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Station Wagon vs SUV: How To Decide Which To Buy

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Photo by Maksym Tymchyk 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

Choosing between an SUV and a station wagon can be tough. Both types of vehicles offer a lot, depending on what you need and prefer. In recent years, SUVs and crossover SUVs have become very popular. They are loved for many of the same reasons station wagons were popular in the past. 

People like having plenty of space, the ability to drive in different weather conditions, and the sense of safety they get from driving a bigger car. Even though station wagons are no longer as popular as they used to be, they still offer many great features. In this article, we will go over several of the things to keep in mind when deciding whether to buy an SUV or a station wagon. 

Practical comparisons

There are a few practical considerations when deciding between the two types of vehicles. You should first consider how much space you need and the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. SUVs often offer ample interior space, which is great for families who need to carry strollers, sports equipment, or groceries. 

Station wagons, though smaller, usually have more cargo space. They can be just as good for families, travelers, and outdoorsy types who need to transport their gear. For instance, a visit to Wolfe Chevrolet Edmonton can show you just how versatile and spacious a modern station wagon can be.

Fuel efficiency is another important factor. Station wagons tend to be more fuel-efficient than SUVs. This is because they are generally lighter and more aerodynamic. Over time, choosing a more fuel-efficient vehicle, such as a station wagon, can save you significant money on gas. However, some modern SUVs are designed to be more fuel-efficient than older models. 

Performance factors

There are two distinct performance experiences for the two vehicle types. The shape and size of each make their handling very different. 

SUVs, being larger and often heavier, handle differently compared to station wagons. This size difference means SUVs might not handle as adeptly in tight spaces or during quick turns. 

Station wagons, on the other hand, tend to be lower to the ground and lighter, which can lead to a smoother ride in everyday driving conditions. They often feel more like driving a car than a large vehicle, making them a good choice for those who want a vehicle that’s easy to maneuver in city traffic and parking situations.

In bad weather, such as heavy rain and snow, SUVs may have the edge. Many models offer four-wheel or all-wheel drive, providing better traction and stability on challenging surfaces.

This makes SUVs a popular choice for outdoorsy types who need a vehicle that can handle dirt roads, steep inclines, and other rough terrain. Station wagons can still perform well in various weather conditions, especially if they come with all-wheel drive. However, they might not be the best choice for serious off-road driving.

Lifestyle considerations

When choosing between an SUV and a station wagon, where you live and what your lifestyle is can influence your decision. For city dwellers, navigating narrow streets and finding parking can be a challenge. This makes a station wagon the better option in this situation. Its smaller size and car-like handling make it easier to fit into tight parking spots and maneuver through busy urban streets. 

In suburban areas or the countryside, where roads are wider and parking is less of a hassle, an SUV might be more suitable. Its larger size and higher seating position give drivers a better view of the road. 

SUVs are often the go-to for those who love to camp or need to haul sports equipment, thanks to their cargo space and ability to handle unpaved roads. The ability to pack in camping gear, bicycles, or even a small boat makes SUVs a favorite among outdoorsy types.

On the other hand, station wagons shouldn’t be overlooked for road trips and light camping adventures. Their spacious rear cargo area can easily accommodate luggage, camping gear, and more, while providing a more fuel-efficient, comfortable ride over long distances. 

To help you choose the best vehicle for your needs, you can use an economy fuel cost calculator to estimate consumption based on your specific trips and total kilometers.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you have to think about what you really need. The right choice is the one that fits best with your everyday life and makes you happy. Think about what you need in a car and what you like about it. 

Once you’ve chosen your dream car, some thoughtful little accessories can greatly enhance the driving experience, and Custom Keychains Canada is one such option. Imagine walking towards your car with a meticulously crafted keychain in hand; it’s like a unique emotional bond between you and your vehicle.

You can incorporate patterns representing your personality, your name, or car-related elements into it, making this small keychain truly one-of-a-kind. Not only will it be easily recognizable among many keys, making it convenient to find, but it will also bring a personalized sense of ritual every time you open your car door. Visit gsjj.ca to quickly customize your ideal keychain.

Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe Bristol Advance

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Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Bristol Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Food City 500 (Round 5 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 17
● Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: .533-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 500 laps/266.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 125 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 250 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe enters the high banks of Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on a high after scoring his highest finish of the season last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Briscoe wheeled his No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse to a strong ninth-place drive in the 312-lap race around the 1-mile desert oval, putting the Mitchell, Indiana, native at .500 for the year when it comes to top-10 finishes. Briscoe scored a 10th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 and, four races into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, Briscoe is 19th in the championship standings.

● For the last three years, the spring race at Bristol has been on dirt. The track’s iconic concrete was covered with more than 23,000 cubic yards of red clay that weighed roughly 30,000 tons, or in American measurement, the equivalent of two Brooklyn Bridges. For many NASCAR Cup Series drivers, competing on dirt was a bridge too far, but not for Briscoe. The 29-year-old is a third-generation racer whose career began on dirt tracks in and around his home state of Indiana. Since he was 13, Briscoe has followed in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps, racing sprint cars on the rough-and-tumble bullrings of the Midwest. It wasn’t until 2014 that a 19-year-old Briscoe moved to North Carolina to pursue a career in stock car racing.

● So how does one go from rural dirt tracks in the middle of the country to the gleaming palaces of speed that comprise the NASCAR Cup Series? Briscoe volunteered in race shops before landing the chance to pilot an ARCA Menards Series entry for Briggs Cunningham III for two races in 2015. Briscoe parlayed that opportunity into a fulltime ride for 2016, winning six races and the championship before advancing to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2017 with Brad Keselowski Racing. After winning the Truck Series Rookie of the Year award, a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule followed in 2018 with Stewart-Haas Racing and Roush Fenway Racing. Briscoe earned his first career win with Stewart-Haas at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. He then competed fulltime in the Xfinity Series with Stewart-Haas in 2019 and 2020, qualifying for the NASCAR Playoffs both seasons. After advancing to the championship round with a series-leading nine wins in 2020, Briscoe was promoted to the Cup Series as the driver of the No. 14 Ford Mustang for the 2021 season. He went on to claim the Cup Series Rookie of the Year title and promptly backed up that award by winning his first Cup Series race on March 13, 2022 at Phoenix in just his 40th career start. The victory secured Briscoe’s place in the NASCAR Playoffs and earned him the honor of being the 200th Cup Series winner in NASCAR history.

● With the Bristol spring race now back to its traditional concrete surface, Briscoe is not lamenting the loss of dirt around the .533-mile oval. In fact, its traditional layout harkens back to two other high-banked tracks Briscoe competed on as he climbed the racing ladder to the NASCAR Cup Series. Salem Speedway and Winchester Speedway, both in Indiana, provided Briscoe with a hint of what throttling around Bristol’s 28 degrees of banking would be like. Salem is a .555-mile oval with 33 degrees of banking and Winchester is a half-mile oval with 37 degrees of banking. Briscoe made three ARCA Menards Series starts at Salem and one at Winchester. In his three starts at Salem between 2015 and 2016, Briscoe won two poles (April and September 2016), led a total of 155 laps, and scored two finishes of sixth or better, with his best result being fifth in his debut at the track in 2015. In his lone ARCA race at Winchester in 2016, Briscoe dominated by winning the pole, leading the most laps (142 of 200) and winning the race by 1.132 seconds.

● The Food City 500 Sunday at Bristol will mark Briscoe’s fourth career NASCAR Cup Series start on the track’s concrete surface. He has two top-15 results, with his best drive coming in his first Cup Series start at Bristol – 13th, earned in September 2021.

● In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where Briscoe competed from 2018 through 2020 before earning his promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series, Bristol was one of Briscoe’s best tracks. He made six Xfinity Series starts at the track and, in his last four starts, Briscoe never finished worse than fourth. In fact, he capped off his Xfinity Series career at Bristol in the best way possible – with a win. Briscoe won the 2020 Food City 300 in September, vanquishing the back-to-back runner-up finishes he earned in his two prior starts at Bristol in August 2019 and June 2020.

● Briscoe competed at Bristol for the first time in 2017 when he drove a Ford F-150 for Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Briscoe acquitted himself well, qualifying 15th and finishing 12th. It remains his only Truck Series start at Bristol.

● Mahindra Ag North America is in its third year as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team after extending its partnership with Stewart-Haas during the offseason. The multiyear agreement with the NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas continues to feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra offers a range of tractor models from 20-75 horsepower, implements, and the ROXOR heavy-duty UTV. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra Tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Are you happy to see the spring Bristol race return to concrete, or are you one of the guys who enjoyed the dirt race?

“I’m all about just going to Bristol, in general, but I definitely loved the dirt race. I feel like the Cup Series needs to have at least one dirt race. Truthfully, the first year was not the greatest race, but the last two years I thought was a really, really good race. I was kind of bummed to see it leave. That was obviously a race I always looked forward to and one that felt like I could go to and run up front at every year we did it. It’s kind of bittersweet getting rid of it, but at the same time, Bristol on the concrete is always one of the more fun races on the schedule. Maybe one day we can go back to dirt racing, but, yeah, I’m definitely going to miss it. ”

Does dirt racing have a place on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule? If so, where would you go?

“I definitely think we have to have a dirt race, for sure. You just look at the Cup Series and every driver in the Cup Series is either a dirt guy, a short-track guy, or a road-course guy. The road-course guys and the short-track guys get to go back to their roots and the dirt guys don’t get to. I just feel like, from a motorsports perspective, having the Cup Series go to the dirt is a big thing. That crossover, it gets NASCAR fans interested in dirt racing and dirt-racing fans interested in NASCAR. I feel like it’s something that we need to do, now where we take that race, I don’t know. I feel like Eldora is the best place to do it. From a racetrack standpoint, there are a lot of other variables obviously that go into hosting a Cup race, but they’ve proven that the Truck Series can put on an incredible race there. I think the Cup Series can put on an awesome race there, too. I just feel like that racetrack and how it’s laid out just races really, really well with our style of racecars. Yeah, if I’d have to pick one place, I’d have to pick Eldora.”

We’ve talked about how different the current Cup car is to an Xfinity Series car, but with six Xfinity Series starts at Bristol – your last of which ended in victory lane – do you feel you have a good handle on the racetrack despite limited Cup experience on Bristol’s concrete?

“I don’t know. I feel like Bristol is one of those places you never really feel like you have it conquered, by any means. I’ve been able to have speed there in the past. The Xfinity car and the Cup car definitely race totally differently around Bristol. But I feel like I’ve always had speed at Bristol, I just haven’t been able to put the whole race together, especially on the Cup side. I definitely have struggled to get a good finish there even when we’ve had speed. Physically, it’s probably the most demanding race of the year, and going there twice will certainly add to the physical side. But I feel like it’s one of my more favorite racetracks that we go to. I always look forward to going there and having a lot of fun when I’m there. I just need to obviously find that little bit more. I feel like I understand it 90 percent, I just have to find that other 10 percent.”

Bristol is a tough place, period. It’s an even tougher place to win. How satisfying was your Xfinity Series win at Bristol in September 2020, which came during COVID?

“It was a super-cool race. That was one of my favorite races we won that year. That was honestly the only race that had fans during COVID and I just remember how cool it was that I was finally able to celebrate one of those wins with fans. I hadn’t been able to do that all year long. Any racecar driver, they want to win at Bristol. We talk about driver’s racetracks, and when you look at the list of guys who have won there, it’s a really special list to be on. To walk out of there with a sword is a super-cool thing, and especially to win at Bristol at night, it’s one of the most marquee events to win at. To be able to do that was really special.”

When your car owner, Tony Stewart, first talked about Bristol, he said it reminded him of Winchester Speedway and Salem Speedway. Did you think that’s an apt analogy?

“I definitely think they’re really similar. I’ve been able to run at Winchester, that’s actually where I got my first stock car win, so a super-special place. For me, it definitely reminds me a lot of Winchester, and it reminds me a lot of Salem – Salem’s 25 minutes from where I grew up. So I’ve had a lot of experience watching cars on super-high-banked racetracks and it definitely reminds me a lot of both those places. When I was in the ARCA Series, I remember when I went to Bristol for the first time in a Truck, it seemed very similar to Winchester. There are not a lot of racetracks in the world that have 30-plus degrees of banking, and any time you can get experience on them, it’s a big deal.”

How important is patience at Bristol, and when do you also have to determine when enough is enough and assert yourself so you’re not getting taken advantage of out there on the racetrack?

“It’s hard. I feel like you’re not ever patient at Bristol. I feel like you’ve just got to go. Just from the racetrack side of things, you literally have to attack it every single lap. If you take just a second to breathe, it seems like you’re going to go slower, so you have to constantly be in attack mode. Even the racing of the cars, I feel like you’re constantly trying to be extremely aggressive, not necessarily using your bumper, but just trying to get under them or try to get around them. There’s really no time to take a break there just because if you waste even five laps to get around a guy, the leaders are coming. So you’ve got to be extremely aggressive there all day long, and that’s why you see a lot of wrecks there, as well.”

You first saw Bristol back in 2017 when you competed in a Truck Series race. Was that an eyes-wide-open moment?

“From the racetrack side of things, it wasn’t anything crazy just because I’d run at Salem and Winchester. But that was one of the only tracks I remember walking into as a driver thinking how cool it was, I was finally able to run at that racetrack. I remember even my dad was like, ‘Man, this is so cool that you’re getting to race at Bristol.’ It’s a special place. It’s one of those places you dream of getting to race at.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors 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

PATRICK EMERLING PARTNERS WITH VETERAN-OWNED COFFEE SHOP AT DARLINGTON

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, NC, March 11, 2024 – NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Patrick Emerling announced today a partnership with veteran-owned coffee shop Liberty Brew Coffee. The Conway, SC based coffee shop will be the primary marketing partner on Emerling’s car for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway on May 11.

Liberty Brew Coffee is a veteran-owned coffee shop that embodies liberty. They serve locally roasted coffee in a space dedicated to veterans. Each cup is a tribute to freedom, offering a premium brew that outshines mass-produced alternatives. Liberty Brew Coffee offers multiple single source local roasted coffee out of Columbia, SC.

“Join us on the exhilarating journey of partnership between NASCAR driver Patrick Emerling and Liberty Brew Coffee, where the passion and energy of dedicated fans fuel our every move,” said Liberty Brew Coffee CEO David Steadman. “Together, we embrace the thrill of speed and the bold flavors of victory. And that’s not all – at our veteran-owned coffee shop, we embody liberty by serving locally roasted coffee in a space dedicated to veterans. Every cup is a tribute to freedom, offering a premium brew that outshines mass-produced alternatives. Come be a part of the excitement and taste the essence of freedom with us!”

As part of this partnership, Liberty Brew Coffee and Emerling are offering VIP passes to two veterans. To nominate a veteran, email a letter to vets@libertybrew.coffee explaining why your nominee should win a pair of VIP passes to the race at Darlington Raceway on May 11. Nominations must be submitted by April 15.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Liberty Brew Coffee to the team,” said Emerling. “Not only is their coffee great, but the support they provide veterans and local veteran-focused organizations is truly incredible.”

Additionally, Emerling will welcome back season-long partners Southern Tier Security (https://www.southerntiersecurity.net/), a watch patrol company based in Olean, NY, SimForge (https://simforge.in/), which sells sim racing equipment and accessories, and Frontline Optics, a San Diego sunglasses brand owned by a retired firefighter.

In addition to his duties with SS-GreenLight, Emerling will be competing full-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with car owner Rich Gautreau. He finished fourth in the Tour’s season opener at New Smyrna Speedway on February 10. His next race is Friday, March 29 at Richmond Raceway.

The green flag drops for the Call 811.com Every Dig, Every Time. 200 at 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 9. You can watch the race on FS1 or listen live on MRN or SiriusXM.

Visit the Liberty Brew Coffee shop at 3080 Highway 90 in Conway, SC, order online at https://libertybrewllc.com/ and follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sc.libertybrew.coffee).

For more information on Patrick Emerling, visit https://www.patrickemerlingracing.com/ or follow him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PatrickEmerling07), X (https://twitter.com/PatrickEmerling) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/patrickemerling/).

ARCA Menards Series / ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway: General Tire 150 Post-race Notes

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Official Release
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  • William Sawalich scored his fifth career ARCA Menards Series victory and his second consecutive victory in Friday’s General Tire 150, a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West. Sawalich, who was not eligible to race in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway due to age restrictions, closed the 2023 season with wins in the ARCA Menards Series finale at Toledo Speedway and the ARCA Menards Series West finale at Phoenix. Sawalich, who earned the General Tire Pole in qualifying, led a race-high 66 laps to win the rain-shortened race.
  • Greg Van Alst leads the ARCA Menards Series championship standings after two races with a five-point advantage over Christian Rose in second.
  • Gio Ruggiero finished second in his ARCA Menards Series debut driving for Venturini Motorsports. Ruggiero, who won the ASA CRA Super Series and ASA Southern Super Series super late model championships in 2023, led 49 laps and was the only driver other than race winner William Sawalich to lead laps.
  • Grant Enfinger finished third making his first start for team owner Joe Farre’s SPS Motorsports team. It was Enfinger’s 51st career top-five finish in 99 career ARCA Menards Series starts.
  • Connor Mosack drove the Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish in his first series start since winning at Kansas Speedway in 2023.
  • Reigning ARCA Menards Series West champion Sean Hingorani made his first start for Hattori Racing Enterprises; he finished fifth after starting second.  Hingorani is scheduled to make 16 starts across the ARCA Menards Series platform with HRE throughout 2024.
  • Isabella Robusto made her ARCA Menards Series platform debut and raced her way as high as third position in the first half of the race. She dropped a couple of positions after the lap 75 break but was in position to challenge for a top-five position when lightning brought the race to a stop and then heavy rain brought the race to an early end. Robusto was joined in the top-ten by her Venturini Motorsports teammate Toni Breidinger, who finished ninth.
  • Jack Wood finished seventh in the Bill McAnally Racing No. 16 Chevrolet, the highest finishing full-time ARCA Menards Series West driver. Wood, the de facto West points leader, has a four-point advantage over the next highest full-time West finisher, defending race winner Tyler Reif, who finished eleventh.
  • Rev Racing drivers Andres Perez and Lavar Scott both finished in the top-ten, with Perez in eighth and Scott in tenth.
  • Ten different drivers have scored top-five finishes and twenty different drivers have scored top-ten finishes in the first two ARCA Menards Series races of 2024; no driver has finished in the top ten at both Daytona International Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
  • There were four lead changes among two drivers, and the race was slowed by caution six times for a total of 37 laps. The race was shortened by 35 laps to 115 of the scheduled 150 laps due to lightning in the area and then a pop-up rain shower.
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. The race will be televised live on FS1 at 12:30 pm ET and will be broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide.

About ARCA 

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization administers more than 100 events annually, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.  For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Poised for Thrilling Races at Sebring

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Official Release
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SEBRING, Fla. (March 11, 2024) – Returning to a track that has been the site of some amazing finishes, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is preparing to put on two more show-stopping races at the legendary Sebring International Raceway this week. Adding to the excitement is the addition of Xfinity Series driver Jesse Love to the grid.

Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup hasn’t raced at Sebring since 2021, but everyone remembers the three-way photo finish that concluded the first race; Selin Rollan, Michael Carter and Gresham Wagner crossed the finish line in tandem, but the scoring screen showed Rollan had won by 0.001-second over Carter.

Rollan (No. 87 Rollan Racing/BSI Racing) is back for another shot at Sebring glory, as is Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing). Wagner won the second Sebring race in 2021 and the pair are the only former Sebring winners on the grid this year.

Wagner, the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup Champion, is currently tied for the lead in the championship with his teammate Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing). Fletcher has never raced Sebring in a MX-5 Cup car but has plenty of other experience there to consider it home.

“I consider Sebring my home track,” Fletcher said. “It’s about two hours from my house and I have quite a bit of Spec Miata experience there. We’ve done some testing there. Coming off of two podiums at Daytona and tied for the championship gives me a boost personally, so I’m looking forward to Sebring and carrying that momentum through.”

Another driver who calls Sebring home is Julian DaCosta (No. 78 BSI Racing). The rookie hails from Myakka City, Florida, only an hour away from Sebring.

The rookie with the most points leaving Daytona is Mazda Shootout Scholarship winner Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing). If it weren’t for a last lap incident in the second race at Daytona, Workman would be higher in the overall standings than sixth, where he sits presently.

Another “rookie” to keep an eye on at Sebring is Jesse Love (No. 2 Hendricks Motorsport). Love drives the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is the reigning ARCA Menards Series Champion. Mutual sponsor Whelen Engineering introduced Love to MX-5 Cup and after what he saw at Daytona, he was all-in for making his debut.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to compete at Sebring for the first time,” said Love. “Our season with the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet has been off to a strong start, and with an off weekend early in the Xfinity Series schedule, it allowed for this to come together. I have driven a lot of different cars throughout my career, from sprint cars to stock cars, so this is another tool that I can use in the future.”

He will be supported by Hendricks Motorsports, a new team led by Kimberlee Hendricks, a second-generation racer and owner of the Daytona-based prep shop.

If Connor Zilisch (No. 72 BSI Racing) appears to have an extra shine and sparkle to him at Sebring this week, it might be because of the Rolex watch he now owns thanks to a victory in the LMP2 category at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. His debut in the famous enduro went better than his MX-5 Cup races. Despite leading the most laps at Daytona, Zilisch came away with a fifth and a 25th-place finish, the latter due to a mechanical issue. He is currently 12th in the point standings.

Zilisch will be pulling double duty again at Sebring, racing in both MX-5 Cup and the WeatherTech Championship.

“I really enjoy Sebring,” Zilisch said. “It’s got a lot of character and it’s one of the more unique tracks in the country, so getting to race there in Mazda MX-5 Cup is going to be a lot of fun. There was that great finish they had there in 2021. I’m super excited. I’ll be running double duty there as well, so it’s going to be a busy week for me.”

It will be a busy Wednesday for all the MX-5 Cup competitors, because there are three track sessions that day; both practice sessions plus qualifying. If anyone has an issue with their car, there’s only a brief amount of time between sessions to get it fixed.

Both MX-5 Cup races will be streamed live on RACER.com and IMSA.tv. Race 1 is scheduled for Thursday, March 15 at 1:05pm ET. Race 2 will take place Friday, March 16 at 11:15am ET.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Crawford enjoys double-points weekend in Saudi Arabia

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Official Release
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Jeddah (KSA), MAR 07 - 09 2024 - Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Jak CRAWFORD #7 Dams. © 2024 Dutch Photo Agency

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (11 March 2024) – American Formula 1 hopeful Jak Crawford enjoyed another strong weekend in FIA Formula 2 Championship competition, finishing fifth and fourth to score points in both races at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

The 18-year-old Texan started Saturday’s Feature Race on the front row, and battled for position throughout the 28-lap event, edged out of a podium finish by a mere 0.031-seconds to cap a solid event in his second F2 weekend driving for DAMS Lucas Oil.

“I thought it was a very good points weekend, and it felt like we deserved even more, especially in the main race,” Crawford said. “We also could have another podium in the Sprint Race. I was fast all weekend, which is good, always in the top five in all of the sessions. I feel comfortable at this track. I’ve enjoyed Jeddah in previous years, and it went really well. We’ve been fighting at the front in every single session this year.”

Crawford was fast throughout the event, recording the fifth-fastest time in Thursday morning practice. He put in a lap of 1:42.376-seconds in the closing minutes of qualifying, which was the third quickest time but was elevated to second post-session.

With the top-10 inverted for Friday’s 20-lap Sprint Race, Crawford started eighth but was briefly knocked sideways by a competitor and fell to 10th early on the opening lap. He recovered and then spent the second half of the race battling for position, making four passes in the final eight laps to gain position and charge the checkered flag, scoring a final result of fifth.

“Obviously, I had a bad first lap, and I lost a few positions due to contact,” he said. “It was a fun race. I was really fast, and made some good overtakes. I enjoyed that race, for sure.”

Starting the Feature Race on the outside of the front row, Crawford pulled away in second at the start, and held that position before pitting on Lap 7 to change from super-soft to medium-compound tires – losing several places when other competitors made their stops over the following laps.

“We had a good pit stop; I made the stop because we probably would have been overtaken that lap, so we decided to pit,” he explained. “I came out, and a competitor ran me wide and that destroyed our momentum and we lost a few positions.”

He was running sixth following a brief safety car intervention when racing resumed with 10 laps remaining. He made two passes over the final five laps to take fourth, and briefly held third on the final circuit before being edged out from the podium by inches in a side-by-side finish.

“It was a bit confusion on what was going on late in the Feature Race, because of a safety car and so many cars were on different strategies,” Crawford said. “I wasn’t quite sure where I was going go end up. Then I saw there were two laps to go, and I saw I was in fourth, so I had to had to go for the move. The last corner on the last lap was my final chance, and I just lost out at the line. That was close!”

F2 competitors get a weekend off before the next event, at Melbourne, Australia’s Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 22-24.

“I’m excited for Melbourne,” he said. “That’s where I got my first podium last year (placing second in the Sprint Race). I was fast there, have good history there, and I love the track. But it’s autumn there, so it possibly could get quite wet.”

Sean Creech Motorsport ready for more at Sebring

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Official Release
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#33 Joao Barbosa, Lance Willsey, Nolan Siegel, Jonny Edgar, Ligier LMP2 Sean Creech Motorsport, LMP2,

JUPITER, Fla. (11 March 2024) – Returning to an iconic track where the team has raced to victory in the past, Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) heads to Sebring to contest the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring (9:40 a.m. EDT Saturday, Peacock and USA Network) this weekend.

With a long history of competition at the tough track – including a win in the LMP3 class two years ago – Florida-based SCM considers Sebring to be their home track and will arrive at the circuit packing the momentum and fresh notes from a successful test with the LMP2-class No. 33 SCM Focal One Ligier JS P217 at the track last month.

Completing a 12-hour race simulation over the two-day test and checking more items off the setup database the team continues to develop, drivers Lance Willsey, João Barbosa, and Jonny Edgar look forward to a solid outing for the No. 33 SCM Focal One Ligier JS P217.

The team has re-introduced the Ligier to IMSA competition for the 2024 season, racing against teams that have worked with the Oreca chassis for years. Despite the challenge at hand, Barbosa reiterates the team’s commitment to the Ligier, and confidence in its potential.

“The team is 100% committed to this program with Ligier,” said Barbosa, a two-time series champion. “We knew it would be a challenge to bring this car back – we’re writing the database for this car and competing against teams who have thousands of miles on their chassis, but we all know the potential is there to be quite competitive. Daytona (in which the team finished 9th) was not representative of what we know this car can do, but each race will be that much better as we learn what the car wants for each track and weather condition. It’s a matter of using our test and practice time wisely and continuing to move the program forward – and we’re doing that.”

Edgar, who has been named as the team’s third driver for the remaining four Michelin Endurance Cup races – Sebring, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and Road Atlanta – was well aware of the track’s notoriously bumpy surface (which has its own hashtag, #RespectTheBumps). But the 20-year-old was pleasantly surprised by how the Ligier reacted over those bumps during the test.

“It’s the bumpiest track I’ve been on, but perhaps not as bumpy as I expected,” said Edgar. “Based on what everyone says, I actually expected worse but that’s down to how well the Ligier handles the changing surface. But we’ve definitely made strides since Daytona in closing the gap. We were able to try a lot of different things over the day and a half – some things worked and some didn’t but as long as you know why they didn’t work, it gives you a direction to go. The balance is in trying to adjust something without causing a different problem, but the team is doing a good job of that and most of what we tried did work. And I got some laps in the dark – it’s quite a bit darker than Daytona so it was good to get used to that.

“And it’s nice to be doing the rest of the endurance races with SCM,” continued Edgar. “Knowing everyone even better after a couple of weeks at Daytona and having more experience with the car, I’m getting more confident every day. If we can keep improving as we are, and for me, as I learn the car and understand more how to maximize what I can do, I think we’ll be fine.”

Team principal Sean Creech was pleased with the two-day test, despite losing much of the first morning to rain. But the 30-year veteran of sports car racing, with too many races at Sebring to count, knows that the only thing that doesn’t change about the racing surface is how quickly it can change – and he feels the team is prepared for that.

“We made good progress at the test last month, in the wet and the dry,” said Creech. “We know the track will be completely different on the race weekend, but we left the test with some more confidence. We went through all our test plan, trying most everything we wanted to. We completed a full 12-hour race sim over the two days with no problems, and that gives the team a good read on what we need to do to make the car fast and safe for 12 hours. Sebring is always challenging, you’re always finding new bumps, but this car reacts very well over them. We have a good baseline to start with in the first official practice on Thursday.”

SCM thanks partner Focal One for its continued support.

The 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring takes the green flag Saturday at 9:40 a.m. Eastern. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Peacock, with the final five and a half hours on USA Network. International viewers can watch via IMSA.tv, with IMSA Radio also available at IMSA.com.

About SCM

Team leader Sean Creech has competed in a multitude of sports car series from 1990 until the present day, including Group C, IMSA GTP, WSC, Grand-Am, SRO World Challenge, and IMSA. SCM will contest the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024 with João Barbosa and Lance Willsey. http://seancreechmotorsport.com/

About Focal One

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime in the United States. The Focal One® HIFU Prostate treatment offers patients a non-invasive outpatient procedure to target prostate tissue while avoiding the common side effects such as loss of urinary continence and sexual function. The Focal One treatment uses high-performance, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to precisely target and ablate the prostate, allowing patients to quickly return to normal activities. http://www.focalone.com/

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Phoenix 1

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Official Release
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Shriners Children’s 500 – Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix, Arizona – March 10, 2024

NASCAR TRACKS – PHOENIX RACEWAY – NASCAR 101

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/DURACELL FORD MUSTANG

START: 34TH STAGE ONE: 36TH STAGE TWO: 36TH FINISH: 36TH POINTS: 15TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang, was credited with a 36th-place finish after an unfortunate early retirement in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Cindric, a past winner at the one-mile Arizona track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, showed strong pace early in the weekend in a rare, full 50-minute practice session, but qualified 34th for the 312-mile race. Caught in a three-wide contingent on Lap 7, the 25-year-old Team Penske driver sustained severe damage to the left-front of the Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang forcing Cindric to retire from the race.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Unfortunate way to end the day for the No. 2 Menards/Duracell team. I was caught three-wide and couldn’t see in the smoke, hit the left front and broke the suspension. I felt like I got hit twice. I knew the 3 was on the inside but I thought he was going to fall but he came back up. We’ll regroup this week and head to Bristol.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 ADVANCE AUTO PARTS FORD MUSTANG

START: 16TH STAGE ONE: 7TH STAGE TWO: 6TH FINISH: 5TH POINTS: 1ST

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney rallied late to come away with a fifth-place finish Sunday afternoon, marking his third-straight top-five finish to open the 2024 season and sixth-consecutive top-five result at Phoenix Raceway. The No. 12 Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang charged through the field during the opening stage with strength on the long runs as Blaney made up nine spots to secure a seventh-place finish in Stage 1. Despite reporting a loose-handling condition through the corners during the initial run of the second stage, Blaney maintained the seventh spot in the running order before starting the green flag pit cycle on lap 115. Blaney ultimately came away with a sixth-place finish in Stage 2 before the No. 12 team gained him a position on pit road during the stage break, allowing Blaney to restart from the inside of row three for the start of the final segment. Three cautions in a span of 20 laps prompted teams to vary their strategies on making it on one or two pit stops, as Blaney and the No. 12 team opted to come to pit road under caution on lap 218 to stretch their fuel run to the end. Following the four-tire stop, Blaney restarted 20th and methodically made his way through traffic to race his way back into the top-10 with 39 laps to go before continuing his charge to the front and ultimately making the pass for fifth on the final lap as the No. 12 team closed out the west coast swing with a pair of top-five results.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “That was a really long, hard-fought day to be honest. I thought we got better and better and through Stage 2 we got better but then I slipped on one of those restarts and lost like five spots. All those cautions we had to restart way back behind the guys that pitted the stop before us. We just worked our tails off to get back to fifth from where we were. I am worn out. That is the most worn-out I have been in a long time. I appreciate the 12 boys for sticking with it and fighting all day. Our Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang was fast. It was a long day but I am proud of the finish.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 HUNT BROTHERS PIZZA FORD MUSTANG

START: 23RD STAGE ONE: 25TH STAGE TWO: 21ST FINISH: 34TH POINTS: 30TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano’s debut in the No. 22 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang came to an abrupt end Sunday afternoon in Phoenix after getting collected in a multi-car incident on lap 206, resulting in a 34th-place finish. Logano and the No. 22 team worked to remedy a loose-handling condition throughout the opening two stages that saw long, green-flag runs as Logano came away with a 25th-place finish in Stage 1 before coming away with a 21st-place finish in Stage 2. Following a four-tire stop and a round of adjustments prior to the start of the final stage, Logano was batting to stay in the free pass position when contact from the No. 42 in turn one sent him sliding up the track and into the outside wall, bringing Logano’s run to an end.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “I think I just got hit from behind. It is a shame. We weren’t running well anyway, but this doesn’t make it any better. We were just fighting for the free pass. You get back there and everyone isn’t racing real well and we got caught up in it.”

The NASCAR Cup Series ventures to Bristol Motor Speedway for Round 5 on Sunday, March 17, for the Food City 500 on the 0.533-mile concrete oval. Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

RFK Finishes Strong in Phoenix with Two Top Fives

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Official Release
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Chris Buescher Finishes P2 in BuildSubmarines.com Ford, Brad Keselowski P4 in Consumer Cellular Ford

AVONDALE, Ariz. (March 10, 2024) – RFK earned a pair of top five finishes Sunday at Phoenix Raceway as Chris Buescher finished second in the BuildSubmarines.com Ford, and Brad Keselowski fourth in the debut for the Consumer Cellular Ford.

The closing laps came down to a fuel mileage race, as the last 100 laps ran all under green. A strategy call worked in the favor of Buescher and the No. 17 team – who consistently ran top-10 by the end of stage two – while Keselowski maintained solid position for the majority of the race.

The pair of top five finishes marks the first time both RFK Fords have finished top five together since the Daytona summer race last year, where Buescher picked up the win and Keselowski finished P2. It also marks the first top five for each driver in 2024.

6 Recap
Keselowski began the afternoon from the 18th position and slowly but surely chiseled his way forward. He finished 14th in an otherwise uneventful opening stage, but the No. 6 pit crew put him inside the top-10 in the stage break as he restarted eighth.

The second stage ran caution-free as Keselowski maintained the ninth position throughout, and picked up a pair of stage points with a P9 finish to end the segment. He fired off seventh for the third and final stage after another strong stop, as three yellows were displayed in the next 20 laps.

Keselowski pitted for right side tires under yellow at lap 214 to restart fourth, and from there maintained the top five position. As a fuel sequence played out in the closing laps, Keselowski powered his way to fourth for his first top five of the season.

“It was a good solid day for us,” Keselowski said. “We want to win these races but we didn’t have anywhere near the speed the 20 car did, I don’t know if anybody did to be quite honest. We put ourselves in good position with a good pit call and a great restart at the end and we just tried to execute. The potential is there. We are just one step away and we are going to keep working on it until we get there.”

17 Recap
Buescher started the day from the 14th position in what was a grind to the top-10, and eventual top five. He was 17th at the conclusion of stage one, and began the second stage in 13th.

He worked his way inside the top-10 by lap 165 – 20 laps shy of the stage two conclusion – and finished P10 to earn a stage point. After starting 11th in the final stage, Buescher pitted again at lap 209 in what would be the final stop of the afternoon. He stretched his fuel the remaining 103 laps to advance to second, earning his second-straight top five at Phoenix.

“I was really impressed with our Ford Mustang today, that was awesome,” Buescher said. “A heck of a comeback after a rough go the last couple of weeks. We had really fast race cars and I am proud to be able to do that today. I didn’t quite see the 20 there at the end so I know they were lights out. We have some work to do to get to that point.

“What thrills me is we were by no means perfect on balance so we have a lot of room to make this thing better which is awesome. It tells me we can go compete for that thing. I am proud of everybody and a great bounce back after a rough go last week and did it with the same team here today and it just goes to show that we are going to do these things together, win, lose or draw. That was almost a win today.”

Up Next
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend for the fifth race of the season. Race coverage next Sunday is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, entering its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Burton Finishes 27th at Phoenix

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Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the Draiver-sponsored No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse finished 27th in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

Burton started the 500-kilometer, 312-lap race on the one-mile oval from 24th place. He surged into the top 20 in the opening laps and was running 21st when the race’s first caution flag flew at Lap Six.

The remainder of the first Stage ran without additional yellow flags, and Burton ended that 60-lap segment in 29th place.

After a pit stop during the caution period for the end of the Stage, he returned to the track in 27th place but struggled in the early portion of the second Stage and fell a lap down at Lap 109.

Burton made a green-flag pit stop at Lap 113 and ran better in the remaining laps of the second Stage, finishing that segment in 28th place.

The third and final segment of the race saw several caution periods for incidents on the track, and Burton steered the Draiver Mustang Dark Horse around them to salvage a 27th-place finish.

Burton and the Wood Brothers team now turn their attention to next Sunday’s 500-lapper on the high-banked concrete, half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

ABOUT DRAIVER
Draiver is a market-leading on-demand vehicle delivery company offering elevated delivery solutions and experiences. Through best-in-class AI logistics software and a vetted, insured driver marketplace, the company moves cars faster, and more efficiently, to improve bottom lines for global fleet and rental companies, OEMs, large automotive groups, and single location businesses.

The company’s expertise has enabled rapid expansion to three continents, where the platform moves over 6,000 cars a day through an elite network of 20,000 drivers. The company’s full suite of services is available throughout North and South America, and their software solves logistics needs for large automotive companies in Peru, Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Peru and the GCC.

Draiver’s mission is to redefine the standard of excellence in vehicle delivery and offer unmatched opportunities for the gig economy in a people-first environment. Follow Draiver on Twitter, LinkedIn and www.draiver.com.

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.

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