Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Xfinity Series Hailie Deegan Announcement | Thursday, October 5, 2023
AM Racing announced today that Hailie Deegan will be running a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next season in the No. 15 Ford Mustang. Here is a transcript from today’s program that took place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
WADE MOORE, President, AM Racing – YOUR VISION HAS BEEN TO EXPAND IN THE XFINITY SERIES. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? “I think anytime you’re able to have that conversation about a commitment to growth it’s an exciting thing, but whether you’re involved in this industry or your personal life, I think it’s a healthy conversation to talk about that too, but it’s really a privilege when you get to act upon it and that’s something that we get to do today. It’s attached directly to a new driver, but with that said, it’s so much more than just about the driver because this is a commitment to the folks back at the shop in Statesville. It’s a commitment to the families of those folks and our existing partners and our new partners, and it’s a commitment to the sport. With that said, it’s also a commitment to the growing relationships with these two gentlemen and who they represent in two historic names in Ford and Roush Yates Engines. Obviously, there’s a lot of work to be done. I like the trajectory of our team, but we’re open to the challenges. We’re very excited.”
HAILIE DEEGAN, Driver, No. 15 Ford Mustang – WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT AS A DRIVER GOING FULL-TIME XFINITY RACING NEXT YEAR? “I think this is just an opportunity of a lifetime. I would have probably never been able to race in the Xfinity Series full-time if it wasn’t for Wade and everybody at AM Racing and Ford sticking behind me. I’m really, really excited for these next couple of years.”
PAT DIMARCO, Ford Performance NASCAR Program and Analytics Manager – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO NOT ONLY CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH HAILIE, BUT FOR YOUR COMPETITION EFFORTS WITH AM RACING? “It’s great with AM and Wade. I look at AM as a partner with the potential for a lot of growth. I liken it to what we’ve done with Front Row Motorsports. They started at the bottom and they worked their way up and every year they got better and better. They didn’t expect support, they earned the support from us and that’s what AM has done. Congratulations to Hailie. The first time I met her, I have twin daughters as Doug does, and they were about two years younger than Hailie at the time and I’m sitting there going, ‘Man, I’ve been driving with my daughters learning how to drive. How is this going to go?’ But Hailie’s growth both personally and on the racetrack over the years has been great. The success that she had at Vegas last year was phenomenal, so this is the next step and glad that she’s had this opportunity presented to her.”
DOUG YATES, President/CEO, Roush Yates Engines – “It’s an exciting day. Congratulations, Hailie and Wade. This is really exciting. I first met your dad, Brian, we were building his short course truck engines and now we’re able to power your career and looking forward to working together. It’s been a really solid first year with Wade and his team and we’re looking forward to building onto that and growing our Xfinity presence and looking forward to being a part of Hailie’s career. Everybody at Roush Yates and Ford Performance are excited about it.”
WADE MOORE CONTINUED – WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT ADDING HAILIE TO THE TEAM? “I think for Hailie, we didn’t have a close personal relationship prior to COTA of this year, so it’s been a learning experience understanding who she is as a person, which I think is kind of what fast-tracked this deal for us to get it done because when you meet Hailie and you spend time with her, you learn that she’s a very driven person. She’s a very passionate person. Her moral compass really does align not only with our families, but a lot of our partners. Obviously, in this sport anytime you’re talking about growth there are going to be growing pains that come with that. For me, I think we already have a head start in a sense that we’re very aligned on a lot of the way we view things and I think that in itself will help us overcome some of those challenges we’ll face, but it certainly has been exciting just getting to know her and understanding how driven she is and, quite frankly, at AM while we are a very young program, she’s also young as well in her career where it provides an opportunity for us to grow together. I think she’s gonna be a cornerstone of the success of AM when we look back in a couple of years and where we go, so I think being able to do this together and have something to prove as a group is what’s most exciting about it.”
HAILIE DEEGAN CONTINUED – WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE GOING FROM TRUCKS TO XFINITY? “I obviously had the one Xfinity race at Vegas and it went pretty well, but I think overall just learning the dynamics of the car and learning the mechanic side of it, and really just getting used to it. There are a lot of new tracks that I haven’t been to either in a while or going to be going there for the first time, so I think it’s definitely going to be a learning curve and I’m really glad that Wade’s on board of being able to grow together as a team and for me as a driver, so I think we’re going to accomplish a lot of great things together and just take it one step at a time.”
HAILIE DEEGAN BREAKOUT SESSION
HAILIE DEEGAN – THIS IS A NATURAL PROGRESSION, SO HOW DOES IT FEEL? “Honestly, it’s been such an eye-opening moment. From the start of this deal I thought it was too good to be true. I didn’t know if it was actually gonna happen because opportunities like these are kind of once-in-a-lifetime or once-in-a-career opportunities when it comes to NASCAR racing. Just to see everyone’s support at AM and everyone on the team side and Ford’s side, it’s been unreal. I know all of the assets that Ford is gonna be bringing to the team, plus the team being invested in me it’s gonna be a great opportunity and I see a lot to come out of it.”
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE ON TRACK, GOING FROM IMSA TO TRUCKS AND NOW XFINITY? “Yeah, for sure. I’d say that the IMSA stuff I hope I still get to race that at the beginning of the season because I enjoyed it so much and it’s so much fun, especially with all the Ford drivers. Hopefully, me and whoever my teammate is we get to do that and have some fun with it, but, overall, I think the progression has been pretty good. Obviously, I would like to keep going with it and keep learning and developing, and I think the Xfinity car is really gonna suit my style of driving.”
HOW DIFFERENT WILL IT BE GOING FROM TRUCKS TO XFINITY? “I think after talking to a lot of drivers who have been in the same position as me, going to Trucks and Xfinity versus ARCA and all that, I think there has been a lot of drivers say the Xfinity car will be a lot easier than the truck and it relates more to how ARCA was, so I think it should be pretty good because of that.”
THE OBVIOUS GOAL IS TO GET ONE MORE LEVEL UP. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS XFINITY PLAN GOING? “We’re definitely gonna be here for a few years. I think when it comes to the progression of everything and our goals, I’d say we’re very aligned on that – me and the team – and accomplishing what we want to. I think my goal is to obviously make the playoffs in my first year, so everyone is on board with that and we’re gonna try to get really good finishes as we go.”
ARE YOU EXCITED WITH THE SPEED THE TEAM SHOWED IN ITS FIRST YEAR IN XFINITY? “Yeah, for sure and I think with all the assets on the technical side that Ford is bringing to the team, it’s definitely gonna elevate it even more with their investment and everything they’re doing to help out on the technical side. I think there are a lot more aspects coming to the team next year and I’m really excited for that because it will definitely help out a lot.”
HOW WILL IT BE HAVING ROUSH YATES POWER UNDER THE HOOD? “It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be a journey. It’s gonna be a learning curve. My first Xfinity race the car drove so different from what I was used to and what I was used to in trucks and it was just a great experience.”
HOW DID THIS DEAL COME TOGETHER? “Honestly, we were at COTA and my boyfriend was walking around. He does all of my filming and video editing and Wade ended up pulling him in the hauler and having a conversation with him. I had already gone to intros, so before driver intros he came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I just had this conversation. It seems to be a too good to be true scenario.’ I was like, ‘Man, that does sound like a really good opportunity. It must be too good to be true.’ So we started the conversations with AM and everything they had to offer from their side and it was truly one of those situations and one of those opportunity of a lifetime deals and opportunity of a career type deal. So, that’s where it all started and we just kept progressing from there.”
TOUGH FIGHT IN TALLADEGA: Kyle Larson secured a fourth-place starting position for Sunday’s 500-mile race at Talladega Superspeedway. The 31-year-old driver scored 12 stage points, earning a third-place finish in the opening stage and a seventh-place run in the second segment. In the final stage, Larson was in contention for his first superspeedway win but was involved in an on-track incident on the final lap that left him with a 15th-place result.
PLAYOFF PERFORMER: Heading into the Round of 12 finale, the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy is now seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series driver points standings, 15 markers above the elimination line. During the 2023 playoffs, Larson holds the best average running position (6.86), along with the most laps run in the top five (1,033) and top 10 (1,270). In the Round of 16, Larson earned the best average finish all-time in the opening round of the elimination playoffs and the second-best average finish through the first three playoff races all-time (2.33).
THE ROAD TO PHOENIX: The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is no rookie at navigating the playoff road to Phoenix Raceway. Larson has earned a spot in the Cup Series playoffs seven times and won at all five of the remaining tracks in the playoffs: the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix.
READY FOR THE ROVAL: This weekend, NASCAR returns to the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson has had past success at the 2.32-mile course. In his championship-winning year of 2021, Larson overcame early adversity to take the No. 5 team to victory lane in the 109-lap road course race. In his four starts at this track, Larson has led the third-most laps (60) behind Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (94) and William Byron (80).
ROAD COURSE RANKS: Larson has the third-most wins (four) on road courses among all Hendrick Motorsports drivers. He trails team vice chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (nine) and Elliott (seven). Larson’s road course wins have come at the Charlotte ROVAL, Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International. He is tied for third on the active list of drivers with victories on serpentine tracks. In 2021, the Elk Grove, California, native became the first and only driver to win three road course races in one season.
IN 2023: This season, Larson has led the most laps (898) and is tied for the most top-five finishes (13). He is in a four-way tie for fourth in top-10 finishes (15), has the third-most laps run in the top five (3,217), the second-most laps run in the top 10 (4,793) and holds the third-best average running position (11.30). He also ranks second-best on restarts, based on data from Racing Insights.
POWER OF THE PIT CREW: The No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew has the second-fastest average four-tire pit stop time of the season at 11.145 seconds. The group has two of the nine fastest four-tire pit stops this year. The team’s five-man pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).
SEEING DOUBLE: Keep your eyes peeled in the fan zone this Sunday for a special Hendrick 1100 display celebrating Larson’s attempt to run the “double” in 2024. The collaborative HendrickCars.com paint schemes for both the Coca-Cola 600 in the Cup Series and the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar race were revealed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August. Fans can see the blue and papaya-colored schemes for themselves near the Chevy display on race day when the midway opens at 9 a.m. ET. View the livery for each car here.
HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: The greater Charlotte area is home to 25 Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships. This Sunday’s race at the ROVAL marks the last home race for the HendrickCars.com team this season. Respectively, the No. 5 driver and crew can be found in their white firesuits this weekend. For every HendrickCars.com home race this season (15 total), there is a unique hat released the week of the race and only available for sale on the trackside merchandise haulers or available to win on HendrickCars.com. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public. This week’s Charlote-themed hat will be revealed Thursday and can be seen here.
WIN A CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71: Want to drive Larson’s 2023 Chevrolet Colorado truck? One lucky winner will win his ride. Fans can donate now to enter a drawing for a chance to take home the Z71 Crew Cab 4WD package with custom features and styling. This special sweepstakes raises funding for the Kyle Larson Foundation’s “DRIVE FOR 5” campaign that supports youth, families and communities in need. The campaign is nearing its fundraising goal of $500,000. Click here to check out this sweet custom ride and enter to win today. The drawing closes on Sunday, Dec. 3, and the winner will be chosen on Monday, Dec. 11.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 27 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 17th
No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. local time.
TALLADEGA RECAP: Last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, Chase Elliott started from the 23rd position in the 188-lap NASCAR Cup Series race and earned valuable stage points, ending stage one in fourth and stage two in fifth. The 2020 Cup Series champion led eight laps and was in the mix on the final lap when he was involved in a multi-car incident coming to the checkered flag. He crossed the start/finish line and ultimately was scored in seventh. Elliott’s 43 points scored at Talladega were the third-most by a driver in the race.
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Heading into the final race of the Round of 12 for the Cup Series owner playoffs, Elliott and the No. 9 team are fourth in the owner points standings. They are 20 points above the elimination line due to strong finishes and maximizing stage points in the first two races of the three-race round. In fact, since the elimination-style playoffs started at Darlington Raceway in September, Elliott and the No. 9 squad have earned the third-best average finish (7.80) and the fourth-most points (184). In addition, Elliott has spent the fifth-most laps in the top 10 (1,011) and has the fifth-best average running position (10.03).
ROVAL READY: The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has an impressive resume at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL with two wins in five Cup Series starts on the serpentine track. Elliott scored back-to-back victories there in 2019 and 2020 and is the only multi-time winner at the track. He’s led a series-best 94 laps on the ROVAL and his average finish of 8.00 is second-best among drivers with at least four starts (behind teammate Alex Bowman). Last season, Elliott started the event from the ninth position and led a race-high 30 laps in the final stage. The 2022 regular-season champion was taken out of contention for the victory after being caught up in an incident following a late-race restart.
LEFTS AND RIGHTS: Elliott has four Cup Series starts on road courses this season – missing the race at Circuit of The Americas due to his leg injury – and has earned three top-five finishes and three top-10s. His best finish of second came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Even with missing COTA, Elliott has spent the seventh-most laps in the top five (151). Last season, he earned a best finish of second at Road America, which contributed to his total of three top-five finishes and four top-10s across six serpentine starts on the year. In those races, Elliott paced the field for 121 laps and earned two pole awards (Road America and Watkins Glen International).
GETTING IT DONE: Elliott leads all active drivers with seven wins on road courses. He’s also third on the all-time list of drivers with road course victories, trailing only NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). Elliott has victories across five different road courses, the most in series history. In 29 Cup Series starts on road courses, Elliott has an average finish of 8.48, which is not only the best among active drivers, but ranks fourth all-time among drivers (five or more starts) behind NASCAR legends Fireball Roberts, Buck Baker and Marvin Panch. His seven stage wins are tied for most all-time.
MILESTONE WATCH: The 27-year-old driver is three laps away from leading 5,000 laps in his Cup Series career. There is a good chance he cracks that mark this weekend as Elliott has led at least three laps in five of his last nine road course starts.
WHERE IT STARTED: Elliott’s first career Cup Series win came at a road course – Watkins Glen in 2018. The five-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver started the race from the third position and led 52 of 90 laps en route to the victory.
GUSTAFSON THE GREAT: No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his sixth Charlotte ROVAL Cup Series race from atop the pit box this Sunday. In five races on the serpentine track, the Ormond Beach, Florida, native has two victories – both with Elliott – two top-five finishes and three top-10s with 94 laps led. Gustafson leads all active crew chiefs with seven road course victories in 50 races. All seven of his wins have come with his current driver. In all, the veteran crew chief has 20 top-five finishes and 27 top-10s on road courses with 528 laps led.
HOOTERS APPEARANCE: Race fans can meet Elliott when he stops by the Hooters (7702 Gateway Ln NW, Concord, North Carolina) located just up the road from the track for an autograph session on Saturday at 5 p.m. local time.
GET UP AND GO: NAPA Auto Parts is back as the primary partner of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at the ROVAL. The Atlanta-based company’s colors were on board Elliott’s ride for both of his Cup Series wins at the Charlotte, North Carolina, road course. Get a look at all the angles of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 1st
No. 24 Z HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Z HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media at the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 10:35 a.m. local time.
KEEP IT ROLLIN’: With one race left in the Round of 12, William Byron’s win at Texas Motor Speedway locked him into the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Following his runner-up result at Talladega Superspeedway, the 25-year-old driver continues to lead the points standings. After 31 races, Byron leads the series in wins (six), stage wins (eight) and top-10 finishes (17). He also has led a single-season career-best 895 laps – second on the year to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (898). In addition, Byron ranks second in average running position (10.36) and laps run in the top five (3,331). He is third in both top-five finishes (12) and laps run in the top 10 (4,787).
PLAYOFF PUSH: With five races in the Cup Series playoffs already complete, Byron has positioned himself as a top contender for the title. In the final five races that the field will visit en route to the championship event at Phoenix Raceway, Byron has a win at four of the tracks (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix). In the postseason, he has the third-best average running position (9.92), run the third-most laps in the top 10 (1,043) and the fifth-most laps in the top five (542).
ROAD RINGER: Just a few weeks ago, Byron picked up his first Cup Series road course win at Watkins Glen International. In fact, he has led the most laps in road course races (94) this year, which is also his best mark in one season on that track style. This year, Byron has spent 168 laps running in the top five on road courses, which places him second in that stat.
ROVAL RUNDOWN: With five previous starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Byron is prepared for his sixth start at the 2.32-mile course. In his last five showings there, he has had strong runs going, collecting the pole position in 2019 as well as two top-10 finishes. In fact, Byron has led a total of 80 laps at his hometown road course – the second most of the Cup Series field behind only Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott (94). He also has an average finish of 14.60 at the ROVAL, which is eighth-best among those with four or more starts at the road course.
FUGLE FILES: This Sunday’s race at the Charlotte ROVAL will mark crew chief Rudy Fugle’s third start on the serpentine layout. In his first showing at the venue, Fugle and the No. 24 team qualified 11th and led 30 laps before an untimely caution late in the race shuffled the running order, leaving them with an 11th-place finish. All told, Fugle has 27 national series starts on road courses (17 in the Cup Series, three in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and seven in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series). He earned a road course win in the Cup series at Watkins Glen this season and in the truck ranks in 2015 (at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park).
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 31 races in the 2023 season, the No. 24 pit crew remains in the top spot with the fastest average four-tire pit stop time of 11.032 seconds. The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).
Z BY HP IS HERE: Last week, Hendrick Motorsports announced its expanded partnership with HP Inc. While HP Inc. joined Hendrick Motorsports in October 2022, the new agreement includes primary sponsorship with Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet for this weekend’s Charlotte ROVAL event plus two primary races with the team each season from 2024-2026. HP takes pride in providing innovative, high-performance solutions that empower high-performance and data-driven teams. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Z HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.
HOME TRACK FEEL: In addition to the ROVAL being the home track of Byron, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, several other members of the No. 24 team also claim this as their home track including mechanic Jacob Bowman, from Pilot Mountain, and jackman Bishop, from Pinehurst.
48 Alex Bowman
Age: 30 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 20th
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
ROVAL RINGER: This Sunday, Alex Bowman will take on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has shown speed in every appearance he has made at the road course layout, notching two top-five finishes and four top-10s in his four starts. In his most recent ROVAL start in 2021 (he missed the 2022 race due to injury), Bowman finished 10th after starting 12th. His average finishing position of 6.00 at this track leads drivers with at least four starts.
ROAD COURSE MASTER: Bowman is no stranger to running up front at road courses in NASCAR’s premier series. In fact, he has an average finish inside the top 10 on two serpentine layouts on the Cup Series schedule – Circuit of The Americas (4.33) and the Charlotte ROVAL (6.00). This season, he has earned top-five finishes at both COTA (third) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (fifth).
SET FOR THE RESTART: The Tucson, Arizona, native ranks as the fifth-best driver on restarts in 2023, according to data from Racing Insights. That mark is the second-best among the Hendrick Motorsports quartet, with teammate Kyle Larson is second in this statistical category.
HARRIS ON THE ROAD: Crew chief Blake Harris has two top-five finishes and four top-10s in nine road course starts atop the pit box in the Cup Series. On courses that turn left and right, his teams have an average start of 12.11 and an average finish of 15.44.
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS: Bowman, who has been outspoken about his mental health, will wear a special helmet ahead of World Mental Health Day (on Oct. 10). Adorning a green ribbon on the side, Bowman has created merch through Alex Bowman Racing to help raise money and awareness for those who struggle with mental health issues. To buy a limited-edition t-shirt, click here.
CROWN THE KING: On Wednesday, Charlotte FC honored Bowman as their coronation honoree. The seven-time Cup Series winner took the field in the pre-game ceremonies and sat in the coronation throne, tying Ally’s worlds together in one venue.
FUELING FUTURES: Ally hosted its annual Fueling Futures event on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports this week. The primary partner of the No. 48 team created four individual “pit stops” for students from Charlotte’s Garinger High School and Harding University High School, providing a behind-the-scenes look at various job opportunities within the racing industry, including engineering, marketing, financial education and pit crew. After the group completed all the pit stops, Bowman and Ally Influencer Bernard Pollard answered questions from the students.
SAVE THEM ALL: Bowman and primary partner Ally are teaming up this year to bring back the Best Friends Animal Society donation effort. This week, the duo will make charitable contributions to Friends of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Services, Inc., which serves the local community in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and Friends of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Services, Inc.. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins on Sunday.
SHINING BRIGHT IN THE DAYTIME: For the race at the ROVAL, the No. 48 Ally Chevy will adorn its “day” scheme. This scheme hosts a white base with bright plum, grapefruit and seafoam stripes down the sides. Check out all the angles of the ride here.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS /
2023
All-Time
ROVAL
Races
31
1,340
5
Wins
9*
300*
3*
Poles
6
245*
1**
Top 5
37*
1,227*
5**
Top 10
58*
2,103*
12*
Laps Led
1,992
79,309*
184*
Stage Wins
14
93
2
*Most **Most (tie)
SAID SADDLES UP: Boris Said will be behind the wheel of the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL with Greg Ives serving as the crew chief. Said is a former sports car series champion with victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2005, he became the first American to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Said has 29 starts in the Xfinity Series, which includes a win at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal in 2010. Known as a road-course ringer throughout his 149 national series starts, the 61-year-old driver’s last NASCAR start came in 2022 at Circuit of The Americas.
EDGE OF SEVENTEEN: Prior to Saturday’s race, Hendrick Motorsports has made five starts in the Xfinity Series this year. NASCAR Cup Series regulars Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman have each made at least one appearance in the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro with a combined three top-five finishes, four top-10s and one pole position. The No. 17 carries special significance to the Hendrick Motorsports family as it is the same number Ricky Hendrick drove and won with in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Rajah Caruth is slated to drive the car at Phoenix Raceway in the season finale on Saturday, Nov. 4. In its history, Hendrick Motorsports has earned one Xfinity Series championship (2003) and 26 race wins in the series.
PLAYOFF LOWDOWN: For the 10th straight season, Hendrick Motorsports has at least two drivers in the Round of 12. Byron and Larson remain in the playoff field. In addition, the Nos. 5, 9 and 24 teams are battling for the owner championship. Byron’s victory at Texas locks him into the Round of 8 and marks the 10th straight season that the organization has had at least one driver in that round.
CHAMPIONSHIP COUNT: The Rick Hendrick-owned team has a series-best 14 Cup Series championships. NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Jimmie Johnson accounts for half of those with seven (2006-10, 2013 and 2016). NASCAR Hall of Famer and team vice chairman Jeff Gordon racked up four titles (1995, 1997-98 and 2001). NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte (1996), Elliott (2020) and Larson (2021) each have one championship for the team. Nine of those titles have come in the playoff era (2004-present).
GOOD SIGN: In six of the last seven occurrences where a Hendrick Motorsports driver has won at least six races, that driver has gone on to win the title (Johnson in 2007-10 and 2013 and Larson in 2021). Byron has half dozen wins in the 2023 season.
RECORD SETTERS: Hendrick Motorsports has posted a series-best 57 wins in the playoffs, which is 21 more than the closest team. Johnson has the most with 29 victories. Among the current driver lineup, Elliott and Larson top the board with seven wins apiece in the playoffs followed by Byron and Bowman with one each.
ROVAL WINNERS: With three wins in the five races at the Charlotte ROVAL, the Concord, North Carolina-based team is the winningest team at the 17-turn layout. Elliott won back-to-back races in 2019 and 2020 and Larson scored the victory in 2021.
LEAD ON: A trio of Hendrick Motorsports drivers rank one-two-three in laps led at the Charlotte ROVAL. Elliott (94) is atop the board followed by Byron (80) and then Larson (60). In addition, two drivers rank one-two in average finish with Bowman (6.00) posting the best mark in front of Elliott (8.00).
RULERS OF THE ROAD: Totaling 27 victories, Hendrick Motorsports has the most all-time triumphs on road courses in Cup Series history. The two closest teams in this statistic have combined for only 23 wins. Since its inaugural season in 1984, the organization has won 28.13% of road course events (27 wins in 96 races). The team also tops the board among Cup Series squads on road courses in poles (25), top-five finishes (88), top-10s (148) and laps led (2,274). The team is tied for the most stage wins (15).
GREAT EIGHT: Eight different drivers (most by a Cup Series team on road courses) have accounted for the 27 road course wins: Gordon (nine), Elliott (seven), Larson (four), Tim Richmond (three), Byron (one), Johnson (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Ricky Rudd (one).
STUDYING THE TRENDS: In the last nine 2023 Cup Series races, the organization has had at least one driver finish in the top five. This is the longest such streak in the series this season. Those top fives came at Michigan International Speedway (Larson), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Elliott and Bowman), Watkins Glen (Byron), Daytona International Speedway (Elliott), Darlington Raceway (Larson and Byron), Kansas Speedway (Larson), Bristol Motor Speedway (Larson), Texas (Byron) and Talladega Superspeedway (Byron).
G56 RIDES AGAIN: Fans will get to see the Hendrick Motorsports Garage 56 car hit the track stateside when Jordan Taylor runs pace laps with the car ahead of Sunday’s Cup Series race. The car took part in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans in collaboration with NASCAR, Chevrolet, Goodyear and IMSA. Taylor was a backup driver and coach for the team, which was comprised of drivers Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller. Vice president of competition Chad Knaus and Ives oversaw the effort as the team completed 285 laps at the 8.4-mile circuit.
WINDOW OF HOPE: Each of the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers in Sunday’s race will participate in the Window of Hope pink window net program started by Kurt Busch. Following the race, each driver will sign their window net and it will be auctioned off through The Erik Jones Foundation, which is partnering with Busch for this cause. The auction for the signed pink window nets opens on Monday, Oct. 9 and closes on Monday, Oct. 16. Last year’s program raised more than $100,000 benefiting breast cancer research and treatment in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL: “I like the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL, I think it’s fun. It’s a sketchy cut off race. I feel like I’ve gotten caught up in more messes there than I have clean finishes. We did win there a couple of years ago (2021), so I know we can have a good run again this weekend. We have just got to execute a little bit better than I did last year and try not to crash to make it to the next round.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s outlook as it looks to advance to the Round of 8: “We’re going to look at everything we possibly can to make sure that we get the right number of points in the bank to transfer out of this round (of 12), which of course is very important to us. We also want to make sure we have a fast enough car and try to strategize ourselves correctly to get a great finish. We’ve learned a lot this year with road courses and improved our package a good bit. Hopefully, we’ve got a good car and make the right adjustments. There’s so many different things that can play out here with strategy. We’ve got to be smart and know what our objectives are to get the points that we need to transfer (to the Round of 8).”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the Charlotte ROVAL: “Charlotte (Motor Speedway ROVAL) is probably the most difficult of all of the road courses because it’s like trying to shove a big road course inside of a Bristol. That’s what it feels like. It’s just that choppy. When tracks are choppy like that, it’s just hard to get in rhythm. It’s hard to get in the flow. That’s what makes the ROVAL unique, just because it’s shorter than most of the road courses we go to and it’s laid out inside of a mile and a half. So, just finding that rhythm, finding that flow, it’s really hard to do there. Sometimes you can even have it at one point in time and lose it at another. It’s been pretty good to us the first couple trips at least, but not so much the last couple.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the strength of the team in the owner playoffs: “Our performance has picked up and been really good in the playoffs. We’ve been able to get stage points, something that we struggled with earlier in the season which we knew we had to rectify. I’m happy with that trending the right way as we try to keep that going. With as little bonus points as we have, it’s pretty paramount that we picked up those stage points.”
Gustafson on past success at the ROVAL: “The (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL is a place we’ve had a lot of speed and a lot of success. Unfortunately, in the last two years, it’s been a tough place. Things can go wrong in a hurry. We had the incident with the No. 4 two years ago and then last year the sign fell off the wall when we were leading the race. Those things can cost you and that put us into a position that was tough. So, we know how volatile it can be, but we’re certainly confident in our ability to go and perform at a high level.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his goal for this weekend: “There’s seven more playoff points on the line this weekend for us that we could use for the next round. Winning the race and getting those five points will be our biggest goal. I really want to get a win at my hometown track. I grew up watching races there and we’ve had speed on both the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) oval and the ROVAL. It would be great to finish off the round with five more points and some great momentum heading into the Round of 8.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what having stage breaks back will mean for teams: “Having stage breaks back is huge for how these races play out. We’ve seen this year at the other road courses a pretty much caution-free race. The guys who have pace qualify up front, collect stage points and have a really good shot at winning. With stage breaks, especially with this car where it’s really hard to pass, you pretty much have to forgo the stage points if you want to win the race. There’s not a ton of ways for the strategy to play out otherwise. It’s an either-or- situation and it’s a big difference for the guys who are closer to the cut line. It’s a give-and-take. It will be interesting for sure but it will be more fun from our seat since we’re already locked in.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his success at the Charlotte ROVAL: “I have had a lot of speed there in my four starts and it has been one of my better road courses statistically. Even when I look back at our other races on road courses, we have had a lot of speed and been able to be a factor in almost all of them. We had a third-place result at COTA, had a good No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Chicago before we were taken out and then ran really strong at Indy. I am really optimistic about our chances to go to the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL this weekend and be a car that is capable of winning. Our team has certainly had its struggles this season, but we have also been incredibly good at staying focused on the task at hand and this weekend is no different.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to the Charlotte ROVAL: “I have a lot of confidence in our road course package and what we have been able to develop for Alex (Bowman) over the year. Hendrick Motorsports already had a great foundation after their first year with the Next Gen car and then we continued to build off of that. We had a lot of speed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Alex has been really good at the ROVAL. Heading there this weekend is something we feel like we can go into more confident that we will unload with speed and be able to be in contention.”
(October 5, 2023) – Continuing a nearly two-decade running tradition, Mazda Motorsports will once again stage a MX-5 Cup Shootout to help aspiring racers connect talent with opportunity in 2023. Nominees eligible for the 2023 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout have been named and are one step closer to a scholarship valued at $110,000.
Building on a selection process that has proven successful through the years, the nominees are a combination of automatic and at-large selections. Automatic selections are those drivers who have won a club racing national championship (NASA, SCCA or Spec MX-5 Challenge) in a Mazda-powered vehicle. At-large nominees are drivers who haven’t won a national championship, but have shown exceptional racing talent, not necessarily in a Mazda-powered car, or even in sports cars.
Success in motorsports requires a driver who delivers both in and out of the cockpit, so Mazda’s selection process focuses on much more than just fast laps. Each nominee is invited to submit a video application to become a finalist. These applications must include each driver’s plan to create a long-lasting racing career, including how they would attract additional funding.
“It’s encouraging to see the pool of talented Mazda racers grow year-after year,” Mazda Motorsports Senior Manager Jonathan Applegate said. “The response to this program continues to be impressive and even though that makes it very difficult to get down to 12 finalists, it is really encouraging to see the level of professionalism and raw talent that are interested in making the most of this opportunity. The MX-5 Cup Shootout has produced some very deserving winners and champions and we anticipate the same thing this year.”
Nominees have a week to submit their applications to Mazda Motorsports.
Drivers selected as finalists will be invited to participate in the MX-5 Cup Shootout. There, Mazda will not only name the winner of a $110,000 scholarship to compete in MX-5 Cup in 2024, but also a $75,000 scholarship for the runner-up and a $75,000 scholarship for the top female driver.
Last year’s Shootout winner, Nate Cicero, is going into the final two races of the season leading the Rookie of the Year standings and is within reach of a top-three finish in the championship.
2023 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Nominees
At-large nominees:
AJ Zarcone – Spec MX-5 / NASA Teen Mazda
Antonio Abrom – Spec Miata
Austin Varco – Spec Miata
Boris Said Jr – Spec Miata
Brennan Stammer – Spec Miata / NASA Teen Mazda
Cam Ebben – Spec Miata / Spec MX-5
Camden Gruber – Spec Miata / Spec MX-5
Chase Jones – Spec MX-5
Chloe Lynch
Christian Braunlich – Touring 4
Don Squirek – Spec MX-5
Emily Atenas
Ethan Barker
Frankie Barroso – Spec Miata
Hannah Greenemeier – F4
Joshua Soto
Julian DaCosta – Spec Miata
Junior Brock – Spec Miata
Laurin Brallier – Spec Miata
Maddie Aust – TC America
Mark Polunin – Spec Miata / NASA Teen Mazda
Morgan Burkhard
Nathan Nicholson – Spec MX-5
Nathan Saxon – Spec MX-5
Nicholas Leone – Spec MX-5
Nico Bratz – Spec MX-5
Noah Harmon – Spec MX-5 / Spec Miata
Reid Sweeney – Spec MX-5
Rowan Gill – Spec MX-5 / Spec Miata
Sally Mott
Taylor Ferns – USAC
Uthman Alaoui – Spec Miata / NASA Teen Mazda
Westin Workman – Spec MX-5
Will Robusto – Spec MX-5
Wyatt Couch – Spec MX-5 / Spec Miata
Automatic Nominees:
Alex Bertagnoli – Spec MX-5 Champion
Aryton Grim- NASA Teen Mazda (Great lakes)
Cam Ebben – Northern Divisional Champion SCCA first gear
Charles Russell Turner – FE2 SCCA Champion
Christian Sarnecki – Northeast Divisional Champion SCCA first gear
Cooper Hicks – NASA Teen Mazda (CA/Southern)
David Moreno – Great lakes Divisional Champion SCCA first gear
Ethan Lampe- NASA Teen Mazda (CA/Northern)
Hayden Manis – NASA Teen Mazda (Mid Atlantic)
Logan Strech – Southern Divisional Champion SCCA first gear
Michael Carter* – NASA Spec Miata Champion
Nick Bruni* & Preston Pardus* – Spec Miata, SCCA Runoffs
Raiden Nicol – Southeast Divisional Champion SCCA first gear
Todd Vanacore – P1 SCCA Runoffs national champion
*Due to significant professional experience, Nick Bruni, Preston Pardus and Michael Carter (SCCA & NASA Spec Miata National Champion) are not eligible for the Shootout
About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Officials from AM Racing confirmed today that Ford Performance Motorsports development driver Hailie Deegan has inked a multiyear deal with the team to pilot the No. 15 Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning with the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 17, 2024.
Deegan will join the Statesville, N.C. team following a three-year stint in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, including running the full 23-race schedule with ThorSport Racing aboard the No. 13 Ford F-150 this season.
With just two races remaining on the Truck Series schedule, Deegan’s season has been highlighted by a career-best sixth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
The two-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, Most Popular driver, also made her NASCAR Xfinity Series debut during the 2022 season when she piloted the No. 07 Ford Mustang for SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, where she impressed with a lead lap 13th-place performance after starting 20th.
Deegan, 22, also competed in the ARCA Menards Series West in 2018 and ’19, earning three victories, respectively.
She also boasts a decorated off-road racing career and has embraced a strong presence in the Camping World SRX Series.
“I am excited about the opportunity to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, starting next year with AM Racing,” said Deegan. “From the start, the team has been nothing but great to work with, and the vision that Wade has for the team to accomplish align with my values perfectly.
“Through the support of Ford and the AM Racing team, I feel that we will achieve great things together in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store for all of us.”
Deegan, a native of Temecula, Calif., joined Ford Performance as part of its driver development program following the 2019 season and drove in a variety of different disciplines in 2020, including the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the premier ARCA Menards Series division in 2020, where she recorded seven top-five and 17 top-10s overall earning a third place finish in championship points and the highest position by a female driver in the NASCAR-owned developmental series.
She also claimed ARCA Rookie of the Year honors.
Ford Performance Motorsports is the high-performance division of the Ford Motor Company and the multinational name used for its motorsport and racing activity.
From ARCA, she advanced to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series for two seasons at David Gilliland Racing (now TRICON Garage) before moving to Ohio’s ThorSport Racing in 2023 as teammate to Truck Series champions Matt Crafton and Ben Rhodes while running a fourth full-time truck alongside multi-time series winner Ty Majeski.
2024 will begin her newest endeavor with Ford Performance Motorsport’s driver development program in AM Racing’s sophomore NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
“We are excited to see Hailie continuing to advance her career by running full-time with AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director Ford Performance Motorsports.
“Hailie works so hard on and off the track, and AM Racing will surround her with a great team to continue her development. From what we saw from Hailie in her Xfinity Series debut in Las Vegas last year, we look forward to some great results in 2024.”
AM Racing has also renewed its agreement with Roush Yates Engines to continue to provide the legendary Ford horsepower for the No. 15 Ford Mustang for the anticipated 33-race schedule next season.
“Congratulations to Hailie, Wade and Everyone at AM Racing on this new partnership heading into 2024 and beyond,” said Doug Yates President & Chief Executive Officer of Roush Yates Engines. “Our team at Roush Yates Engines looks forward to our continued relationship with AM Racing next season and powering Halie Deegan in partnership with Ford Performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.”
AM Racing also announced Thursday the addition of AirBox, Inc. (AirBox) and VIVA Tequila Seltzer, who will serve as primary marketing partners for Deegan throughout her inaugural Xfinity Series season.
In 2017, AirBox was established to focus on building the world’s best air purifiers for indoor occupied spaces. This coincided with people starting to wake up to issues with indoor air quality. With new challenges to air cleanliness, such as COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, people are looking for effective and proven solutions to ensure they receive cleaner air, at last.
Their history in delivering clean air systems gives them an expertise that is unmatched. AirBox uses some of the most effective air filtration technologies that exist with Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorption and manufactures products that meet the stringent new ventilation standard, ASHRAE Standard 241.
Today, AirBox filtration systems are used across the country, purifying the air and capturing harmful irritants to create healthier, safer spaces. They’ve become the trusted choice for hospitals, educational centers, offices, warehouses, construction zones, public assembly, sports facilities, and more.
They’re proud to build all products to the highest standards in the USA at their North Carolina production facility. Every day, AirBox is working hard to give the American people the safer learning, working, and living environments they deserve—helping people breathe easy and live better.
“This partnership with Hailie means a lot for our company,” said Adam Smith, president of AirBox. “She is someone who really cares about health and wellbeing. And we do too. Healthy air is important for people, especially athletes. They watch everything they put into their body so closely, but they often don’t think about the quality of the air they are breathing.
“More than ever, indoor air quality is an important topic. Finally, the era of cleaner air is here. With standards like ASHRAE Standard 241 being established, it means we all will finally get the cleaner air we deserve. AirBox plans to lead the way to clean air with Hailie next year, on and off the track.”
Viva Tequila Seltzer, a company that redefines indulgence, was founded in July 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts, by three washed-up college athletes. The shared passion this group had for spending time with friends on the golf course while enjoying a refreshing drink gave rise to the creation of a healthier tequila-based seltzer. These founders have created a product that marries their love for a balanced lifestyle with a refreshing drink.
With its ethos rooted in health and wellness, Viva Tequila Seltzer offers a range of flavors, including Huckleberry, Elderberry, Watermelon, and Grapefruit. Each can contains just 88 calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar, making it the perfect choice for health-conscious consumers.
Gluten-free, keto-friendly, vegan, paleo, non-GMO, and kosher, Viva is truly a ‘better for you’ option without compromising on taste. Viva’s founders, who come from a background in the beer industry, saw their taste preferences and lifestyles evolving.
They desired something more refreshing, drinkable, and aligned with their changing preferences. The result is a premium product that doesn’t make you sacrifice your diet while being awesomely refreshing.
“Viva Tequila Seltzer is excited to join AM Racing in announcing their partnership with their dynamic new driver, Hailie Deegan, as they embark on a thrilling journey to redefine winning in NASCAR,” said Morgan Lockwood, Co-Founder of Viva Tequila Seltzer. “We’re thrilled to raise our Viva cans to the prospect of countless Victory Lane celebrations with Hailie and the entire AM Racing team next season.”
Reflecting on their accomplishments during the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and looking ahead to 2024 with Deegan, AM Racing president Wade Moore emphasized the continued shared “Future Focused” vision and the strengthening infrastructure for next year and years to come.
“AM Racing is proud to announce the addition of Hailie to the family,” offered AM Racing team president Wade Moore. “We are excited to provide her with a home where she can grow as a cornerstone of our young program.
“It is an exciting time as we continue to strengthen our relationships within the Ford camp, AIRBOX, Viva, and our other partners respectively. There is a great deal of work to be done for all of us, but we are grateful and welcome the challenges ahead.”
Additional details on Deegan’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program with AM Racing will be announced in due course, including crew chief, car chief and additional marketing partners.
For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.
For more on Hailie Deegan, please visit hailiedeegan.com, like her Facebook page (HailieDeegan4), or follow her on Instagram (@hailiedeegan), YouTube and X | Twitter (@hailiedeegan).
For more on AirBox Inc., please visit AirBoxAmerica.com, or send a message to info@AirBoxAmerica.com.
About AM Racing:
AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.
Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.
The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its seventh year of competition.
The team has named Brett Moffitt and Christian Rose as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity and ARCA Menards Series seasons.
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Teams Bring “Brickyard” Double-Win Momentum Back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for this Weekend’s Dual Intercontinental GT Challenge and Fanatec GT World Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams bring a double dose of race-winning momentum at the “Racing Capital of the World” back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) this weekend for the fourth annual running of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS. The full weekend of competition on the 2.439-mile IMS road course also includes the season-ending rounds of all 2023 SRO Motorsports America championships in a packed Thursday through Sunday schedule. The highlight is Saturday’s Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS that is both the penultimate round of the global Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) series and the double-points finale of the 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge America season.
Six Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams take up the challenge of Saturday’s eight-hour endurance race with four of them designated as points-earning IGTC entries. The quartet includes two Mercedes-AMG Performance Teams from Hong Kong, defending Indianapolis 8 Hour winners Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing and Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing. Craft-Bamboo gave Mercedes-AMG its first overall IGTC victory on American soil in last year’s Indy 8 Hour with the trio of Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella and Daniel Morad co-driving to victory.
Marciello returns to the team to defend the win in the No. 77 Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 this year with teammates Maximilian Götz and last year’s Indy 8 Hour pole-winner Jules Gounon.
Juncadella co-drives the No. 999 Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 this weekend with Maro Engel and Luca Stolz. GruppeM is set for its first 8 Hour IGTC round in the U.S. since finishing second with one of its two entries in the 2019 running of the race that was the last of three editions held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca before the switch to Indianapolis in 2020.
Juncadella and Gounon combined for a second-consecutive major victory at IMS for the Mercedes-AMG GT3 just three weeks ago. Co-driving the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing/Proton Competition Mercedes-AMG GT3, the duo garnered GT Daytona (GTD) Pro-class honors in the inaugural Battle on the Bricks IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race on September 17. Another victory at Indy on Saturday would give Juncadella a streak of three consecutive major sports car wins at IMS with three different teams.
The other IGTC points eligible Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries at Indy are a pair of Fanatec GT World Challenge America regulars looking to make a mark in the year’s final race.
Perennial GT World Challenge America Pro-Am contenders George Kurtz and Colin Braun will be joined by Nolan Siegel in the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing with Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3. The team competes for IGTC points in addition to being a close second in a tight battle for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Pro-Am class championship. Kurtz, Braun and the No. 04 team have 187 points heading back to Indy, just three points out of first place.
The other full-season GT World Challenge Pro-Am team stepping up to support the IGTC points chase at Indy is the No. 91 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 that will see another recent Mercedes-AMG race winner at the Brickyard join the squad.
Philip Ellis co-drove the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the GTD-class win at the Battle on the Bricks and joins Juncadella in looking for a repeat win less than a month after their previous victories at IMS. Ellis’s co-drives with full-season No. 91 teammates Jeff Burton and Corey Lewis.
In other racing action at the Brickyard this weekend, six Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams are also entered in the season-ending GT America powered by AWS doubleheader. A single driver sprint series featuring a pair of 40-minute races Friday and Sunday, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 has been the car to beat all season in GT America.
Four different race-winning teams combined to give Mercedes-AMG an early lock on its second-consecutive GT America manufacturer championship one race ago at Sebring International Raceway. Now, two of those teams – TKO Motorsports and CRP Racing – take the battle for the GT America driver and team championships down to the wire at Indy.
Memo Gidley drove the No. 101 TKO Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 to a series-high sixth victory of the season in the opening race at Sebring, but his title rival Jason Daskalos came right back with an equally strong victory ahead of Gidley in the No. 27 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Sebring finale. Daskalos’ victory was his fourth GT America race win of the season. Gidley brings an 18-point GT America driver championship lead ahead of Daskalos to Indy, 277 – 259.
CRP in turn has a two-point lead over TKO in the GT America team championship standings, 284 – 282. In addition to the four race wins by Daskalos, first-year team driver Todd Treffert contributed to the team’s championship bid with his first professional race win at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) in June in the No. 41 CRP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The GT America races mark the North American professional competition debut of the Mercedes-AMG GT2. Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox compete in the GT2 class in their new No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT2. Knox competes alongside the team’s No. 011 Lone Star Racing/Mad Joker Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by Marc Austin.
Indianapolis also closes the curtain on the Pirelli GT4 America season that has once again seen the No. 34 Conquest Racing/JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 and returning driver Michai Stephens battle for the top-tier Silver-class championship. With Stephens co-driving this season with first-year Conquest/JMF driver Jesse Webb, the No. 34 team and drivers have won four races so far, including overall GT4 race wins in each of the last two event weekends at Sebring and Road America.
Second in the Silver-class point standings, Stephens, Webb and the No. 34 team are mathematically alive in the championship but need nothing short of a weekend sweep and the class leader to miss the final races to have a realistic shot at taking the title. A strong weekend showing, however, will likely clinch Silver-class championship runner-up honors, the third-straight year the No. 34 team and drivers have finished in the top-three GT4 Silver championship standings.
Following practice sessions today for all series, including a nighttime session for the Indianapolis 8 Hour, the weekend’s first races for GT America and Pirelli GT4 take place Friday.
Qualifying for the Indy 8 Hour highlights Friday’s schedule, including the Top-10 Pole Shootout at 6:45 p.m. EDT.
Saturday’s featured Indianapolis 8 Hour goes green at 12:15 p.m. EDT with the checkered flag coming down soon after the sun does eight hours later at 8:15 p.m. EDT.
The weekend concludes with the final GT America and Pirelli GT4 races of the season Sunday morning.
All of this weekend’s races can be viewed live on the GTWorld YouTube channel.
Daniel Juncadella, Driver – No. 999 Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s pretty exciting to be back at Indy after a very successful IMSA round. That obviously brings a lot of momentum into the weekend. It’s been a strong season so far, both this year and last year, and I am taking it all race-by-race and trying to deliver my best. That’s the way to keep scoring good results. The Indy layout is cool. It suited the Mercedes-AMG GT3 quite well in the IMSA round and let’s hope we are competitive again. I’ve raced several times with GruppeM, in DTM in 2021, some IGTC rounds last year and the Spa 24 Hours this year. I feel we deserve our bit of luck after just missing out in a couple of events we did together. I am really hoping I can win my third race at Indy with a third different team. That would be great. Luca and Maro are obviously very strong teammates by my side, and that is going to help have a strong weekend.”
Maro Engel, Driver – No. 999 Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am definitely looking forward to heading back over to the U.S. It’s always special and obviously Indianapolis is a place with incredible heritage. It’s a technical track for sure and one where two years ago we were in contention until late in the race, so hopefully we can have a strong run this weekend. The layout is for sure more about the corners, which suit the Mercedes-AMG GT3, so all of the medium and high-speed corners are places where the car will be good. The recent success in IMSA is definitely great but that is in a different series with different tires and different BoP (Balance of Performance). But we feel confident, we have a strong team and a very strong lineup with Dani and Luca on board. I am very happy with our preparations and now we look forward to rolling into the race weekend.”
Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 91 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am really looking forward to being back at Indy, especially after the victory in IMSA. We also should have had a good race last year in the 8 Hour with Russell and Jules putting us on pole, so I think I am bringing some experience for sure to the team with the track and in the car. Corey and Bryan Sellers on the team, they know the track very well and may bring some other insights to me, which is very good. It will be a bit different BoP and different tires, but I think overall we will have a good car on the long run, which is always a strong suit for the Mercedes-AMG GT3. It will be difficult for sure, a lot of tire management – Indy has a very high tire degradation – but it should be a very interesting race and we are going to try and go for the win in Pro-Am.”
George Kurtz, Driver – No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing with Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Indy will be a one-race shootout for the title for the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Pro-Am championship. I think we have a good team, we have been to Indy this year already in testing and some other areas, so hopefully we will come away with the win. It’s going to be super tight but hopefully we have a little bit of an edge. We will see where it all shakes out.”
Memo Gidley, Driver – No. 101 TKO Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The GT America series has 18 races, which is a lot of races and a lot of opportunities to do well and also have the occasional bad day. Being able to come down to the wire in Indy 18 points in the lead is just awesome. It feels great but I wish we had more points, and I wasn’t thinking about it so much! But I would rather be 18 points in the lead than 18 points behind. Confidence wise and preparation wise, there is no doubt in my mind that I am ready to go. Our TKO Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 is very consistent in what it does, and it is also very simple. Some of today’s GT3 cars can be pretty complicated, with so many buttons and switches when you are in them, but the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is a much simpler package when you are inside of it.”
Ty Gibbs Charlotte Roval Advance No. 54 Interstate All Battery Center Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing
Event Overview
● Event: Bank of America Roval 400 (Round 32 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 8
● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval
● Layout: 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 109 laps, 252.88 miles
● Format: Stage 1: 25 laps / Stage 2: 25 laps / Final Stage: 59 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● Interstate Batteries – one of the most tenured team sponsors in NASCAR history – began its 32nd season as the founding sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) with an expanded presence that featured the brand’s iconic green livery across all four of JGR’s NASCAR Cup Series entries. As the green colors will adorn Ty Gibbs’ car one final time for 2003 this weekend on the Charlotte Roval with the Interstate All Battery Center marks on the car, the final race for Interstate Batteries will be in the penultimate race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway when Christopher Bell drives with the Interstate colors one final time this season on his No. 20 Camry.
● The Return of ‘ABC’: Gibbs and Company are ready to roll into Charlotte with support from Interstate All Battery Center retail locations throughout North America. Interstate All Battery Center keeps life and business moving with the best batteries, service, and expertise. They make it easy to find the battery you’re looking for, from auto batteries to button batteries and specialty batteries to chargers, flashlights and more. And every center offers FREE auto battery testing at their location. Having a local battery partner also means just-in-time delivery, so you can receive fresh batteries ready to go. Interstate All Battery Center will be displayed on a Cup Series car for the first time since July 2017 when former JGR driver Kyle Busch raced the All Battery Center scheme at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
● Outrageously Dependable: With Gibbs behind the wheel of the Interstate All Battery Center Camry this weekend, fans are encouraged to stop in to one of many local centers, which feature any battery and power accessory needs all in one place for both your home and business. Interstate All Battery Center is a local partner committed to you and your community, recycle more car batteries than they sell and have on-site auto battery testing and installation with no appointments. To learn more, fans can visit https://www.interstatebatteries.com/all-battery-centers to find a store nearby.
● Gibbs has had a strong rookie campaign. He’s earned season-best finishes of fifth on three occasions – at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in August, and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September. In all, Gibbs has eight eight top-10s so far in 2023 with five races remaining.
● Gibbs heads to the Charlotte Roval 19th in the driver standings with 655 points. He leads the Rookie of the Year standings with his next-closest competitor Noah Gragson not expected to compete for the remainder of the season.
● Rookie Stripe: Gibbs has experienced a season not atypical of a rookie driver in NASCAR’s top series. He has three top-fives and eight top-10s so far through 31 races, but many other strong runs that didn’t yield the results he might have deserved during the most recent stretch of races.
● At the age of 19 years, 9 months and 20 days, Gibbs made his first career NASCAR Cup Series start last July 24 at Pocono for 23XI Racing. He became the 37th driver younger than 20 years of age to make a Cup Series start. He started at the rear of the field but completed all 160 laps on his way to an impressive 16th-place finish. Best of his 15 Cup Series starts last year was his 10th-place result Aug. 7 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
● Dazzling Debut: Gibbs was victorious in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the February 2021 race on the Daytona road course. He led 14 of the 56 laps and became the youngest driver to win an Xfinity Series road-course race at 18 years, 4 months and 16 days. The native of Charlotte, North Carolina, also became the second-youngest winner in Xfinity Series history behind Joey Logano, who won in June 2008 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta at the age of 18 years, 21 days.
Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 54 Interstate All Battery Center Toyota Camry TRD
You’ve had some time to get used to each track during your rookie season. How much have you learned over the course of the year?
“It’s been good. The whole season has been special, and I learn each and every week. Just got to get my Interstate All Battery Center Toyota Camry in a good position and try to limit our mistakes as much as possible and get the most points we can each and every week. First of all, you just need to enjoy it. Not a lot of guys get to do what we get to do each week and you have to remind yourself of the bigger picture. You just take it week by week and keep working. I’m looking forward to the Roval, which will be the next challenge. I’m really looking forward to the next couple of races and we’ll keep working at it and try to work as hard as we can.”
You’ve raced on the Roval in the Xfinity Series, and last year in the Cup Series with 23XI. What are your expectations for this weekend?
“Excited about the Roval. I do enjoy road-course racing, plus it is a home race, which will be nice. Good to have Interstate Batteries on the car for the final time this year. Norm (Miller, Chairman Emeritus) has been a longtime family friend, and Lain (Hancock, CEO/President) had been great, too. Also, fun to have Interstate All Battery Center on our car this weekend. They have local centers throughout the country with every type of battery that anyone could need. Hopefully we can give them a great run.”
With Interstate Batteries on your car for the final time during your rookie season, has it been fun to have Interstate Batteries along with you several times this year?
“It’s really an honor to be able to run an Interstate Batteries car every time we’ve been able to do it. We had some good runs for them, and others I wished had turned out a bit better. We were able to get a top-10 for them at Bristol Dirt and at the Chicago Street Race, which was really cool. I thought we had a good shot at another top-10 for them at Nashville, but that didn’t end up how we had hoped there on the last pit stop and run of the race. Really proud of what we’ve learned as a team this year and appreciate those guys and all they do for our team as I continue to learn each and every week.”
TPC Racing Has a Shot at Three Different Championships This Week, With Two Team Titles and David Williams in the 992 Am Driver Championship
Williams Opened the Race Week By Winning Pole Position in his Class
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (October 5, 2023) – TPC Racing is ending the 2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge season on a high note, bringing a six-car effort to Indianapolis Motor Speedway across four classes with a shot at multiple championships in the single-make championship.
David Williams returns in the No. 237 Mission Barbecue Porsche 911 GT3 in the 992 Am class, joined by Shaun McKaigue in the No. 134 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 in the 991 class. Four drivers will pilot Caymans, with Chloe Chambers, Tillman Schmid, and newcomer Aaron Farhadi in the Cayman Pro/Am class. Tom Kerr makes a return to TPC Racing this week in the Am class with his Porsche Cayman.
Run in conjunction with the Indianapolis 8 Hour race weekend, the Porsche Sprint Challenge opened the event on the IMS road course with practice and qualifying on Wednesday, while each class races once on Thursday and again on Friday. Each race can be seen live through Porsche Sprint Challenge at www.porschesprint.com.
The 991 class and both Cayman classes will race at 10 a.m. EDT today and again at 8:35 a.m. EDT on Friday morning. The 992 class gets their own feature races at Indianapolis, with green flags scheduled for 12:45 p.m. EDT today and 2:40 p.m. EDT Friday. All four races will run for a distance of 35 minutes plus one lap.
In addition to the individual race efforts, TPC Racing has an eye on the team championship in both the Cayman Pro-Am and 992 Am classes, while Williams has an opportunity to earn the drivers championship in the 992 Am class. TPC Racing leads the Cayman Pro-Am class with a 24 point margin, while Williams holds his 992 class individual title lead by 14 points. TPC Racing trails in the 992 team championship by 11, a deficit that can be overcome by a good weekend from Williams.
Making the most of his opportunities, Williams earned the 992 Am Class pole position on Wednesday afternoon with a best lap of 1:28.376. Williams is a two-time winner and seven-time podium finisher this season in the 992 Am class on his way to the championship lead.
Chambers has seven race wins in the No. 70 Monoflo International Cayman GT4 Clubsport, but sits just sixth in her class driver championship after missing the opening round of the season at Sebring International Raceway. Her Monoflo teammate Schmid helped the team championship by finishing on the podium in third in the opener behind the wheel of his No. 77 Monoflo International Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, and fourth in the second race of that doubleheader, for his best finishes of the season to date.
Kerr, a TPC Racing stalwart, was only able to run at VIR this year but earned a second and a third-place finish in that event driving his iconic No. 73 Got Veins Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport. McKaigue has also run a limited schedule, piloting his No. 134 TPC Racing Porsche 911 in the Am class at Sebring and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but jumping into a Cayman for a successful run at Barber Motorsports Park.
Farhadi is a successful kart racer joining TPC Racing for the first time. The 17-year-old is a part of the partnership between TPC Racing and Dream Racing, with Farhadi making his racing debut in a car at Indianapolis. He’ll drive the No. 2 Dream Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport this week.
Harris Levitas, TPC Racing Director of Race Operations: “We’re really excited to bring six cars to Indianapolis for the conclusion of the Porsche Sprint Challenge season. It’s been really great to see all of our drivers make the most of their opportunities this season and have success, whether they were full season or partial seasons. The championships will work themselves out if we keep doing what we’ve been doing, it’s not something we need to get caught up in going into the weekend. That’s a result of our TPC Racing team and our drivers, and I couldn’t be more proud of them for their efforts.”
Chloe Chambers, Driver, No. 70 Monoflo International Porsche Cayman: “Indianapolis is the track I have the least experience on this year. I’ve never raced on it, and only have two days of testing in July. Nonetheless, the track itself is top notch. I only live about two hours from the track, so this is basically my home race and what place to have our season finale! Missing Sebring was such a shame because I know I could’ve fought for the drivers championship, but my results this season have definitely proven that. I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish in the rounds I have done with seven wins so far this season. I’m looking forward to seeing what the TPC Racing team and I can do with the Monoflo International Porsche Cayman in the last races of the year.”
Aaron Farhadi, Driver, No. 2 Dream Racing Porsche Cayman: “I was able to meet the entire team at Indianapolis during their Lamborghini Super Trofeo weekend, and overall I’m very happy we chose this team. I’m excited to do my first ever race with TPC Racing, and my goal is just to go through the weekend clean. I don’t want to have any incidents, and learn as much as I can in my first race.”
Tom Kerr, Driver, No. 73 Got Veins Porsche Cayman: “I’m just really looking forward to being back with TPC Racing, and I get to race this Porsche Cayman at Indianapolis Motor Speedway! It’s such a great experience. I haven’t gotten to race as much as I’d like to this season, but I wanted to make sure I was back for this week and we’ll make the most of it. Not a lot of people have been able to stand on the podium at Indy, but we’ve got a chance to make it happen if we stay clean and fast.”
About TPC Racing: TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.
AUSTIN HILL Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course No. 62 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro
Event Overview
● Event: Bank of America Roval 400 (Round 32 of 36) ● Time/Date: 2:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 8 ● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval ● Layout: 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course ● Laps/Miles: 109 laps/252.88 miles ● State Lengths: Stage 1: 25 laps / Stage 2: 25 laps / Final Stage: 59 laps ● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● Beard Motorsports wraps up its 2023 NASCAR Cup Series campaign with Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 on the 2.28-mile, 17-turn road course at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. It’s the final appearance this season for the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro, which previously took to the track with NASCAR Xfinity Series championship-contending driver Austin Hill behind the wheel at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and twice each at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Hill will be back behind the wheel this weekend.
● Sunday’s road-course race will be the sixth career Cup Series start for Hill, who made his series debut last season at Michigan. It will be his first-ever start on a road course in Cup Series competition.
● While Hill is new to road-course racing at the Cup Series level, he has an abundance of road-course experience in both the Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Top-five finishes litter his Xfinity Series road-racing resume with third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishes at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Highlighting Hill’s road-racing resume is his August 2021 Truck Series victory at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, where the native of Winston, Georgia, qualified on the pole and led a race-high 35 laps along the way.
● United Rentals partners with Beard Motorsports for Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 for the second time this season. With an integrated network of 1,487 rental locations in North America, 14 in Europe, 23 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand, United Rentals, Inc., is the largest equipment rental company in the world. Founded in 1997, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province within North America. The company’s approximately 25,750 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and other customers. United Rentals will be the primary sponsor for Beard’s last scheduled race of the 2023 season at Charlotte.
● The last time Hill and Beard Motorsports paired up was during the Aug. 26 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. Hill ran a patient race after qualifying 30th. He raced as high as 11th and avoided the mayhem that unfolded during the event to finish 14th.
● The No. 62 Beard team operates as a family owned and run team that started as a passion project for the late Mark Beard Sr. Since his passing in early 2021, the team has operated under the guidance of family matriarch Linda Beard. The team is managed and nourished by daughter Amie Beard, who manages the day-to-day operations, and son Mark Jr., who provides leadership and support. Darren Shaw continues to oversee car and team preparations in the role of crew chief while the team continues to leverage the power of ECR engines. Beard Motorsports and its family owned company, Beard Oil Distributing – a certified women-owned business – both operate and thrive in male-dominated industries.
Linda Beard, Owner of the No. 62 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports:
This has been a departure from the typical season for Beard Motorsports with races at Atlanta, Michigan and, now Charlotte, joining the traditional superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega. What has the experience been like for you?
“This schedule is something we have been determined to do and it was a group decision from Amie and Mark Jr., to Darren (Shaw, crew chief) and Brendan (Gaughan). I do think that we’ve been competitive and that is our goal. You never want to go and look bad, so we strive as hard as we can to go and put our best foot forward. I think we have accomplished a lot of that and we’re proud of what we have been able to do. We just try to keep doing what we’re doing and plowing through it and making the best decisions we can.”
The No. 62 team is a labor of love for you and your family. What has it been like this year to see it grow with the expanded schedule and additional partners?
“My husband gave us this love of racing and keeping his vision alive is very important and central to this team. And we are enjoying it. We love it. It’s not always easy – racing at this level is not easy. We just try to do the best we can every time we are on the track. We are very determined. We don’t go there to lose. We go to be competitive and try to win so that’s what we keep in mind all of the time. We aren’t settling for something. We want to make this work so we can win.”
Austin Hill has been behind the wheel for all of your races in 2023. What has that experience been like?
“The drivers that we’ve had have all become family. We just kind of bring them into the fold. We enjoy all of them and their personalities. It’s been so much fun to be with each of them and to get to know them. We’ve had two crazy guys from Las Vegas in Brendan (Gaughan) and Noah (Gragson). Austin is so nice and respectful, and we enjoy spending time with him at the track. He’s very business-like and serious about his racing. He and his family are so sweet. He’s a very dedicated guy and we’ve been so lucky to have him on board this year.”
Austin Hill, Driver of the No. 62 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro:
When you look at the calendar and see a road race coming up, how do you respond to it? Do you look forward to road-course racing?
“It’s something I look forward to – I love road-course racing. I just love all of the shifting that you’re doing. You’re turning left and right. You’re hopping curbs. You’re driving the heck out of these racecars to go fast. And that’s what I like about that. I feel like it kind of puts it in the driver’s hands.”
You have fared pretty well in the road-course events in Xfinity Series competition with top-five finishes in Portland, Austin and Elkhart Lake, to name a few, as well as your Truck Series win at Watkins Glen. What have you learned through those experiences?
“The road courses have been solid for us in Xfinity. The more I’ve run those types of races, I’ve been able to figure out what I like and what I don’t like in the car. I think that can help us this weekend in Charlotte. The biggest thing for us will be survival – lining up and getting in line, making laps and trying to be solid. We will see where we stack up pace-wise, and then adjust how we want to approach the race. And that will change during the race, but running all the laps is the first step.”
This is your final Cup Series start of the season with Beard Motorsports. How has the experience been for you?
“It’s been a great experience – the seat time in a Cup car and getting to know the Beard family. The Beards are just really great people who treat you like family, so that’s been great. Every time I was in the Cup car, I felt like I learned something. The Cup cars in general just drive a lot differently than the Xfinity cars. And the competition definitely steps up at this level.”
iRacing to develop NASCAR console game available in 2025
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 5, 2023) – NASCAR®, iRacing and Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) announced today that iRacing has acquired NASCAR Team Properties’ (NTP) exclusive simulation-style console racing games license from Motorsport Games. The sale, approved by NTP, will see the license transfer from 704Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Motorsport Games, to iRacing, which will begin developing a NASCAR console game expected in 2025.
“When we were approached with the option to acquire the license for the simulation-style NASCAR console game, which was the console game and franchise that we were dreaming about doing, it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” said iRacing President Tony Gardner. “Having the ability to build a NASCAR console game is a privilege we promise to execute with the utmost care. We look forward to working diligently with NASCAR industry stakeholders to deliver a product that provides an amazing experience for the gaming community and NASCAR fans worldwide.”
Gardner added, “With all the NASCAR game experience, console experience, resources and technology assets we already have in place, we are in a fantastic position to hit the ground running building a great NASCAR game franchise on the various platforms.”
The acquisition expands iRacing’s decade-plus presence in NASCAR. iRacing began its relationship with NASCAR in 2010 with a licensed sim racing product and has grown into a key technical partner of the sanctioning body as its “official simulation partner.” iRacing runs dozens of NASCAR official series on iRacing with thousands of people participating daily from late models to Cup cars, including the $100,000-to-win eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Massachusetts-based company’s simulation and engineering abilities have helped NASCAR develop new cars and tracks, including the NextGen car, Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, and Chicago Street Race, among others. Now, iRacing can extend its expertise broadly to include NASCAR Team Properties.
Motorsport Games obtained the NASCAR simulation-style console gaming license in 2018 when it acquired majority equity in 704Games. Motorsports Games’ current NASCAR titles, including NASCAR Heat 5 and NASCAR Rivals (available here), will still be available and supported by Motorsport Games through 2024.
“The sale of the NASCAR license is the result of a thorough, strategic review of where we believe our company should be headed over the longer-term,” said Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood. “In our exploration of the sale, we gave due consideration to those companies we believed could develop a great NASCAR game. Both NASCAR and iRacing have been receptive to our proposed change, working with us to architect a positive transition post-sale and we thank them for their support. We will now concentrate our efforts towards delivering around other IP already in advanced development.”
In addition to simulation-style console gaming, NASCAR has worked diligently to produce quality experiences for fans who engage in virtual and gaming spaces. This year, the sanctioning body launched NASCAR Speed Hub on Roblox, released arcade-style console game NASCAR Arcade Rush, made available special team decals in Rocket League, announced the development of a mobile game with Hutch and completed another successful season of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. Furthermore, NASCAR partnered with esports organization Gen.G to create crossover content and build a live fan experience at the Rocket League Championship Series Major in Boston, and have had Fortnite and Rocket League paint schemes featured on cars in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. The sanctioning body is also leveraging gaming as an engine for content and community building through dedicated channels on Discord and Twitch, along with a growing presence on traditional social media channels.
“NASCAR has the most passionate fans in the world and a vast community that is just as passionate about gaming,” said NASCAR Managing Director Esports and Gaming Nick Rend. “What’s more, there continues to be tremendous opportunity to connect with millions of potential new fans in the gaming space.
“iRacing has been an incredible partner and ambassador for the NASCAR industry for more than a decade. We thank Motorsport Games for its efforts over the years and are ready to work with iRacing to deliver a best-in-class simulation-style NASCAR console game that’s exciting for the gaming community and allows our fans to connect with the sport in an impactful, meaningful way.”
For more information on NASCAR’s gaming initiatives, visit eNASCAR.com.
About NASCAR
Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About iRacing
To learn more about the most realistic, authentic and industry leading motorsports racing simulation and games from iRacing for both NASCAR and other motorsports properties, visit https://www.iracing.com.
About Motorsport Games
Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to racing games that are authentically close to reality. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, INDYCAR, and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”). Motorsport Games also owns the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulation platforms. rFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering F1 Arcade through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. Motorsport Games is also an award-winning esports partner of choice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E and BTCC. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every race inspires.
Third-generation N-BOX designed to offer a joyful time for all occupants –
TOKYO, Oct 5, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will begin sales in Japan of the all-new N-BOX tomorrow, on Friday, October 6, 2023.
The all-new, third-generation N-BOX was developed with the aim of creating a vehicle which provides a joyful time for everyone who uses it, enabling customers to fulfill their broad range of purposes, including what they want to do for the happiness of everyone, not just for themselves and their families.
In addition to a refined exterior design that exudes a greater sense of high quality, the all-new N-BOX features an easy-to-drive and comfortable interior space achieved by carrying forward the spacious cabin which has always been a popular feature of the N-BOX to realize an uncluttered field of vision with enhanced sense of openness.
Moreover, the all-new N-BOX became the first Honda mini-vehicle model to feature Honda CONNECT, an in-vehicle communication system equipped with new-generation connected technologies, which enables customers to enjoy the use of their vehicle with greater peace of mind and comfort.
Furthermore, the all-new N-BOX continues to feature the Honda SENSING advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment on all types, but with two newly added functions, namely Low Speed Brake Function and Unintended Acceleration Mitigation.
