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My official way too early 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff predictions

By
Samuel Stubbs
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In what’s been an extremely entertaining, drama-filled offseason, it’s finally time for me to make Playoff predictions in December that everyone will be laughing at by June. So again, please don’t revisit this article after the regular season finale. 

Virtual Locks (These Guys Are Shoe-ins)

Cole Custer, No. 00 Ford Mustang, Stewart Haas Racing 

After being relegated to the Xfinity Series, Cole Custer did what many fans thought he could do; he went out and proved that he still belongs in the upper echelons of NASCAR. Custer won thrice in 2023 en route to his first Xfinity Series championship and will try to repeat in 2024 to prove to the racing world that he deserves another chance in the Cup Series. I think he wins two or three in the regular season and is postseason-bound by week five or six. 

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro, Kaulig Racing 

Kaulig may have the most exciting lineup of any multi-car team in any NASCAR series next year. AJ Allmendinger and Shane Van Gisbergen are all but guaranteed to be contenders at every road course, and Allmendinger is essentially a lock to be a part of the postseason field. While still looking for his first Xfinity Series championship, he’s a three-time regular season champ and is coming off a Cup Series win at the Charlotte Roval. As far as championship picks go, he’s a popular one. 

Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro, JR Motorsports 

Similar to fellow veteran Matt Crafton, Allgaier is 8-8 in terms of making the Playoffs. Unlike Crafton, however, he has failed to bring home a championship in his six Championship 4 appearances, but he’s always advanced through at least one round. While nobody is guaranteed to ever win a championship, Allgaier is about the safest bet you could possibly have to make the postseason, simply because he’s never missed it.

Sam Mayer, No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro, JR Motorsports 

Would I have made this pick a year ago? Absolutely not. But a month after Mayer won four times, and twice in the clutch, it feels like I have to. Add in his first Final 4 appearance, and Mayer is riding on as much momentum as any non-champion in the sport right now. It’ll take 10 races at the most before Mayer is locked into the 2024 Playoffs. 

Austin Hill, No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro, Richard Childress Racing

Hill is another driver I’m not sure I would’ve considered a lock before the start of last season, but he proved myself and everyone else wrong. Despite missing the Championship 4 and the infamous RCR meltdown at Martinsville, Hill compiled four wins and 24 top 10s in 2023, not bad at all for a guy who was thought to only be a superspeedway specialist heading into the season. I would be shocked if he’s not locked in after the first 2 races of the year at Daytona and Atlanta. 

Feeling Pretty Good…

Sammy Smith, No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro, JR Motorsports 

While he only won one race last season, Sammy Smith showed how much raw talent and potential he has by absolutely whipping the field in their first trip to Phoenix last March. Inconsistency was a problem at times, as he only compiled 15 top 10s, and that will be his biggest adversary en route to a Playoff spot. Despite this, I see him getting in with a victory around the halfway mark of the regular season, if not before. 

Riley Herbst, No. 98 Ford Mustang, Stewart-Haas Racing

Herbst broke out in a big way last season, but it was just a little too late for him to make a run at the championship. It figures that the first year he misses the Xfinity Series Playoffs, he heats up in crunch time. The win in Vegas and a subsequent second-place finish at Homestead laid the groundwork for what many expect to be his breakout season in 2024. If Herbst can’t get to Victory Lane, he’ll be consistent enough to point his way in. 

Chandler Smith, No. 81 Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing 

The first JGR car to appear on this list, Smith collected his first Xfinity Series win at Richmond last spring, and nearly won at Las Vegas in the third race of the season before a last-lap pass by Austin Hill thwarted his plans. Smith brings a boatload of talent to an organization primed to have its best year of Xfinity Series competition yet. Like Sammy Smith, inconsistency plagued him at times in 2023, (only 13 top 10s in 33 races) but when he showed up, he was likely to be the class of the field. He’ll be back in Victory Lane at least once, if not more, in 2024. 

Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Like Austin Hill, many will remember Sheldon Creed’s 2023 campaign for the Martinsville Meltdown, which he admittedly got the rougher side of. Now with a new team, Creed is looking for his first Xfinity Series win and a second consecutive Playoff berth. He’s seemingly lost in every way possible, so I don’t think he really cares where or how he breaks through into Victory Lane. 

By The Skin Of Their Teeth…

Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro, Big Machine Racing

Kligerman impressed a lot of fans last season by making the Playoffs, and I think he will do so again. He was relatively close to a win on a couple of occasions, but I think he and the No. 48 team will squeak by into the postseason for the second consecutive year. Don’t rule out a win though – Kligerman very nearly won at Atlanta last year before spinning backward across the line to finish third. 

Brandon Jones, No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro, JR Motorsports 

It’s completely understandable to doubt Brandon Jones after a poor showing in 2023. But in his second year with JRM, I expect Jones to take a big step forward. I don’t think he will win a race, but better speed at the end of 2023 serves as a preview of what Jones can do. Behind all the pay driver jokes is a young driver who still has a ton of talent. Lest we forget he straight-up beat Kyle Busch one-on-one at Phoenix in 2020. I think Jones will have to scrap for his Playoff spot in 2024, but his “big race” experience outweighs that of his bubble competitors, and its value can’t be understated. 

And Finally…

 Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro, Kaulig Racing

Accuse me of recency bias, buying into the hype, or whatever else you want to call it, but so long as Kaulig provides him with good race cars, SVG will be competitive. I put him in this category because it’ll be close on points unless he can win at a road course, which is a definite possibility. No disrespect intended towards Josh Williams, Hailie Deegan, Brett Moffitt, or any other bubble drivers, but the talent of SVG will be too much for them to overcome. 

Just A Bit Outside…

Josh Williams, No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro, Kaulig Racing

Williams brings personality and a great work ethic to Kaulig, but is there top-level talent to match the top-level equipment? No disrespect to Williams, who has made do with sub-par equipment, but 11 top 10s in 186 career Xfinity Series races doesn’t scream Year 1 Playoff driver to me. Hopefully, Williams proves me wrong, but I’ll wait till 2025 to put NASCAR’s favorite valet in the postseason. 

Jesse Love, No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro, Richard Childress Racing 

The raw talent is there. The equipment is there. The team is there. But three Truck Series starts is Love’s only experience in the top three series of NASCAR. I understand why RCR went with him, as he has the potential to be NASCAR’s next superstar, but a lack of experience in big moments keeps him out of the Playoffs in 2024. Stay tuned for 2025, though, where I think he’ll be a championship contender. Don’t expect the 2023 ARCA champ (and 10-time race winner) to stay quiet for very long. 

Hailie Deegan, No. 15 Ford Mustang, AM Racing

I’ve been pretty critical of Deegan’s lack of results in good Truck Series equipment, but that 2022 Las Vegas Xfinity race, in which Deegan finished 13th in her NXS debut driving for SS Greenlight, can’t be ignored. It’s only one race, but if Deegan takes to the Xfinity Series quickly, she could prove me wrong and be a contender. Similar to Jesse Love, however, she doesn’t have much “big race” experience, which could prove costly once the bubble battle heats up in August and September. 

Jeb Burton, No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro, Jordan Anderson Racing

Jeb Burton was frustrating to watch last season. The win at Talladega was nice, but it’d be great if he could show that he can win at the non-superspeedways as well. That victory at Talladega was his only top-five and just six top 10s meant he was easily disposed of in the Round of 12. If Burton wants to point his way in, he’ll need to minimize DNFs and find creative ways (such as pit strategy) to jump ahead of the usual contenders on the racetrack. 

Next Four Out: Jeremy Clements, Ryan Sieg, Ryan Ellis, Brennan Poole

So, there you have it. Sixteen more predictions that will likely all be ruined by race six or seven. Again, I ask you to please not revisit this article after the Xfinity Series regular-season finale to see how incredibly wrong I was. 

Here’s to another fantastic year of the NASCAR Xfinity Series!

Young Layne Riggs leaning on family with a hunger to win in 2024

By
Samuel Stubbs
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Photo by Front Row Motorsports

The 21-year-old Layne Riggs encapsulates the late Ken Squier, saying “Common men doing uncommon things.” The son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Scott Riggs, Layne has forged his own path, mainly taking to the short tracks of the south as so many others like him do. 

The difference? Layne Riggs whipped all the other common men on the racetrack, and now he’s in a premier ride in the top three series of NASCAR. The young North Carolina native signed a deal with Front Row Motorsports to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2024, equaling Riggs’ first full-time opportunity in a national series. 

“We just had to make sure I took advantage of every opportunity I had,” Riggs said. “I’ve always lived off part-time deals, especially in the Truck Series. I even got those three races for Kaulig in the Xfinity Series, but I think it really goes back to winning the (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) championship in 2022. I was very successful there, and it gave me the opportunity to get more Truck Series races the next year. Kevin Harvick gave me the opportunity to drive his late model at Martinsville, and we started talking to Jerry, (from Front Row Motorsports) just kind of shooting the breeze behind the trailer before the race. He called back that next Monday and said, “We want you for next season, we think that you’re the guy and you’re the candidate to drive our truck.”

Riggs says his number one goal for the season is to get to victory lane for the first time in his national series career, but he’ll have to go to school quickly. 

“I know that I have the people around me, and I know I have a good enough team. Obviously, I have really big shoes to fill. Zane (Smith) went back to back at Daytona which is going to be my first race. I’ve never run on a superspeedway before in my life, so I’m going to have to learn very quickly. He (Zane Smith) is undefeated at COTA. That truck has won every race at Circuit of the Americas and I’ve never run a road course in my life. So the two places he (Zane) was very strong at, I have zero experience at.”

However, Riggs says he feels confident about his team’s ability to match his strong suit – the short tracks. 

“There’s a lot of short tracks and tracks that I’m familiar with on the schedule this year,” Riggs added. 

Despite the fact that 2024 will be Riggs’ first in a top-3 series, there’s one big mentor that he can lean on – his father, NASCAR veteran Scott Riggs, who won nine races combined in the Truck & Xfinity Series and ran 208 Cup Series races over a NASCAR career that spanned 15 years. 

“It makes it easier for me, is all,” Riggs said, “when I asked him what having a veteran racer so close to him does.” 

“He’s still Dad. When I was younger, I went to all the Cup races with them, and it’s funny, I always thought, ‘Doesn’t everybody’s dad drive race cars?’ This is normal for a kid like me. But it’s been great. When he was getting out of it, I started getting into it. In my whole 10 or 11 years of racing, he’s only ever missed two races. It’s been a great bond, working on the late models, working on the cars in the shop after school, building the cars. He would (be my) crew chief on the weekends. He says now he’s worked himself out of a job,” Riggs jokes. “He’s worked so hard and pushed so hard to get me to this level, that now he doesn’t have a job anymore.”

That mentorship, combined with a boatload of pure talent has pushed Riggs to a level few common men reach. Now, it’s up to the young driver to do uncommon things and distinguish himself from the hungry pack in 2024.

Vision Wheel Becomes Sponsor of 2024 UNLTD Off-Road Racing Series

By
Official Release
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Vision Wheel will join UNLTD Off-Road Racing as a sponsor of the 2024 championship, series officials announced today. The season kicks off with the Parker 400, returning to Parker, Arizona on January 10-14, and continues with the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 on March 6-10 in Las Vegas and the California 400 on October 2-6 in Barstow, California.

“We’re excited to have Vision Wheel on board for the entire 2024 UNLTD Off-Road Racing season,” said UNLTD CEO Matt Martelli. “They’ve been both a longtime partner of the Mint 400 and a founding sponsor of the California 300, so to expand our relationship to cover the whole three-race series is a natural fit. Be sure to check out Vision’s latest wheels at each of our events as some of the top names in the sport rely on them to get to the finish line!”

The 346 Storm Forged from Vision Wheel has been developed for drivers who push their UTVs to the extreme. After extreme testing in deserts from Arizona to Baja at the hands of winning racers like Phil Blurton, the 346 Storm Forged is ready to conquer any adventure you can dream up. Available in beadlock and non-beadlock versions, 4, 5, and 6 lug fitments, Polished or Gloss Black milled finishes, and 15×6 and 15×7 sizes with 15×10 coming soon. Available now to order through your preferred Vision Wheel dealer.

Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels.

Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, and American Muscle wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.

Details regarding racer registration, sponsorship packages, exhibitor vending, spectator tickets, camping, and parking passes for UNLTD Off-Road Racing are live on Unlimitedoffroadracing.com.

About UNLTD Off-Road Racing
The Unlimited Off-Road Racing league was formed by The Martelli Brothers in 2023 after more than a decade of successful desert off-road race promotion, including The Mint 400, The UTV World Championship and The California 300. The league was formed to promote the sport of desert off-road racing, the off-road industry, and to expand the reach of off-road companies beyond the industry and into the homes of every off-road race fan, globally. Key attributes of the newly formed league include large racer car counts, competitive and challenging race courses, safe and family-friendly spectating areas, multiple days of racing and off-road festivities all located near major cities and markets that positively affect the off-road industry. The Martelli Brothers, owners of the motorsports powerhouse production group Mad Media have made it their mission to grow the league into a four race series that showcases the best off-road racers on the best courses in North America.

Coleman and Telitz Reunite for Michelin Pilot Challenge Effort

By
Official Release
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DENVER, CO. (December 21, 2023) – Anticipation is building as the countdown to the commencement of the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge race season reaches just 30 days. The high-stakes racing action is set to kick off at the renowned Daytona International Speedway, where Todd Coleman Racing, under the expert management of Archangel Motorsports, is poised for another thrilling and competitive year.

The effort will reunite the driver duo of Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz for a full-season campaign. The team will navigate ten races across North America in the No. 88 eStruxture Data Centers Aston Martin Vantage GT4. This season marks a reunion for the pair, whose last collaboration took place during the 2022 SRO America series.

Having participated in eight of the 11 Michelin Pilot races in 2023, Todd Coleman brings valuable experience from his rookie season, achieving a commendable eighth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“Last season was a great learning experience for me in Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Coleman. “Given we are competing against some of the best GT4 drivers in the world, my expectations were fairly measured last year. This season, we are committed to raising the bar. Working with an experienced group like Archangel Motorsports, with the leadership of sports car racing veteran Mike Johnson really adds to the strength of the program. Aaron Telitz has been a great friend and coach over the years, and I’m excited to bring him back into the fold. We’ll certainly have some fun this season.”

DENVER, CO. (December 21, 2023) – Anticipation is building as the countdown to the commencement of the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge race season reaches just 30 days. The high-stakes racing action is set to kick off at the renowned Daytona International Speedway, where Todd Coleman Racing, under the expert management of Archangel Motorsports, is poised for another thrilling and competitive year.

The effort will reunite the driver duo of Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz for a full-season campaign. The team will navigate ten races across North America in the eStruxture Data Centers Aston Martin Vantage GT4. This season marks a reunion for the pair, whose last collaboration took place during the 2022 SRO America series.

Having participated in eight of the 11 Michelin Pilot races in 2023, Todd Coleman brings valuable experience from his rookie season, achieving a commendable eighth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“Last season was a great learning experience for me in Michelin Pilot Challenge,” said Coleman. “Given we are competing against some of the best GT4 drivers in the world, my expectations were fairly measured last year. This season, we are committed to raising the bar. Working with an experienced group like Archangel Motorsports, with the leadership of sports car racing veteran Mike Johnson really adds to the strength of the program. Aaron Telitz has been a great friend and coach over the years, and I’m excited to bring him back into the fold. We’ll certainly have some fun this season.”

A five-time race winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Aaron Telitz joins the team with an impressive track record and extensive knowledge of the circuits featured in the 2024 season. Telitz, who is also racing in his sixth season with Vasser Sullivan Racing, recently closed out the 2023 season with a third-place standing in the GTD class. This will be his first time competing in the Pilot Challenge, the support series for the IMSA WeatherTech championship.

“I’m really looking forward to racing with Todd Coleman and Archangel Motorsports in the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in 2024,” said Telitz. “It’s going to be a lot of fun getting to work with Todd again! It’ll be my first try at the GS championship. I know we’ve got our work cut out for us as it’s super competitive with lots of teams and drivers with tons more experience but we’re ready to take on the challenge!”

With a recent successful test session, the team is gearing up for the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway from January 19-21, serving as the inaugural series-wide pre-season test. The official sessions for the Rolex 24 race week will commence on January 24, with the four-hour BMW M Endurance Challenge At Daytona beginning on Friday, January 26, at 1:45 PM ET. For more information and to tune in, please visit imsa.com.

About Todd Coleman Racing

Todd Coleman Racing was founded in 2022, the passion product from entrepreneur Todd Coleman. He began his racing career in 2020, racing at an entry-level before working his way up to the professional ranks. He continued to learn the ropes of the business of motorsport, partnering with championship-winning sports car teams and professional coach/drivers. He founded Todd Coleman Racing as the next step in racing toward his dream; to create his own championship-winning race team.

About eStruxture Data Centers

eStruxture is the largest Canadian data center provider with locations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Headquartered in Montreal, eStruxture provides access to an ecosystem of almost 1,200 customers that trust and depend on our infrastructure and customer support, including carriers, cloud providers, media content, financial services, and enterprise customers. eStruxture offers colocation, bandwidth, security and support services to customers across Canada in its carrier and cloud-neutral facilities.

About Archangel Motorsports

Established by Mike Johnson in 1998, Archangel Motorsports is a championship-winning racing team in IMSA competition. Originally based in Atlanta, the team began with formula cars before transitioning to sports car racing from 2000 to 2004. While creating a legacy in SRPII competition, Archangel Motorsports earned two GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car championships [2000,2001] and a Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona victory [2001]. The fifteen years to follow saw Johnson take to management, spearheading operations, such as Stevenson Motorsports, to four additional championships and a slew of race wins, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Retaking to team ownership in 2020, Johnson brought Archangel Motorsports home to St. Louis, Missouri with its sister company, Victory Raceway.

William Sawalich Expands TRICON Truck Slate in 2024

By
Official Release
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Reigning ARCA East Champion Returns to No. 1 Tundra

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 21, 2023) — TRICON Garage (TRICON) announced today that William Sawalich will return to its NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) lineup behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2024.

The 17-year-old Toyota development driver had a banner year in 2023, capturing seven victories across the ARCA Menards Series platform and claiming the ARCA East crown. In his Truck Series debut at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Sawalich became the third-youngest driver to score a top-10 in series history at 16 years, 6 months and 12 days. Competing in a total of six NCTS races, he tallied three top-10 finishes including a best finish of sixth at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP).

“I am excited to be back with the No. 1 team in 2024,” said Sawalich. “We were super consistent this past season and I am looking forward to repeating that with my group of guys. I am confident it will be another successful year with TRICON.”

Sawalich will expand his schedule to feature nine NCTS events in 2024 with his first pair of races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. He will take an eight-race stretch away from the Truck Series and rejoin the team for an ambitious second half of the season running seven of the final nine scheduled races including IRP, Richmond (Va.) Raceway, the Milwaukee Mile, return trips to Bristol and Martinsville, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.

The No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will feature Starkey and its SoundGear line of products for the Minnesota native’s races. Starkey, a global leader in hearing technology, engineers and manufactures SoundGear products to provide digital sound enhancement that delivers superior environmental awareness while placing a premium on hearing protection.

About TRICON Garage

TRICON Garage is Toyota Racing Development’s flagship NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series organization fielding five full-time Toyota Tundra TRD Pros. Under ownership by former NASCAR driver David Gilliland, businessman Johnny Gray and industry veteran Kevin Ray, TRICON is actively involved in three different industries – racing, fabrication and transportation. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, North Carolina.

The Dale Jr. Foundation Raises $1.3 Million in 2023

By
Official Release
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Dozens of Organizations Benefit from Charitable Donations in Banner Year

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 21, 2023) – Nearly 70 groups, organizations and charities benefitted from the $1.3 million The Dale Jr. Foundation raised in 2023, the charitable organization announced, with an additional 59 organizations receiving in-kind support. The donations will help fund the good works that these organizations do both regionally and nationally, spreading hope and empowering children toward a brighter future.

Among the many organizations receiving donations from TDJF include Blessings in Backpack, Camp LUCK, Children’s Hope Alliance, Classroom Central, Donors Choose, FeedNC, HealthReach Community Clinic, Hope of Mooresville, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Operation Warm, Pat’s Place Children’s Advocacy Center, Pharos Parenting, and Pinky Swear Foundation. All of these benevolent entities epitomize The Foundation’s five key areas of giving: Hope, Hunger, Wellness, Education and Empowerment.

“This has been a tremendous year of giving,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, vice president of The Dale Jr. Foundation. “Thanks to the generous donations and hard work of so many special people, The Foundation has been able to support a number of impactful and worthwhile causes.”

Headlining the fundraising efforts for the year was the 13th annual Driven To Give gala, featuring comedian Dusty Slay. Attended by 250 invitees, Driven To Give raised nearly $450,000 toward TDJF’s year-end numbers.

Some of the other fund-raising initiatives in 2023 included the annual Win Dale Jr.’s Ride raffle, a huge success which saw a Chevy Silverado pickup truck and TRACKER Bass Buggy boat awarded. The raffle added more than $163,000 to the total to be given.

The annual Ride-Along program, in which Earnhardt Jr. drove participants around North Wilkesboro Speedway and Martinsville Motor Speedway, raised $300,000 for the cause. This program also included a book reading by Earnhardt Jr. to students in the surrounding North Wilkesboro area.

Another annual program, this one benefitting the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, saw more than 60 NASCAR drivers wear Dale Jr.-inspired skeleton driving gloves in the fall race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. These gloves were auctioned off, raising more than $75,000 for pediatric cancer research at the world-renowned hospital in Ohio.

The Foundation’s year-end giving program included many charities that fit its mission statement, which is giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals.

In addition to its monetary donations, TDJF gave in many other ways as well, especially during the holiday season. TDJF, with the help of JR Motorsports families, was able to benefit 40 Angel Tree children from Children’s Hope Alliance. The JR Elves program hosted 11 children and provided them with a visit from Santa Claus, pizza, crafts, and a shopping trip.

Notable community outreach initiatives undertaken by The Dale Jr. Foundation included Earnhardt Jr. reading to students at Allenbrook Elementary School, an All-Kids Bike Build at South Elementary School, and several volunteers working in Mimi’s Garden, named for Dale Jr. and sister Kelley’s mother, Brenda Jackson.

ABOUT THE DALE JR FOUNDATION:

The Dale Jr. Foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education, and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals, having raised more than $11 million since its inception. The Dale Jr. Foundation has made a monumental impact in the local community since its beginning. Dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to achieve extraordinary goals, TDJF has contributed to more than 300 charities nationally and locally, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Blessings in a Backpack, FeedNC, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hope Alliance, Classroom Central and Mooresville Christian Mission. For more information, visit www.thedalejrfoundation.org.

Forte Racing Confirms Sandy Mitchell for Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and Unveils 2024 Livery

By
Official Release
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Monrovia, California (Thursday, December 21, 2023) – Forte Racing has confirmed that Lamborghini Factory Driver Sandy Mitchell will join the team for the 2024 ROAR Before the 24 and the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona next month at the famed Daytona International Speedway.

Mitchell has a history of success in endurance racing with three Spa 24 Hour class wins. He also won the British GT Championship in 2020 and was the vice champion in 2022. Mitchell was the 2019 Lamborghini World Final vice champion in 2019 and was promoted to factory driver status in 2021. This will be his second Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and his first endeavor with Forte Racing.

“I’m super excited to be joining Forte Racing for Daytona,” Mitchell said. “I’ve competed in this amazing race once before, and I’m thrilled to be back on the grid as the atmosphere and on track action are equally impressive during race weekend. I feel we have a great driver line-up, and from keeping an eye on the team’s progress last season, I think our overall package will be very strong. Can’t wait to meet my teammates and crew, and work towards producing a strong result come race day.”

Forte Racing GTD team manager, Michael Harvey, is looking forward to having a fellow Brit on the team for the first race of the 2024 season saying, “Adding to our driver strength we are thrilled to welcome Lamborghini factory driver Sandy Mitchell to our strong line up of Misha (Goikhberg), Loris (Spinelli) and Devlin (DeFrancesco).”

In addition to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona driver announcement, Forte Racing is unveiling a unique new car livery for 2024. Designed by graphic design artist Andy Blackmore and team owner Shane Seneviratne, the new livery is sure to garner attention on the grid in the coming season.

Harvey is eager to see the new livery on the track and had this to say. “Excited to bring our “split personality” livery to life starting at Daytona, seems the perfect event as we navigate the Sunny day into the dark night!!”

Forte Racing will kick off the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech GTD season at the ROAR before the 24 with the first practice of the new season on Friday, January 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

*Renderings Courtesy of Andy Blackmore

About Forte Racing (Formerly known as US RaceTronics)

Forte Racing is a Los-Angeles based Motorsport team supported by Lamborghini Squadra Corse and competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, the IMSA VP Racing Sportscar Challenge and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.

Founded in 2023 and operated by US RaceTronics, the Italian-American team’s GT Daytona title contender is a Lamborghini Huracan EVO2 GT3 driven by Pro driver Loris Spinelli and Misha Goikhberg. The ream finished the 2023 season with four top-five finishes in the last five races of the season and included a 2nd-place finish at Indianapolis and a win at the season-finale Petit LeMans. The team finished an impressive rookie season fifth in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship.

The team line-up for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship includes the team’s 2023 Petit LeMans winning driver Goikhberg and Spinelli along with NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Devlin DeFrancesco for the five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races.

US RaceTronics (USRT) was founded by Shane Seneviratne in 2005 to compete in the Atlantic Championship, a formula race car series. The team finished 5th in points its first year and continued its success during the succeeding years, ultimately amassing a total of 21 podiums, 7 poles, 5 race wins and finishing 3rd in the 2009 Atlantic Championship. USRT was put on hold after series officials announced the Atlantic Series was put on hiatus.

Seneviratne fully returned to racing in 2015 after receiving an invitation to manage the O’Gara Motorsport entries in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American (LBSTNA) Series. The team won the Team Championship, Dealership Championship, Pro Championship and Amateur Championship that season.

The success of 2015 reignited Seneviratne’s passion for racing and he relaunched US RaceTronics to compete in the 2016 LBSTNA Series. The team has won multiple North American and World Championships and expects to add to their success as they enter their eighth season in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North American Series. The team also competed in 2023 with one car each in the IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship and the IMSA VP Challenge and will be expanding their entries in 2024.

For more information on how to become a driver with US RaceTronics, learn more about the Series, or attend a race, visit www.usracetronics.com.

About O’Gara Motorsport

O’Gara Motorsport was founded in 2014 by owner Tom O’Gara and celebrated winning the 2015 North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver and team Championships. The team goal is to achieve victories in the Series as well as showcasing the brands of their sponsors both on and off the track. With a vertically integrated platform that starts at the dealership and accelerates to the top levels of professional sports car racing, everyone at O’Gara is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program for anyone, from the casually curious to the dedicated racer.

About Change Racing

Founded by Lamborghini Charlotte CEO and long time real estate developer, John E. Littlefield, Change Racing is the premier championship winning team. Claiming 18 titles in various classes; Change Racing has competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series since its inception in 2013.

Most recently claiming the 2021 Amateur World Championship in Misano, Italy. Change Racing also claimed all SIX 2020 North American Championships, including the Pro, Pro-Am, Am and LB Cup class championships as well as the Team and Owner championships.

Beard Motorsports Announces Plans for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Season

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Official Release
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Family-Owned Organization Will Take to the Track for its Eighth Season of NASCAR Cup Series Competition

MT. PLEASANT, Michigan (Dec. 20, 2023) – Beard Motorsports announced today its plans for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. A total of four races make up the 2024 schedule for Beard and it begins Feb. 18 with the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Manning the cockpit of the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet in the 2024 edition of the Great American Race will be driver Anthony Alfredo.

Beard Motorsports, a generational race team, was founded by the late Mark Beard Sr. Since his passing in early 2021, his wife Linda Beard has served as the team owner with their children, Amie and Mark Jr., overseeing team operations and management. Beard Motorsports made its NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2017 Daytona 500 with former driver Brendan Gaughan.

“The 2024 season marks our eighth year competing in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Amie Beard, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. “It’s surreal to even be referencing year number eight. This race team is a passion project for all of us. My dad loved the sport and it’s a passion that we now share as a family. It’s what drives this team.

“We are so excited to be back on track for 2024,” Beard added. “Our crew chief Darren Shaw and the majority our crew guys and pit crew are all back for this season. Darren has been busy getting the car ready, and preparations for the Daytona 500 are well underway. Our schedule will go beyond the Daytona 500 and we have some exciting things in the works that we look forward to sharing a little later. Overall, though, we are just looking forward to getting back to the track and doing what we do best – competing while having fun.”

In addition to the Daytona 500, the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 on April 21 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the Aug. 24 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, and the Oct. 6 YellaWood 500 at Talladega. Alfredo will also pilot the No. 62 Chevrolet in the April Talladega race.

A NASCAR Next alumnus, Alfredo has been making a name for himself in the racing world since he debuted in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2019. He has competed in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series, including the Cup Series, where he has a total of 38 career starts.

“I’m so thankful for this opportunity,” said the native of Ridgefield, Connecticut. “Every driver that runs stock cars wants to race in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Daytona 500. I’ve been blessed to race at this level against drivers that are childhood heroes of mine. This opportunity with the Beard family is very exciting. They have always fielded great cars in these superspeedway races, so I’m thrilled to get behind the wheel of their No. 62 Chevrolet.”

Plans for the remaining events making up the 2024 schedule for the No. 62 Beard Motorsports team will be announced later in the season.

Arbitrage Genius Reviews: Trading Policies

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SM
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A wide range of policies are typically put into place by an effective trading platform like Arbitrage Genius to guarantee user satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and smooth operation. It is important that particular approaches and their executions can shift with other exchanging stages. For that reason, Arbitrage Genius has turned into a game-changing exchange objective. In any case, clients must cautiously survey the strategies and terms of administration of a stage prior to participating in exchanging exercises.

Now you will get to know the policies of Arbitrage Genius thoroughly.

Client Check: 

Arbitrage Genius expects clients to go through a careful check cycle to lay out their character, guaranteeing consistency with hostile to tax evasion (Anti-money Laundering) and know-your-client (KYC) guidelines. This approach forestalls deceitful exercises and improves the security of the website.

Safety efforts: 

Arbitrage Genius.com executes strong safety efforts, like encryption conventions, two-factor confirmation, and standard security reviews. These measures prevent unauthorized access, attempted hacking, and other cyber threats from gaining access to user data, transactions, and funds.

Market Monitoring by Arbitrage Genius: 

Effective exchanging stages, like Arbitrage Genius, utilize complex observation frameworks to screen market exercises and recognize dubious or manipulative behavior and will assist with keeping up with fair and straightforward exchanging rehearses, identifying any abnormalities, and forestalling market control or insider exchanging.

Straightforward Charge Design: 

Being a proficient exchanging website, Arbitrage Genius keeps a straightforward expense structure, obviously framing all exchanging costs, including commissions, spreads, and any extra charges. With this straightforwardness, clients will have informed choices and comprehend the expenses related to their exchanges.

Arbitrage Genius’s Liquidity Provision: 

By connecting users to various market makers, exchanges, and liquidity providers, Arbitrage Genius actively strives to provide liquidity. This strategy guarantees that clients approach a profound pool of liquidity, limiting slippage and further developing exchange execution.

Risk The board: 

Arbitrage Genius executes a thorough gamble on the executives’ arrangements to relieve chances related to exchanging exercises. This could involve providing risk management tools such as stop-loss orders and margin requirements and establishing trading limits to assist users in effectively managing their risk exposure.

Client service of Arbitrage Genius: 

Proficient exchanging stages like Arbitrage Genius, offer dependable and responsive client care stations, including email, live visits, and phone support. Brief client care by the website itself, assists clients with settling any issues or requests they might have, guaranteeing a smooth exchange experience.

Conformity to Law: 

Arbitrage Genius complies with significant monetary guidelines and lawful necessities well defined for the locales wherein it works. This includes adhering to securities laws, data protection laws, and any other relevant financial services regulations.

Fair Request Execution: 

Fair request execution by carrying out arrangements like best execution rehearses is carried out by Arbitrage Genius’s official website. Client orders are fulfilled at the lowest possible prices, slippage must be minimized, and any conflicts of interest between the platform and its users are avoided.

Bottom Line:

Arbitrage Genius continually strives to enhance its services and user experience as a well-managed trading platform. This entails soliciting feedback from users, releasing regular updates, introducing new features, and remaining abreast of upcoming technologies and market trends.

Unveiling the Thrills of Cascading Reel Slots on Online Casinos

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SM
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Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

The world of online slot games constantly evolves, introducing innovative features to enhance gameplay and captivate players. One such innovation that has gained significant popularity is the “cascading reel” mechanic. Also known as “tumbling reels,” this dynamic feature offers a unique twist to the traditional slot experience.

This article delves into the captivating realm of cascading reel slots, exploring how they work, their benefits, and the excitement they bring to virtual gambling.

Understanding Cascading Reel Slots

Cascading reel slots, often called “cascading slots” or “avalanche slots,” are online slot games that introduce a dynamic and visually appealing mechanic. This mechanic replaces the traditional spinning reels with symbols that fall from the top of the screen, creating an engaging visual effect that adds an extra layer of excitement to the gameplay.

How Cascading Reels Work

Symbol Drops: In cascading reel slots, the symbols that make up a winning combination disappear from the screen once a winning combination is formed. This creates empty spaces on the reels.

New Symbols Fall: After the winning symbols vanish, new symbols fall from the top of the screen to fill the empty spaces. This can potentially lead to the formation of new winning combinations.

Chain Reactions: The process repeats if new winning combinations are formed after the initial drop. This chain reaction can lead to multiple consecutive wins from a single spin.

Benefits of Cascading Reel Slots

Dynamic Gameplay: The cascading effect of symbols falling and forming new combinations creates an engaging and dynamic gameplay experience that keeps players entertained.

Multiple Wins in One Spin: Unlike traditional slots where a single spin results in one set of symbols, cascading reel slots offer the potential for multiple wins in a single spin due to the chain reaction of symbol drops.

Extended Playtime: Cascading reel slots often extend the playtime of a single spin due to the chain reactions and the formation of multiple winning combinations.

Visual Appeal: The visual effect of symbols falling and forming new combinations adds a visually appealing element to the gameplay.

Gonzo’s Quest: This game by NetEnt is one of the pioneers of the cascading reel mechanic. Players follow Gonzo’s journey as he searches for hidden treasures in ancient ruins.

Cascading Cave: Developed by Playtech, this slot game takes players on a mining adventure where cascading symbols unveil precious gems.

Bonanza: Developed by Big Time Gaming, Bonanza is known for its Megaways engine and cascading reels, offering players many ways to win.

Conclusion

Cascading reel slots have revolutionized the world of online slot gaming by introducing a visually captivating and dynamic mechanic that enhances the gameplay experience. With the potential for multiple wins in a single spin and an extended playtime due to the chain reactions, these slots have quickly become a favorite among players seeking innovative and thrilling gaming experiences.

As game developers continue to explore new ways to engage players, the cascading reel mechanic is likely to remain a staple in the diverse landscape of online slot games.

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