RMonster Energy Driver To Compete in Multiple NASCAR Cup Series Races With RWR in 2024

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 2, 2024) – Riley Herbst will contest the 66th Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) with support from longtime partner Monster Energy. Herbst will pilot the No. 15 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in the Great American Race, the first in a series of select NASCAR Cup Series races he will run with RWR in 2024.

Herbst made his Cup Series debut with RWR in last year’s Daytona 500, finishing an impressive 10th. The 2024 Daytona 500 will mark Herbst’s fifth career Cup Series start, with his most recent Cup Series drive coming last October at Daytona’s sister track – Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway – where Herbst finished ninth.

“Riley continues to impress as a driver,” said team owner Rick Ware. “He showcased what we could do together by securing a top-10 in his first Cup Series start in last year’s Daytona 500, so we look forward to using that as our benchmark when we return to do it again in a few weeks.

“Additionally, to partner with a global brand like Monster Energy is something I take very seriously for RWR as a company. Monster’s commitment to motorsports is something I respect and value, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to work together with Riley and the Monster brand throughout 2024.”

Herbst competes fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – the stepping-stone division to the elite Cup Series. The 24-year-old from Las Vegas is coming off a strong 2023 season where he scored a breakthrough victory on Oct. 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I’m excited to be back at the Daytona 500 with Monster Energy and Rick Ware Racing,” Herbst said. “Competing in last year’s race was a dream come true. We ran a smart race and came out of it with a top-10. I definitely learned a lot.

“Track time and experience are key, especially at a place like Daytona. Learning the nuances of the draft, when to ride and when to make a move, only happen when you’re in the seat. I’m really looking forward to applying everything I learned last year to this year’s race.”

Herbst is a third-generation racer who is taking his family name from the deserts of the southwest to the asphalt tracks of NASCAR. Herbst began racing go-karts at age 5, competing in events up and down the West Coast. He soon followed in his family’s footsteps, transitioning to off-road racing in 2006 where his grandfather, Jerry, and uncles Tim and Ed, and father Troy, are all Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees for being championship-winning off-road racers. But by age 10, Herbst sought a return to pavement. Legend Cars, Speed Trucks and Super Late Models set the stage for Herbst’s NASCAR ascension, where he has advanced from the K&N Pro Series to the ARCA Menards Series to the Truck Series to the Xfinity Series, a rise now sprinkled with select Cup Series races.

“I’ve grown a lot as a racecar driver, especially this past year,” Herbst said. “I put in the work and try to maximize every opportunity, and I feel like last year that hard work and determination paid off. We were really strong at the end of the year. We never finished lower than fourth in our last five Xfinity Series races. I didn’t want the season to end. I’ve kind of been chomping at the bit to get this year started, so to be able to get back to Daytona and run the 500 is something I’m definitely looking forward to.”

Herbst’s teammate will be fellow 24-year-old Justin Haley, the fulltime driver of RWR’s No. 51 Ford Mustang and a Cup Series winner at Daytona (2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400).

“I know I’ll have that yellow rookie stripe on my back bumper and usually that means other drivers think twice about drafting with you. So, to have a teammate in Justin Haley – a guy who’s won at Daytona before – is a great asset,” Herbst said. “I’m going to look out for him and he’s going to look out for me and, together with that Roush Yates horsepower in our Ford Mustangs, I think we can be a strong combination.”

Pole qualifying for the Daytona 500 begins at 8:15 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 14 with live coverage on FS1. Once the front row for the Daytona 500 is set, the Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile heat races – takes place at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 15 on FS1 to set the rest of the Daytona 500 field. Daytona Speedweek then culminates with the 66th running of the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 1 p.m. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also carry live coverage of each event.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

Let’s Clash… The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the Clash at the Coliseum this Sunday, February 4 at the quarter-mile, asphalt oval inside the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This weekend’s event marks the 46th running of the annual non-points exhibition race, with the iconic California stadium serving as just the third venue for the event since its inception in 1979.

Richard Childress Racing in the Clash… Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins in the Clash, six by Dale Earnhardt (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1995) and three by Kevin Harvick (2009, 2010 and 2013). Austin Dillon has led RCR in both Clash races held at the Coliseum (third in 2022, second in 2023).

New Qualifying Format for 2024… Although 36 drivers will make the cross-country trek to California to attempt to win at the legendary Los Angeles venue, only 23 will make it through to the 150-lap main event. Each driver has two chances to qualify for the feature.

There will be four heat races (25 laps each) consisting of 10 drivers each. The top five finishers in each heat will advance to run in the main event, filling 20 positions on the final grid.

Positions 21 and 22 will be set by the top two finishers from the last chance qualifying race (75 laps, only green flag laps count). The 23rd and final starting position is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series points standings that did not transfer on finishing position.

Catch the Action… The Clash at the Coliseum will be televised live Sunday, February 4 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, with the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 carrying the live radio broadcast.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum… Austin Dillon is among the NASCAR Cup Series drivers vying for a spot in this year’s Clash at the Coliseum. With the main event field limited to 23 cars, the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion will have to transfer into the 150-lap exhibition race. Dillon has two prior starts at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the 33-year-old has started from the 10th position twice and never finished worse than third. In 2022, the North Carolina native drove to a strong third-place result. Last season in 2023, Dillon displayed another impressive performance by finishing in the second position – one spot ahead of Richard Childress Racing teammate Kyle Busch.

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Meet Dillon… On Sunday, February 4 at 12:00 Noon local time, Dillon and his RCR teammate Busch are scheduled to participate in a question and answer session on the Christmas Tree Lane Stage outside of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

Your No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro has been strong in the Clash for the last two years. What are your thoughts heading into this weekend?

“I’m looking forward to returning to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Clash in the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro. My Richard Childress Racing team has been strong the last couple of years, finishing second and third, and being just one spot away from getting the gold medal. We will have to fight the track itself with the new asphalt being poured over the winter. The track conditions we had last year won’t be the same. I am hopeful that the strategy we used in the past will continue to be successful, and we will be able to secure a spot in Sunday’s main event with a clean qualifying race on Saturday night.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum… Kyle Busch has made two career starts at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, competing in both exhibition events at the quarter-mile track. In his debut with Richard Childress Racing one year ago in 2023, Busch scored a third-place finish in the Clash at the Coliseum. The Las Vegas, Nevada native made 39 green flag passes en route to capturing his seventh top-five finish in the preseason race. In 2022, Busch led the most laps (64 of 150) on his way to securing a second-place result. His average running position in the race was a sizzling 1.65 – the best of any driver.

Did You Know? With two Clash victories (2012 and 2021) on his resume, Busch could become the first driver to win the non-points paying event on three different track designs (superspeedway, road course and short track). Also, the veteran racer is tied for third on the all-time list of drivers for most laps led (131) in the Clash.

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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

You recovered from an early-race spin to score a third-place finish last year at the Clash at the Coliseum. Talk about your race.

“It was a good run for us and we made the most of the day. We went from the back to the front, passing on the inside and outside. There was a lot of chaos, mayhem and disrespect. It was tight quarters racing at a quarter-mile.”

What are the keys to running well at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum?

“Obviously having a fast car is good, but to have a fast car, you have to be fast while going slow. You’re probably out of the throttle just as much as you’re in the throttle at the Clash. The time in which you’re on the brakes is going to be very important to making sure you’re not on them too much, but yet you still get the car slowed down enough in order to make it turn for the middle of the corner and exit for the next straightaway.”

Do you anticipate a lot of contact during this year’s event?

“Yes, I think there’s going to be contact. You have to let a lot of the little bumps and bruises go and not really focus on that too much. The biggest things are to keep your mind straight and keep your car straight. In order to have fast lap times, you have to hit the right lines, be good on the brakes, and keep the tires underneath you.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles, California
February 8, 2024

NASCAR’S RETURN TO THE COLISEUM

For the third consecutive year, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will venture to the west coast to open the 2024 season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the 46th running of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. From two summer Olympics (1932 and 1984), to two Super Bowls (1967 and 1973) and the 1959 World Series – the annual preseason race for NASCAR’s premier series is among an elite list of events to take center stage at the Southern California venue deemed “The Greatest Stadium in the World”.

With all chartered teams eligible to enter, 14 drivers from six different Chevrolet organizations will represent the Bowtie brand and compete for a spot in the 150-lap main event:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Josh Williams, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Camaro ZL1

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1

 
PAST IN THE CLASH

Chevrolet has a winning percentage of nearly 50 percent in the annual preseason event – earning a manufacturer-leading 22 victories in the Clash’s 45-race history. Neil Bonnett carried the Bowtie brand to its first Clash victory in 1983, with the manufacturer’s most recent triumph coming in 2019 with the sport’s most recent Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson. While competing for preseason glory, NASCAR’s top series is also on the horizon of one of its crown jewel events with the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Only six times in the event’s history has the Clash winner gone on to win the Daytona 500, with career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon representing the Bowtie brand on that elite list (1997).

 
NEXT GEN: YEAR THREE

The 46th running of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will mark the Next Gen Camaro ZL1’s third season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Since entering competition in NASCAR’s premier series, the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 has earned a winning percentage of more than 50 percent in each season with 19 wins in 2022 and 18 wins in 2023. Displaying strength across the Chevrolet camp, drivers from each Chevrolet team contributed points throughout the season that led the manufacturer to its series-leading 42nd – and third consecutive – NCS Manufacturer Championship title.

 
SMITH, HOCEVAR SET FOR ROOKIE SEASON

A pair of young powerhouse drivers have been added to the Team Chevy NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup for 2024, with their rookie campaigns officially getting underway at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this weekend.

A familiar face to Bowtie brand, Zane Smith will make his return to Team Chevy to pilot the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1 this season. A former member of the Driver’s Edge Development Program, the 24-year-old California native got his start in the NASCAR national ranks competing full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) with GMS Racing in 2020. A nine-time winner in the series, Smith had early success in his NCTS career – finishing second in the series’ points standings for back-to-back seasons (2020, 2021) before becoming a NCTS Champion in 2022.

Coming off a strong season in the NCTS, Team Chevy’s Carson Hocevar will make the jump to NASCAR’s premier series to pilot the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1. The 21-year-old Michigan native joined the Driver’s Edge Development Program in 2019 – competing in a handful of NCTS races before joining forces with Niece Motorsports full-time in 2021. In his third season with the organization, Hocevar notched his first-career NCTS victory at Texas Motor Speedway (April 2023) – ultimately ending the season with four victories and a fourth-place finish in the series’ final points standings. Hocevar already has nine career starts in NASCAR’s premier series – highlighted by a best finish of 11th at Bristol Motor Speedway (September 2023).

 
 
TUNE IN:

FOX will telecast from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, February 4 – starting with the last chance qualifying race at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the main event for the 46th running of the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum at 8 p.m. ET. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 BUSCH LIGHT CAMARO ZL1

How have your experiences been at the Clash?

“My two experiences with the Clash are not making the race in 2022 and being pretty competitive in 2023. If we take another step like we did from 2022 to 2023, we will have a shot to win this year. The event is a vibe and I want to be part of the show. It’s obviously a special weekend for Busch Light and it’s my first time driving the scheme so I hope we cap the weekend off with a win.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on the race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum:

“This is a really cool event being in the stadium and a unique format with heat races. Even the break with a concert in the feature adds a unique feel to a race when no points are awarded. It is just so different from our normal race weekends and that makes the entire weekend a fun one.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 CELSIUS CAMARO ZL1

“To kick off the season at The Clash with Celsius is something I take very seriously. They were on the pole last year with Justin Haley, so they certainly expect some success. Hopefully we unload a Chevy Camaro that’s driving well with a lot of mechanical grip. Obviously, you’re not going very fast so aerodynamics don’t really come into play. Your car has to build a lot of grip. It has to be able to turn and have forward drive. You need a little luck, too, with traffic and the way qualifying is. You’ll have guys who are cutting off laps and guys who are sandbagging a little bit. Those variable could mess up what could have been your best lap. There’s only going to be a couple hundredths between qualifying on the pole or qualifying 20th, so we want to make sure we’re on the front end of that. We’ll need a good starting spot for the heat race and play some defense to make sure we’re in, but you need a good starting spot for the feature, too. I think your weekend, from the first time you hit the track, every lap is important at a race like this.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 MORGAN & MORGAN CAMARO ZL1

You recovered from an early-race spin to score a third-place finish last year at the Clash.

“It was a good run for us and we made the most of the day. We went from the back to the front, passing on the inside and outside. There was a lot of chaos, mayhem and disrespect. It was tight quarters racing at a quarter-mile.”

What are the keys to running well at the LA Coliseum?

“I feel like, obviously having a fast car is good but to have a fast car you have to be fast while going slow. You’re probably out of the throttle just as much as you’re in the throttle at the Clash and time in which you’re on the brakes is going to be very important to making sure you’re not on ‘em too much but yet you still get the car slowed down enough in order to make it turn for the middle of the corner and exit for the next straightaway.”

Do you anticipate a lot of contact at the Coliseum?

“I think there’s going to be contact. I think you have to let a lot of the little bumps and bruises go and not really focus on that too much. The biggest thing about it is just keep your mind straight, keep your car straight and do the best you can to hit the right lines and be good on the brakes to have fast lap times there and keep the tires underneath you.”

CHASE ELLIOT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on having the longest active driver and crew chief pairing in the Cup Series garage with Alan Gustafson:

“We have such a solid working relationship. It just makes each week way easier and better when that is the case. He and I are very similar in a lot of ways and kind of look at things from a similar view. That helps our relationship at the track and ultimately, we have the same goals in mind. It’s pretty cool. I didn’t know that we were the longest pairing. I guess we are both getting old.”

Elliott on goals for 2024:

“Winning would be great. Winning a championship would be great. We just want to have pace on a week-to-week basis and that is where my head has been for a long time. I want to show up and have a shot every week. I think we are very capable of doing that but you’ve got to be perfect. If you are not perfect, you have to be really close to it and just keep yourself in contention. That’s really where I am at with it. I want to have pace, be fast and be in the hunt more often.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1

Byron on returning to the LA Coliseum for the Clash:

“This is always a fun event for not only the fans, but the drivers. I think we have really seen it evolve the last two years. While there are no points on the line, you still want to go out there, have a good run and contend for a win. You want to show that the hard work in the offseason paid off. At the same time, you can’t let a bad day affect you or your season because it is such a unique event and venue. We’ve run well there the last two times. We just need a little bit more and I think we have a shot to start the year off with a win.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on racing at the LA Coliseum:

“I’m excited to get back to work in 2024 with Ally and the No. 48 team. That starts this weekend in LA. We have some new faces on the team and we are ready to find our groove and get back into the swing of things. A strong finish would be great to start the season with, but there is a lot up in the air between weather and the nature of that racetrack, so you can’t let a bad finish ruin your mindset for the season either. My goal is to head to the West Coast ready to execute. I want our (No. 48) team to be able to maximize what we have and control the things that we can control.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

How excited are you for the opportunity to race full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series?

”It has been pretty surreal. The day that we announced I was signing with Trackhouse Racing at Bristol, was truly a dream come true. I think every kid that wants to make it in racing, wants to see Sunday. To have the opportunity that I have and to have a foreseeable future in front of me is everything I ever wanted.”

How big of a jump is it from the Truck Series to the Cup Series?

“I feel that the truck actually raced very similar to the Cup car in some situations. The Cup car is kind of on its own planet. Everyone races really hard. I have an extremely good group around me for this year.”

Do you set goals?

“I want the graph arrow to be pointing up come the end of the year. That’s my goal. I have full intentions of going into every race weekend giving 110 percent and a full mindset of going in to win the race.”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1

You raced nine cup races last year, how are you channeling the lessons learned to elevate your performance not just this season, but right out of the gate this weekend?

“I’m very excited to get going with Luke (Lambert) and Spire. Honestly just looking forward to going racing this season. We’ve had a very productive off season – new shop, new people, new cars. I’m excited to see our work in the off season come to fruition at The Clash.”

What do you think about the unique characteristics of The Clash track and how will the atmosphere influence your approach?

“My approach isn’t a lot different; I am looking at it like it’s still a Cup race with Cup cars. We’ve prepared like it’s a points race so I’m excited to get there and see how we do as a team.”

What would you consider a successful season for you in 2024?

“I don’t have a lot of goals week in and week out, I just want us to be the best as a group as we can between communication, working on the cars and improving each week. It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on the Mexico Series race?

“This is so cool. I can’t wait to see a lot of the people I used to race with. I never dreamed something like this would happen. I am very proud of the series. Without the Mexico Series I don’t think I would have ever had a chance of becoming a Cup Series driver. I am honored to be invited to race and see it as a way to say thank you for everything that series did for me over the years. Plus, I really want us to put on a good show and it would be amazing if we could win!”

What are your thoughts on new crew chief Matt Swiderski in 2024?

“I’m excited to get to work with Matt (Swiderski). The Clash comes at a good time because it gives us a chance to work together at a racetrack before we go to Daytona. I think success boils down to communication, so I am looking forward to getting going in Los Angeles this weekend.”

What is your strategy for the Clash?

“Survive. You have to be there at the end. We had 16 cautions last year. That tells you survival is the key to winning.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 851 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 743

Laps led to date: 249,175

Top-five finishes to date: 4,298

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,861

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,185

       Chevrolet: 851

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 828                                                           

       Ford: 728

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 180

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum

Event Overview

● Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 4
● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
● Layout: Quarter-mile oval
● Format: 150-lap Feature with the 23-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Walmart Health & Wellness Ford Mustang

● Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Walmart Health & Wellness Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in the NASCAR Cup Series, is set to make his first start with the team in the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. The 24-year-old driver has started in each of the previous two Clash events on the purpose-built, quarter-mile, asphalt oval inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

● In 2022, the first year the traditional season-opening exhibition race was held in Los Angeles, Haley was fourth in practice and won his heat race to line up third for the 150-lap feature. He completed only 116 laps and finished 19th after an accident ended his bid. When the Cup Series returned to the Coliseum last year, Haley qualified ninth and finished 11th in the feature.

● Haley is most successful on superspeedways, a stat highlighted by his 2019 victory in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on the 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. However, Haley does own four top-five finishes and 12 top-10s in 21 short-track starts in the stepping-stone division to Cup – the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Best among those was a pair of runner-up finishes at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in September 2021 and 2022.

● The primary partner aligned with Haley and RWR’s No. 51 Ford Mustang at the Clash is Walmart Health & Wellness. The Clash kicks off the partnership with RWR, as it’s the first of various initiatives this season with Walmart Health & Wellness, which will also pair Haley with RWR’s NHRA driver Clay Millican, who competes in the Top Fuel class of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series. Said Haley about the partnership: “I’m excited to partner with Walmart Health & Wellness this season. We’ve developed a great relationship and I think it’s always a win to have a recognizable brand on track. It says so much that they’re supporting the No. 51 team, as well as Clay in his endeavors on the Top Fuel side. I’m fortunate that Rick believes in me and my abilitiesas a driver to come over to RWR and contribute to the growth of the team, and I think Walmart Health & Wellness being involved with RWR’s NASCAR and NHRA programs says a lot about their belief in us as a whole.”

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang

● Boston native Kaz Grala will look to make the Clash feature in the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang for RWR in his first visit to the L.A. Coliseum and his first Busch Light Clash. It will be his eighth career Cup Series appearance.

● This season marks the third time Grala and Haley have worked as teammates. The once fierce competitors first united in 2017 when Haley joined GMS Racing, where Grala was competing fulltime in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Grala made his Cup Series debut in the August 2020 race on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course as a stand-in for Austin Dillon. He drove to a seventh-place finish that earned him a limited run in 2021 in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing entry, which he drove to a sixth-place finish in the April race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Haley piloted the same entry to a top-20 finish in that year’s October race at Talladega.

● While this weekend marks Grala’s first short-track appearance in the Cup Series, he owns 20 career short-track starts in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series. Series bests among those 20 starts is his fourth-place Xfinity Series finish in April 2023 at Richmond and his seventh-place Truck Series result in October 2017 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

● The primary partner aligned with Grala and RWR’s No. 15 Ford Mustang at the Clash is N29 Capital Partners. N29 Capital Partners financially supports early-stage startup companies that have created products or services that are disruptive in their industry.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

● In 2023, RWR enjoyed three Top Fuel wins with driver Clay Millican, two Progressive American Flat Track wins with rider Briar Bauman, and multiple WSX victories between riders Shane McElrath and teammate Joey Savatgy as they came of their 2022 WSX championship.

● RWR is already off to a fast start in 2024 as driver Cody Ware scored a podium finish Jan. 20 on the 12-turn, 3.56-mile Daytona road course driving a Ligier JS P320 in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge LMP3 class. The following weekend, Ware and teammate Preston Pardus competed in the twin Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup races at Daytona.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

You’re making your third start in the Clash to kick off your third full season in the Cup Series, and you’re doing it with a new team. Talk about your move to RWR, and what you’re expecting from the No. 51 Ford team.

“It’s always tough to make a big decision like switching teams, but I felt like it was something I needed to explore. Rick Ware was really open with me, he wasn’t hiding anything, and that was really appealing. When it comes down to it, we can just sit down, talk and be real with each other and I really like that. There are a lot of reasons why this decision made sense for me. We may not go out and win the first 10 races, but I do think we can show up down the road and be really competitive. Ford brings a lot to the table, along with the alliance with Roush Fenway Keselowksi Racing (RFK).”

Where do you feel you are in your career right now?

“I feel like I’ve taken advantage of the right opportunity for me. There are so many really talented racecar drivers out there and the Cup Series is hard to get into, and even harder to stay in, once you get there. Keeping yourself relevant and keeping yourself in a competitive seat is big. What I’m moving toward now has already been really exciting. I haven’t even sat in a Ford or a RWR car yet, but I already feel so welcome. Everyone has been so awesome and I’m super confident in my abilities in a Cup car. I’ve had almost 110 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series car, so I feel confident in what I can bring to the team. You always wait for the right opportunity, and to have the right partners come on board and the right people around you, I really feel like I’m starting to gain traction toward that.”

You were up front and competitive at the Clash last year. What are your thoughts about this year’s event?

“I’ve qualified first and third there and made the show and had good runs. I’ve been fortunate to be competitive there both years, so I’m excited. It’s obviously going to be something different. I kind of knew what you had with my previous team and car, and this year there are a lot of unknowns – a new manufacturer, a new team, new people, new spotter. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the steering wheel and the seat I’m sitting in because I brought those over, so we’ll have to see. There’s definitely a lot of anticipation. It’s a long flight out there and you start thinking and you just want to run good.”

You’ve got a new crew chief to work with at RWR. Why is Chris Lawson the guy you want on the No. 51, and what do you expect him to bring with him from his time in the Truck Series?

“Chris is just a winner. He will outwork everyone in the garage and everyone in the shop, too. He’s just a go-getter and that’s what I like about him. He maximizes every part of the car. I think we’re both young and want to achieve something, and he believes in me and I believe in him. He might not know the Cup car like some of the other crew chiefs, but with our alliance with Ford and our alliance with RFK, he will have all of the information and tools to go out and succeed. Hopefully, we can take the first half of the season and see where we’re at and then improve from there. He’s a winner in anything. All he has to do is build a team, be a team leader, and do what he does, and that’s finding that extra bit.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

Early in your career, you did a lot of racing on smaller tracks. Is that where you find you’re most comfortable, and how will that help you navigate your way into the feature race at the Coliseum?
“I’ve run a million laps on quarter-mile tracks, but it has been a long time. I think it’ll definitely be a bit of a learning curve in practice with this being a new track for me and a new car. But we have a teammate who has done pretty well in the Clash in the past, so I’ll be leaning on him for some information and help.”

What led you to make the decision to join RWR this season?

“The partnership with RFK and the investment that Rick has made into bringing in the right people are some of the driving factors for why I made the decision. I think that we could be a lot better than people expect us to be this year. They have Tommy Baldwin (competition director) and Robby Benton as the team president. I worked with Robby in the past and drove his car in the Rolex 24 when I was young, so I feel like they’re putting some powerhouse people in place and really gearing up to be a serious contender. I’m very appreciative that Rick and Robby and everybody saw me as being a part of that growth and a part of their future because I know they had a lot of options out there. They’ve definitely made me feel very welcomed, very appreciated and wanted in that they think that I’m the right person for the job.”

A lot of people like to view RWR as an underdog team and that is a position you’ve found yourself in many times throughout your career. How do you continue to push forward knowing that perception is out there?

“I feel like I have very rarely in my career found myself in the comfortable, easy position. I have definitely had to scratch and claw to find my place and to find success. I feel like I excel in that underdog position. I like to be able to take care of the equipment, get the most out of it and bring as good or better results than the team has previously been able to get. I truly think that’s something I can do at RWR and something we can do as an organization. Nothing happens overnight, but we have a good group of people in place that can help us get past the doubt that others place on us.”

Mooresville, NC (February 1, 2024) – Today, Draiver, Wood Brothers Racing (WBR) and Team Penske announced a new, dynamic partnership that will see the on-demand vehicle delivery company featured as a primary partner on the No. 21 Ford Mustang of Harrison Burton for two races and a full-season associate partner on the No. 21 and on Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford Mustang for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season.

Founded in 2013 by Zarif Haque, Draiver uses the industry’s most advanced AI to move over 6,000 vehicles a day with more than 20,000 drivers. The company, based in Overland Park, Kansas, operates in more than 170 metros across the United States and ten countries, most recently expanding to Mexico and Brazil.

“We’re excited to partner with an innovative company like Draiver,” said Eddie and Len Wood, co-owners, Wood Brothers Racing, in a joint statement. “It’s always special when we get to welcome a new partner to the team, and we look forward to seeing Harrison represent the Draiver colors on the track this year.”

The partnership comes as Burton enters his third Cup Series season in 2024, vying for his first win in NASCAR’s premier series and the elusive 100th win for the Wood Brothers.

“I could not be more excited to represent Draiver on and off the track,” said Burton. Their values and vision are parallel to those of our team, and I look forward to racing the No. 21 Draiver Ford Mustang this year.”

The livery and specific races where Burton will drive the No. 21 Draiver Ford Mustang in 2024 will be announced at a later date.

The 2024 NCS season kicks off on Sunday, February 4 with the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the West Coast exhibition race opens the series schedule for the third consecutive year. The 66th running of the Daytona 500 will be held on Sunday, February 18.

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.