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Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe Daytona Speedweek Advance

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Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Daytona Speedweek
Pole Qualifying | Duels | Daytona 500
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 14:
● Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 15:
● Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 18:
● 66th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The 66th Daytona 500 Feb. 18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will mark Chase Briscoe’s fourth appearance in The Great American Race. The driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing earned his best Daytona 500 result in his second Daytona 500 start – third in 2022. It is his only top-10 finish at Daytona in six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 2.5-mile oval. However, in last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, Briscoe won the pole led twice for a race-high 67 laps before getting ensnared in a late-race accident that left him an undeserved 30th.

● Entering his fourth season in 2024, Briscoe is Stewart-Haas Racing’s most tenured NASCAR Cup Series driver. With the departures of former Stewart-Haas drivers Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola, who together combined for 1,286 Cup Series starts and 39 seasons (Harvick: 23 seasons and 826 career starts; Almirola: 16 seasons and 460 career starts), Briscoe is now paired with rookie driver Josh Berry, sophomore driver Noah Gragson and the returning Ryan Preece, who begins his second season with Stewart-Haas in 2024.

● Briscoe and his NASCAR Cup Series counterparts had a dress rehearsal for the 2024 season by competing in the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Briscoe finished seventh in the 23-car field, picking up an impressive 15 positions in the 151-lap race after starting 22nd.

● Briscoe has made seven starts on the Daytona oval outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and one start apiece in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. In the Xfinity Series at Daytona, he finished fifth and third in the 2020 season-opener and August races, respectively, while qualifying on the pole in the latter event and leading a combined 27 laps between the two races. His Truck Series outing in the 2017 season opener resulted in a third-place finish, while his ARCA start in the 2016 season opener yielded a fourth-place finish.

● On-track action at Daytona begins with single-lap qualifying Wednesday night when the front row for the Daytona 500 will be set. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for Sunday’s race – follows on Thursday. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions compete in the first Duel and those in even-numbered qualifying positions battle in the second Duel to fill out the remainder of the starting grid for the Daytona 500.

● Mahindra Ag North America returns for its third year as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team after extending its partnership with Stewart-Haas during the offseason. The multiyear agreement with the NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas will continue to feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The red-and-black No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang made its debut in the 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and then won in just its fifth race as a primary sponsor when Briscoe drove to victory on March 13, 2022 at Phoenix Raceway. The win secured Mahindra Tractors’ place in the NASCAR Playoffs and earned Briscoe the honor of being the 200th Cup Series winner in NASCAR history. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra offers a range of tractor models from 20-75 horsepower, implements, and the ROXOR heavy-duty UTV. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra Tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

What is your mindset as you begin your fourth season with Stewart-Haas Racing?

“I would say my mindset’s definitely different. I think all four seasons have kind of had a different feel to them, but this one I feel like is the one where I have the most pressure, and honestly it’s the most confident and the most excited I’ve been for a season. The mindset, honestly, is just excitement to finally get going. I feel like we’re in probably the best place we’ve been in as a team, and even the organization just has a lot of change going on, which is exciting. Just looking forward to see where it all goes, and obviously we can’t see where it goes until we start.”

As a kid growing up in Mitchell, Indiana, what did the Daytona 500 mean to you, and was competing in the Daytona 500 something you always aspired to do?

“I think the Daytona 500, for anybody in racing, it’s one of those races you watch the whole week leading into it. I remember always coming home from school and trying to catch the second Duel. It’s just a huge event, right? I would watch it every single year. Truthfully, growing up, I never in a million years thought I would ever get to run that race. It’s funny, on Facebook they have the memories and what not, and literally mine popped up and it was 13 years ago and I posted, ‘If you could win any race in the world, what would it be?’ And I said, for me, the Daytona 500 or Indy 500. But more realistically, I thought I would try to win this one sprint car race just because I never in a million years thought I would get to run it. I think everybody in racing dreams of getting to run the Daytona 500 and it’s definitely special every time you get to go there and do it.”

You’ve competed in three Daytona 500s (2021, 2022 and 2023). What is it like to drive in the Great American Race?

“It’s always, for me, one of those ‘pinch me’ moments the first lap or two. The prerace is crazy just knowing how many people are there, first off, but then even when you’re in the car and going around there, just knowing there are millions and millions of people watching the race on TV. I’ve made it a point every year before we take the green flag to look up at the grandstands to take it all in, just knowing you get to run that race. It’s super cool. There aren’t many races in the world that have that kind of feel and effect to it. Definitely a cool one, and I’m excited to run another one, truthfully.”

How important is the driver-spotter relationship at Daytona, and what kind of information do you need from your spotter when you’re in a 200 mph freight train?

“The spotter is the most crucial part when we go to a place like Daytona or Talladega, or even Atlanta now. For us, we really can’t see a whole lot from inside the racecar, so the spotter is the one guy who is trying to paint the picture of what’s going on and really is making the decision a lot of the time for us. You still have a decision to make, but he’s normally telling you kind of what’s the best-case scenario or what he would do just because he can see so much better. So there’s a ton of trust that comes along with that. Any time they’re clearing you with binoculars from half a mile away, there’s a lot of trust in that. The spotter is super crucial every time we go there and plays a massive role in the race. I don’t think you can go there and win that race if you don’t have a good spotter on the roof.”

Drivers are often asked about their strategy in a superspeedway race. But what strategy is there for the entire week of Daytona, where you want to show speed, but also keep a clean car through qualifying, the Duel and then, finally, the Daytona 500?

“The 500 is definitely a unique week because you’re obviously trying to keep your car for Sunday, but you also have to race that car before we get to Sunday. How your week goes, it’s hard, now, with how limited practice is. We won’t even get to run the car until we go out to qualify, so you don’t know if you even have a shot at the pole until we go out there. In the past, when we had practice before, you kind of knew what to expect before you went out to qualify, where now we don’t know. It’s kind of hard because you try to go all out for the front row, but then if you don’t get the front row, the Duels are an absolute handful and I think we had that happen last year. I qualified third or fourth and missed the front row, but then I started like 30th because of how we did in the Duels. It’s a hard balancing act, just trying to figure out what’s the best thing to do. Obviously, I haven’t figured it out yet, but it’s one of those things where you definitely have to try to make your car last, not only throughout the whole week but in the 500. It’s one of those races where you have to be running at the end, and if you’re just running at the end, you at least have a shot. Thirty other times throughout the year, just because you’re running at the end doesn’t mean you have a shot.”

You’ve got some new teammates this year in Josh Berry and Noah Gragson. After working the draft in years past at Daytona with Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola, is there going to be a bit of a learning curve when it comes to drafting with Josh and Noah?

“I think there’s definitely going to be a learning curve. Luckily, we’re going to get a lot of practice to start the year between the Duels, the 500 and then also Atlanta, so we’re going to get a lot of experience here right at the get-go. It’s definitely going to be different. In the past, I kind of knew what Kevin does and how he pushes and what he does in certain situations, and the same with Aric. Me and Aric probably worked together more than anybody over the last two years on superspeedway stuff. It’s going to be odd not having those guys, but Noah is obviously a really good superspeedway racer, he’s won some races in the Xfinity Series, and Josh has obviously learned from the best guy, too. I think we’re all going to be fairly plug-and-play, but until we go out there and do it, it’s hard to say. Like I said, luckily we get a lot of practice at it and hopefully we can perfect it.”

Ford always goes into superspeedway races with a game plan, and they get all the drivers together beforehand to go over that game plan. Are you able to provide a glimpse as to what that game plan is and what you as an individual do to execute that game plan?

“Typically, the game plan’s always the same and that’s trying to get a Ford to victory lane, just trying to use our numbers to our advantage. We have a ton of Fords in the Cup Series, and truthfully a lot of really good Fords, so the more we can work together at a place like that, the better it is for all of us. It gets tricky sometimes at the end of those races, everybody’s just trying to do what’s best for them. I would say the goal of every one of those meetings is just to kind of drill into our heads to try to help a Ford win the race, no matter which Ford that is. It doesn’t always come out that way, but that’s definitely the goal and the plan in those meetings.”

The Daytona 500 seems to be feast or famine for you – a best finish of third (2022) with two other finishes of 19th and 35th. Is getting a good result at Daytona akin to balancing on a razor blade, to where if you’re too aggressive or too conservative, you don’t get the result you want?

“I don’t know if there’s any secret formula there. I feel like the first year I literally just kind of rode around and finished 19th, and the second year I was really, really aggressive and finished third. And then the other year I was a little bit of both, I was patient at the beginning and aggressive at the end and finished 35th. So I don’t know what that right formula is. It’s so circumstantial. There are so many different variables that go into it. If you’re just in the mix there, you’re going to have a good day, hopefully, at the end, so you just want to be there. It’s kind of been one way or the other for us. We’ve been up front, but we’ve also been in the very back, so hopefully we can end up in the front. It’d pretty special to have another good run there.”

Is the Daytona 500 a mentally exhausting race when you’re trying to figure out what to do?

“It’s hard. That race is one of those where there’s just a lot going on and a lot of different mentalities. Some guys want to be aggressive and lead the whole time, other guys want to just ride around in the back the whole time. The intensity of that race kind of goes up and down throughout. I feel like that race always starts pretty intense because everybody’s pretty amped up, but then we go through a long period of just cruising around, just trying to get to the end. And obviously at the end, it really ratchets up. It’s an odd race because you have some guys, too, that know it’s already a points-paying race and you’re trying to get stage points, and other guys are just trying to make it to the end. So there are so many different mindsets going into that race, but in the end we all want the same goal and that’s obviously where it gets really crazy. It’s a different race than any of the other 35 we have, for sure.”

Last year was just OK. You obviously wanted more. How ready are you to start this season and go into the Daytona 500 with the same amount of points as everyone else?

“It’s the one thing I’ve been the most excited about since June of last year. With our points penalty and everything else, we really weren’t racing for anything outside of a win. If we didn’t have the points penalty, a second- or third-place finish means a lot that day, but for us last year, a second-place finish didn’t mean a single thing. It’ll be nice just to have a clean slate again, finally, be racing for something every single week and where points matter. That’s something I’ve been pretty fired up about really the whole offseason and even the end of last year, just knowing we’ll be racing for something again. It’ll definitely be nice.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

SWAMP RAT ALLEY RETURNS AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS WITH 5 HISTORIC CARS FROM NHRA LEGENDS

By
Official Release
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2024) – One of the marquee attractions from last year’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals is back in 2024, as the special “Swamp Rat Alley” returns to Gainesville Raceway on March 7-10 for the 55th edition of the race, featuring historic cars from legendary driver “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and others.

NHRA and Garlits, one of the most iconic drivers in drag racing history, again teamed up to feature “Swamp Rat Alley” inside the Hot Rod Junction. This year’s display will feature a pair of famous Garlits cars, as well as vehicles from “Jungle Jim” Liberman, Dick LaHaie and Ray Godman. The cars will be displayed all weekend at Gainesville Raceway, giving fans the unique chance to check out historic cars driven by legendary names in the sport. Garlits will also be on hand throughout the weekend at Gainesville Raceway to meet with and sign autographs for fans.

Included in the Swamp Rat Alley in 2024 will be:

  • Garlits’ Swamp Rat VIII: This was the first of Garlits’ Swamp Rats to run the legendary 426 Hemi. Driven by both Garlits and right-hand man Connie Swingle in 1965, the car was later lengthened and became Swamp Rat X before being recreated in its original form.
  • Garlits’ Swamp Rat I C: One of Garlits’ earliest cars and was uncharacteristically painted purple for a short time. In a time before Garlits burned nitro, this car ran on gasoline with six carburetors and competed at the 1956 Florida State Championship where it set low E.T. and top speed but broke in the finals. The car was quickly painted black and went on to great success.
  • Ray Godman’s Front Engine Tennessee Bo-Weevil Top Fueler: Raymond Godman’s Tennessee Bo-Weevil cars were mainstays of NHRA competition throughout the 1960s and one of his earlier Bo-Weevil cars won Middle Eliminator at the 1962 Nationals in Indianapolis. This car is the final front-engine Top Fueler campaigned by Godman and driver Preston Davis in 1971.
  • Dick LaHaie’s 1981 Top Fueler: The car, driven by Michigan-based great Dick LaHaie, who would win the Top Fuel world championship in 1987, was one of many cars that kept LaHaie’s name perennially in the NHRA Top 10 throughout the 1980s in cars that were wrenched his son, Jeff, and daughter, Kim.
  • “Jungle Jim’s” 1972 Camaro Funny Car: This ’72 Camaro from the legendary “Jungle Jim” was only driven a handful of times before the Funny Car driver sold it, but it was one in a long line of Chevrolet Funny Cars driven by one of the most popular competitors in NHRA history.

The “Swamp Rat Alley” section is a thrilling way to help kick off the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and before the weekend starts, Garlits and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame will induct its 2024 class on Thursday, March 7.

The 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals promises to be one of the biggest races in the event’s incredible history. This year’s version promises 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph racing action, new faces in the pro ranks – like legendary racer and now Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart – the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout, pre-race festivities, and a host of events and action off the track.

Last year, Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Gainesville and this year’s race will air on FS1, including the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta looks to keep rolling after winning his first world title to close out 2023, taking on Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, Tony Schumacher and class newcomer Stewart. In Funny Car, Hagan is after his third straight Gators win against a star-studded field of Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, John Force, Daniel Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and Austin Prock.

Six-time Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders will try to win in Gainesville for the first time, facing off against Greg Anderson, Aaron Stanfield, Matt Hartford and Dallas Glenn. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera is after a repeat win by knocking off the likes of Matt Smith, Steve Johnson, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.

The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts against each other in a unique, big-money specialty race on Saturday, March 9. Local standout Josh Hart won the Callout last year. Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown to open 2024.

Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies for drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Kalitta, Hagan, Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the U.S. Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction and the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, the NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A and meet and greets. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere of interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.

The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Roto-Rooter, MaxLiner and Picote Solutions Renew Endorsement Partnership with Michael McDowell for 2024 NASCAR Race Season

By
Official Release
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Trenchless Technology Leaders Continue Support of 2021 Daytona 500 Champion

MOORESVILLE, NC (February 9, 2024) – Michael McDowell proudly announces the renewal of trenchless technology leaders Roto-Rooter, MaxLiner and Picote Solutions as endorsement partners for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race season.

For the second consecutive year, the logos of Roto-Rooter, MaxLiner and Picote Solutions will be proudly displayed across McDowell’s helmet visor for all 2024 NASCAR Cup Series races. Through their joint partnership, Roto-Rooter, MaxLiner and Picote Solutions plan to reward employees and customers with unique VIP racing experiences to meet Michael McDowell, attend races, and enjoy all of the action-packed racing that NASCAR offers.

An increase in social media presence will also be noticed as the partnership looks to educate race fans on the benefits of the trenchless plumbing industry through a mix of informative and engaging content as well as promotional contests and giveaways.

“I’m thankful to continue this awesome partnership with Roto-Rooter, Picote Solutions, and MaxLiner,” said Michael McDowell. “Their expertise in trenchless plumbing aligns seamlessly with the precision and innovation required in NASCAR. Together, we’re racing towards a future where both industries redefine excellence.”

Earlier this year, McDowell attended the 2024 WWETT Show (Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transportation Show) in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a guest of Roto-Rooter, Picote Solutions and MaxLiner. The WWETT Show is the world’s largest annual trade show for environmental service professionals, to which McDowell spent time deepening his understanding of the trenchless plumbing industry.

“Michael’s commitment to performance and excellence aligns perfectly with Roto-Rooter’s mission to deliver top-quality plumbing solutions to our customers,” remarked Thad Reinhard, President of Roto-Rooter Corporation. “We are proud to continue our joint partnership alongside MaxLiner and Picote Solutions and look forward to supporting Michael throughout his 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race season.”

“Michael’s enthusiasm and professionalism resonate with Picote’s values of innovation and customer satisfaction,” said Katja Lindy-Wilkinson, CEO of Picote Solutions. “We’re extremely happy to call him an ambassador of our company for the second year in a row and we look forward to seeing what the 2024 race season has in store for our partnership.”

“MaxLiner is thrilled to continue its collaboration with Michael McDowell for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race season,” said Gil Carroll, Director of Business Development at MaxLiner. “His dedication to success mirrors MaxLiner’s determination to provide reliable and highly efficient trenchless CIPP solutions. We are confident that together, we will achieve great success in 2024.”

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race season officially kicks off at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 18th with the 66th running of the Great American Race — airing live at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

About Roto-Rooter

Founded in 1935, Roto-Rooter stands as the largest provider of plumbing, drain cleaning, and water cleanup services in North America, servicing over 90% of the US population (including Hawaii and Alaska) and 40% of Canada’s through company and franchise owned territories. Roto-Rooter’s extensive reach and dedication to service excellence has positioned them as a household name synonymous with reliability and innovation. For more information about Roto-Rooter, please visit www.rotorooter.com.

About MaxLiner

Founded in 1999, MaxLiner provides cost-effective and reliable alternatives for relining sanitary sewer laterals, storm drains and vertical pipes. Their comprehensive CIPP system equips plumbing professionals with the necessary tools, materials, and training to succeed in the lateral rehabilitation market, minimizing excavation, service disruptions and costs. MaxLiner’s commitment to innovation and quality has earned them a reputation as a trusted partner in the trenchless plumbing industry. For more information about MaxLiner, please visit www.maxlinerusa.com.

About Picote Solutions

As a global pioneer in trenchless technologies, Picote Solutions has revolutionized drain renovation with their sustainable and environmentally friendly CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) lining solutions. With their multi-use Millers utilized on thousands of worksites every day, Picote continues to lead the industry with their cutting-edge equipment and expert teams across the globe. From high-speed drain cleaning to epoxy brush coating, Picote’s award-winning tools offer comprehensive solutions for a variety of pipe repair needs. For more information about Picote Solutions, please visit www.picotegroup.com.

HaasTooling.com Racing: Ryan Preece Daytona Speedweek Advance

By
Official Release
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RYAN PREECE
Daytona Speedweek
Pole Qualifying | Duels | Daytona 500
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 14:

● Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 15:

● Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 18:

● 66th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024)

●  Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The 66th Daytona 500 Feb. 18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will mark Ryan Preece’s fifth appearance in The Great American Race. The driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing earned his best Daytona 500 result in his third Daytona 500 start – sixth in 2021. It was his second top-10 finish in the Daytona 500, with his first coming in his Daytona 500 debut – 2019 when he finished eighth. Preece’s best overall finish at Daytona in eight career NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 2.5-mile oval is fourth, earned in the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400.

● Preece is returning to Daytona nearly six months after being involved in a frightening accident in last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400. The 33-year-old racer from Berlin, Connecticut, was running in a line of cars along the outside wall of Daytona’s backstretch when he was bumped by another car, which turned his racecar into his Stewart-Haas teammate, Chase Briscoe. Preece’s car then lifted off the ground and began flipping violently over the grassy area on the inside of the track, rolling over more than 10 times before finally coming to a rest. Despite the magnitude of the wreck, Preece climbed out of his damaged machine and walked to a waiting ambulance, which took him to nearby Halifax Health Medical Center for precautionary evaluations. After checking into the hospital late Saturday night, Preece walked out before 6 a.m. the next day and was back in his No. 41 Ford Mustang the following weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series’ next race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

● This is Preece’s second fulltime season with Stewart-Haas. He joined the organization in 2022 as a reserve driver, performing simulator work while running a mix of races across each of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck. He won his second straight Truck Series race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in 2022, bookending the victory he scored in 2021 at the track where he made his Truck Series debut. That performance, as well as his behind-the-scenes work on the simulator earned Preece a promotion to Stewart-Haas’ No. 41 Ford Mustang in 2023. He promptly won his first career Cup Series pole in April at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and highlighted his year with a strong fifth-place finish in July at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. All the while, Preece competed in other series, winning in only his second career ARCA Menards Series West start June 9 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and scoring his 26th career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory Oct. 26 at Martinsville.

● Preece and his NASCAR Cup Series counterparts had a dress rehearsal for the 2024 season by competing in the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Preece finished 11th in the 23-car field.

● On-track action at Daytona begins with single-lap qualifying Wednesday night when the front row for the Daytona 500 will be set. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for Sunday’s race – follows on Thursday. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions compete in the first Duel and those in even-numbered qualifying positions battle in the second Duel to fill out the remainder of the starting grid for the Daytona 500.

● Adorning Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang at Daytona is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation. HaasTooling.com allows CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

What is your mindset as you begin your second season with Stewart-Haas Racing?

“I think just starting the season out strong is the big thing. The beginning of these seasons can really dictate how the middle of your season is also going to go and how much of a hole you may or may not have to dig out of. And with it being superspeedways that we’re starting at, those are two wild cards, so to speak, and I think it’s going to be really important to put yourself in good positions. But at the same time, I don’t want to say points racing, but you’ve got to make sure you don’t put yourself in a bad position and put yourself in a hole to start the season.”

Is there any way to mitigate that wild-card aspect of Daytona?

“No, I don’t think there’s necessarily a right answer or a wrong answer. I think sometimes you’ve got to kind of see what’s going on around you and you’ve got to be willing to make that decision, whether it’s time to back out or whether it’s time to go, and then you live with whether it was the right decision or the wrong decision.”

As a kid growing up in Connecticut, what did the Daytona 500 mean to you, and was competing in the Daytona 500 something you always aspired to do?

“The Daytona 500 for us, up north, with it being February and still kind of in the middle of the winter, it was kind of that midway-through-winter, get-things-going-and-get-excited-for-racing time. For most of us who had our cars in our garage, it was more of a time to get going, get your car ready for the race season. That’s kind of what it was for us up there at home. Now, living that dream and competing at NASCAR’s highest level and being in the Daytona 500 – I want to say it’s my fifth Daytona 500, now – so it’d be nice to have the same type of luck I had in 2019 and put ourselves in position to win.”

You’ve competed in four Daytona 500s (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023). What is it like to drive in the Great American Race?

“Most sports have one of their biggest events at the end of the season, where ours is – I don’t want to say it’s the biggest one at the beginning of the season, but it pretty much is. That’s the crown jewel event that every driver – we all want to win every race, but if you can put that on your resume and be a Daytona 500 winner, that’s a huge deal. Obviously, each and every one of us wants to go out there and do that, and I feel not necessarily more pressure, but knowing how fast our superspeedway cars were last year, I feel really good going into it.”

How important is the driver-spotter relationship at Daytona, and what kind of information do you need from your spotter when you’re in a 200 mph freight train?

“That’s a good question that most people don’t really understand or know, or may not really, truly realize, how much information we’re leaning on our spotters for. We can only see, basically, the rear bumper of the car ahead of us, which is inches in front of our bumper, so we rely heavily on our spotters to communicate to us, to say, ‘Hey, cars are checking up, they’re stacking up.’ And you don’t want to be that guy who drills the car in front of him, so you almost have to be somewhat cautious until the last two or three laps where you start getting more aggressive and pushing. You really rely on your spotter to tell you what the energy of the pack is and have a good understanding of how aggressive or not aggressive people are being.”

Drivers are often asked about their strategy in a superspeedway race. But what strategy is there for the entire week of Daytona, where you want to show speed, but also keep a clean car through qualifying, the Duel and then, finally, the Daytona 500?

“There’s definitely a balance. You don’t want to wreck your car in the Duel. The Duels do pay points, so you have to be aggressive, but you really don’t want to put yourself behind the eight-ball going into the 500. A lot of us, depending on where you are, you tend to, I don’t want to necessarily say take it easy, but you weigh your pros and cons in those final few laps. And that’s crazy to say, because we’re traveling 200 miles an hour, inches apart, but those are the things you think about. As well as, once you get through the Duels, it’s definitely letting the team go through their checklist making sure there’s nothing wrong, and prepare yourself for 500 miles.”

Your last race at Daytona was an eventful one. What do you remember about the accident? Were you aware of what was happening the entire time?

“Aware? I would say a lot of things were happening at that moment in time. So for me, whenever a wreck of that magnitude is happening, you close your eyes when it’s happening and you open them when it’s over. Going back now is going to be something where I get to drive through that tunnel and the goal afterward is obviously to try and win that race and put ourselves in the best position possible. At the same time, I want to be able to drive out of that tunnel on my own at the end of the day.”

Is there any trepidation in returning to Daytona?

“No, there’s not. As a racecar driver, I think we all understand the risks that we take. I chose this profession for a reason, so if I’m afraid to drive a racecar and get the max potential I can, then I should probably retire and just quit.”

Your racecar proved to be incredibly safe, and you even got to check it out a few days later at the NASCAR R&D Center. What were your takeaways from seeing that ravaged racecar knowing that you climbed out of it and raced the very next weekend?

“I think that was probably about as vicious of a wreck as you can get, and to see the car really hold up to those conditions, it makes you feel better as a racecar driver. But obviously in our sport, we continue to evolve and continue to try and make things better, so it was also nice to see some things that we could continue to work on.”

Last year was just OK. You obviously wanted more. How ready are you to start this season and go into the Daytona 500 with the same amount of points as everyone else?

“That’s kind of what I put the emphasis on, it’s important to start your season not in a hole. We were pretty good, we had some solid runs going at the beginning of the season, but unfortunately we either didn’t capitalize on them, or we didn’t get the points that we needed to. That put us in a hole and, for the rest of the season, we ended up having to climb ourselves out. Going into this season, it’d be nice to be on the other side of things and be aggressive and be able to put some good points up.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

PERFORMANCE RACING NETWORK’S DOUG RICE TO BE AMBETTER HEALTH 400 GRAND MARSHAL

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Rice will begin his final NASCAR season in the broadcast booth by giving the command to start engines at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

HAMPTON, Ga. (Feb. 9, 2024) – Legendary award-winning NASCAR broadcaster and Performance Racing Network (PRN) President and Lead Anchor Doug Rice will give the command to start engines on his final season in the broadcast booth at the Ambetter Health 400 on Feb. 25.

Rice will serve as Grand Marshal for the NASCAR Cup Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the first of 15 of Cup events that “Doug’s Last Lap” will encompass in the 2024 season at venues across the nation.

“I’m tremendously thrilled to be the Grand Marshal for the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway,” said Rice. “Getting to give the command to start a Cup race checks a huge box in my career.”

Rice developed a passion for radio broadcasting as a young man listening to Atlanta Braves games and has since become an iconic voice in the world of motorsports. Over his 36-year career in NASCAR broadcasting, Rice has called play-by-play on 210 NASCAR Cup Series races, immortalizing countless historic racing moments.

“From championship drives to photo finishes, Doug’s words have painted the picture of so many iconic races here at AMS and across the NASCAR world,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “So we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to have Doug’s voice start his farewell season in a memorable way with the command to start engines.”

In addition to Atlanta, Rice’s final season calling races for PRN will include events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Circuit of The Americas, Texas Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. See PRN’s full broadcast schedule and find a station near you at GoPRN.com.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the Feb. 23-25 Ambetter Health 400 NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Ambetter Health 400 weekend:

Atlanta’s spring NASCAR weekend is headlined by the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, with intense, superspeedway pack racing and high stakes with a spot in the NASCAR playoffs on the line.

The race weekend also features the tenth year of Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The thrills of the Fr8 208 and RAPTOR King of Tough 250 races both happen in one action-packed day that race fans look forward to every year.

More information on the Feb. 23-25, 2024, Ambetter Health 400 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

ABOUT PRN

Performance Racing Network (PRN), a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, LLC, is one of two NASCAR licensed multi-broadcast radio networks which markets, produces and distributes motorsports programming 365 days a year. PRN broadcasts fourteen NASCAR Cup Series races, thirteen NASCAR Xfinity Series races and co-produces the NASCAR races from the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In addition to live race coverage, the network also offers a full lineup of nationally syndicated studio programming including: “Fast Talk presented by Toyota”, “O’Reilly Auto Parts Pit Reporters”, “Garage Pass”, “PRN’s Racing Country” and “At the Track”. Visit GoPRN.com for more information.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Gus Dean Returns to Venturini Motorsports for Part-Time 2024 ARCA Schedule

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C.: Two-time ARCA Menards Series winner Gus Dean returns to the potent Venturini Motorsports for a third consecutive season, beginning with next weekend’s ARCA season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 17, 2024.

Dean, 29, returns to the Concord, N.C.-based team for a limited schedule after a five-race schedule last year included two runner-up performances at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Michigan International Speedway, respectively.

Overall, Dean delivered three top-10 finishes in his five starts.

Since joining the family-owned operation in 2022, in nine premier ARCA Menards Series races, Dean has mounted six top-five and seven top-10 runs.

A competitor in the ARCA Menards Series since 2016, the veteran racer returns to the “World Center of Racing” for an eighth time focused on delivering Venturini Motorsports their 100th career ARCA triumph at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in one of five team entries.

Dean scored his first career ARCA Menards Series victory in just his second start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2016 but had been cursed at Daytona throughout five previous races until he returned to the track on the ARCA scene in 2022, where he qualified second and recovered from being collected in a mid-race incident to collect his then 14th career ARCA top-five finish.

Last year, the Daytona curse struck again after the team experienced an uncharacteristic mechanical failure, which resulted in a disappointing 35th-place finish.

Back aboard the No. 55 Toyota Camry, Dean is determined to chase his third career ARCA win in the Sunshine State.

“I am thrilled to return to the Venturini Motorsports team in 2024 again,” said Dean. “We have built a great foundation together over the past two years. We inched closer to Victory Lane with two runner-up finishes last year, and I know that we can come out of the box swinging at Daytona, turn our success into checkered flags, and get ourselves a win or two throughout the year.”

Last month, Dean once again said he wheeled the best superspeedway car of his career during the annual preseason ARCA testing at the iconic race track, which saw the No. 55 Toyota Camry run one of the fastest laps of the weekend and give the Kevin Reed Jr.-led team momentum leaning into the first of 20 races on the 2024 schedule.

“I can’t begin to describe how fast our Toyota Camry was during last month’s test,” added Dean. “It’s the same car that we had here last February. I did not think we could improve the car, but we did.

“Even though we tested for just four hours, I left the track knowing it was the best superspeedway car I have ever had. I hope we can build on the success and our notes during the event weekend. I can add to Venturini Motorsports’ overall success at Daytona and deliver the biggest win of my ARCA career.”

Venturini Motorsports’ Billy Venturini says having a veteran like Dean back in the team’s lineup this season is essential.

“(I) Love Gus,” offered Venturini. “He is a lot different than most of our drivers. He has a great attitude, always upbeat. He brings a solid performance every single race. You look at his results – they have been steady and sound. He’s a wonderful person to have and carries veteran leadership.

“I’d love to be able to experience a first Daytona win with Gus; he’d appreciate the meaning of it the way you’re supposed to. He understands the magnitude of this place.”

Venturini added that Dean is the most experienced driver of his fleet at Daytona, and while he knows he will serve as a great captain for the organization, his leadership will be pivotal in 2024.

“The longer he is here, the more he represents himself as one of our more experienced assets. He did step into that leadership role last year, but last year, he had Jesse (Love), who was his wingman. This will be a good spot for him to step into a new leadership role and be our hub with our drivers when he races. He will excel.”

As for 2024, Venturini expects similar, if not better, results for his popular driver.

“Gus is capable of running inside the top three or four on any given weekend,” Venturini sounded. “A contender to win every race track we go. I expect him to run in the top four and contend for the win.”

Added Dean, “The Venturini Motorsports team really welcomed me with open arms the last two seasons, and they continued to make me feel like I was a member of their family. That is important to me. Billy, Mr. Bill, Mrs. Cathy (Venturini), and the entire Venturini Motorsports team believe in me and my abilities, and as a race car driver, there is no better feeling than that.

“I am ready for Daytona and cannot wait to get there.”

In 2024, Dean will compete in a minimum of six races aboard the No. 55 Toyota Camry. In addition to Daytona, he is scheduled for competition at Talladega Superspeedway, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Salem (Ind.) Speedway and Michigan International Speedway in August.

Additional ARCA races with Venturini Motorsports could be added as the season progresses.

Dean says that with an increased schedule in 2024 that consists of speedways and short tracks, it is a great balance.

“Of course, I enjoy racing at Daytona, Talladega, Charlotte and Michigan, but adding Iowa and Salem to our plate this year is fantastic. I enjoy racing at both places, especially Salem, and I can be instrumental in helping Venturini Motorsports and my teammates make the 2024 a successful one.”

Before Dean buckles in at Daytona, he will have a busy week leading up to the 2024 ARCA season opener, as he’ll also be competing at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in the highly contested World Series of Asphalt driving a Super Late Model for DLP Motorsports starting on February 9, 2024.

“It means everything to us to have Gus represent DLP Motorsports,” said David “Buggy” Pletcher, owner of DLP Motorsports. “Not only is Gus a great person, but he is also a talented driver. It’s good to have a driver of his caliber with all his experience for the younger drivers to bounce ideas and such off each other.

“We’re moving back to a Super Late Model this year, and we’re excited about bringing a brand new race car to the track. The competition will be strong, but I believe in Gus and his abilities and know we can turn some heads.”

For more on Venturini Motorsports, please visit venturinimotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Venturini Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@venturinimotorsports) and X |Twitter (@VenturiniMotor).

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com, like him on Facebook (Gus Dean Racing) and follow him on Instagram and Twitter (@GusDean).

About Venturini Motorsports:

Venturini Motorsports (VMS) is a highly touted fixture in the ARCA Racing Series, having claimed 99 ARCA victories and, most recently, the 2023 ARCA Championship and 2023 ARCA West Championships. The Concord, N.C.-based VMS is an official Toyota Racing Development team and is considered one of the early pioneers in NASCAR driver development programs.

VMS has gone onto assist many of the sports’ top driver prospects in pursuit of making it to the highest levels of stock car racing.

The growing list of drivers racing today in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series includes current Toyota drivers Christopher Bell, Chandler Smith, Bubba Wallace, Corey Heim, John Hunter Nemechek and Dean Thompson.

VMS Alumni also include Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Harrison Burton, William Byron, Christian Eckes, Todd Gilliland, Justin Haley, Brandon Jones, Erik Jones, Jesse Love, Zane Smith and Daniel Suárez.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes on WRC’s snow spectacular

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Official Release
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2024 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID

Toyota City, Japan, Feb 9, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team hopes to add to its success on snow and ice when it contests the only pure winter event in the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden, on February 15-18.

It was in Sweden where TGR-WRT scored its first victory – in only its second event – back in 2017 with Jari-Matti Latvala, now Team Principal, behind the wheel. In all, the team has won four times from six starts in Sweden and will target a strong result in round two of the 2024 season after beginning the year with a double podium at Rallye Monte-Carlo last month.

Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä will commence his 2024 WRC programme on Rally Sweden, where he previously claimed victory in 2022. He lines up alongside Elfyn Evans, who took his first win with the team in Sweden in 2020, and Takamoto Katsuta, who has also tasted success on the event in the past.

A fourth GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID will be driven by Lorenzo Bertelli as part of TGR-WRT’s customer programme. Rally Sweden is one of the Italian driver’s favourite rallies, and where he took part in his first event with the team one year ago.

Following its debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo, a total of seven GR Yaris Rally2 cars will compete in WRC2 in Sweden. Sami Pajari (Printsport) is joined on the entry list by Georg Linnamäe (RedGrey Team), Mikko Heikkilä (TGS), Roope Korhonen (Rautio Motorsport), Jan Solans (Teo Martín Motorsport) as well as the TGR WRC Challenge Program duo of Yuki Yamamoto and Hikaru Kogure.

Since 2022, Rally Sweden has been based in Umeå, the largest city in northern Sweden and a short trip across the Gulf of Bothnia from Finland where TGR-WRT is based. The event’s move north – it now takes place closer to the Arctic Circle than to the capital city Stockholm – has helped to ensure extreme winter conditions and also brought even faster roads. With special studded tyres that bite into the surface to provide impressive grip, this is one the quickest rallies of the season, with drivers ‘leaning’ their cars on snow banks by the sides of the road to carry more speed through corners.

As last year, the rally will begin with a short ‘sprint’ stage in Umeå on Thursday evening. This will be repeated at the end of Friday following two loops of three stages: the Brattby and Floda tests are identical to last year, but much of Norrby is new. Saturday has a similar format with a trio of repeated tests beginning with the all-new Vännäs, followed by the familiar Sarsjöliden, while Bygdsiljum includes some of last year’s Botsmark stage. A double-length version of the Umeå stage rounds out the day and, as in 2023, will also be run as the rally-ending Power Stage on Sunday when it follows two passes of a revised Västervik test.

For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2024/rd02-preview/.

Northside Hospital Makes NASCAR Debut with Front Row Motorsports

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Official Release
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Becomes Primary Sponsor at the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 9, 2024) – Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is proud to announce a new partnership with Atlanta-based Northside Hospital for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. Northside Hospital will serve as the primary sponsor aboard Layne Riggs’ No. 38 Ford F-150 for the rookie driver’s second race of the NCTS season.

This is Northside’s first partnership in NASCAR. In the Atlanta region, Northside is a longtime major partner of the Atlanta Braves. Other sports partnerships include Georgia State University Athletics, the Atlanta Track Club, and the Gwinnett Stripers.

“It’s a privilege to join Front Row Motorsports, Layne Riggs and this championship team in Atlanta,” said Lee Echols, Vice President, Marketing and Communications for Northside Hospital. “Layne is just beginning his career, and Northside Hospital is proud to be one of the first partners to help him along his journey. Our patients, their families, and our employees look forward to Layne’s success and career.”

Riggs joins in on the exciting new partnership with Northside Hospital.

“We are all thrilled to have Northside Hospital on the truck,” commented Riggs. “Being a premier health care organization in the area, they share the same compassion for their profession as I do for racing. It’s an honor to debut the hospital in our sport, and hopefully we can bring them and all their patients a lot of smiles and fun on race day.”

The Northside Hospital Ford F-150 will debut with qualifying on Friday, February 23 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for Saturday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the action live FS1 or listen in from the Motor Racing Network.

ABOUT NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL

The Northside Hospital health care system is one of Georgia’s leading health care providers with five acute-care hospitals in Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Duluth and Lawrenceville and more than 275 outpatient locations across the state. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries and is among the state’s top providers of cancer care, sports medicine, cardiovascular and surgical services. For more information, visit northside.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Niece Motorsports Driver Line-up for the No. 45 Includes Chastain, Sauter, Honeycutt and Mosack

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Salisbury, N.C. (Feb. 9, 2024) – Ross Chastain, Johnny Sauter, Kaden Honeycutt and Connor Mosack will split driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the 2024 season.

The group of drivers will be led by veteran crew chief Phil Gould as the No. 45 team competes for an Owner’s Championship in the Truck Series.

The 2016 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Sauter will kick off the season in the No. 45 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway.

“I’m appreciative to everyone at Niece Motorsports for the chance to get back behind the wheel and start the season at Daytona,” said Sauter. “I’m ready to go racing and I know Phil and this Niece Motorsports team are ready to get back on track too. We’re ready to compete for a win in Daytona.”

Chastain will compete at Circuit of the Americas, Darlington Raceway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Indianapolis Raceway Park.

“I love coming to race in the Truck Series,” said Chastain. “I’m thankful to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for allowing me to get behind the wheel of these Chevrolets. We’re going to do our best to go out and win races and compete for an Owner’s Championship. It would mean a lot to me to be able to bring that home to Al Niece.”

Chastain first joined Niece Motorsports at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2018, competing in three races for the team to close out the season. Chastain competed in the Truck Series full time in 2019 for Niece Motorsports, earning the organization’s first victory at Kansas Speedway.

Chastain and the No. 45 team earned two more victories that season, on the way to a second-place finish in both the driver and owner point standings. Chastain has competed in 25 races for Niece Motorsports from 2020 – 2023, earning one win, six top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes.

“Ross means a lot to our organization and we’re appreciative that he continues to come back and race with us,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “We’re also excited about the young talent we’ll have behind the wheel this season with Kaden Honeycutt and Connor Mosack. They’ve shown a lot of talent and we’re hopeful that we can help them polish that with more time behind the wheel.”

Honeycutt has 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts to his credit, with 11 of those starts coming in 2023. The young driver turned heads in the series, earning three top-10 finishes in 2023.

Joining Honeycutt in 2024 will be Page Construction and R.D.C. Shoe Company as sponsors on the No. 45 entry. Page Construction has provided exceptional commercial improvement and construction services since 2005. Servicing the country from coast-to-coast, Page Construction is known for prompt, reliable and professional service.

R.D.C. Shoe Company is owned by a disabled veteran who sells Patriotic-designed tennis shoes to support Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, as well as foundations that support our heroes. In every box of shoes, a Medal of Honor recipient card is placed in the box that tells the story of that recipient.

“Thanks to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for the opportunity to go racing in top-tier equipment this season,” said Honeycutt. “I’m looking forward to having more time in one of these Chevrolets and competing for an Owner’s Championship with this group.”

Mosack made 24 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season, earning a best finish of fifth at Watkins Glen International. He ended the season with one top-five, two top-10s and six top-20 finishes. In addition, Mosack has two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts to his credit at Bristol Motor Speedway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, both coming in 2022.

“I’m excited to join Niece Motorsports this season,” said Mosack. “This is a strong group and I’m thrilled to be a part of it and learn from everyone here. I’m ready to get behind the wheel in Las Vegas and get the season started.”

The 2024 season begins at Daytona International Speedway with the Fresh from Florida 250 on Friday, February 16. The season-opener will air live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY RETURNS RETRO RED AND WHITE STRIPED TRACK WALLS AS PART OF FOOD CITY 500

By
Official Release
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Cup Series stars Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones and Zane Smith help apply first ceremonial brush strokes

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2024) – If these walls could talk, oh the stories they would tell…

Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced today it is going retro on its track walls that surround the fabled all-concrete high-banks as part of its throwback theme for the Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday afternoon, March 17 and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday night, March 16, the WEATHER GUARD Truck Race.

The iconic track’s walls have been witness to some incredible moments in NASCAR history since the track opened for business in 1961 and for many years were painted in red and white stripes during the sport’s early days, as a tribute to the support and funding provided by NASCAR’s series sponsor at the time, R.J. Reynolds. The 1995 season was the last time Bristol Motor Speedway featured the red and white strip look.

The classic design around the .533-mile bullring that’s been christened the “Holy Grail of Short Tracks” and “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” will certainly resonate boldly with fans, teams, drivers and everyone in the industry.

“We looked back at the footage from the first Food City 500 in 1992 and those were the colors on the track walls, so we thought it would be a fun touch for the fans to recreate that,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager, Bristol Motor Speedway. “There have been so many iconic moments for the sport of NASCAR to take place on this track and inside these walls, we hope to be able to share more of those ‘wow’ moments with fans on Sunday afternoon, March 17.”

To help start the process of getting the walls ready for the upcoming race weekend, Cup Series stars Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones and Zane Smith were on hand and provided the first ceremonial brush strokes for the project. The three drivers were in town participating in a closed NASCAR test session.

“You like to see Bristol changing it up and keeping it fresh; what’s old is now new again, and that’s cool too,” said Keselowski, the driver of the No. 6 RFK Racing machine and a five-time Bristol winner, including three Cup, and one Xfinity and Truck win each.

“I’m glad to see the race come back to the concrete in the spring,” added Keselowski, who won the 2020 Food City Supermarket Heroes 500, the last spring race on the concrete surface before three years of dirt. “When we change things up, those seem to last a year or two, and then you have to change them up again.”

As a student of NASCAR history, Jones says he is always up for some throwback activities.

“I’ve never raced here on anything but the black walls so that’s going to be really cool,” said Jones, the driver of the No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB machine and a two-time Xfinity Series winner at Bristol. “It’ll look pretty neat, it will be cool to see something totally different and coming back on the concrete in the spring is gonna be fun. It’s cool to have two races again at Bristol because I think it’s one of our best short tracks. I’m just happy that we are back on concrete for both of them.”

Like Jones, Smith has only raced at Bristol with the black walls and no matter the color of the walls, he’s just looking forward to two opportunities to race his Cup car at the venerable track on the concrete surface.

“This place is like no other, it just brings a different vibe and atmosphere,” said high-profile Cup Series rookie Smith, who will drive the No. 71 Chevy for Spire Motorsports. “It’s just an awesome bullring and I am super excited to get to come here twice now.”

The track operations team responsible for the project estimated it will take approximately 195 gallons of paint, including 115 gallons of white and 80 gallons of red. It will take three coats of paint to cover the existing black walls. There is approximately 2,700 feet of wall to be painted and the team estimates the project will be completed in two weeks, pending weather.

“First we will scrape the wall to get all the chunks and built up paint and flakes removed,” said Steve Swift, senior vice president of operations and development for Speedway Motorsports. “Once that is completed, we will apply a coat of primer and then follow that with the paint. This job will take three coats of paint to fully cover the black wall, around 200 gallons of paint total. We will have a four-man crew to complete the job in the time frame we have. We will also have to add small red lines at the bottom of the white sections in the turns to help the drivers discern the wall from the track.”

Bristol Motor Speedway will briefly join Darlington and North Wilkesboro as the only tracks on the circuit with the red and white stripe track walls. The Bristol track walls will return to their more recent traditional black for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race weekend in September.

The Bristol race weekend will feature action in the NASCAR Cup Series with the tradition-rich Food City 500 on Sunday afternoon, March 17 (3:30 p.m., FOX and PRN Radio) with current champ Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin leading the way. Saturday afternoon’s Bush’s Beans Practice and Bush’s Beans Qualifying will precede Saturday night’s WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stars Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger, Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim, Ty Dillon and Christian Eckes, among others, are scheduled to take the green flag at 8 p.m. ET for the 250-lap thriller.

To purchase tickets for the Food City 500 or the WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race, please visit the BMS website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 converted to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

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