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FUNNY CAR POINTS LEADER BOB TASCA III STAYING AGGRESSIVE HEADING TO TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

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Official Release
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ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 11, 2023) – Leading the points in the Countdown to the Championship for the first time in his career, Funny Car standout Bob Tasca III has already enjoyed an incredible season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

Heading into this weekend’s 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex, which is the main event of the legendary track’s Stampede of Speed, Tasca and his team, led by crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks, also don’t plan on changing an approach that sent them into the lead with three races remaining in the season.

An aggressive mindset has been a rewarding one for the team, as Tasca has picked up three victories and six No. 1 qualifiers in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. But in an extremely tight Funny Car field where the top four drivers are separated by just 33 points, Tasca will aim to continue his standout pace in Dallas, where ideal racer and fan conditions could make for a spectacular weekend.

“We feel confident that if we can run our race that we’ve got as good a chance as anyone to win this championship,” Tasca said. “These guys only know how to run hard and run fast, and that’s just fine with me. I saw the forecast (for Dallas) and I had a big smile on my face. These are good conditions for our car and Dallas is a great surface. It’s going to be a throwdown and I love racing there. We’re going to come out swinging and leave it all out on the field, and that’s all you can do.”

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) took home victories last season. This year’s race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including eliminations on Sunday, and marks the third of six events in the Countdown to the Championship, and the 19th of 21 races in 2023. The weekend opens with “Friday Night Live,” as the quickest pass under the lights on Friday at the famed Texas Motorplex will net Top Fuel and Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the top Friday qualifier in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Tasca’s 2023 track record indicates he’ll definitely be in that mix on Friday, where he’ll look to put down a stellar blast to open the weekend. But finishing the job is never easy in the loaded Funny Car ranks, especially with the likes of Robert Hight, Matt Hagan and Capps right behind Tasca.

Hight is only six points back, while Hagan’s St. Louis win brought him within 13 points of Tasca. Capps, the defending event winner and reigning back-to-back world champ, is just 33 points out of the lead, setting the stage for an epic final three races. Throw in the likes of J.R. Todd, Tim Wilkerson, John Force and Chad Green and it will be a wild finish in Funny Car, starting this weekend in Dallas.

Tasca, though, believes his team is up for the task, no matter what type of conditions are thrown their way.

“We’ve got a car that can run with the best of the best in any condition and to win a championship, that’s what you need to have,” Tasca said. “I think that’s what makes us a dangerous team in the Countdown. We can run low E.T. no matter what conditions we’re in. When you have that in your repertoire, it puts you in a great position to contend for this championship. We’ve got a veteran group of guys and I’m fortunate to pair up with Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks. It’s incredible chemistry and you can see it in our performance all year long.”

Kalitta is after his first Top Fuel world championship, but Leah Pruett is only 47 points back. Texan Steve Torrence is just 51 points out of the lead, while defending event winner Ashley remains in title contention as well. Other top names include defending world champ Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Mike Salinas and Clay Millican.

Enders, a Texas native, wowed fans all throughout 2022 by collecting 10 NHRA titles en route to her fifth Pro Stock world championship. One of those 10 victories was her 2022 Texas NHRA FallNationals win, helping her clinch a championship a race later. She’s the current points leader, but has plenty of competition, including Greg Anderson, who is 25 points behind, and Matt Hartford, who trails Enders by 38 points.

Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran Arana Jr. picked up his first win from Dallas last year, but everyone is chasing points leader Gaige Herrera, who has an incredible eight wins in 2023. He holds a 99-point lead over reigning world champ Matt Smith, with Arana Jr. in third and Eddie Krawiec in fourth, 129 points back of his teammate.

The Texas NHRA FallNationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the penultimate race of the season in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown. The weekend will also include the Jr. Dragster Shootout, as well as a jet dragster and wheelstander exhibition after nitro qualifying on Friday.

Fans will also be treated to the JEG’s Allstars event, which pits sportsman racers from across the country against each other for the ultimate drag racing battle. The popular competition will take place at the famed Texas Motorplex for the first time and the unique specialty race is one of most highly-anticipated events of the year.

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

Leading into the race, fans can take part in the NHRA FanFest in downtown Waxahachie (October 12), where fans can meet and get autographs from all the top stars in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which will help create a festive atmosphere leading into Nitro Alley. The Nitro Alley Stage will be the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food, and fun.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 13, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 16. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday and as well as action from eliminations at 3 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex, call 800-668-6775 or visit tickets.texasmotorplex.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admissions areas with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

Camping World Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, (together with its subsidiaries) is the World’s largest retailer of RVs and related products and services. Our vision is to build a long-term legacy business that makes RVing fun and easy. Our Camping World and Good Sam brands have been serving RV consumers since 1966. We strive to build long-term value for our customers, employees, and shareholders by combining a unique and comprehensive assortment of RV products and services with a national network of RV dealerships, service centers and customer support centers along with the industry’s most extensive online presence and a highly trained and knowledgeable team of employees serving our customers, the RV lifestyle, and the communities in which we operate. We also believe that our Good Sam organization and family of programs and services uniquely enable us to connect with our customers as stewards of the RV enthusiast community and the RV lifestyle. With RV sales and service locations in 43 states, Camping World has grown to become the prime destination for everything RV. For more information, visit www.campingworld.com.

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Type A Motorsports, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 120 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

NHRA AT DALLAS: Team Chevy Race Advance

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2023 TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS STAMPEDE OF SPEED
TEXAS MOTORPLEX
ENNIS, TEXAS
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE
OCTOBER 13-15, 2023

THREE RACES REMAIN FOR CHEVROLET NHRA TEAMS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT

DETROIT (October 11, 2023) – With three races remaining in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, the Chevrolet drivers and teams competing in the Countdown to the Championship have their sights set on the Texas NHRA FallNationals Stampede of Speed this weekend at Texas Motorplex to gain critical wins and points at a crucial time.

As the Bowtie brand approaches locking in a 28th Manufacturers Cup since 1966, John Force Racing’s Robert Hight, driver of the AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, heads into the FallNationals six key points behind Bob Tasca, III in second. Hight knows the time is now, and not only seeks victory this weekend to gain that competitive advantage for him, his team, and Chevrolet, in addition to his three wins this year, but to also surpass Tasca, III in the standings.

“This Funny Car field is so competitive. These top cars, all of them are championship caliber. It’s really going to take the right combination of driver, crew chiefs, crews and a little luck to get the job done,” Hight said. “This AAA Chevy has been coming around and at just the right time. I’m really proud of what Jimmy and Thomas Prock and Nate Hildahl have been able to do, the whole team has been working really hard, and we all had confidence that we’d be right in the championship hunt. This weekend in Texas will be important. It’s a great event with the Stampede of Speed all week long. But it’s all about getting those cowboy hats at the end of it all on Sunday.”

In Pro Stock, the battle for first is heating up between KB Titan Racing’s Greg Anderson and Elite Motorsports’ Erica Enders, with only 25 points separating the two Chevrolet drivers. Anderson, the most recent winner in St. Louis and going back-to-back the race prior in Charlotte, gaining needed ground with key timing during the Countdown to the Championship.

“It means the world to peak at the right time, and this is the right time”, said Anderson of his recent wins coming during the Countdown. “The year has been a little less than stellar, but we’ve been working towards this goal and did a lot of experimenting through this season, and come playoff time, we were able to ratchet it up a notch. It’s all about the playoffs and being hot at the right time, and our team came together and peaked at the right time. We’ve shown we are still here. That’s a good sign, and with three more to go, we’re going to continue to ride this wave.”

Enders, who leads Anderson, not only seeks to continue to hold the top spot in the points standings, but also is looking to her next win to surpass Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) as the winningest woman in NHRA history. Currently at 45 Pro Stock wins and one in Super Gas, Enders’ 47th win, her next, will further solidify the five-time champion in the record books. All of Enders’ wins have come while in the cockpit of a Chevrolet car.

For John Force Racing’s Top Fuel teams of Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, and Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, they look to shift momentum and round out the season on a high note. Prock, who captured the pairs only win of the year so far at zMAX Dragway in the spring at the annual four-wide event, looks to return to the winner’s circle this weekend. For Force, 2023 has been a departure of a season compared to the previous and enters the Lone Star State looking for her first victory of the year.

This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team had a successful event in Dallas last year and we are hoping for that again. This is a big one, everyone wants to leave with a truck full of cowboy hats,” said Prock. “We tested last week to get dialed in to go for a strong last three-race stretch. We made three nice passes, progressively getting quicker. I feel very confident heading to Dallas. The conditions should be similar to the test session so I’m hoping to drop the door strong. We may be out of the championship hunt but we’re not out of the Wally hunt.”

In action this weekend, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown could see Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro, extend his points lead further on his march towards a third category championship. Currently leading with 112 points over the competition, Stanfield has two events remaining to make it happen.

“I am not thinking about the championship right now,” said Stanfield. “We want to come to the Texas Motorplex and make good runs. The weather will be really good and the competition will be tough. I know a lot of people will be testing before the race. We just have to take it one round at a time and see where we wind up at the end of the day.”

The 2023 NHRA Texas FallNationals at Texas Motorplex kicks off Friday, Oct. 13 in Ennis, Texas, with qualifying airing at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), Sunday, Oct. 15. Eliminations will follow, also airing on FS1, at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“We head to the Stampede of Speed next in Ennis, Texas and this entire Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is excited to get there. It’s a fun event; it’s filled from the start of the week to the end of the weekend with a fanfest, fifteen thousand dollars is on the line for being low of Friday and then race day on Sunday. We are looking forward to getting this team back out there, making some good runs, chasing down some money, making up some ground to move up in the standings and having some fun while we’re doing it.”

John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“Everything is bigger in Texas, so they say. Makes sense they have this Stampeded of Speed. I know fans have been out enjoying all the activities, gearing up for the race this weekend. Hopefully we can put on a good show for them. I know we need to. This PEAK team has been struggling, but we’re still competitive, still getting down the track, we can still win rounds and qualify well. It will come together. Three races left, still a lot of racing and a lot can happen.”

Greg Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for KB Titan Racing:

How do you feel racing with three to go?

“It’s great, the way I look at it is, this a brand-new start. It’s like the season is going to start right now, and you have three races to run to win a championship. The score is about damn-near even between the top six cars; you can throw them all in there and not pick out a favorite. There are also four or five long shots that could still go on a roll, but the good news is, we’re one of those six favorites, and if we can continue the pace we’ve set the last couple of races, we have a great shot at it. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be great; it’s like going into overtime with three races left. You just have to make the most of it.”

On the FallNationals this weekend in Dallas:

“This race has been very good to us in the past, and it’s one I’m proud to have won six times. There is a lot on the line, and everyone at Texas Motorplex, from Billy and Christy Meyer on down, makes this a really special event. This is a big one, so to do well here would mean a lot. It would set you up for those last two races, and that’s what we’ve been striving for and working so hard for. Our whole goal is to finish the year on top for KB Titan Racing and HendrickCars.com. We have a chance to do that.”

Camrie Caruso, driver of the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for KB Titan Racing:

“The Pro Stock class is stacked with talent and we just need to get on a roll and see what we can do over these last three Countdown races. Last year was our first Countdown experience and we are already having more success. These cars are all about seat time and getting laps under your belt. I am so thankful we have won as many rounds as we have this season. My Tequila Comisario team has been awesome and I am really looking forward to the Stampede of Speed and Texas Fall Nationals. Getting the win in the first Pro Stock Allstar Callout gave our team a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. Every race you are racing drivers and teams that have more experience than our Tequila Comisario team. We never give up and we don’t back down. I am so happy to be part of KB Titan Racing and seeing the success we have had this season is very encouraging for the rest of this season and the future.”

“We have a race car that can compete with anyone and I have been working on my driving. In Reading we were on our way to a win that would have put us into the semifinals, but the car started drifting to the center line and I had to lift. It was the smart move but a tough way to lose. We have had some good luck in Texas in the past so I want to get to the Texas Motorplex and see if I can turn on four win lights on Sunday.”

Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown:

“Last year getting the win at the Texas Fall Nationals was big for us to head into the offseason,” said Stanfield. “We didn’t have the season we were hoping for but when you win the last race of the year you have a good feeling going into the winter.”

Stephen Bell, driver of the Stanfield Racing Chevrolet COPO Camaro in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown:

“The fun part is Aaron (Stanfield) and I are best friends. I gauge every season on a couple things, if I get a win and if we are competitive at most races. We’ve had a good year this season. I have finished up in the points for a couple years and we are chasing that first championship. I am appreciative of Greg and Aaron Stanfield for giving a customer like me a car that can compete for the championship. This weekend – if it is in the cards – we can try and close the gap on Aaron (Stanfield).

“We will need some good fortune. Aaron (Stanfield) is the class of the field and we have an outside chance, but regardless of the outcome we have had a great season. I love the mental challenge of leaving my normal world and competing in these Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown races.”

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:

1,438: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).

621: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 624.

379: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 260 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.

166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).

158: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.

82: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) is fifth with 88.

78: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.

46: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.

27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.

24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.

18: Number of Pro Stock championships.

20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.

16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.

7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.

2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:

950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 933 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule.

624: Robert Hight achieved 621 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 624.

451: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record from 450 to 451 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA.

138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 122 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (Funny Car, 166) on the list.

277: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 277 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 285).

65: Robert Hight moved into the top-10 in 10th on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Reading with 64. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65.

47: Erica Enders has 46 career NHRA victories (45 Pro Stock, one Super Gas; all with Chevrolet). Her first win in Pro Stock came at Chicago, 2012, and her last win at Topeka, 2023 in Pro Stock. Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) and Enders are tied as the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.

18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 46) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead.

6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10. Enders currently holds five Pro Stock championships, the most of any female in NHRA.

3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, two championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, five) is the leader.

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.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Las Vegas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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South Point 400
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, October 15 at 2:30 p.m. EDT on NBC

  • Kaulig Racing has made six NCS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has earned a best finish of eighth and 16-laps led.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned one win at the Bank of America ROVAL 400, four top five and 12 top-10 finishes.
  • Following a race-high of 46 laps-led in the Bank of America ROVAL 400, the team has led a total of 88 laps in the 2023 season.

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger has made 12 NCS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has earned two top-10 finishes and led one lap.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Allmendinger has earned one win, three top fives, six top-10 finishes and has led 64 laps.

“Las Vegas is your traditional mile and a half racetrack. Both ends are a little bit different, it’s a very smooth racetrack through (turns) three and four, a little bit of bumps through (turns) one and two. We’ve had good speed there and ran near the front, earning a top-10 finish in the fall race last year. I think we can go there, be competitive and keep building on the speed that we’ve had in our cars. We have the potential to have a strong finish to the year and Vegas is one of those races I have circled as an opportunity to run upfront and put ourselves in position to have a solid run.” – AJ Allmendinger on Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley has made five NCS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has earned one top 10 and one top-15 finish.
  • Haley has led 16 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Haley has earned one top five and five top-10 finishes, with a best qualifying effort of third.
  • Haley’s best finish of the season came from his runner-up finish in the first-ever race at the Chicago Street Course where he led 23 laps, the most he has led in a single race.
  • After completing the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 and Alsco Uniforms 300, Haley now holds the record for the most NASCAR National Series miles completed in a single day by any driver in NASCAR history.

“Las Vegas is a track that I have enjoyed in the Cup Series. Our last couple of trips there, we have put together some really solid races. I’m optimistic about our mile-and-a-half package going into this weekend.” – Justin Haley on Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Alsco Uniforms 302
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, October 14 at 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA

  • Kaulig Racing has made 27 NXS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has earned one win, one pole award, five top five and 18 top-10 finishes.
  • The team has led 250 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • So far in the 2023 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned four wins, six pole awards, 20 top fives, 45 top-10 finishes and 586-laps led.

Daniel Hemric, No. 10 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

  • Daniel Hemric has made 10 NXS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has earned four top five and seven top-10 finishes. Hemric has also led 75 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • Hemric has earned six top five and 15 top-10 finishes so far in the 2023 season.
  • The No.10 car currently sits seventh in the Owner’s Championship.

“We are coming off of our hometown race at Charlotte to what I can consider a second hometown of mine in Vegas. I’m excited to get out there and see the fans. It’s a racetrack that is always fun to race at. Hopefully we can maximize the day in our Cirkul Chevrolet and give ourselves a chance to lock into the next round of the Owner’s Championship.” – Daniel Hemric on Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Layne Riggs, No. 11 Infinity Communications Group Chevrolet Camaro

  • The Alsco Uniforms 301 will be Layne Riggs’ first NXS start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • In his first-career NXS start, Riggs earned a 19th-place-finish in Kaulig Racing’s No. 11 Chevy at Texas Motor Speedway.

“I am very excited to be back in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing and Infinity Communications. I learned a lot in my first race and I feel that knowledge will help me tremendously this weekend in Vegas, I am thankful to be surrounded by such a talented group to help guide me on the path to victory” – Layne Riggs on Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

  • Chandler Smith will make his second start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NXS in the Alsco Uniforms 302.
  • Smith led 118 laps after earning his first pole award in the spring race at Las Vegas and finished third.
  • Smith will enter the NXS Round of 8 in sixth, 11 points below the cutline. He has recorded one win, seven top five and 11 top-10 finishes this season.

“We’re coming to Las Vegas looking for a bit of redemption from last time, and I think we are capable of doing that as a team. We’ve got momentum from the last few weeks, so hopefully we can keep it going.” – Chandler Smith on Las Vegas Motor Speedway  
 
About Kaulig Racing™

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 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Creed departing Richard Childress Racing following 2023 Xfinity Series season

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Richard Childress Racing took to social media to reveal that Sheldon Creed will not return as the driver of the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

The news comes as the 26-year-old Creed from Alpine, California, is currently campaigning in his second full-time season in the Xfinity circuit for RCR. After finishing in 10th place during last weekend’s Xfinity Playoff event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Creed was one of eight Playoff contenders to transfer from the Round of 12 to 8 as he is currently ranked in seventh place in the Playoff standings with 3,008 points and continues his pursuit for his first Xfinity Series championship.

Creed, a two-time Stadium Super Trucks champion, the 2018 ARCA Menards Series champion and the 2020 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, made his inaugural presence in the Xfinity Series in 2017, where he competed at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and at Road America for JD Motorsports. He then made a single Xfinity start for JR Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway in 2019 before making his lone Xfinity start in 2021 at Phoenix Raceway for BJ McLeod Motorsports.

In 2022, Creed became a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for Richard Childress Racing as he took over the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro on a full-time basis. He commenced his rookie campaign by finishing sixth at Daytona before logging in a total of four top-five results, 13 top-10 results, 155 laps led and an average-finishing result of 17.5 throughout the 33-race schedule. His best result of the season was a runner-up finish at Darlington Raceway in September, where he attempted to scrape the wall at full speed while battling for the victory on the final lap, only to be overtaken by eventual winner Noah Gragson. After falling short of making the 2022 Xfinity Playoffs, Creed settled in 14th place in the final standings.

This season, Creed, who made the Xfinity Playoffs for the first time in his career, has achieved a pole, five top-five results, 13 top-10 results, 181 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.8 through 29-scheduled starts. His best results of this season include a trio of runner-up results at Talladega Superspeedway, Watkins Glen International and Daytona International Speedway.

Through 66 current starts in the Xfinity circuit, Creed has achieved a pole, nine top-five results, 27 top-10 results, 336 laps led and an average-finishing result of 16.6 as he continues his pursuit for his first victory in the series.

Additional announcements regarding Creed’s plans and the driver for the No. 2 RCR entry for the 2024 season have yet to be determined. RCR’s second Xfinity competitor, Austin Hill, will remain with the organization and as the driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro in 2024 as part of a new multi-year contract extension that was made in mid-August. Like Creed, Hill, a four-time race winner of this season, is currently one of eight competitors contending in this year’s Playoffs.


With four races remaining of this season, Creed’s next Xfinity Series start is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Playoff’s Round of 8 opener. The event will occur this Saturday, October 14, and will be broadcast at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Weekend schedule for Las Vegas

By
Angie Campbell
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This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series travel to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the Playoffs continue with the first race in the Round of 8.

Last week at the Charlotte ROVAL, four Cup Series drivers were eliminated from championship contention – Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch. We also saw four Xfinity Series drivers whose championship hopes came to an end – Daniel Hemric, Parker Kligerman, Josh Berry and Jeb Burton.

The ARCA Menards Series West will join Friday night’s lineup with the Star Nursery 150 (Bullring) while the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series takes the weekend off before they return to completion on October 21 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the series final race in the Round of 8.

NASCAR PressPass will be available throughout the weekend.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, October 13

7:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – All Entries – USA/NBC Sports App
7:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound) Single Vehicle/1 Lap/All Entries – USA/NBC Sports App 10:10 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series West Star Nursery 150 (Bullring) – Live stream at FloRacing

Saturday, October 14

12:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – Group A & B – USA/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
1:20 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound-Group A & B) Single Vehicle/1 Lap/2 Rounds
USA/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App

3:10 p.m.: Xfinity Series Driver Intros
3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 302
Stages 45/90/201 Laps = 301.5 Miles
USA/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: Purse: $1,329,729

Sunday, October 15

2:05 p.m.: Cup Series Driver Intros
2:30 p.m.: Cup Series South Point 400
Stages 80/165/267 Laps = 400.5 Miles
NBC/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: $7,785,320

Cup Series Round of 8 Drivers:

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, 4,041 points
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,036 points
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,032 points
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, 4,024 points
Chris Buescher, RFK Racing, 4,021 points
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,016 points
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, 4,016 points
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, 4,014 points

Xfinity Series Round of 8 Drivers

John H. Nemechek, Joe Gibbs Racing, 3055 Points
Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing, 3039 Points
Justin Allgaier, 3035 Points, JR Motorsports
Sam Mayer, 3020 Points, JR Motorsports
Cole Custer, 3018 Points, Stewart-Haas Racing
Chandler Smith, 3009 Points, Kaulig Racing
Sheldon Creed, 3008 Points, Richard Childress Racing
Sammy Smith, 3006 Points, Joe Gibbs Racing

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview: Las Vegas Motor Speedway II

By
Official Release
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Race Information
Round: NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 33 of 36 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, Nevada
Race Name: South Point 400
Broadcast: Sunday, October 15th at 2:00 PM ET live on NBC (TV), PRN (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90

Team Entrants:

No. 42 | Carson Hocevar & Luke Lambert – Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
No. 43 | Erik Jones & Dave Elenz – Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

-NCTS: Starts: 4; Best Start: 5th (Fall 2021); Best Finish: 7th (2023); Top-10s: 1; Laps Led: 36

-NCS: Starts: Carson Hocevar will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend at LVMS.

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

-Starts: 6 Best Start: 16th (Bristol); Best Finish: 11th (Bristol); No. 42 Owners Points: 32nd

About Sunseeker Resort: Opening in 2023, Florida’s newest luxury resort located in Charlotte Harbor is the first resort property of Sunseeker Resorts, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company. Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor occupies over 22 waterfront acres with 785 guest rooms, including 189 Signature Sunsuites™. Set upon the Peace River and Florida Gulf Coast, this premier resort offers 20 original food and beverage concepts; including seven stand-alone restaurants, eleven bars and lounges, two poolside offerings and a 25,000-square-foot multi-dining experience. Additional hotel amenities include a waterfront promenade, two unique rooftop and waterfront pool experiences, 60,000-square-feet of combined convention space, full-service spa and salon, a 7,100-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center with four group exercise studios with specialty instructor lead classes, three retail and market shops, and an 18-hole championship level golf club exclusive to hotel guests only. The resort is conveniently located within a short drive of Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Tampa airports. For more information, visit www.sunseekerresorts.com. Follow us on Instagram: @sunseekerresorts and like us on Facebook: @sunseekerresorts.

Guess who’s back?: Carson Hocevar is back this weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he will make his first series start at the 1.5-mile track. Hocevar is slated to run the rest of the season in the No. 42 Chevrolet as he simultaneously is in the running to the championship four in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Photo skills: Last weekend at Charlotte’s ROVAL, Hocevar was a there to cheer on the team as he observed Mike Rockenfeller and the No. 42. He showed a fun side by taking over the team social media instagram and photography. Visit LEGACY M.C.’s Intagram account for the behind the scenes look from Carson’s vantage point.

Signed for 2024: Hocevar announced this week the news he would be racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024 in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports entry.

Luke at Las Vegas: Crew chief Luke Lambert has 14 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has one top-five and four top-10’s with five different drivers. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Lambert has three starts with two different drivers who never started worse than fourth and never finished worse than third with 165 laps led.

Carson Appearances: Fans attending the Las Vegas race will have opportunities to meet LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet:

Carson Hocevar Merchandise Rig Autograph Session | Sunday, Oct. 15th: Carson will be at the track and will sign autographs at the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB merchandise trailer in the Fan Zone from 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM.
Race Day Q&A Session | Sunday, Oct. 15th: Located in the Fan Midway at the South Point Casino Stage, Carson will do a Q&A with fans from 9:00-9:15 A.M.
Breast Cancer Awareness: As we enter the month of October, a team tradition that has taken place for many years will continue for the next three races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway. Both LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ cars will carry pink ribbons onboard to honor family members of the respective car’s crew members that have been affected by breast cancer.

Quoting Carson Hocevar: “I like running at Las Vegas. We’ve been quick there and have had some speed in the truck. With that race being at the start of the year for us in the Truck Series, it’s been a tougher race balance-wise to try and win the race or go for stage points. It’s always a fun track, one that you can move around a little bit. The Cup cars look like they can be a lot of fun there. Luke (Lambert) and this No. 42 group feel pretty confident about going back to Vegas after their spring outing, the post-work they’ve done, and everything that the team has put together on their mile-and-a-half package. We’re all excited to go there and excited to get to work.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

NCS Starts: 12; Poles: 1 (Fall 2018); Best finish: 8th (Spring 2018 & Fall 2022); Top-10s: 4

NXS Starts: 2; Best start: 2nd (2016); Best finish: 3rd (2016); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 1; Laps led: 7

NCTS Starts: 2; Best start: 13th (2014); Best finish: 1st (2014); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps led: 19

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 32; Best start: 8th (COTA) ; Best finish: 3rd (Kansas); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 7; Laps led: 24; Points position: 27th

About Allegiant: Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant’s fleet serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com.

Last time around: In his last attempt at the 1.5-mile tri-oval, Erik Jones qualified 22nd and fell a lap down during the later stages of the race. Jones earned the free pass on lap 265 as the caution came out and was back into contention, seen running just outside of the top-15 with 20 laps to go. Unfortunately, Jones was collected in the overtime chaos but still managed to come home with a respectable 19th-place finish despite being collected in the wreckage.

Playing his Cards right: In 2014, Jones picked up his second win of the season in the NASCAR Truck Series. This marked his first win in the truck series on a mile-and-a-half track. Despite having an error on pit road, Jones worked back to the front to take the lead with just under 20 laps to the checkered flag. He led for 19 laps and almost all of these came when it mattered most as he held off his then-teammate Bubba Wallace, marking a milestone 35th victory for his former truck team, Kyle Busch Motorsports.

1.5-Mile: In his most recent attempts at 1.5-mile tracks, specifically Kansas and Texas, Jones has exhibited remarkable speed and competitiveness. At Kansas, he earned an impressive third-place finish, marking his highest of the season. Meanwhile, in Texas, Jones was a standout performer, spending most of the race in second place, trailing only Kyle Larson, while maintaining an almost three-second lead over the third-place car. Unfortunately, his day was cut short in Texas as he was involved in a wreck on the front stretch, ending the race 22 laps shy of the checkered flag for the No. 43 team.

Pole Sitter: Jones clinched his second career Cup Series pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as he led the field green for the 2018 South Point 400. Jones displayed impressive speed by clocking the fastest lap time of 28.705 seconds while reaching a speed of 188.121 miles per hour. This marked his first pole position of the year and his 17th top-10 start during the 2018 racing season.

Dave at Vegas: Crew Chief Dave Elenz has a noteworthy record of 11 career Xfinity Series starts during his tenure with JR Motorsports. His track record includes six top-five’s, eight top-10’s, and six laps led. Additionally, Elenz has coached five drivers to an impressive average finish of 8.1 in races spanning from 2015 to 2021, with six laps led. In his three NASCAR Cup Series starts alongside Jones, Elenz and the team have achieved one top-10 finish.

Learning from the Bossman: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner, Jimmie Johnson, has a remarkable history at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with a track record that includes seven top-five finishes, ten top-10 finishes, and 595 laps led. Johnson holds an impressive average finish of 11.6 across 22 starts. Johnson’s performances have solidified his status as a dominant force at the 1.5-mile asphalt tri-oval. Johnson holds the record for the most wins, having four trips to victory lane. Notably, three of these victories came consecutively from 2005 to 2007, capturing the checkered flag once again in 2010.

Quoting Erik Jones: “I am really looking forward to Vegas. Our mile-and-a-half package has been really good most of the year, especially in the last half of the season. Texas was a good day for us with a lot of speed, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out for us in the end. I think our Vegas car has been given a lot of extra effort and preparation to make sure that we are bringing a really good piece. So, I am excited to get out there and see it play out. I like the track a lot, I am really looking forward to Vegas.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro entries, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.

In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). 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.

Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing (GMS), which currently fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS in 2012, Gallagher and Mike Beam, team president, have shared incredible success. GMS Racing captured the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships and the 2019 and 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Joe Graf Jr. | RSS Racing Las Vegas Motor Speedway October NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Preview

By
Official Release
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RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 302

Fast Facts

No. 38 RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Team:

Driver: Joe Graf Jr.

Primary Partner(s): G-Coin®

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Steve Addington

Spotter: Joe Campbell

Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Driver Championship Point Standings: 23rd

Team Championship Point Standings: 30th

Notes of Interest:

Settled In: After spending the last three seasons with SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (2020 – 2022), Joe Graf Jr. moved to RSS Racing during the offseason, where he’ll spend the majority of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season competing for the Sugar Hill, Ga.-based team.

In addition to RSS Racing, Graf will also compete in a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule, driving the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Saturday afternoon’s race from Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway signifies the 12th race of the second half of the 2023 Xfinity Series season and just four races remain on circuit this season.

Welcome Aboard: Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing welcome G-Coin® as the primary partner of the team’s No. 38 Ford Mustang for Saturday afternoon’s Alsco Uniforms 302.

The annual fall Las Vegas Motor Speedway race marks the 30th race of the 2023 Xfinity Series season and the 20th race overall from 2021 to 2023, where G-Coin®, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility, will be the primary partner.

G-Coin serves as a primary partner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Graf Jr. at RSS Racing for the sixth time this season.

Sponsor Intel: G-Coin® (gcoin.com) is a digital title to real physical gold, where 1 G-Coin® equals 1 gram of a 99.99% pure, ethically sourced Responsible Gold™ kilobar.

G-Coin® allows for easy savings and sending of real gold with zero transaction fees and near instantaneous settlement times.

With G-Coin®, users can now effortlessly buy, sell, and monitor the value of their gold from the convenience of their smartphone.

Download the app from Google Play or the Apple App Store and Go for Gold!

Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 87 percent of the 2023 Xfinity Series season complete, Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing would like to thank their associate marketing partners:

ArmsList.com, AVOID, Bass Reaper Bait Company, Bucked Up Energy Drink, CoverSeal, EAT SLEEP RACE Apparel, fgrACCEL, G-Coin®, GTECHNIQ, JACOB Companies, Lefcourt Brothers Racing, Love Motorsports, Model Electronics and ShopRite for their continued support.

Catch Him On The Dial: Before Joe Graf Jr. straps into his No. 38 G-Coin® Ford Mustang on Saturday, the RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Pat Patterson on Saturday morning, October 14, 2023, at approximately 10:00 a.m. ET.

Graf will also spotlight a commercial featuring G-Coin® in several spots throughout the weekend, including the complete four-hour program on Sunday, October 15, 2023.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Alsco Uniforms 302 will mark Graf’s seventh start at the 1.5-mile speedway.

He has one top-15 and three top-20 finishes in his previous six efforts. His track-best result occurred during the 2023 spring edition of the Alsco Uniforms 300 when Graf steered to a track best of 15th after starting 17th for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Since 2020, Graf has an average Las Vegas finish of 26.3, has been running at the finish of five of his six previous starts, and has completed 1,016 of the 1,201 laps for an 84.6 percent lap completion.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a speedway, Graf has competed in 58 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with one top-10 finish. He holds an average starting position of 25.6 and an average result of 25.6.

Joe Graf Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 122 career Xfinity Series starts Graf has earned four top-10 finishes, including a seventh-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2023. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 25.7.

He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of fifth in 2020 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with SS GreenLight Racing.

With Joe Gibbs Racing, he earned his non-superspeedway career-best qualifying effort of 11th at Kansas Speedway in September 2023.

Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL | Drive for the Cure 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, Graf hunted for his third top-10 finish of the season.

After starting his No. 38 G-Coin® Ford Mustang, the Mahwah, New Jersey native struggled to get the track position he desperately needed despite his best efforts. In a race where passing proved extremely difficult, Graf fought hard and maneuvered to a lead lap 31st place finish at the checkered flag.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow monthly.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Steve Addington is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 293rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his 11th race at the 1.5-mile facility in Sin City.

In his previous 292 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected 11 wins, 10 poles, 68 top-five and 118 top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has three teammates at RSS Racing.

Veteran Ryan Sieg will drive the No. 39 Sci Apps Ford Mustang, while younger brother Kyle Sieg will drive the No. 29 RSS Racing Ford Mustang and CJ McLaughlin returns to steer the No. 28 Sci Apps Ford Mustang.

Ryan Sieg is set to make his 331st career Xfinity Series start overall and 17th at Las Vegas.

Kyle Sieg is poised to make his 47th career Xfinity Series start and fourth at Las Vegas.

CJ McLaughlin is set to make his 38th career Xfinity Series start and fifth at Las Vegas.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on TikTok (@JoeGrafJr), X | Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on RSS Racing, please like them on Facebook (RSS283839) and follow them on Instagram (@rss283839) and X | Twitter (@RSS283839).

Joe Graf Jr. Quoteboard:

On Las Vegas Motor Speedway: “I am excited to return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway flying the G-Coin® colors this weekend. In the spring, I competed for Joe Gibbs Racing and utilized their resources to help with my craft on the track.

“Las Vegas is a high-speed mile-and-a-half track where speed and finesse are essential. There is plenty of room to race, and restarts are super critical. Sometimes, strategy comes into play there, too, so we need to be prepared for that.

“I look forward to applying what I learned in March with my RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers team on Saturday afternoon. We’ve had a couple of rough races at Texas Motor Speedway and the Charlotte ROVAL, so I’d like nothing more than to go to Las Vegas and have a strong finish before handing the wheel off for Homestead and returning for the season’s final two races.”

On The 2023 Season: “The end of the season is on the horizon, and I am working hard between my responsibilities with RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing to ensure I can give 100 percent behind the wheel.

“I want to make the most of this last month and deliver strong results.

“I just need to stay focused, communicate with my team, and utilize the knowledge I’ve gained over the past three years to recover and end the season on a high.”

Race Information:

The Alsco Uniforms 302 (201 laps | 301.5 miles) is the 30th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, October 13, from 4:05 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows. The 38-car field will take the green flag the next afternoon, Saturday, October 14 shortly after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET). with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (PT).

About RSS Racing:

RSS Racing fields multiple entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series led by mainstay driver Ryan Sieg.

RSS Racing has competed in NASCAR events since 2009 from its headquarters in Sugar Hill, Ga.

ECLIPSE CLAIMS CONSULTING JOINS ELLIS, ALPHA PRIME RACING FOR LAS VEGAS

By
Official Release
-

Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing are proud to announce that Eclipse Claims Consulting will be the primary sponsor of Ryan Ellis and the No.43 Alpha Prime Racing entry in the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 14th, 2023.

Last year, Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the site of Ellis’ first race with Alpha Prime – where he recorded his best-ever finish in his first start with his new team, finishing 13th at the 1.5-mile oval located just outside of the infamous Las Vegas Strip. Since then, Ellis’ has tied that result twice (Charlotte 2022, Texas 2023) and bettered it once, finishing 11th at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this year.

Eclipse Claims Consulting, renowned as the foremost authority in the realm of insurance adjusting, has emerged as a game-changer for policyholders and businesses alike. With a steadfast commitment to securing fair settlements, Eclipse Claim Consulting has successfully reclaimed millions of dollars for its valued clients, cementing its status as the nation’s premier insurance adjuster.

In a landscape where insurance claims can be fraught with complexities, Eclipse Claim Consulting stands as a beacon of hope for those who have struggled to receive just compensation from their insurance providers. The company’s ethos revolves around putting their clients’ interests first, advocating relentlessly for their rights, and ensuring that every dollar rightfully owed is recovered.

“Tim [Woodard] and his group at Eclipse Claims have been long-time supporters of so many different types of motorsports,” said Ryan Ellis, driver of the No.43 Eclipse Claims car in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. “I’ve known Tim for several years now, and it’s really great to be making our first start together. It’s been really cool to see the growth of Eclipse Claims, and for our racing program to be part of that is really exciting as well. I’m hopeful that we can be part of their continual growth in the NASCAR market with all of the people and businesses involved in our sport.”

“Eclipse Claims is very excited to be a part of Ryan Ellis and Team Alpha Prime in Las Vegas. Ryan’s attitude and relentless pursuit of excellence are aligned with the ethics and values of Eclipse Claims Consulting. We are extremely thrilled that Ryan will be driving the Eclipse Claims car on Eclipse Saturday,” said Tim Woodard, President and CEO of Eclipse Claims. 

The No.43 Alpha Prime race car will also be supported by Erickson Manufacturing and Kebab Daddy Meats for the Las Vegas race. 

Kebab Daddy delivers exclusively sourced premium meats nationwide from renowned labels such as Snake River Farms, Certified Angus Beef Brand, and Mountaire Farms. 

Erickson is the leading provider of cargo control products in North America, offering a wide range of solutions to secure, tow, load, and winch your equipment and cargo efficiently.

LAS VEGAS TUNE-IN INFORMATION:

Coverage of practice and qualifying for the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins Friday, October 13th at 7 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

Saturday’s pre-race coverage kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on the USA Network, with the green flag falling around 3:30 p.m. ET. Post-race coverage continues on the USA Network at 6 p.m. ET. Additional coverage will be provided by the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius XM NASCAR.


ABOUT ECLIPSE CLAIMS CONSULTING:

Eclipse Claim Consulting is a leading insurance adjusting firm dedicated to securing fair settlements for policyholders and businesses. With a proven track record of recovering millions of dollars for their clients, Eclipse Claim Consulting is at the forefront of advocating for those who have been underserved by insurance companies. For more information, visit www.eclipseclaims.com.

ABOUT ALPHA PRIME RACING:

Alpha Prime Racing is a NASCAR Xfinity Series team co-owned by NASCAR driver Tommy Joe Martins and Alpha Prime Sports Founder and CEO Caesar Bacarella. The team was initially founded in 2009 under the name Martins Racing and has since grown into a three-car Chevrolet team, adding the No. 43 Chevrolet in 2023, primarily piloted by Ryan Ellis. 

It was announced on August 4th, 2023, that Ellis will compete full-time in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in his first-ever full-time NASCAR season.

No. 10 IHOP Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Las Vegas Advance

By
Official Release
-

ARIC ALMIROLA
Las Vegas Advance
No. 10 IHOP Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Event: SouthPoint 400 (Round 33 of 36)

Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 15

Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Layout: 1.5-mile oval

Laps/Miles: 267 laps / 400.5 miles

Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps

TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Aric Almirola at Las Vegas: In 20 career starts on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway desert oval, Almirola has four top-10s, all coming since he joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2018. Almirola has a best finish there of sixth (twice – September 2018 and March 2022) and a best start of fourth (twice – September 2019 and 2020).

● Almirola has four starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas with a best finish of 11th in March 2015, and three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series (September 2006, 2009 and 2010), all top-10s.

● Driver Standings: Almirola arrives at Las Vegas 22nd in the driver standings.

● Almirola’s career: In 458 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, six poles, and has led 1,081 laps.

● IHOP will be the primary sponsor on the No. 10 Ford Mustang for the second weekend in a row. For more than 65 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chain offers 65 different signature fresh, made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, including Ultimate Steakburgers, Hand Crafted Melts, Burritos & Bowls and more. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of June 30, there are 1,790 IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states, two U.S. territories and 13 countries outside the United States. IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Pasadena, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).

● “Do a Pancake:” For too long, the popular circular burnout to celebrate a win has been called a “donut.” This season, IHOP is taking over the ultra-cool racecar move to make it its own by changing the name of a “donut” to its true inspiration – a “pancake.” The partnership includes Almirola’s IHOP-branded racecar at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. In celebration, IHOP is giving International Bank of Pancakes rewards members a free PanCoin every time a winner does a “pancake” during a race featuring the IHOP car. Additionally, if Almirola wins at Las Vegas, one lucky loyalty member will be awarded 100,000 PanCoins.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series:In 2023, Almirola is continuing to share his life beyond the No. 10 Ford with season five of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and the show gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 IHOP Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas and the No. 10 team have found more speed over the last few weeks. Do you feel that will carry over this weekend to Las Vegas?

“I think so. We found some things at Kansas and Texas that we didn’t have earlier in the year as an organization. There is a fine line to finding that balance, but Stewart-Haas Racing has come together more in the last month as a team to better each car and we’ve seen strides in speed ever since. We had two cars in the top-10 at Texas and have seen more consistent top-10 runs across the board, so I think we’ll see improvements from earlier this year at Vegas. Vegas is just such a tricky track to dial in each time we visit it, but I enjoy racing there and the challenge it always brings.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Lead Engineer: Lee Deese

Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds

Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson

Hometown: Medford, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Stewart-Haas Racing: Las Vegas NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

By
Official Release
-

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Las Vegas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Alsco Uniforms 302 (Round 30 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 14
  • Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
  • Layout: 1.5-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer heads to Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway full of confidence as the Round of 8 begins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Custer locked himself into the Round of 8 on points with his sixth-place finish Sept. 23 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. With nothing to lose last weekend on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval, Custer could focus on fighting for the victory and showing the strength of the No. 00 Haas Automation team. After starting seventh, Custer ran in the top-five for a majority of the race. Pit strategy helped him restart in the top-three during the final stage. He took the lead with seven laps to go after an incident involving the leaders before eventual race-winner Sam Mayer got by him. Custer finished second, .909 of a second behind Mayer. It was Custer’s best Roval finish in three starts.
  • The Alsco Uniforms 302 will be Custer’s seventh Xfinity Series start at Las Vegas and his 15th overall. He has seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at the track and a lone NASCAR Truck Series start. In his six previous Xfinity Series starts at the track, he’s never finished outside the top-12, and he qualified on the pole for three straight races there prior to his return to the Xfinity Series this season – September 2018, and the March and September races in 2019 – all of which resulted in top-10 finishes. His best finish at Las Vegas is third, earned in September 2018. Custer’s Truck Series outing at Las Vegas in October 2016 resulted in a third-place finish from the third starting position driving the No. 00 entry for JR Motorsports.
  • In Custer’s most recent Xfinity Series start at Las Vegas in March, the 25-year-old driver showed speed straight out of the gate after posting the fastest lap times in Friday’s practice. Despite qualifying third, he was forced to start at the rear of the field as the team had to go to a backup car. He wasted no time working his way up through the field, running eighth by the end of Stage 2. But his No. 00 Ford Mustang developed handling issues in the final stage, leaving him to persevere for a 12th-place finish.
  • Custer and the No. 00 Haas Automation team take on a pair of intermediate tracks and a short track in the Round of 8 before heading to the mile oval at Phoenix Raceway for the Championship 4 season finale. After this weekend, the Xfinity Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Oct. 21 Contender Boats 300, then concludes the Round of 8 on Oct. 28 at the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway paperclip. Intermediate tracks have been a strength for Custer in his Xfinity Series career. During his most recent fulltime Xfinity Series campaigns in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Custer scored six of his nine race wins on intermediate tracks – Nov. 18, 2017, at Homestead, Nov. 3, 2018, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, June 29, 2019, at Chicagoland Speedway, July 12, 2019, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Aug. 31, 2019, at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and Oct. 5, 2019, at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst is heading home for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 24-year-old Monster Energy driver grew up in the Entertainment Capital of the World before moving to North Carolina at the age of 17. The Herbst family name is well known in Las Vegas motorsports circle due to its competitiveness in another form of racing. His grandfather Jerry, uncles Tim and Ed, and father Troy are all Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees as championship-winning off-road racers. While Herbst has been continuing to pursue his dream of racing fulltime in the NASCAR Cup Series like his West Coast childhood heroes, he’s made appearances in the off-road racing world – in the 2021 and 2022 Baja 1000 events. In his most recent outing last November, Herbst drove the third and final leg of the race and crossed the finish line first in the Trophy Truck Spec class. A time penalty dropped his team to third place in the highly competitive class.
  • Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 will mark Herbst’s ninth career Xfinity Series start at Las Vegas. He has three top-10s in his eight previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval – and eighth-place finish when the series last visited in March, and a pair of back-to-back ninth-place outings in September 2019 and February 2020. Last year at Las Vegas, Herbst posted finishes of 14th in March and 18th in September.
  • While Herbst seeks victory lane for the first time at Las Vegas, his No. 98 team at Stewart-Haas Racing already knows the way. With Chase Briscoe behind the wheel, the No. 98 team swept both Xfinity Series races in 2020. Briscoe started second, led a race-high 89 laps, and beat runner-up Austin Cindric by 2.874 seconds in the February race. He backed up that victory in September by qualifying on the pole, leading a race-high 164 laps, and beating runner-up Noah Gragson by 1.370 seconds.
  • Prior to Saturday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Herbst will make a trip to the 1.5-mile oval Thursday for the track’s annual “Paint the Track” event in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Las Vegas native will help paint the start-finish line pink beginning at 11 a.m. local time with breast cancer survivors.
  • Last weekend on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval, Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team felt refreshed and ready to finish the year on a high note coming off the final Xfinity Series off weekend. He qualifed ninth, then ran in the top-10 for the majority of the race. In the final stage, he restarted third in his Ford Mustang thanks to a savvy pit strategy from crew chief Davin Restivo. Herbst ran in the top-four for the remainder of the race and even battled for a top-three on the final restart. Ultimately, he would finish fourth, his best in four Xfinity Series appearances on the Roval.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

Las Vegas marks the first race of the Round of 8. The points are reset and you now sit fifth in the standings, just two points below the top-four cutline. What are your thoughts heading into these next three races, and what do you need to make it to the Championship 4?

“I mean, overall, I feel like we’ve been a Championship 4 car and capable of making that final round all year. It’s just a matter of doing what we’ve been doing and making sure we maximize everything going into these final few races. Then, we just have to make sure we’re staying consistent like we have been. I mean, some guys will try and get a little bit too much in the playoffs and get themselves in trouble. So, we just have to take what the races give us and go from there. I think we have a team that knows how to win races and championships. Some people might doubt us going into these next few races, but I think we’re going to surprise them. We’ve had good cars this past round, but I think the best is still to come.”

You’ve had a strong career at Las Vegas and showed speed when the series last visited in March. How confident are you in the No. 00 Haas Automation team this weekend?

“I’m confident in our performance and this No. 00 Haas Automation team. I think we’ve made really big gains on our mile-and-a-half tracks this year, and it’s showed as the season has progressed. We were really good at Kansas until that tire carcass ruined our car, which relates to Vegas. I know the intermediate tracks weren’t our strength earlier in the year, but I think we’ve learned so much as a team throughout the season, so I’m really confident that we’ll have a fast car when we roll off the truck and onto the track this weekend. I’m proud of how far this team has come, and I hope we can maximize the weekend.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

You’re heading home this weekend for the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. What are your thoughts heading into this weekend?

“I’m excited to go home. The two Las Vegas races are always fun for me because I’m heading back to the place where I grew up. I started chasing the NASCAR dream at the Bullring just across from Las Vegas Motor Speedway and, now, I’m going back to race there in the Xfinity Series. While the track itself has been a rollercoaster for me, I think we have been able to show speed there and on intermediates in general. Hopefully, we can show just that this weekend. Just ready to get home and put on a show for the home crowd.”

With only four races left in the season, you’ve mentioned that you’re going back to your original goals for the 2023 season, which were to focus on consistency and chasing a win. What would it mean to score your first Xfinity Series victory at your home track?

“It would mean a lot. Getting a win in the Xfinity Series is all that I’ve been chasing, but to get it at my home track would just make it that much more special. We have some work to do, but I think we have the speed to do it. We’ve brought some fast cars to intermediate tracks this year, so I think we can compete up front. It’s going to take a fast car, fast pit stops, and no mistakes to make it to victory lane, though. I think 2023 has thrown us a lot of bad luck, but I want to finish out this year strong. There are only four races to go. Four more chances to go for the win.”

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