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Stewart-Haas Racing: United Rentals 300 from Daytona

STEWART-HAAS RACING
United Rentals 300
Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: United Rentals 300 (Round 1 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 120 laps, broken into three stages (30 laps/30 laps/60 laps)
Race Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 11th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 120 of 120 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 17th, Finished 13th / Running, completed 120 of 120 laps)

SHR Points:

● Riley Herbst (3rd with 35 points, 24 out of first)

● Cole Custer (9th with 31 points, 28 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his fifth top-10 in 10 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona.

● Herbst finished seventh in Stage 2 to earn four bonus points.

● Herbst led twice for eight laps to increase his laps-led total at Daytona to 35.

● Custer earned his fifth top-15 in nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona.

● Custer finished fourth in Stage 2 to earn seven bonus points.

● Custer led once for six laps to increase his laps-led total at Daytona to 16.

Race Notes:

● Austin Hill won the United Rentals 300 to score his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory and his third at Daytona. His margin over second-place Sheldon Creed was .591 of a second.

● There were nine caution periods for a total of 44 laps.

● Twenty-two of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Hill leaves Daytona as the championship leader with an 11-point advantage over second-place Creed.

Sound Bites:

“You can look at any restart today in the 500 and everybody gives the leader the right, the edge, because that is what they earned as the leader. I did the same thing I’ve done my whole life restarting on the front row and gave the leader the opportunity to fire first. I saw his nose pick up and I went off that. We raced for I think a whole lap and a half and then there was a caution and NASCAR called that I laid back to my teammate on the restart.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

“We were leading the line and somebody hit me in the back and I got turned in the fence. It’s just a product of everybody pushing and sometimes you just get pushed wrong. But before that, I feel like it was pretty impressive how the Fords worked together. That green-flag pit stop was one of the best ones I’ve ever seen us work together and still keep the lead. It was definitely a good day for the Fords and showed a lot of promise. We just have to keep it going. I think these superspeedways you never know what’s gonna happen, but we did everything we could all day.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the RAPTOR King of Tough 250 on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 5 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Toyota Racing – NXS Daytona Post-Race Report – 02.19.24

CREED STRONG IN JGR DEBUT
Sheldon Creed second, Chandler Smith fifth in season opener at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 19, 2024) – Sheldon Creed nearly delivered a victory in his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) debut as the California-native finished second to begin the NASCAR Xfinity Series season in the rain-delayed event at Daytona International Speedway on Monday night.

Chandler Smith also began the season strong with a fifth-place run, while John Hunter Nemechek completed the 800-mile day with another seventh-place finish, matching his run in the Daytona 500 earlier in the evening. Ryan Truex and Sage Karam also had their Toyota GR Supras towards the front of the field in the latter stages of the race, only to be caught up in late-race incidents.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona International Speedway
Race 1 of 33 – 300 miles, 120 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Austin Hill *

2nd, SHELDON CREED

3rd, Jordan Anderson*

4th, Parker Retzlaff*

5th, CHANDLER SMITH

7th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

21st, RYAN TRUEX

28th, SAGE KARAM

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

Can you take us through your day and that finish?

“Yeah, I mean first off, track position was really hard to get all night. Just tried to be smart and not get in any of the crashes. I had to miss a couple of them there that were really close. Just happy to get through that solidly. I didn’t need to lose my pusher there, think that was (Ryan) Sieg behind me there. I feel like if I could’ve just kept him hooked up there, I would’ve had a shot at Austin (Hill) there. Overall, a great start with Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota. Everyone that’s been supporting us this offseason, yeah, a great start. Stage points and to start with a top three finish, is a lot of momentum going for our team so happy with that.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

Can you sum up your race today?

“Yeah, I don’t really know where to start. I feel like track position was really hard to come by. We kind of put ourselves in a hole with qualifying, starting in 19th or wherever we did. Nevertheless, we were able to identify that early on and I was able to communicate that with Jabo (Jeff Meendering, crew chief) and come up with a different race strategy than what we planned on coming in with, and we were able to get track position and maintain it for the majority of the night. Had a pretty solid Mobil 1 GR Supra. Wasn’t as fast as Xfinity 10G, but it was just enough where we could keep it up front all night and control the lanes. It was way too close, but it’s all God’s timing and looking forward to Atlanta this week.”

SAGE KARAM, No. 26 CRC Brakleen Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

Finishing Position: 28th

Can you talk about what happened out there?

“Obviously, was hoping for a different result than how that ended. We had a really strong race, all race long. We were racing inside the top-10, and the top-five late. The Sam Hunt Racing team did a great job this long weekend. I feel bad that this is how this weekend ended, because I know everyone put in a lot of work. We were here for a long time, but I can’t thank everyone from Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota, CRC enough for everything they’ve done for me this weekend. Just late in the race there, the pushes are getting bigger and bigger, and unfortunately, after races like that everyone is just jammed up. I got pushed pretty good, I’m sure the guy behind me is getting pushed pretty good. I got pushed into the 00 (Cole Custer) and he got loose, and got in the wall, and then when he got in the wall, he clipped me. That is just how it is sometimes with these plate race. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot. All-in-all, it was a good day until it wasn’t.”

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – NXS Post-Race Quotes

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 300 | Monday, February 19, 2024

UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS

6th – Riley Herbst
13th – Cole Custer
14th – Blaine Perkins
22nd – Ryan Sieg
33rd – Frankie Muniz
37th – Hailie Deegan

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Obviously, we want better, but I feel like that was pretty impressive how the Fords worked together. That green flag pit stop was one of the best ones I’ve ever seen us work together and still keep the lead. It was definitely a good day for the Fords and showed a lot of promise. We just have to keep it going. I think these superspeedways you never know what’s gonna happen, but we did everything we could all day.”

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU GOT HIT? “I need to see a replay, but I was just going straight. We were leading the line and somebody hit me in the back and I got turned in the fence. It’s just a product of everybody pushing and sometimes you just get pushed wrong.”


RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT HAPPENED ON THE RESTART? “You can look at any restart today in the 500 and everybody gives the leader the right, the edge, because that is what they earned as the leader. I did the same thing I have done my whole life restarting on the front row and gave the leader the opportunity to fire first. I saw his nose pick up and I went off that. We raced for I think a whole lap and a half and then there was a caution and NASCAR called that I laid back to my teammate on the restart.”

IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WILL GO TALK TO NASCAR ABOUT TO SEE WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? “I already got called to the hauler. A bad choice of vocabulary they said, so I am going to go see them in the hauler now.”


RYAN SIEG, No. 39 Sci Aps/Scrap University Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WAS THERE A MOVE YOU’D LIKE TO TAKE BACK ON THE FINAL RESTART? “No, I did everything I could. I blocked and pushed and did everything I could. I pushed Sheldon as far as I could and trying to get past the 21. He was the class of the field, so I did all I could do. I have no regrets. I did everything I could, so we’ll just move on to Atlanta.”


HAILIE DEEGAN, No. 15 Klutch Vodka Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WALK US THROUGH THE ACCIDENT FROM YOUR VIEWPOINT: “I saw two guys in front of me start wrecking. I started checking up. I was playing it cautions at the beginning of the race and tried to hang back but I got hit on the entry to the corner. As soon as I was checking up I thought the guys behind me would check up because they were further back but then I got hit on entry of turn one and as soon as that happened it started my momentum back up. I tried to get it slowed down but couldn’t in time. It is what it is.”

HOW FRUSTRATING IS IT AFTER THIS LONG WEEKEND? “It is so frustrating because I feel like at Daytona I have tried so many different strategies and none of them work out. It is very frustrating. I don’t know. Maybe one time we will get lucky here.”


FRANKIE MUNIZ, No. 35 Ford Performance Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT HAPPENED? “After that last cycle of pit stops, after the stage break, we decided to go back to the back. We wanted to just keep riding around a little bit to get some experience. Our whole thing was just be there at the end, so we were trying to be as safe as possible. There was a bunch of pretty fast cars behind us, so I was just staying on the inside letting them go by and before I knew it I just saw a bunch of smoke and tons of cars going all over the place. I thought I picked the right side to go through, but I just happened to go in the grass and the grass is still so wet from all the rain, so I just lost the rear and ran into someone. It’s bad luck, really, because that’s what getting through something like that is – you get lucky if you make it. Unfortunate because we were literally trying to be cautious. Even the whole first run we were chilling where we were and just kind of getting comfortable. I just did my first real pit stop ever. I had hoped to do more than that to get more experience, so it is unfortunate. Joey Gase Motorsports worked really hard. Obviously, they’re trying to teach me really quick. I”ve got so much to learn, but unfortunately we’re done early and by the looks of it it’s gonna be another crash-filled race and if we could have just finished we probably would have had a really good finish, but it is what it is. I hate the term ‘that’s racing.’ It’s my least favorite term in the history of life, but it is especially here. We didn’t do anything wrong, we just got caught up in whatever happened.”

All Three RFK Cars Collected in Multi-Car Incidents in Daytona 500

Chris Buescher Finishes Organization-Highest 18th Following Multiple Crashes in Closing Laps

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2024) – RFK Racing was on the wrong end of the big one in the Daytona 500, as all three Fords were collected in multi-car incidents. As a result, Chris Buescher was credited with an 18th-place finish, David Ragan finished 20th, and Brad Keselowski 33rd in the ‘Great American Race.’

The 66th running of the Daytona 500 was pushed to Monday due to heavy rain in the Daytona Beach area most of Saturday, and all of Sunday. Keselowski began the day from the 16th position with Buescher in 19th, and Ragan in 40th.

The race opened with a strange opening stage of 65 laps, dominated by fuel strategies and various packs throughout the field. RFK’s three Fords finished 20th (Keselowski), 22nd (Buescher) and 26th (Ragan) at the end of the 65-lap stage.

Stage two ran caution-free with Keselowski crossing the stripe 12th, Buescher 10th – earning stage points – and Ragan in 25th in the BuildSubmarines.com Ford.

From there, Keselowski and Ragan methodically worked their way to the front as the No. 60 led once for a pair of laps, and Keselowski led the race two different times for a handful of laps. Keselowski ran third with 20 to go with Ragan just in front.

Then, as the laps continued to wind down, Keselowski was P2 with eight to go, and was hooked in the right rear, resulting in a massive crash that collected 23 different cars. That incident ended Keselowski’s quest for a Daytona 500.

“I don’t know,” Keselowski said after the incident. “I got hit in the back, so I couldn’t really tell you. It’s a shame. I was kind of making a move for the lead with eight laps to go in the Daytona 500 and I’m here talking to you. It’s just one of those deals. We were mixed up in the middle of the soup most of the race. We executed really well in the final stage and put ourselves in position, but that’s just the way Daytona goes.”

Buescher unfortunately sustained heavy damage to his Fastenal Ford in the same crash, which ultimately proved to be too costly for him to remain competitive in the final restart and closing laps.

“We had a fast Fastenal Ford Mustang and I am excited about that heading into next week,” Buescher added. “That is about where my excitement ends on the day. The crash, that sucks, there is no way around that. That definitely ruined our ultimate result. It was a really strange race. One of the most frustrating races I have been a part of in a long time. Tons of fuel saving and it was all about the pit stop, one pit stop for every stage and then some massive blocks by single cars that weren’t up to speed. It is a lot different than the last go around. I didn’t have as much fun as I hoped to but we will be good for next weekend.”

Ragan did skirt through that crash mostly unscathed, giving him a chance on the final restart. After restarting outside the top-10, he unfortunately was collected in a crash that occurred coming to the white flag, which ultimately ended the race under yellow.

Up Next
Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts race two on the NASCAR Cup Series season next weekend. Race coverage Sunday is set for 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, 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.

Rick Ware Racing: Daytona 500 Race Report

RICK WARE RACING
66th Running of the Daytona 500
Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: 66th Running of the Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 36th, Finished 24th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
● Justin Haley (Started 22nd, Finished 26th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (27th with 12 points)
● Note: Herbst is a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is not eligible for points in the NASCAR Cup Series.

RWR Notes:

● This was Herbst’s second career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains 10th, earned last year.
● This was Haley’s fourth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains 13th, earned in 2020.

Race Notes:

● William Byron won the Daytona 500 to score his 11th career NASCAR Cup Series victory and his second at Daytona.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 20 laps.

● Twenty of the 40 drivers in the Daytona 500 finished on the lead lap.

● Byron leaves Daytona as the championship leader with a four-point advantage over second-place Alex Bowman.

Sound Bites:

“Obviously, we would’ve loved to have had a better finish for the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar team, but Daytona is such an unpredictable race, and you never know what’s going to happen in those last laps. We did our best to stay out of trouble and probably would’ve been in a good position if we didn’t have to spend some extra time on pit road early on. I’m proud of the team. They stuck with me and if there had been another caution at the end, I think we could’ve had something for them.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang

“Our No. 51 team did great working through the adversity that comes with a race at Daytona. It was good to get up front and work with our Ford teammates. That was something I was really looking forward to and it was nice to be able to show early on that we’re capable of being there. We’ve got some things to clean up on pit road, but that’s expected with a new team. I feel good about what we did overall.”– Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Tree Top/Fraternal Order of Eagles/Jacob Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Stewart-Haas Racing: 66th Running of the Daytona 500

STEWART-HAAS RACING
66th Running of the Daytona 500
Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: 66th Running of the Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 38th, Finished 9th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 20th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 25th, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
● Josh Berry (Started 30th, Finished 25th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (13th with 29 points)
● Noah Gragson (15th with 28 points)
● Ryan Preece (25th with 14 points)
● Josh Berry (26th with 12 points)

SHR Notes:

● Gragson earned his second top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.

● This was Gragson’s third career start in the Daytona 500 and it resulted in his best Daytona 500 finish. His previous best result in The Great American Race was 24th, earned last year.

● Gragson led once for five laps – his first laps led at Daytona.

● Briscoe earned his second top-10 in seven career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.

● This was Briscoe’s fourth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains third, earned in 2022.

● This was Preece’s fifth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains sixth, earned in 2021.

● This was Berry’s first career start in the Daytona 500, but his second career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. He finished 22nd in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last August.

● Berry led one lap to score his first lap led at Daytona.

Race Notes:

● William Byron won the Daytona 500 to score his 11th career NASCAR Cup Series victory and his second at Daytona.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 20 laps.

● Twenty of the 40 drivers in the Daytona 500 finished on the lead lap.

● Byron leaves Daytona as the championship leader with a four-point advantage over second-place Alex Bowman.

Sound Bites:

“We led some laps early, but we came down there at the end to fix some damage right before the final restart. We didn’t have a whole lot of area to go, but I guess it’s better than being wrecked. Overall, we’ll take a top-10. We kind of got pinned on the bottom and didn’t have a lot of room to go and then the race ended. I feel so good being behind the wheel. This whole Stewart-Haas team did a great job, especially getting the backup car going.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

“Anytime you can finish this race in one piece is nice. It was hard to get track position. It seemed like wherever you kind of fell in after two or three laps of green-flag pit stops, you just kind of ran there the whole time. That was a weird race. It seems like every time we run these superspeedways it turns into more and more of a fuel-mileage race. I thought we would be OK there at the end and we had to start 12th or 13th on the restart and it was hard to do anything. We were all kind of bottled up. Coming out of here with a 10th-place finish and missing the wrecks and not being in a huge points whole is nice. We have to play the same game next week at Atlanta and, hopefully, we can do it again, but a couple of spots better.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

“Speeding on pit road screwed us, and then ending it was not getting the Lucky Dog when we should’ve gotten the Lucky Dog. I felt like we earned our right with seven to go to get the Lucky Dog and to at least compete for a top-five or a top-10, or put ourselves in position there, but we had it taken away for no reason. Frustrated is definitely the word right now.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“I feel like I learned a lot and raced well. There were a couple moves I wish I could have back maybe here or there but, overall, I was pretty happy we could work toward the front and maintain it. I thought the car was really good. I just hate we got turned on pit road. That got us behind. We were able to get in the Lucky Dog position but it just didn’t work out there at the end. Overall, it was a good night to learn. I just hate we didn’t get the finish we deserved.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Recap: Daytona 500

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

No. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 10TH
FINISH: 7TH
POINTS: 6TH

How was your race? “Solid Daytona 500, solid start to our year. P7. Ran up front for a little bit, rode around for a while and stayed out of the carnage. Overall, really proud of everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB with this Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE.”

How did your Toyota Camry XSE feel during the race? “It felt good in the draft. I felt like I could push, I could ride, I could be pushed. Overall, a solid day. I feel good about where we are at. Decent start to the year.”

ERIK JONES

No. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 11TH
FINISH: 8TH
POINTS: 9TH

How was your race? “A top-10 it looks like, so a good day for the AdventHealth Camry. It went the way we needed it to. We had some issues on pit road. We had a fast car; it just didn’t work out. We were out front there and then got caught up in a wreck there, and then came back and finished top-10. Good solid start.”

How do you feel about the top-10? “It’s good. It’s a good start to the season. I’ve not had good luck at the start of the season at Daytona, so we will take a top-10. I wish it was more. I think we had a car capable of more – I just struggled to make much happen throughout the day, getting in line and getting to the front. The AdventHealth Camry was good. Just didn’t play out at all throughout the night like we needed. We finally had something rolling there in the middle and it got choked up and we got caught up in that wreck, but we will take it. We will go to Atlanta and try again.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON

No. 84 CARVANA TOYOTA CAMRY XSE

START: 23RD
FINISH: 28TH
POINTS: 28TH

“It was so good to get two top-10’s for the No. 42 and Dollar Tree and the No. 43 and AdventHealth. I hoped to race a little longer in the Carvana Toyota Camry XSE before we got in a wreck, but it’s just a matter of time before you get caught up in something here. So, it was pretty disappointing. We had some optimism in the beginning, hopeful we could straighten out the suspension and then at least run in the draft. Then, as time went on, we realized the severity of the damage and we just had too much damage to even really hang in the draft unless I had a unique situation. So then, at that point it was just wondering if there were going to be more cautions and if we would gain some positions through the cautions.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The Club competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme-E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as Club Ambassador.

With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

RCR NCS Race Recap: Daytona International Speedway

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Moving Forward After Stage 1 Incident at Daytona International Speedway

Finish: 37th
Start: 33rd
Points: 36th

“Not the most memorable Daytona 500 for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet team. Thankful for all of the employees at RCR and ECR for building a great race car. I hate that we never really got a chance to show what we have. Only way to move is forward and to get ready for Atlanta Motor Speedway.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet Team Lead Laps and Avoid the “Big One” On the Way to a 12th-Place Finish In The Daytona 500

Finish: 12th
Start: 34th
Points: 8th

“We had a strong zone Camaro for sure tonight at Daytona International Speedway. All the guys on the zone Chevrolet team did a great job preparing the backup car. We ran up front and led some laps tonight and scored points in both stages. At the end of the race we tried to pick off a couple of spots and just got shucked out of line and shuffled to the back. It’s always disappointing when you don’t win, especially at Daytona.” -Kyle Busch

Early Crash Leaves Burton 39th in the Daytona 500

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team were knocked out of Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 after just six laps.

Burton had his Mustang Dark Horse just outside the top 10 when a driver running to his outside got a push that caused him to suddenly turn left into the No. 21 Mustang. The contact shoved Burton off the racing surface into the grass on the inside of the track.

With matters out of his control, Burton eventually slid back up onto the banking, where he was hit by oncoming cars. Six other drivers were involved.

Burton was uninjured but the Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Mustang was too damaged to continue. He was credited with 39th place.

“I don’t remember exactly who it was on my outside,” Burton told reporters at the track after being checked at the track’s care center. “It just looked like they either got a bad push or got loose and just hit me in the right side and sent me across.

“The grass was so wet that once I got in the grass I thought I’d be OK, but the car just kept going and going, so really sad that our day is over as quick as it was.”

Burton said the wreck was especially disappointing because the No. 21 Mustang had been fast in the preliminary events at Daytona and finished a strong fifth in Thursday’s second Duel qualifying race.

“We had a really fast Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Ford Mustang,” he said. “It’s just a bummer. There’s nothing we can do but just move on and try to win next week.”

Burton said it’s not uncommon for drivers to push one another at Daytona, and to run three-lanes wide, but it requires drivers to be precise in the moves they make.

“I don’t mind top of three-wide,” he said. “We should be good enough to do that, but I guess just the pushing end and the placement of the pushing was not ideal, obviously.”

Once things go awry, there’s not much a driver can do at that point, Burton said.

“It’s a pretty helpless feeling, but I’m OK,” he said. “I felt fine. All good. I’m just over wrecking early that’s for sure.”

Burton and the Wood Brothers team will return to the track later this week for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

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

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

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

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

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

Kaulig Racing – Race Recap | Daytona 500

Race Recap | Daytona 500

 AJ ALLMENDINGER

No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 28th for the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
  • When the caution came out on lap six, Allmendinger reported his No. 16 Celsius Chevy was fast and handling well. After pitting, Allmendinger felt a vibration and returned to pit road to ensure the lug nuts were tight. The team received a penalty on the restart on lap 12. Allmendinger finished the opening stage in 34th.
  • The No. 16 received the lucky dog at the end of the first stage and restarted stage two in 32nd after pitting. Allmendinger rode around until the pit cycle began and came to pit road for fuel only on lap 113. The No. 16 came off pit road 10th and moved as high up as fifth before finishing the stage in ninth.
  • After coming to pit road, the No. 16 restarted seventh. Three laps into the stage, Allmendinger took the lead running the bottom lane. Allmendinger led nine laps before falling back to save fuel. The No. 16 avoided the wreck on lap 193 and was scored in ninth when the red flag was displayed. Allmendinger went on to finish sixth in the Daytona 500.

“We had an up and down night but everyone at Kaulig Racing did a great job this weekend. We had great pit stops, great strategy and we had a car that could hang up there. We gave ourselves a shot at it and that’s all we can do. It’s the biggest race we have in the sport and I’m really proud of everyone’s effort this week.” – AJ Allmendinger  

DANIEL HEMRIC

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric started 37th in the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
  • After the first caution on lap six, Hemric restarted in fourth and ran as high as third before pitting on lap 39 for fuel only. He radioed to crew chief, Trent Owens, that the balance of his No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1 felt good, as he went on to finish the stage in 31st.
  • Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel during the stage break before starting the second stage in 31st. Within the first three laps, Hemric made it back into the top 10. He made it as high as third before pitting on lap 113 for fuel only and went on to finish the second stage in 15th.
  • Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel during the second stage break and started the final stage from 17th place on lap 136. By lap 143, Hemric found teammate, AJ Allmendinger, where the pair ran 1-2 for a number of laps. The two bailed out to conserve fuel shortly after, and Hemric made his final fuel-only pit stop on lap 178. Heavy nose damage from a late-race wreck on lap 193 forced Hemric to pit for repairs before finishing 16th under caution.

“I’m proud of the fight this No. 31 Cirkul team showed from the start of the weekend getting our backup car ready to race. We wanted to get to the front early in the race if possible, which was a little bit of a different approach than what I’ve typically had at these kind of tracks. Trent [Owens] made some great calls, and we were able to do just that and stay up there to show everyone we can push successfully and accept pushes successfully while battling up front. That goes a long way when you get down to the end of these races. I thought it was going to workout there at the end, but unfortunately we got some nose damage we couldn’t avoid with about 10 to go. Not quite the finish we wanted, but I’m looking forward to what’s to come with this team.” – Daniel Hemric  
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Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.