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Toyota Racing – NCS Bristol Quotes – Kamui Kobayashi – 03.16.24

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Kamui Kobayashi
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 16, 2024) – 23XI Racing driver Kamui Kobayshi was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday.

KAMUI KOBAYSHI, No. 50 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

What are you expecting next weekend at COTA?

“I’m definitely excited for next weekend at COTA. My first race last year at Indy, I think I was a little bit surprised, but I think the race went quite smooth. I think I dropped back in the early stage, and I didn’t get any caution. It was quite difficult in the back end of the field, but I had great fun. I had this opportunity with Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary for this opportunity at COTA. I’m definitely looking forward to next week. We’ve had more preparation. I’ve raced COTA five times already in Formula 1 and WEC. I think Indy – it was my first time ever racing there, but next week I have more experience, so definitely looking forward to the race.”

What was the reaction to you in Japan from running the NASCAR Cup Series race?

“NASCAR – we don’t have it on broadcast for example. Last year, for the Indy race it was live. I think the last broadcast was like in 2016. So, I think maybe people were watching NASCAR and seeing how exciting it was. People have been following my social media. I think we are again going to have the live broadcast in Japan next weekend in COTA, so I think people will get more knowledge of NASCAR. The racing in NASCAR is very different, so hopefully people get more of an understanding on what NASCAR racing is.”

What do you know now to expect that you didn’t know racing at Indianapolis last season?

“I think I learned quite a lot about how you handle the car and how the race goes, and how the race weekend goes. I think the second time I can manage myself better, and I’m putting in the preparation now. I’m spent quite a lot of time in the simulator. We will see.”

Was this always on the radar or did it come together more recently?

“I think it was because of Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary that it came about. It’s not something consistent. It just happened the one time. Toyota and TRD managed to find a partner, so that’s how it came together.”

What feel did you find in the Cup car that compares to anything you’ve competed in, in the past?

“I think the closest race car for me is Supercar in Australia. I think that is the closest one, which I’ve never driven. I’ve driven GT3 for example, it’s way different compared to that car. We have ABS and traction control. With the Cup car, you really don’t have any sensors taking the data. I would say the techniques that I’ve learned are way different. When you look throughout different motorsports, you have BOP and it’s easier for the driver to perform at everything, but in NASCAR, I think you have more of a demand. That’s why I’m happy to be here and challenging myself.”

Any interest in trying any oval race?

“I think I would have to start with a truck first.”

Do you foresee any additional races in NASCAR and how do you like competing in NASCAR?

“It totally different from European racing. The whole event is a huge difference. My dream was to race NASCAR a long time ago. My first race was NASCAR, when I was like four years old. It was an oval race, so that’s why I was dreaming to be here. I think generally we struggle in motorsports with the spectator or the fan with too much detail. I think Formula 1, if you look at the championship – I think something we need to learn when we go to European races – it’s too much detail. It’s difficult to understand as a fan, but when you look at NASCAR. It is simpler. I know there is technology behind, but I think as a motorsport the fans can understand what is making a difference at the end of the day. It makes a huge difference. I think there is more connectivity from the fans to the drivers.”

What did you think at Bristol? Could you imagine racing anything around here?

“First time coming to Bristol. I’ve done the sim here. I think the first time was four years ago for fun. I didn’t expect this big of a stadium, when I drove in the sim. I didn’t expect how the banking is. From when I looked on the outside, it’s not like a race track – something you can see like football in or something like that. It surprised me. As I drove by, it was something I was looking forward to seeing. I think a Cup car is probably what you should race here. It’s probably too small, too fast for anything else. It’s something that I’ve never experienced. I think the biggest banking I’ve seen is Daytona. I think for spectator – there is something very interesting about watching this type of race.”

Is there an audience of NASCAR fans in Japan? Should they race there again?

“I think for sure there is an opportunity. It is very different than any type of motorsport. It’s the sound. NASCAR has amazing sound. It’s amazing compared to any type of car, even Formula 1. It sounds noisy, but it’s one of the greatest sounds. When you are watching them race that close to the wall, it’s something that is hard to believe. I’m impressed. When you look at older sportscars, it’s hard to define the noise. If you bring it to Japan, I think people will be impressed with the sound. There’s a big opportunity to bring NASCAR to Japan. I think many people are looking forward to watching the Cup car.”

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.

Troubling Concerns Autonomous Cars Will Bring to the Road

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Image by capital street fx from Pixabay

The market for self-driving cars is expected to be worth a staggering $536 billion by 2030, with experts saying at least 70% of new cars will be fitted with autonomous features by 2040. But while there are undoubtedly many reasons to invest in AV technology, such as lower emissions and better fuel efficiency, there are also concerns.

The advent of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has sparked a heated debate about their potential impact on road safety. While proponents tout the technology’s promise of reducing accidents caused by human error, recent incidents have raised troubling concerns about the performance of driverless cars in real-world situations.

AV Accident Stats

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows there were 11 fatalities in a four-month period in 2022, with 9.1 crashes per million miles. On the face of it, that’s a relatively low number, but it’s important to remember that autonomous vehicles are relatively new, so there are not that many of them out there yet. Once autonomous vehicles become more mainstream on US roads, the number of accidents is likely to rise. 

Collision Hotspots in Missouri

There were 991 motor vehicle accident fatalities in Missouri in 2023, with Jackson County the worst crash hotspot, closely followed by St Louis and Green County. Drivers aged 30-29 are most at risk, and when it comes to distracted driving, males are disproportionately to blame for accidents.

Autonomous vehicles significantly reduce the risk of accidents caused by driver error, but this doesn’t mean they are completely safe. 

Uncertain Safety Standards

While proponents claim that AVs eliminate the risk of human error, the evidence on their safety is far from conclusive. According to a New York Times reporter, “We don’t know yet whether it’s safer than a human driver.”

However, data from Waymo and Cruise’s operations – the two leading self-driving car operators –  suggests that their vehicles may be safer than human drivers. Over roughly 6 million miles of driving, the two companies reported 102 crashes, equivalent to one crash for every 60,000 miles driven – approximately five years of driving for a typical human motorist.

Regulatory Challenges

While regulatory oversight is crucial for ensuring the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles, there is a delicate balance to be struck. Overly restrictive regulations could stifle innovation and delay the widespread adoption of a technology that has the potential to save lives by reducing human-caused accidents.

Legal Implications

If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident with an autonomous vehicle, it is crucial to seek legal counsel from an experienced lawyer. According to Stephen Schultz, a Columbia car accident attorney, the complexities surrounding liability and accountability in such cases can be daunting, and you may be entitled to compensation for injuries, damages, or losses incurred.

As the adoption of autonomous vehicles accelerates, it is imperative that policymakers, technology companies, and the public work together to address the troubling concerns surrounding their performance on public roads. While the potential benefits of this revolutionary technology are undeniable, ensuring the highest standards of safety must be the top priority. Only through rigorous testing, transparent reporting, and effective regulation can we pave the way for a future where autonomous vehicles truly enhance road safety and save lives.

STOUT LINEUP OF POTENTIAL WINNERS READY TO RUMBLE FOR FOOD CITY 500 VICTORY

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Official Release
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Last year's Night Race winner Denny Hamlin (11) may have the most momentum heading into the Food City 500, while Chase Elliott (9) wants to add a regular season victory at Thunder Valley to his 2020 All-Star victory at Bristol.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 16, 2024) – There’s an all-star cast of drivers who have proven over the years they have what it takes to get the job done at Bristol Motor Speedway.

That stout contingent of drivers will put it all on the line Sunday afternoon during the sport’s return to concrete racing in the springtime at Bristol Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m., FOX, PRN Radio).

Perhaps first in line among the pre-race favorites to win the legendary Food City 500 is Christopher Bell, who won here last spring on the Bristol dirt in the final year of a three-year run on the clay that took the sport back to its roots around NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.

Bell has proven over the years he knows the preferred line around the .533-mile bullring that’s been called the “Holy Grail of Short Tracks”. He took the win on the dirt but the Oklahoma native feels just as confident on the Bristol concrete, having posted finishes of third and fourth the last two seasons at America’s Night Race.

“I love racing Bristol,” Bell said recently. “It’s literally my favorite race on the schedule. I’m very thankful we get to go twice this year. It’s a track we have excelled at the last couple of times we have been there – we’ve been close.”

Another top contender is looking for a little payback from Bristol after getting knocked out of the playoffs last year in a mid-race crash. Joey Logano has won enough at Bristol on both dirt and concrete to be reckoned with and he will be looking to add another famed BMS Gladiator Sword to his collection if he can keep his No. 22 Penske machine out of trouble.

“The track always changes from what you have there in practice and qualifying to what you have by the end of the race so it’s always cool,” said Logano, who won the Night race in 2014 and 2015 and claimed the inaugural Food City Dirt Race there in 2021. “I like Bristol, it’s my favorite track. I love going there and having that great stadium environment with the fans right there on top of you. It’s always a tough, grueling 500 laps around there.”

Last year’s Night Race winner Denny Hamlin feels like he might have a leg up on the competition if he goes back to last September’s setup and continues to keep the crowd upset if he can “beat all their favorite drivers” like he famously said following his win six months ago.

Hamlin will try to capture his fourth Bristol victory at the controls of his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing machine and first in the Food City 500. He says the fans always get him revved up inside ‘The Last Great Colosseum.’

“The energy is why I love this track,” Hamlin has said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s cheers or boos, you’ve earned the right to be on that stage for that given moment… But to have just the electricity, that’s fun. It’s really fun in NASCAR to have that many passionate fans one way or another. That’s good for our sport.”

And last but not least of the highlighted pre-race favorites is Kyle Busch, who is the active win leader at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile with nine Bristol Cup Series victories, including eight on concrete and one on dirt. All of those wins came in a Toyota. He drives the No. 8 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing now and is no doubt champing at the bit to try and grab another Food City 500 victory, since his last one came way back in April 2019.

Busch will try to sweep the race weekend in a double as he is also entered in the No. 7 Chevy Silverado in the WEATHER GUARD Truck Race on Saturday night. Busch is the only driver in NASCAR history to ever sweep a triple at a race and he accomplished that feat twice at Bristol, in 2010 and 2017.

“I love Bristol,” Busch said. “Bristol is always fun and has got more challenging over the years, and it’s a little bit difficult to pass there now. The challenge there is the amount of banking and the load you see there. There’s just no time to relax and rest and that just wears on you lap after lap after lap, the repetitious nature of it. It’s been a while since I have been able to race the Truck race there and I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a truck at Bristol.”

The list to watch also includes defending Cup Series champ Ryan Blaney, who is seeking his first Bristol win in the Cup Series, multi-time Bristol winner Brad Keselowski, recent Night Race winner Chris Buescher, and the Hendrick Motorsports tandem of Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron, who are all three always a major threat to win at Bristol.

A trio of rookies also will take their turn at trying to join the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt, in the record book as a rookie that was able to win at Bristol Motor Speedway. So far Earnhardt’s amazing effort in 1979 has stood the test of time, but the talented trio of Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith will give it a shot this season to try and join the NASCAR icon as the second rookie to accomplish the feat.

The Bristol race weekend also will feature Saturday afternoon’s (March 16) Bush’s Beans Practice and Bush’s Beans Qualifying for both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will set the starting lineups for each race and precede Saturday night’s WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race.

In addition to Busch and fellow Cup regular Zane Smith, a host of tough NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stars will battle in the Truck race, including Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger, Nick Sanchez, Las Vegas winner Rajah Caruth, Corey Heim, Ty Dillon and Christian Eckes, among others. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 8 p.m. ET for the 250-lap thriller (FS1, MRN Radio).

To purchase tickets for the Food City 500 or the WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race, please visit the BMS website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 converted to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

Cadillac locks out front-row starting spots

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Official Release
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No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R grabs pole at Sebring; No. 01 Cadillac second

SEBRING, Fla. (March 15, 2024) – For the second consecutive race and the second year in a row at Sebring International Raceway, Cadillac Racing secured the front-row staring spots.

Cadillac Racing earned its 25th pole award in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototype competition since 2017 as Pipo Derani topped Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) qualifying for the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac. That total includes five at Sebring International Raceway.

Derani, the reigning IMSA GTP champion, toured the demanding 3.741-mile, 17-turn course in 1 minute, 48.152 seconds to pace the 10-car field. The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Sebastien Bourdais, qualified second with a best lap of 1:48.299 during the scheduled 15-minute afternoon session that was interrupted by a red flag. The field had 4:04 after the stoppage to put in their best laps.

“Congratulations to the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R on securing pole position in qualifying for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac,” said John Roth, global vice president of Cadillac. “We are excited to get back on the track and compete for the overall win this weekend.”

Derani was also the pole sitter for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in late January and Bourdais was close behind in second. It is also the same order as the 2023 race.

“It is a good start for the race, but it’s a long race,” said Derani, who will share driving duties with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist.

Notables

  • Cadillac has won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring the past three years and five times since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017.
  • Derani is a four-time winner of the race.
  • The race will mark the 100th IMSA start for Renger van der Zande, co-driver of the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R with Scott Dixon and Bourdais. He has at least one victory in each of his 10 IMSA seasons.
  • The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R leads the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup standings after the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
  • Bourdais holds the Sebring circuit lap record of 1:45.166 (128.025 mph) set on March 18, 2022, in the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R during qualifications.

Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming coverage beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, March 16. USA Network’s telecast is from 4-10 p.m. IMSA Radio’s race broadcast begins at 9:30 a.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com along with Sirius channel 211, XM 207, Web/App 996, at the track at 100.9 FM, and Sebring station 99.1 FM).

An interview with Pipo Derani (drove No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R in qualifying; best lap of 1:48.152; starts first)

Tell us about qualifying. How is it shaping up for tomorrow?

“It was a difficult qualifying session. It’s never easy when you have a red flag situation and you have to put the lap in. I was told over the radio that I could potentially have a second flying lap if I pushed. So, I obviously pushed but I was way too close for comfort to the No. 40 Acura. I was able to put the lap in but was a little bit disrupted because it wasn’t such a clean lap because he made a few mistakes in front of me, so I lost a little bit of time trying to control that distance to make sure I guaranteed a lap in case I didn’t have a second one. For sure, there’s more from the lap time. It wasn’t a perfect lap because of those things I said. Nevertheless, it was enough to be on pole. It’s never the nicest way to get a pole – for the grid – when you know that no one was able to achieve the full potential of their cars. Nevertheless, it’s still the same for everyone. You still have to put a lap in. You make no mistakes in such a pressure situation. I was able to extract to a certain extent enough out of the car that was good enough for pole. Very hot conditions, which makes it even more interesting how you operate the tires. It’s a tricky situation.”

Where to you think the Cadillac is best around the track?

“I don’t think there’s a place where it’s stronger. If you look at the DPi era, I think the car was better throughout the race. I think in GTP the Cadillac seems to be, at least here in Sebring, very positive on the heat of the day compared to the others. We tend to lose a little bit that advantage at night, I believe. Last year we saw Acura and Porsche very strong at the end. We restarted first and we lost some of that edge that we had throughout the day. We led a bunch of the race last year, but at the end we weren’t as competitive as in the beginning. It’s an area that as a team we’ve been working on from last year to try and improve. Obviously also last year at the very beginning of the race I had a contact with a P3 car that spun right in front of me, which damaged the floor of the car. We as a team are not sure how much of that damage influenced the end of the race. I think my honest opinion is that it’s not a matter of having a part of the track that it’s better for us, it’s more a matter of how the tire is reacting to the temperature. It still remains to be seen if a good car without any damage, if we are as strong as we were during the day, at night. Obviously the 01 didn’t get to the end of the race last year. It’s a bit of a question mark on that point. I would say it’s more temperature related as to a specific part of the track itself.”

How difficult is it to put in a flying lap in a short session?

“Well, the reality is that it’s the same for everyone. It’s not like there was someone who had put a lap in and then all the others were just basically waiting. In the end of the day, when you think of it this way, you just got to go and do the best you can. I honestly don’t feel much pressure in those situations. I feel like I handle it quite well. At the end of the day sometimes it’s better to be a bit on the conservative side and put a lap in than try a little bit over and make a mistake. In our car, I went out with a set of tires, had a red flag. I asked the team to change the tires and go with another new set, which was a risk because we didn’t know how much time the red flag was still going to be on. As you guys saw, as we went out, the 40 car, I think he kept the warm tires from the previous run, so he overtook me on cold tires. That’s the only situation where in that situation you don’t really know whether you’re going to have enough time to get the tire ready to do the lap. I think what helped us is it’s really hot out there and it helped us to bring the tires in a different way on the out-lap so that they were ready. That’s not always the case. It could in a much cooler condition be disruptive to one team or another because you might make the wrong choice whether you keep or not the tires, then you don’t have enough time to have them in the right window for a lap. I like pressure situations like that. I was happy to be able to put the lap in.”

Did you use three sets of tires?

“No, I went out on one, then as we came into the pit for the red flag, I asked them to change.”

What are track conditions like?

“I think the whole weekend the track is not as quick as last year. At Sebring, it’s quite usual to see that happen. Sometimes even during the day there’s periods of the day where you’re much quicker than others. Especially compared to when we were here a month ago during private testing, we were quicker than we are now. It’s just the condition that we have right now I think is a track condition and not cars. I would say, let’s say, if I had a perfect lap, it’s hard to say, but you could possibly be 4/10ths quicker than what I was, which would still be, if I’m not wrong, far from the pole position last year.”

Sebastien Bourdais (drove the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in qualifying; best lap of 1:48.299; starts second): “It was a bit of a longshot (for pole) with the pit position we had. Couldn’t really put any heat in the tires on the second attempt (after red flag) and started the lap in the tail of the 10 (car). There really wasn’t any gap for me and the Lambo started to check up before the last corner and I knew I had to do the last corner somewhat quick and I ended up really close to the 10, but there was nowhere else to go. Just a shame that they put the red flag on us just before I could complete the first timed lap. That would have been enough for pole. We’ll take out second and go from there.”

Celebrating 50 years

The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R has a special gold Mobil 1 livery for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac, celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary. ·Mobil 1 is the factory fill for all Cadillac CTV-5 Blackwing production cars, and has been available to customers in GM dealerships since 1986.

Media resources

  • Event guide: Cadillac storylines, bios, stats and more * Wins: Cadillac Racing results 2023-2017 at Sebring. * 2024 so far: Cadillac IMSA GTP statistics. * On-track photos: The Sebring race weekend

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cadillac V-Series

In addition to being the presenting sponsor of the main event, Cadillac is the Official Luxury Vehicle of Sebring International Raceway and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its V-Series sub-brand that was unveiled during the Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Spectators have the opportunity to see the exciting roster of Cadillac vehicles, including the award-winning CT5-V Blackwing and Cadillac Escalade, at the Cadillac display in the Fan Zone Saturday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

NHRA RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS FOR FIRST FOUR-WIDE EVENT OF 2024 SEASON

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Official Release
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LAS VEGAS (March 15, 2024) – A definite highlight for every NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series driver and fan is the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, which returns to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway April 12-14 for the unique four-wide drag racing spectacular.

As an added bonus, the event will host the first-ever four-wide Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which brings competitive racing to the Saturday schedule. Introduced last year, the Saturday specialty event puts a bonus purse and bonus championship points on the line. It will debut at the Four-Wide race in Las Vegas for the first time in 2024, with four standouts aiming for the Challenge victory to close out qualifying on Saturday in each professional category (Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock).

That leads directly into Sunday eliminations, giving fans non-stop action all weekend in Las Vegas as NHRA’s fiercest competitors prepare for the ultimate test of skill and performance at the 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. The race is the fourth race on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit and promises to deliver all the wild, incredible action only a four-wide race can deliver.

The 2023 event saw Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) take home the coveted NHRA Wally trophies and this season’s race will again be broadcasted on FS1, including eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14, showcasing all the entertainment from Las Vegas.

Brown, a three-time NHRA world champion, took home his sixth Las Vegas victory last season when he bested a quad of Steve Torrence, Brittany Force and Josh Hart in the final round. To repeat his win, he’ll need to past the field of Top Fuel competitors including Shawn Langdon, who kicked off the season with a win in Gainesville, reigning champion Doug Kalitta, Billy Torrence and Mike Salinas. Also joining the Top Fuel ranks this season is motorsports legend and NHRA team owner Tony Stewart, who won the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals last season in the Top Alcohol Dragster division.

In the Funny Car category, Hagan picked up his fifth Las Vegas win when he took out Tim Wilkerson, John Force and Chad Green. Hagan went on to claim the Funny Car championship last season – the first title for Tony Stewart Racing – giving him four NHRA world titles. This season he’ll be up against the likes of Gainesville winner J.R. Todd, Austin Prock, who moved over to the Funny Car ranks this season, Bob Tasca III, Daniel Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and three-time world champ Ron Capps.

Pro Stock standout Glenn took home his second Las Vegas win last season after defeating a foursome that also included Troy Coughlin Jr., Cristian Cuadra and Deric Kramer in the finals. In the fight at this season’s race will be reigning champion Erica Enders, who is the winningest NHRA racer at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with 10 wins to her credit. Also in the mix will be multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr., who returned to full-time racing this season.

The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top racers in the country. Also on deck will be Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, while a special jet car exhibition featuring the “Muy Caliente” and the “Iceman” jet dragsters will follow the conclusion of nitro qualifying each day as well.

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into the nitro pits. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more.

Race fans at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners of the first four-wide race of the season.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Las Vegas. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT on Friday, April 12, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 13 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 14. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 11:00 p.m. ET on both Friday and Saturday on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), leading into eliminations coverage at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at FS1.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Young’s Motorsports Bristol Motor Speedway Spring Truck Series Team Preview

By
Official Release
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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway | WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol

Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Mason Massey
Primary Partner(s): Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc.
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
2024 Driver Points Position: 21st
2024 Owner Points Position: 26th
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Welcome To The Team: In February, Young’s Motorsports announced that Mason Massey will compete full-time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series this season aboard the team’s flagship, No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST continuing with Saturday night’s WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Massey arrives at Young’s Motorsports after running a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule last season for SS-GreenLight Racing, including a top-10 performance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Douglasville, Ga. native started his 2023 Truck Series season with Reaume Brothers Racing and competed in seven races with a season-high 11th place finish at Texas Motor Speedway, but later shifted his presence to Xfinity for five races throughout the 33-race season.

About Mason: Massey has over 20 years of experience behind the wheel, launching his racing career at age five. Since then, he has garnered over 200 feature wins, 11 championships, and 10 track records across multiple series, including the U.S. Legends Pro National Championship.

Amongst the many Late Model victories to Massey’s credit during his tenure in the Bill Elliott Racing Development Program is the 2012 triumph in the Alabama 200. He eventually graduated to NASCAR in 2019, competing in the Truck Series before advancing to the Xfinity Series in 2020.

After part-time Xfinity stints in 2020 and 2021, respectively, the Georgian captured the attention of many with an impressive sixth-place finish in the spring 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series contest at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in front of the hometown crowd.

With 32 more NASCAR starts to his resume since his first career NASCAR top-10 effort, Massey has landed with Young’s Motorsports, a longtime fixture in the Truck Series, hoping to impress and land the organization back in Victory Lane this season.

All-Aboard!: For the fourth of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Young’s Building Systems and Randco Industries Inc. will serve as the co-primary marketing partners on the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 250-lap race on Saturday night.

Since 1981, Young’s Building Systems has been providing West Texas with all their metal building needs. This family-owned and operated business has become an industry favorite due to the experience gained and the professional results completed. Young’s Building System is a division of Randco Industries, Inc. We have expanded into a company that has the ability to erect any type of building, from a small single story to a city high-rise.

Our customers have multiple uses for our buildings, including commercial, residential, agricultural, industrial, skid-mounted buildings, and compressor station buildings. We also have a team that specializes in stairs and railings of all shapes and sizes. Young’s Building Systems is fully insured for your peace of mind so we carry workmen’s compensation and general liability that go above and beyond State requirements.

Our company is fully equipped with moving and lifting equipment along with compressors, generators and welding equipment. We have the tools and equipment needed to support large, demanding projects. Our work ethic is based on the principles of quality, promptness, and customer experience.

Young’s Building Systems approaches each job with the mindset. We continuously raise our standard of excellence and work hard to make sure that each and every one of your needs are met.

Longtime Massey supporters BRUNT Workwear and Anderson Power Services will serve as associate partners for the series’ first of two trips to the Thunder Valley in 2024.

Mason Massey Truck Series Bristol Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday night’s rumble will mark Massey’s inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race at the 0.533-mile speedway on concrete.

Previously, the Georgian has competed at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, but the track was in the dirt mode configuration.

Massey, however, also holds two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for B.J. McLeod Motorsports and DGM Racing, respectively.

In 2021, Massey’s Xfinity track-best finish was 30th after starting 34th in the Cheddar’s 300 presented by Alsco.

Mason Massey Truck Series Career Stats: Entering Bristol, Massey has 17 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races to his credit, earning a career-best 11th place finish at Texas Motor Speedway after starting 27th in the SpeedyCash.com 250 for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Since 2019, he has carried an average finish of 24.9.

Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway | Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 Race Recap: In the third race of the 2024 Truck Series, Young’s Motorsports and Massey searched for another solid finish in Sin City.

Massey was able to have a productive night under the Las Vegas spotlight, qualifying his No. 02 Anderson Power Services Chevrolet Silverado on time with hopes to maneuver forward during the 134-lap race.

Steadily moving forward and continuing to work on the balance of his truck, Massey was able to climb from his 29th-place starting position and gamble during a fuel mileage race in Stage 3 – controlling the Truck Series field for six laps before having to pit for a splash of fuel in the closing laps of the race.

Massey returned to the track for a respectable 21st-place finish.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Bristol Motor Speedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 23rd NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

The organization posted a team-best finish of 14th at the track on August 16, 2018, with dirt standout Tanner Thorson at the wheel in the 2018 UNOH 200.

Since 2012, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 23.9 and an average finish of 24.8 in 22 Bristol Motor Speedway starts overall.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 475 starts from 59 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.8 and an average finishing position of 21.9.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Mason Massey, please visit masonmassey.com, like him on Facebook (Mason Massey Racing), and follow him on Instagram (@mason_massey) and X |Twitter (@mason_massey).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Mason Massey Pre-Race Quote:

On Bristol Motor Speedway: “Bristol is a place that I’ve circled for a few weeks. Qualifying is going to be super important, and that’s something I’ve been focusing on over the off-weekend.

“We’ve done a good job so far getting the best finishes and finding a good balance on the truck throughout the race. I think we can keep that going on Saturday night with our No. 02 Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Chevrolet Silverado RST!”

Race Information:

The WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol (250 laps | 133.25 miles) is the fourth of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2024 schedule. A fifteen-minute practice is slated for Sat., March 16, beginning at 3:00 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 3:40 p.m. The field will take the green flag later that night, shortly after 8:00 p.m., with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

Connor Zilisch to Pilot Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy Silverado in Select NCTS Races

By
Official Release
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17-Year-Old Prodigy Joins All-Star Lineup

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 15, 2024) – Today, Spire Motorsports announced Connor Zilisch will make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) debut in next weekend’s XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

In addition to next weekend’s 42-lapper at the 3.14-mile Austin, Texas road course, Zilisch will be at the controls of the No. 7 Chevy Silverado later this season at Talladega Superspeedway. Additionally, Spire Motorsports will coordinate a separate entry for Zilisch at the October 27 NCTS playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Zilisch, 17, is an accomplished karting and road racer who, most notably, was part of Era Motorsport’s LMP2 class win at the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, making him the second-youngest driver, ever, to win the iconic race. He is a 10-time Trans-Am TA2 class race winner and a central component of Trackhouse Racing’s driver development program.

“I can’t wait to make my NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas, as well as other select races with Spire Motorsports this year,” said Zilisch. “Spire has obviously had a lot of success already this year, so I know that I’m getting into winning equipment. I’ve been doing a lot of preparation for COTA, and I feel that it’s a track that suits my style. I can’t wait to get to work with these guys and hopefully get my No. 7 Austin Hatcher Foundation Chevy Silverado to Victory Lane.”

The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, through the generosity and support of Hixon Motor Sports, will serve as Zilisch’s primary sponsor for all three races.

The Mooresville, N.C., native is the 2022 Mazda MX-5 championship runner-up where he also claimed rookie-of-the-year honors for Hixon Motor Sports. The Trackhouse Racing development driver made his ARCA Menards Series debut last season at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International where he led 34 of the race’s 42 laps before securing an impressive runner-up finish.

The Austin Hatcher Foundation is a leading nonprofit organization committed to helping families impacted by childhood cancer at no cost, for the entire family’s entire lifetime. The Foundation provides comprehensive, coordinated care through evidence-based therapies, counseling, family programs, grief groups, educational resources and more, fostering resilience and hope for families. The Foundation’s focus not only assists families coping in the present, but helps them thrive in the future following a childhood cancer diagnosis.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Spire Motorsports in a couple different ways,” said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt. “We’re thrilled to have Connor Zilisch drive the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado this season, but separately, we’re looking forward to working closely with our friends at Chevrolet and Trackhouse Racing to help Connor get some vital seat time. Connor is an exceptionally talented young racer whose credentials speak for themselves. It’s almost hard to get your arms around how accomplished he really is, given that he’s just 17-years-old. Based on what he’s done already, we expect Connor to be a key contributor as we race for a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner’s championship.”

The XPEL 225 from Circuit of the Americas will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, March 23, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The fifth of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer …
The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is a leading nonprofit organization committed to helping families impacted by childhood cancer at no cost, for the entire family’s entire lifetime. The Foundation provides comprehensive, coordinated care through evidence-based therapies, counseling, family programs, grief groups, educational resources and more, fostering resilience and hope for families. The Foundation’s focus not only assists families coping in the present, but helps them thrive in the future following a childhood cancer diagnosis.

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.

Weekend schedule for Bristol Motor Speedway

By
Angie Campbell
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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Direct Toyota, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 Valvoline/Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 16, 2023 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and the Craftsman Truck Series head to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend while the Xfinity Series enjoys a week off from competition.

Expect Cup Series qualifying to be intense as 78% of the Cup races at Bristol have been won by drivers starting 10th or better. Busch Light Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, March 16 at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Kyle Busch will have a busy weekend as he will also compete in the Truck Series event on Saturday, driving the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet entry as a prelude to the Cup Series race on Sunday. Busch holds the Truck Series qualifying record at Bristol (91.919 mph on 08/21/2014), has won the most poles (4), the most top-fives (7) and has the most wins (5).

NASCAR Press Pass will be available post-practice and qualifying.

All times are Eastern.

Saturday, March 16
3 p.m.: Truck Series Practice – FS1/SiriusXM
Group 1: 15 Minutes – Group 2: 15 Minutes
3:40 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1/SiriusXM
All Entries: Single Vehicle/2 Laps (Impound)

5 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1/PRN/SiriusXM
Group A: 20 Minutes – Group B: 20 Minutes
5:50 p.m.: Qualifying FS1/PRN/SiriusXM
Group A & B: Single Vehicle/2 Laps/2 Rounds (Impound)

8 p.m.: Weather Guard Truck Race – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Distance: 133.25 miles (250 Laps)
Stages end on Laps 65, 130, 250
Purse: $761,274

Sunday, March 17
3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Food City 500 – FOX/PRN/SiriusXM
Distance: 266.5 miles (500 laps)
Stages end on Laps 125, 250, 500
Purse: $8,182,531

CARUTH CARRIES MOMENTUM INTO WEATHER GUARD TRUCK RACE AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
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Rajah Caruth is one of the favorites to win Saturday night's WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 14, 2024) – Rajah Caruth became NASCAR’s most recent major headliner two weeks ago in Las Vegas, scoring a victory and becoming the third black driver in the sport’s history to win a national series race. The popular rising star in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series received a reported 600 congratulatory texts from friends, teammates and family members.

With his dominating win in the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts, Caruth led 38 laps at the controls of his blue and white No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevy, including the final 21, to finish .851 of a second in front of second-place finisher Tyler Ankrum.

Corey Heim, Taylor Gray and Cup Series regular Christopher Bell completed the top-five.

He admitted that hanging on in the 21 closing laps was a thrill ride and he focused on remaining calm the entire time.

“I was trying to not get excited and thinking about what we would need in case of a caution, what adjustments I would need for a short run, being in the game was my mindset in the final laps,” Caruth said. “For your first win you always hear people say you’ll feel like something’s going to go wrong, and that was true, I was hearing things hit the crush panels, my right front tire felt a little weird and I thought I felt a different vibration. Fortunately it all worked out and we will try to repeat this weekend.”

Caruth, 21, a native of Washington D.C., joins current Cup Series star Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 XI Racing Toyota and NASCAR legend Wendell Scott as the sport’s only black winners. Wallace is a two-time Cup Series winner with his most recent victory coming at Kansas Speedway in 2022, while Scott won the 1965 race in Jacksonville, Fla. Scott had a career-best finish of fifth at Bristol, coming in 1965.

Caruth got his start racing on SIMs through iRacing and virtual races and became the first driver in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program not to already have experience on an actual racetrack. He eventually started racing Legends cars on the asphalt in 2019 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Caruth had an extra week to absorb and fully process his victory and he said during that time he observed something totally different.

“One of the biggest things I’ve taken away is what that win meant to other people,”’ Caruth said. “It’s important to think how it affects you and everyone in your inner circle, like everybody at the shop and my family. Personally, I had some time off last week and think about it, but the coolest thing was seeing how it affected everyone around me.”

Caruth now will turn his attention to trying to score a victory at the .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway in Saturday night’s WEATHER GUARD Truck Race (8 p.m., FS1, MRN Radio). The 250-lap race on the all-concrete high-banks will be Caruth’s fourth Truck start at Bristol. He also has one Xfinity race under his belt at Bristol and two ARCA Menards Series races, where he finished sixth in 2021 and fourth in 2022.

In Caruth’s three previous Truck starts at Bristol he finished 34th in his first run in 2022, 11th on the Bristol Dirt in 2023 and a career-best sixth after starting fifth last September.

Caruth will need to be on his game to hold off a host of tough challengers, who have all shown they have the skills to contend for victories at Bristol, including defending series champ Ben Rhodes, UNOH 200 winner Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez, Christian Eckes, veteran driver Grant Enfinger, Ty Dillon and moonlighting Cup stars Kyle Busch and Zane Smith, among others.

“Bristol is a place I feel really good at and walk in there with a little pep in my step,” Caruth said. “It’s such a fun racetrack and I will knock on wood cause everything I’ve drove at Bristol in the past I was able to make good speed so we hope that continues on Saturday. My confidence level doesn’t mean too much cause I like to keep everything at even-keel as possible, and Bristol is a fun track and it’s fun every time we go there.”

The Bristol race weekend also will feature action in the NASCAR Cup Series with the tradition-rich Food City 500 on Sunday afternoon, March 17 (3:30 p.m., FOX and PRN Radio) with current champ Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Daytona 500 winner William Byron, Joey Logano, Atlanta winner Daniel Suarez, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin leading the way.

Bush’s Beans Practice and Bush’s Beans Qualifying for both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will set the starting lineups for each race on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. for Trucks and 5 p.m. for Cup. Bush’s Beans Practice and Bush’s Beans Qualifying will be televised on FS1.

To purchase tickets for the WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race or the Food City 500, please visit the BMS website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158. For a limited-time tickets can also be purchased at your neighborhood Food City store.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 converted to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

RCR Race Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 185 NASCAR Cup Series starts on the pavement configuration at Bristol Motor Speedway, RCR has scored nine wins, including Dale Earnhardt’s seven wins at the track (both races in 1985 and 1987, plus victories in 1988, 1994 and 1999). Kevin Harvick won in 2005, and Jeff Burton found Victory Lane for the organization in 2008. RCR has racked up 35 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes.

Successful Team Owner… Team owner Richard Childress made 19 starts at Bristol Motor Speedway as a driver. His best finish came in the 1978 Southeastern 500 (spring race) where he placed sixth after qualifying fourth. Childress racked up seven top-10 finishes at the 0.533-mile oval and completed 75.17 percent of the total possible laps in those races.

Catch the Action…The Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, March 17 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 20 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon earned his career-best third-place finish in April 2023 on the track’s dirt configuration. He has three top-10 finishes in NASCAR Cup Series competition at the track. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has nine Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile track with a win in 2016. He has also made three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Winner, Winner… Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface in 2021. He won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Team Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE®, an AstraZeneca product, at Bristol Motor Speedway. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about Austin Dillon and his family’s personal connection to the brand at Breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

Meet Austin Dillon… Fans traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend have several chances to meet the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet. Dillon is scheduled to make an appearance at the Food City Fan Stage on behalf of Coca-Cola for a Q&A session on Sunday at noon. Additionally, Dillon is scheduled to appear at 12:20 p.m. at the RCR Merchandise Hauler to greet race fans. Stop by and pick up new RCR gear.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?

“A race at Bristol Motor Speedway is always a lot of fun, especially when you are battling it out for 500 laps. It helps to get your car better handling if you can move around and try different lanes on the Bristol concrete, which has helped drivers make long green flag runs. A good pit road setup is also very important, so not having any speeding penalties and getting on and off the pit road without any problems can help you have a smoother race.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 FICO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 35th Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend (pavement races). The driver of the FICO Chevrolet leads all active drivers with eight Bristol victories: 2007 (spring), 2009 (both races), 2010 (fall), 2011 (spring), 2017 (fall), 2018 (spring) and 2019 (spring). Busch has the most top-five finishes at Bristol among active drivers (14) and leads all current drivers in laps led at Bristol (2,593). He has won two pole positions at Bristol in Cup Series competition, capturing the top starting position in the 2013 and 2018 spring races. Busch has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and five victories in the NASCAR Truck Series, giving the Las Vegas, Nev., native 22 wins at Bristol across all three NASCAR national series.

The NASCAR Hat Trick, Twice… In 2010, Busch made history at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the first driver to win all three NASCAR national series races in the same weekend. Seven years later in 2017, Busch repeated the accomplishment – again at the Last Great Colosseum – when he secured victories in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series races.

Welcome FICO… FICO, Richard Childress Racing and Kyle Busch are teaming up to raise awareness about the need for financial education. For the millions of NASCAR fans across the country, knowledge about money, financial planning, how credit works and the importance of building good financial habit are critical life skills. FICO, RCR and Kyle Busch want to share information and resources so that everyone in the NASCAR community can achieve their financial goals, such as paying for education, buying a home, or running a business.

FICO is a leading analytics software firm best known for its gold standard FICO® Score. Learn more about the FICO, RCR and Kyle Busch partnership, here: https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/fico-and-richard-childress-racing-kick-financial-and-credit-education-partnership-nascar.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What makes Bristol Motor Speedway such a tough track to win on?

“I think the toughness at Bristol is the amount of banking and the load that you see throughout the entirety of the race. There’s no time to relax. You’re really on top of it for the entire race. That’s what wears on you the most, plus the repetitious nature of these short tracks of down the straightway into the corner, down the straightaway into the corner and it never seems to stop. It makes it fun for a lot of guys and challenging for others.”

Do you feel like the days of rubbing and racing at Bristol will ever return?

“I think so. We’ve gone through so many iterations of racetrack whether it’s been the old concrete, the new concrete, and then the ground concrete, the spray down on the bottom, and then dirt. There’s been so many different ways that they’ve tried to have races there. Obviously when it comes down to the end and a race win is on the line and there’s somebody in the way, you’ve got to make it happen.”

Do you think drivers will be more aggressive in the Bristol spring race versus the September Playoff race?

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t think you’ll really see much of a different race, actually. We’re all trying to go out there and get the best possible finish that we can. We want those stage points and we want those stage wins in order to get those Playoff points. I think you’ll see a lot of the same things that we typically see with different strategies playing out: guys taking two tires, some staying out trying to maximize track position and get out front. Those are all the keys of what’s going to make a race at Bristol.”

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