what we do. The science of our cars is impressive, but the technology that goes into building our Ford Mustangs and then making them perform is even more advanced. Our IT needs are pretty complex, and we demand a lot from our technology every day, whether it’s at the shop or at the track. HighPoint provides efficiency and security. They’re more than just a sponsor – HighPoint is a partner that helps us perform.” As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business headquartered in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint serves markets in its nearby tri-state region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, please visit HighPoint.com.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

How much does the racing at Atlanta emulate the racing you just experienced at Daytona?

“It’s similar in a sense, but very different in the sense of just how fast things happen. The mental side of Atlanta is, by far, the hardest thing we do all year long. It’s a mile shorter, so while it’s very, very easy to run wide open the whole time when you go to Daytona or Talladega, at Atlanta your car is struggling just to even get close to that. There’s a lot more to the team side of things at Atlanta as far as getting the balance of the car right, and it’s just a challenge for us mentally with how fast things happen and how quickly you have to process things.”

Did Daytona provide some understanding of how you think the racing will be at Atlanta?

“I feel it’s an animal all its own, it’s so different. Maybe you can take the slightest bit from Daytona, but I think it’s hard to really say what you’ve got. I feel like the only thing you can really take out of Daytona is how the new Ford body pushes. It gets pushed, but even that will be a little bit different at Atlanta with just how the runs develop and things like that. It’s hard to say if you’re good at Daytona then you’ll be good at Atlanta, or if you’re bad at Daytona, you’re going to be bad at Atlanta because they are so very different.”

How do you feel about the racing at Atlanta?

“I think it’s the most mentally draining racetrack we have on the schedule. Daytona and Talladega have always been mentally draining, at the end of the day, but you go to Atlanta and things happen four times the speed because you lose a mile with that racetrack. It’s an interesting track because it races like a superspeedway, but it’s still an intermediate. The corners didn’t change. The radius of the corners, all of that is still the same as we’ve always had, so it’s not like a Daytona or a Talladega where your car goes around there wide-open super easily. You’re manhandling the car at all times, so Atlanta is a very challenging racetrack and, by far, the most mentally draining with just how much your brain is trying to process and listen to your spotter. Actually applying what your spotter is saying is hard because things happen so fast there. It’s a tough one, for sure.”

How much does time in the simulator prepare you and the team for Atlanta?

“Sim gives you a decent direction, but it’s hard to say what you’ve really got until you get there. Especially with this new body, our notebook of even what the sim is and what this new body is so small. So I don’t know if you can take a whole lot out of the simulator right now until we get a bigger notebook and really say, ‘Hey, this was better. This is what it’s actually like in real life.’ Atlanta is going to be a tough one, and we don’t have practice there, either. So it’s going to be interesting to see how we’re going to unload there and, hopefully, our HighPoint Ford Mustang drives well in the race.”

There are two new faces at Stewart-Haas in Josh Berry and Noah Gragson. How has the dynamic changed at the shop with the new personnel joining the team?

“I feel like our teams have done a better job of working together. In the past, it was kind of four different teams that worked under one roof, where now it’s four teams kind of collectively working toward the same goal for one organization. All of that has been different and a good change, something that we’ve needed to do, especially in the landscape of the NextGen car. I’m excited to see how it finally goes now that we’ve started racing, but it’s definitely been a totally different dynamic than what I’ve had the last three years, for sure.”

You’re now the most tenured driver at Stewart-Haas. What’s that like?

“We’ve got four guys who, truthfully, are extremely hungry. All four of us only have one Cup win combined, so we all have a lot to prove. We all know what we’re capable of. We’ve all grown up as complete opposites, but we’ve all kind of have grown up the same way by just grinding throughout our career. It’s just different now with not having Kevin (Harvick) and Aric (Almirola) there with how much more I’m going to have to speak up and stand up for things I believe in, so all of that will be interesting and it will be something I learn as I go along, but it’s definitely a different dynamic.”

Even though this is your fourth NASCAR Cup Series season, all of which have been at Stewart-Haas, does this feel like a new start?

“I definitely think the whole organization has hit the reset button. Tony said it in the SiriusXM interview the other week – there’s no need to look back when we’re at the bottom. We’re all motivated. I think every guy and girl in the shop knows that if we don’t figure it out, our job is on the line. He’s already come out publicly and said he’s willing to make changes, so I think that’s good. I think we kind of need that kick in the butt as an organization to have it publicly said, something that I think we all kind of knew was out there but it’s never been said, so I definitely think this year is a little bit of a clean slate. I will say that, just going to the shop, there’s a whole different feel. When I went there last year, it was doom and gloom every time I would go in there and now everybody is excited. Everybody has been ready to go and it gives me that same vibe that we had in 2020, where everybody is excited to go to work. It’s something we haven’t had in a long time there, so I’m excited to see how the season finally stacks up.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Spire Motorsports at Atlanta Motor Speedway: In 14 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS), Spire Motorsports has logged two top-five and two top-10 finishes with seven different drivers. Corey LaJoie, driver of Spire Motorsports No. 7 CELSIUS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 earned both the organization’s top fives after finishing fifth in March 2022 and fourth last March. The Mooresville, N.C., team fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with LaJoie, and fellow drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
Flag-to-Flag Coverage: The Ambetter Health 400 from AMS will be televised live on FOX, Sunday, February 25 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Pre-race coverage from NASCAR RaceDay on FOX will take the green flag at 2 p.m. EST. The second of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Corey LaJoie – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Corey LaJoie heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) fresh off a fourth-place finish in Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500. LaJoie’s fourth-place effort is the third time the Concord, N.C., native has finished fourth – his career-best in NCS competition. He finished fourth last spring at AMS and again at Talladega Superspeedway last fall.
• CELSIUS is a better-for-you, premium alternative to sugary energy drinks. Made with 7 Essential Vitamins, CELSIUS has the perfect balance of flavor and energy that serves as an awesome pick-me-up for active lifestyles. CELSIUS was created to help people LIVE FIT, exceed their goals and elevate their everyday lives.
• In addition to this weekend’s Ambetter Health 400, CELSIUS will be showcased as LaJoie’s primary sponsor July 7 at the Chicago Street Course and again August 24 at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Celsius was also LaJoie’s primary sponsor last March at AMS when he earned his first career top-four finish.
• Following his fourth-place finish last weekend at the Daytona 500, LaJoie comes into Round 2 of the 2024 NCS championship battle 10th in points.
• The first of two Atlanta races of the 2024 season will mark LaJoie’s 10th career NCS start at the ultra-fast 1.54-mile Hampton, Ga., quad-oval.
• In his nine previous starts at AMS, LaJoie has earned two top fives and logged a 22.4 average finish. The 32-year-old veteran racer has led 19 laps and completed 2,556 of 2,590 laps contested (98.7 percent).

Corey LaJoie Quotes:
Recently, you’ve had a couple really good runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so it seems like a place that’s climbing your list of favorite tracks.
“Since the Atlanta reconfiguration our Spire Motorsports team has had a good handle on it. As the surface has aged over the last several years it will look less like a Talladega and more like a really compacted pack at Charlotte. Handling will be a premium and with no practice we’re hoping we can nail down a good package in our Celsius Camaro. We’ve been in contention here multiple times and we’re going this weekend to try and do the same thing.”

Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Zane Smith will make his 11th career NCS start in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. In 2023, Smith started on the pole in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at AMS and finished 20th. Smith has visited Atlanta four times, but this will be his first time around the speedway in NASCAR’s premier series.
• There are few things in life more important to Smith than NASCAR racing, but during the Atlanta race weekend he’ll put racing aside for a few hours and help at one of his favorite organizations that focuses on transforming lives of Atlanta residents. Smith’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet will carry the City of Refuge paint scheme during the Ambetter Health 400 at AMS.
• Smith will visit City of Refuge on Atlanta’s Westside at 10 a.m. ET Friday to unveil his special paint scheme. The scheme honors City of Refuge and calls attention to the organization’s work, something Smith is passionate about.
• City of Refuge was founded in 1997 with the mission to transform the lives of individuals and communities in Atlanta and beyond. Today the organization resides in a warehouse that was graciously donated in the 30314 neighborhood, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas in the nation. Since inhabiting the warehouse, City of Refuge has served over 35,000. The organization has created several programs designed to impact housing, youth development, health & wellness, and vocation. The City of Refuge is a leader in social transformation and continuously works to empower and equip individuals with the tools to succeed.
• Swing by the AMS Fan Zone on Sunday, as Smith will make an appearance at 10:40 a.m. at the Ambetter Health Activation.
• Start your NASCAR Ambetter Health 400 race day with Speedway Charity Hot Laps sponsored by Ambetter Health and Centene Charitable Foundation. At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Smith will be driving select individuals for three laps around AMS in the official Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car.
• Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports team began their 2024 NASCAR season at the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Smith started 14th and raced his way into the top 10 by the second stage. He was able to avoid two large crashes throughout the race and would take the checkered flag in 13th.

Zane Smith Quotes
What does it mean to you to carry City of Refuge on your car this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“The City of Refuge organization is something that is super important to me. It is special to see community members, organizations and volunteers come together to make an impact on people’s lives. The good work they do across the country continues to amaze me. I look forward to spreading awareness about City of Refuge throughout the weekend in Atlanta.”
What are your thoughts on your first Daytona 500 with the Spire Motorsports Team?
“I’m super happy with how our team executed Daytona. I had a really fast WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro and the guys worked hard all off-season to bring a fast car to the track. That was an intense race and we avoided two big crashes, finishing 13th. I learned a lot through that race. We have great momentum heading into Atlanta this weekend and I’m looking forward Sunday.”

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will make his NCS debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 where Premier Security Solutions will be featured as the No. 77 team’s primary sponsor. Premier Security will serve as the primary partner aboard Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for 10 races in 2024.
• Hocevar’s promising Daytona 500 debut was sidelined early when the NCS Rookie-of-the-Year contender was collected in a Lap 5, multi-car incident. After a strong run Thursday night in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, Hocevar started ninth and was racing with the leaders in the very early goings but extensive damage to his Zeigler Auto Group/Gainbridge Chevrolet forced him to make an early exit from the 66th running of the Great American Race.
• From the famous bricks of Saginaw Street in Flint, Mich., to industrial, residential, and commercial sites across North America, Premier Security Solutions has built an unmatched standard of security. Today, Premier has taken steps to advance technology and utilize new tools to combat theft and become an anti-crime organization. Premier’s Global Security Operations Center is a state-of-the-art facility, working around the clock to protect assets, corporations, schools, and families.
• Premier deploys more than 1,000 guards around the country and protects homes, families, executive-level leaders, and major corporations. Premier’s team of retired law enforcement professionals protects more than 50 school buildings and high net-worth families, delivering an unparalleled level of service. Premier prides itself on a standard of service ensuring its customers receive the protection and peace of mind they deserve.
• Premier Security is a long-time supporter of Hocevar’s career. The Flint, Mich.-headquartered organization has been prominently featured alongside Hocevar dating to his time racing short tracks in the pavement late model ranks.
• The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender has raced at AMS three times in the NCTS. He’s complied a 23.3 average finish and completed 389 of 402 laps contested (96.8 percent).
• The Portage, Mich., driver logged four NCTS wins in 2023 and finished fourth in the division’s championship point standings.
• Hocevar will be featured on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET following each race to discuss his NCS rookie season.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
What do you think it will take to be competitive at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend?
“Of course, handing comes into it a little bit more than a regular superspeedway and maybe at times it’s going to look like an old-style Daytona. We may not need to focus so much on saving fuel. We’re ready for it. We’re confident heading into Atlanta and as a team, confidence goes a long way this weekend.”

Premier Security has supported your career dating back to your days racing late models. What does it mean to have Premier as your primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend?
“Premier going from being on my late models, to the truck with me a few years ago, to then Xfinity and now Cup has just come full circle. There’s no better time than now. We’re lucky enough to have them on our No. 77 Chevrolet this weekend and again next weekend in Las Vegas. Hopefully we can put on a good show.”

You had some tough luck at the Daytona 500, does that change your perspective for this week’s race at all?
“We’re hungry and ready to go run after a disappointing day at Daytona. We’re looking at this race as if it’s the first one. There’s nowhere else to go but up from last week. The whole team is ready to go, I can promise you that.”
From the Top of the Box

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
• Sparks, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native, has been paired with LaJoie since 2020.
• Combined, Sparks and LaJoie have earned three top-five and six top-10 finishes, including a pair of top fours in 2023.

Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Stephen Doran begins his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team during the 2024 season.
• In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
• Since 2012, he has worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar
• The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
• In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

With the disappointment of Daytona behind them, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew are hoping to rebound with a strong run in this weekend’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Since a repave and reconfiguration in 2021, Atlanta’s 1.54-mile quad-oval has become a drafting track much like Daytona and Talladega, the much larger superspeedways on the NASCAR circuit.

Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse, said the team’s speed at Daytona, especially in the Duel qualifying races where Burton contended for the win and wound up fifth in his race, make him optimistic headed into Atlanta.

“Obviously the way Daytona ended for us wasn’t the start to the season we were looking for,” Bullins said of the Lap 6 multi-car wreck that took Burton out of the 500. “We felt like we were really strong at the end of the Duels and had a shot to win and felt like we had a car that could carry that over to Sunday.

“Atlanta will be a similar style of racing, and we will be ready to bounce back.”

Bullins said the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team members need to put the early Daytona exit behind them, since it was due to circumstances not of their making.

“Like I told Harrison we controlled everything we could, and that’s all you can do,” Bullins said.

There will be no pre-race practice at Atlanta other than a 10-minute session after qualifying where drivers can work on pit entry.

Qualifying is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday.

Sunday’s 260-lap, 400-mile race is expected to get the green flag just after 3 p.m., with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 160.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

This Week in Motorsports: February 19 – 25, 2024

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Atlanta Motor Speedway – February 23-25

PLANO, Texas (February 21, 2024) – NASCAR’s three national series head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second race of the 2024 season. Toyota scored top-three finishes in all three national series races at Daytona last weekend, looking for more this weekend in the Peach State.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS| NCTS

New Camry XSE Next Gen strong out of the gate … Toyota’s new Camry XSE Cup race car has had a strong beginning to its NASCAR Cup Series campaign. Toyotas swept the Duels at Daytona last week with victories by Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick, followed up by four top-ten finishers in the Daytona 500 with Bell, Bubba Wallace and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones. The Camry XSE has another chance to show off its superspeedway performance this weekend in Atlanta.

Optimal start in the Toyota family … With the seventh and eighth place finishes by Nemechek and Jones at Daytona, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB claimed their first double-top-10 as an organization since the team’s debut last season. Both drivers have had past success at Atlanta Motor Speedway, to which the same feat and more could be accomplished this weekend.

Hamlin returns to favorable Atlanta … Coming off a solid run at the Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin heads back to Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has provided success for the 43-year-old. Hamlin has a 2012 victory to go along with six top-fives and 10 top-10s at the Georgia track. A second win at Atlanta Motor Speedway would give Hamlin the 52nd of his career and his 49th with Toyota.

Creed brings superspeedway success to Atlanta … In his debut with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and in a Toyota GR Supra last weekend, Sheldon Creed nearly snatched victory, coming home second in the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona. Creed’s runner up finish helped JGR claim two of the top five positions with teammate, Chandler Smith, finishing fifth in a strong start to 2024 for the team. Creed also enters Atlanta with consecutive second-place superspeedway finishes, providing confidence his first career win could be this weekend at the similar-styled Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Nemechek looking for repeat win at Atlanta … Nemechek will once again do double duty and pilot the No. 20 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. He looks to go back-to-back at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Xfinity Series as the North Carolina native made his way to victory lane last summer, which was one of his seven victories in 2023.

Truex keen to continue Atlanta success … Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ryan Truex has had a great deal of success in his Xfinity Series career at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 31-year-old has finished in the top 11 in each of his starts, including consecutive third place finishes. After a strong showing at Daytona Monday night, Truex has his eyes set on career win number two this weekend.

Howard piloting No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro … Twenty-two-year-old, Colby Howard, will be behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro this weekend for TRICON Garage. The South Carolina native is making his debut with Toyota in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series after two starts in a Toyota Camry in ARCA at Sonoma Raceway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2022. Howard has 51 career Truck Series starts with one career top-five and four career top-10s.

Heim returns to home track … Marietta, Georgia’s, Corey Heim, will make his third career Truck Series start at his home track this weekend, which is also the site of his first career victory (2022). Coming off a second-place finish last weekend at Daytona, the 21-year-old is eager for his first win of 2024.

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.