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LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview: Texas Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Race Information
Round: NASCAR Cup Series race no. 30 of 36 (Playoffs Round of 12)
Track Location: Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, Texas
Race Name: Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 400
Broadcast: Sunday, September 24th at 3:30 PM ET live on USA Network (TV), PRN (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90

Team Entrants:

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

Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Texas Motor Speedway Stats

-Carson Hocevar will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas on Sunday

-NCTS: Starts: 3; Wins: 1 (2023), Best Start: 3rd (2021); Top-5s: 2; Top-10s: 2; Laps Led: 5

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

-Starts: 4; Best Start: 15th (Darlington, Fall); Best Finish: 11th (Bristol); No. 42 Owners Points: 32nd

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

-Starts: 20; Wins: 3 (Texas, Nashville, Richmond); Best Start: 2nd (North Wilkesboro & Bristol); Top-5s: 10; Top-10s: 12; Laps led: 255; Current Points Position: 3rd (+18 to the cutline)

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

Confirmed for More: On Sunday, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ announced via social media that Carson Hocevar will continue to drive the No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet in the following two races at Texas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The driver lineup has not been confirmed just yet for the remainder of the 2023 season, but news on that front can be expected to break in the coming weeks.

Bristol Recap: Carson Hocevar had an incredible night in only his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Starting from the 16th position, it didn’t take the rookie long at all to break into the top-10. Working his way around the top of the racetrack while most of the other drivers ran the bottom groove, the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet caught the eye of many by climbing all the way up to fifth place at the conclusion of stage two. Hocevar was on the cusp of snatching his first-career top-10 finish that night, but was bumped to 11th in the closing laps of the race. Nothing to be ashamed of, as the result marked the best finish all season for the No. 42 team.

Destined for Greatness: In three races driving LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s No. 42 car, Hocevar has produced race finishes of 17th, 20th, and 11th, and he has completed every lap but one. With how tough the competition is in NASCAR’s elite division, for a rookie to show up with little-to-no experience and record these types of results is nothing short of impressive. Though Carson’s plans for the 2024 season have not been announced yet, there’s no doubt that he has a bright future lying ahead.

Previous Texas Winner: Back in April, Hocevar put his name on the map by winning his first-career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Texas. Driving the narrative of coming so close countless times, he had finished in the top-five 10 times before he was finally able to pull through and score his maiden victory. In a dramatic finish that saw the leaders take each other out of contention on the white flag, Hocevar was able to sneak by and lead one lap – the final lap – on his way to victory lane. This weekend will be the first time that he returns to Texas since that day, this time in his first Cup Series start at the track.

Tough Trucker: With only three races remaining in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, Carson Hocevar is poised to advance and secure his first berth in the Championship 4. Last race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 42 Silverado RST began his Round of 8 stretch by qualifying on the outside pole and finishing second in stage one. Continuing with the theme of gaining stage points, he then went on to finish seventh in stage two, and used an alternate strategy by staying on the racetrack to leapfrog some added track position. On old tires, Hocevar was able to hold on and finish in the fourth position, notching his 10th top-five finish of the year. The trucks are off this week, but entering the next event at Talladega, Hocevar has a slight gap of 18 points to the cut line, currently posted third in the points standings.

Lambert at Texas: Luke Lambert has made a total of 18 starts at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2011. His drivers have finished in the top-20 nine times, with Ryan Newman being his lone driver to score a top-10 finish back in 2016. Lambert’s cars have typically qualified pretty well at Texas in the past, starting in the top-10 on five separate occasions. His drivers have also led 25 laps in the process. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Lambert has made four starts, earning one pole (Spring, 2022) and one win (Fall, 2022) that capped off his team’s incredible stretch of four-in-a-row.

Quoting Carson Hocevar: Heading back to Texas, a track that you’ve won at before, what kind of emotions do you have as you make your first Cup start there?

“I’m super excited for Texas, going back to where I first won but also coming off the best Cup race I’ve ever had is momentum that I couldn’t expect to have. Looking forward to getting to Texas and trying to keep our speed and attitudes on a high and put together another solid race with our No. 42 Sunseeker Resort / LEGACY M.C. group!”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Dallas Vs. Everybody Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Texas Motor Speedway Stats

-NCS Points-Paying Starts: 10; All-Star Starts: 1; Best start: 2nd (Fall 2019); Best finish: 4th (Spring 2018, Fall, 2018, and Spring, 2019); Top-5s: 3; Top-10s: 7; Laps Led: 113

-NXS Starts: 6; Wins: 3 (Spring, 2015, Spring, 2017, and Fall, 2017); Poles: 2 (Spring 2015, Fall 2016); Top-5s: 6; Top-10s: 6; Laps Led: 368

-NCTS Starts: 3; Wins: 1 (Fall, 2015); Poles: 1 (Spring, 2015); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 1; Laps Led: 185

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 29; Best start: 8th (COTA); Best finish: 3rd (Kansas II); Top-5’s: 1; Top-10’s: 7; Laps Led: 17; Current points position: 25th

About Vs. Everybody: Founded on the principles of resilience and pride, Detroit Vs. Everybody is a locally originated fashion label encapsulating the essence of Detroit. Each of the collection pieces is the creative product of Tommey Walker, a dynamic artist, brand steward, and problem-solver. Born out of Walker’s discontent with the continuous negative media portrayal and undervaluation of Detroit’s cultural richness, he aimed to rejuvenate the city’s image and instill universal pride among Detroiters. Thus, the brand was established with the simple yet powerful “Vs Everybody” mantra. It’s more than just a statement, it’s an anthem and a movement. www.DallasVsEverybody.com

Bristol in the Rearview: Erik Jones was off to a hot start in Bristol moving through the field after starting in 31st position. The No. 43 United States Air Force Chevrolet was seen running in the top-10 until a loose left rear wheel forced Jones to pit road under the green flag. The unscheduled stop put him down multiple laps from the leaders, resulting in a 24th place finish.

First of its kind: Erik Jones clinched his first-career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2015. During a dominant performance, Jones secured the pole position and led for a total of 79 laps. At just 18 years old, Jones showcased his immense talent and promising future, beating out competitors like Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the final laps. He went on to win eight more races in that series throughout his career.

The Great American Speedway: In his last attempt at Texas Motor Speedway, Jones started from the 27th position. Jones made his way into the top-10 and lead for one lap, showing real pace at the Great American Speedway. Jones proved he can be a contender regardless of his starting position, earning a sixth-place finish – his eleventh top-10 of 2022.

Collecting Cowboy Hats: Across the Truck and Xfinity Series, Jones has shown great success on this 1.5-mile asphalt oval collecting a total of four wins, seven top-fives, and seven top-10 finishes. Jones earned his best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway in three consecutive races with a fourth-place finish three years in a row between both races in 2018 and the spring of 2019.

Dave In Texas: Dave Elenz has shown that he can direct his team to success in both the Xfinity and Cup Series. Elenz has 14 Xfinity starts during his tenure with JR Motorsports, coaching six drivers to seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. His drivers hold an average finishing position of 9.9 and have totaled 193 laps led. In their lone points-paying Cup Series start together, Elenz and Jones earned a sixth-place finish in the Fall of 2022.

Giving Back: In partnership with Vs. Everybody, all merchandise sales for the “Dallas Vs. Everybody” program will help support for a bigger cause as a portion of the proceeds will go to the Erik Jones Foundation. The goal of the Foundation is to ignite the passion for reading in children, encourage early cancer detection and care, and to promote animal welfare.

Meet Erik: Jones will be at the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB E2 trackside merchandise hauler on Saturday, Sept. 23rd from 9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. local time to promote the new “Dallas vs. Everybody” merch. On race day. Jones will head over to the Team Chevy Stage for a Q&A session from 10:00 a.m.-10:20 a.m. local time.

Quoting Erik Jones: “Texas has been good to me in a few different series. I’ve been able to win a handful of races there through Trucks and Xfinity, but I’ve never closed one out in the Cup Series. We have been close a couple of times. It’s a unique place since the repave – it’s become challenging to race, and there is a bit more groove on the bottom. You have to have track position and be upfront. It does have some of the same old Texas tendencies that the track had before the repave, so you can look back at some of those notes, but overall, it’s a pretty unique place.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

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

In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.

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

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Prepared to Duel for Championship Lead at Sebring GT World Challenge

By
Official Release
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SEBRING, Fla., (September 21, 2023) – This weekend at Sebring International Raceway the heat is turning up in the battle for the GT World Challenge America championship title. Armed with a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R machines, Wright Motorsports enters the weekend seeking an illustrious overall win in the Pro class while adding valuable championship points towards the team’s Pro-Am championship endeavors.

“Everyone on Wright Motorsports has put in a high level of preparation into our final swing of the 2023 championship,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Sebring is notoriously bumpy, making it a very demanding circuit physically on drivers and cars. We have enjoyed a high amount of success here in a Porsche, and we are confident in our ability to race to the front at a circuit with so much character.”

In SRO GT World Challenge America, the team continues its split efforts in the Pro and Pro-Am classes. In the Pro class, Madison Snow resumes his duties substituting for driver Charlie Luck while he recovers from an injury to his left kidney. Snow made his return to Wright Motorsports alongside Jan Heylen at the previous doubleheader last month at Road America, where the pairing enjoyed a strong weekend with two top-five finishes. The duo will finish the season together, racing the No. 45 Porsche at Sebring International Raceway and then Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In Pro-Am, the team currently holds second place in the championship point standings, only four points behind the current leaders, Crowdstrike by Riley. Drivers George Kurtz and Colin Braun have a 17-point lead over Wright drivers Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer, who have had an impressive first season with the team. With four wins and an additional podium under their belts, this young duo has proven to be a formidable combination in the team’s quest to fight for the championship. With the No. 45 Porsche moving up to the Pro class, the pressure to secure the Pro-Am championship title lies solely on the shoulders of Adelson and Skeer in the No. 120. Saturday and Sunday will each host a 90-minute race, with one pitstop and driver change required in each race session.

In GT America, Adelson continues his quest to earn his first official win in the bronze-only sprint driver series. Though he secured an exciting victory in Round Three of the championship, the win was later revoked due to a technical infraction, and Adelson has earned three podium and five top-five results in his fight to return to the top step. Just four rounds remain in the GT America season, with each race consisting of a 40-minute sprint without pit stops.

Schedule | All Times Eastern

Friday, September 22

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Bronze Test

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM GT America Practice 1

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM GT World Challenge Practice 1

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM GT America Practice 2

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM GT World Challenge Practice 2

Saturday, September 23

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM GT America Qualifying

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM GT World Challenge Qualifying 1

9:20 AM – 9:35 AM GT World Challenge Qualifying 2

12:50 PM – 1:30 PM GT America Race 1*

3:05 PM – 4:35 PM GT World Challenge Race 1*

Sunday, September 24

8:40 AM – 9:20 AM GT America Race 2*

2:15 PM – 3:45 PM GT World Challenge Race 2*

*All races will air live on YouTube.com/GTWorld

DRIVER QUOTES

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

I’m looking forward to my home race. There is so much history here, and it’s one of my favorite tracks. It’s been a challenging season, but we had a good test, we’re well prepared and set up to have a good race. I hope we can hand a trophy over to Charlie by the end of the weekend.

Madison Snow // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

With one race weekend in the Porsche under my belt now I am very excited to be back in the car for another… especially at a great track like Sebring! The Sebring racetrack is a pinnacle of US tracks; it’s a great track to battle on but it’s also very tough. The Porsche seems to be struggling for a good BOP and hasn’t made any headway heading into this weekend. Fortunately, I am able to be a part of one of the best Porsche teams around right now, so I know we will show up very strong and able to take on a tough track like this one.

Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

The combination of Sebring and a GT3 R is one that has excited me since the start of the year. I know that Sebring is a good track for 911s, and we need to capitalize on that to try and make up some ground in the championship. Over the last few races that Elliott and I have had, we’ve been driving at the top of our game, and with the best team in the paddock I know that we’re ready to take on whatever challenges get thrown our way this weekend.

Elliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

This has been a highlighted weekend for me all season! To now be comfortable in GT3 cars and be able to push around a track like Sebring is a special feeling. I feel like both Adam and myself have taken steps forward in our driving recently and I cannot wait to see how that evolves over this very important weekend. While the last few weekends have not been perfect, our execution of what we control has been spot-on, and can only continue doing so into the Sunset (bend)!

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Chicago SEO Scholar | Chicago, IL60603 | SEO Services

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SM
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Right now, there’s no denying how integral “SEO” has become to the way the internet works.  In particular, it impacts how businesses navigate this space.  Whether you’re here in Chicago or elsewhere in the world, it’s probably something that you’ve noticed.

It’s hard to escape the advertisements we see for it, too.  However, it does make a person wonder: are these search engine optimization services really all they’re cracked up to be?  Today, we’ll be answering that question for you, and diving deep into why they’re such a big deal right now.  If you’d like some more background information on SEO, though, check out this journal before you continue.

Why Does SEO Matter?

Search engine optimization is a way that businesses can generate organic clicks to their websites, rather than having to pay for ad space on a site like Google.  There are certain techniques and strategies involved, though, and it does take some time, effort, and often money to properly take advantage of search engine optimization.

For local businesses, it might seem easy to want to brush SEO aside.  You probably already have a loyal customer base.  Why not expand it though, right?  If you utilize these strategies around here in Chicago, you can bring in more attention. 

That’s probably why so many SEO services exist here in Chicago.  It can be hard to decide on one, certainly.  The important thing is that we start to take advantage of the benefits of SEO, since there are a lot of them to keep in mind – and it can bring in a significant boost to sales in some cases.  You can talk to experts any time if you have questions.

Chicago SEO Scholar

55 E Monroe St Suite 3800 Chicago, IL 60603

(312) 529-8226

https://www.chicagoseoscholar.com/

How Do SEO Services Work?

At first, the process can look a bit intimidating.  Thankfully, though, there are plenty of ways to make it simple and sweet.  Your first step working with an organization like this will likely be consultation, where they get a sense for what your goals are as a business.  Do your best to provide details on what you want to accomplish through using search engine optimization.

From there, it will depend on what service you use.  You can find examples on pages like this: www.chicagoseoscholar.com/, which can provide insights into what you might be doing further down the line.  For instance, the organization could ask you to attend a meeting or some other event to get you familiar with what they’re offering and to help you get your footing.

Depending on your current website, you may also be redesigning it.  A big part of SEO is fine-tuning our webpages to make sure that they’ll be ranked and rated highly by search engine algorithms.  This means producing high-quality content.

Unfortunately, Google, Bing, and other search engines tend to mark a lot of things as “spam.”  Repetitive words, links, and anything similar to that might get flagged as “poor quality” content and be repressed in the algorithm.  So, a lot of search engine optimization involves striking a balance between incorporating key words while still not being marked as spam.

Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done.  Many start-ups and small businesses struggle with this at first, because it can be hard to hire someone to write up content without paying a lot of money for it.  Thankfully, we do have more options these days.

Are Services Worth it?

On one final note, many small and local businesses in Chicago wonder whether or not hiring these types of services are worth it.  This isn’t a simple “yes” or “no” question, unfortunately, but we’ll do our best to answer it.

If you are someone who has a degree in marketing and already knows the ins and outs of search engine optimization, then you may not want to hire a service like this.  However, if you feel a little lost with technology or can’t really keep up with all of the changes, then it’s probably something to consider. 

Some search engines do provide options to help businesses boost their rankings in search results, but these are also paid.  Additionally, they don’t always provide the “right” information.  While analytics are great to have, it’s also important to start doing keyword research.  That research is something these SEO services can do for you.

What’s the big deal with keywords?  They’re a part of how search engines rate websites, as we mentioned above.  However, it’s mostly in the sense that they’re looking for relevance and quality of information provided.  Websites that include more keywords in their high-quality content will naturally rank higher on the results page.

All of this is to say that these sorts of services will likely do a lot for any local businesses here in Chicago.  Once you learn how to incorporate keywords, you overhaul your website design to refresh it, and you get a sense for how to generate organic clicks from search results, you’ll get much more traffic (and hopefully sales)!

The Best 2 player games Websites for Children Online

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SM
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Photo by Robo Wunderkind on Unsplash

Exciting cooperative games for children aren’t limited to console and mainstream development companies. In fact, back in the early days of the internet, flash games were the go-to method for online entertainment. Unfortunately, in 2020, Adobe Flash Player was finally retired, rendering many of those old games unplayable.

This didn’t stop the development of online gaming websites, however. With the popularization of HTML5 and the continuing use of Java, more and more online games are still being developed today. The current online gaming environment in 2023 of online 2-player games for you and your children is still very much thriving. Read on to discover the best websites to enjoy these games yourself or your child.

Friv5Online

Friv5Online Games Studio, established in 2002, continues to grow and expand. Friv 5 hosts thousands of free online games with both single-player and cooperative options. It even offers games in various languages, making it an excellent resource for early language learning. The best part is that Friv 5 doesn’t require any accounts, making the gaming experience quick and hassle-free. Here’s a list of some of Friv 5’s most popular games for you and your child to dive into today:

  • Fairy Tales – Fireboy and Watergirl 6
  • Agent P Rebel Spy
  • Moto X3M Spooky Land
  • Ben 10 World Rescue
  • Ultimate Hero Clash 2
  • Princess E-girl Fashion

Armor Games

Much like Friv 5, Armor Games has been a player in the online gaming landscape for a long time, initially gaining popularity through the MMORPG Runescape. While Armor Games hosts many games, many lean towards a more PG-13 audience, which might not be suitable for children. However, if you dig deeper, you’ll discover some real gems that can be enjoyed cooperatively. Here are some of Armor Games’ top picks:

  • Firestone Idle RPG
  • Mighty Party
  • Raid Heroes: Total War
  • Dungeon Crusher: AFK Heroes
  • Battle Pirates

Itch.io

Our final recommendation is Itch.io, a platform with a developer-centric focus and a wide range of content. The quality of games on Itch.io varies greatly, and you never quite know what you’ll stumble upon. Most games that exist on Itch.io are personal passion projects and small game-jam games that could easily be hit-or-miss depending on personal tastes.

While some games require an account to play, Itch.io offers an extensive cooperative and multiplayer section. However, it’s important to note that the site may require adult supervision, as there are sections featuring purely adult-oriented games. Don’t be discouraged, though; Itch.io is a treasure trove of unique and fantastic options not found anywhere else.

Conclusion

 In summary, the online cooperative gaming environment is as vibrant as ever in 2023, if not better than a decade ago. Websites like Friv5Online and Armor Games continue to provide unlimited free content for you and your child to enjoy on a daily basis. We recommend starting with either of these two platforms and then gradually exploring Itch.io once you become more comfortable with its unique landscape. Happy gaming!

CROWN JEWEL HUNTER DENNY HAMLIN CAPTURES ANOTHER OF NASCAR’S MAJORS WITH THIRD WIN IN BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE

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Official Release
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Denny Hamlin earned his 51st career NASCAR Cup Series victory on Saturday by winning America's Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR's Crown Jewel events. It is the ninth Crown Jewel victory for Hamlin in his career.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. proves he still has the driving mojo in strong Food City 300 run on Bristol’s high banks

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 20, 2023) – Denny Hamlin has displayed a knack for winning NASCAR Crown Jewel races during his distinguished career in the Cup Series. On Saturday night at iconic Bristol Motor Speedway, where so much NASCAR history has been made since it arrived on the Cup Series schedule in 1961, Hamlin scored his latest major victory by claiming a third Bass Pro Shops Night Race trophy.

For those who are keeping count, of Hamlin’s 51 career Cup victories nine have been Crown Jewel races, including three Daytona 500s, three Bristol Night Races, two Southern 500s and one Coca-Cola 600.

When veteran NASCAR official Mike Forde introduced Hamlin’s winning crew chief Chris Gabehart to the media in the post-race news conference, he asked him to give an opening statement, “from your view atop the pit box, winning one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels, the Bristol Night Race.”

Gabehart, like so many other drivers, crew chiefs and team owners who have an affinity for the unique short track that races like a superspeedway, gave a familiar answer: “Yeah, it’s not a secret, it’s my favorite race. I’ll go ahead and say it. What a fantastic atmosphere, just electric. It represents everything that is quintessential about stock car racing – short track, high banks, action everywhere. I say it all the time, what I love so much about this track is it shows you just how hard it is to drive these race cars. It’s amazing to watch these guys do what they do. My favorite track. Won another Bristol Night Race. Super pumped and proud of this team, no doubt.”

Team owner Joe Gibbs echoed those comments: “I think for our whole sport, if you ask NASCAR fans across the country, they’re going to rate this place as one of the absolute favorites, the place where they like to come. I remember all the way back to Dale Jarrett, I asked him what racetrack he liked the best. He said Bristol. The sense of speed. I think it’s really hard. It’s hard on machine and driver. For Denny to be as good as he is here, I think it says a lot for the talent of a driver to be able to come to Bristol and have success. We just think it’s a special place. Really appreciate something like tonight where we do run good.”

Hamlin, who received plenty of boos from the thousands of fans in the stands immediately after the race, said their passion is what fuels him.

“At some point I’ve got to realize that I’m probably not going to win the most popular driver award…They think (the boos) bother me, but clearly it’s having an opposite effect,” said Hamlin, who punched his ticket to the Round of 12 Playoffs with the victory and feels like his team is peaking at the right moment and this could be the year that they finally win a Cup Series championship.

“That’s why I love this track, it doesn’t matter if it’s cheers or boos, you’ve earned the right to be on that stage for that given moment, for that interview, or whatever it might be,” Hamlin continued. “It’s gratifying. I’m a person that feeds off that energy because I know my hard work has paid off… to just have the electricity, that’s fun. This is really a fun moment in sports. It’s really fun in NASCAR to have that many passionate fans one way or another. It’s good for the sport.”

DALE JR. RIDES AGAIN: Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he was more nervous before last Friday’s Food City 300 than he had been at any time in his career as a race car driver.

First, he wondered if he still had what it takes to master Bristol’s all-concrete high banks. Then he had some anxiety about the number of Xfinity Series cars trying to qualify for the race. He said he had never posted a DNQ and didn’t want to start now.

His questions were quickly answered though, as he qualified 15th in his sleek looking blue and yellow No. 88 Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Chevy. Then he gave fans quite a show in the race, as the NASCAR Hall of Famer turned back the clock by leading and running in the top five for most of the night before an electrical fire with 29 laps to go forced him to park his car early. His 30th place finish didn’t tell the whole story.

“I just know one thing — I didn’t cause no problems tonight for nobody,” Earnhardt Jr. said with a smile. “That was a big deal for me. I didn’t wanna come in here and screw up somebody’s championship. Everybody would be like, ‘That damn Junior don’t need to be out there.’”

He didn’t have much time to be dejected about his final finish position because after a quick trip to the care center to examine his right heel and lower leg, he had to put his team owner hat on and was quickly whisked away on the winning car of Justin Allgaier to celebrate with his JRM teammates in Bristol’s unique elevated Victory Lane. He literally climbed aboard Allgaier’s red No. 7 JRM Chevy and rode up the ramp while hanging on to the window and roof of the car.

“I’m real happy for Justin,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Winning at Bristol is such an amazing accomplishment for any driver. This kind of ranks up there with Darlington in terms of being a driver’s race track. You’ve got to be tough and move around and defense and be on the offense and gotta (have your) head on a swivel out there. All the good drivers seem to do well and figure this place out. It’s not a place where you get any flukes. Proud for him.”

The final stats will show that Earnhardt Jr. led 47 laps of the race and was in the top three for most of the race, sending whispers all through the facility: “Could Dale Jr. actually win this race tonight?” The entire Colosseum was buzzing about an Earnhardt victory. But alas, it wasn’t to be.

“We had a positive wire short up in the top of the dash, and the casing on the wire melted down onto the leg brace and caught the foam in the leg brace and the cloth cover of the leg brace on fire, so it burnt the leg off my uniform,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It was like another lap, and I was probably gonna be blistered up. But, no burns on my leg. Just barely escaped. I was disappointed to have to get out. We were gonna run fourth or better.”

NIGHT RACE NATIONAL ANTHEM TRADITION IS SO SPECIAL: One of the special traditions of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race is the annual National Anthem performance by the Motor Racing Outreach children’s choir. The group of children have sang the anthem to kick off the Night Race since 2002 and a host of drivers’ children have been members of the group. Some of those children who have participated over the years are all grown up and are racers now themselves, including Jeb Burton, Harrison Burton, Chase Elliott, John Hunter Nemechek and Todd Gilliland, to name a few. Drivers whose children are currently in the choir and performed on Saturday are Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell and Joey Logano, among others.

BMS NEIGHBORHOOD HEROES HAS BIG ORANGE FLAVOR: BMS honored eight Neighborhood Heroes on Saturday during pre-race ceremonies and of the five who were present to walk across the stage and wave to fans included Sullivan County Sherriff’s Officers Rick Rumley and Jacob Hulse and three University of Tennessee Volunteer athletes who attended high schools in communities around Bristol Motor Speedway, including Lady Vol Softball player Camryn Sarvis and Volunteer Baseball players Kirby Connell and Colby Backus. Three of the honorees were from the football realm and were not able to attend the race festivities due to prior gridiron commitments, including Tennessee State University head football coach Eddie George and Vol linemen Dayne Davis and Austin Lewis.

Each year during America’s Night Race the BMS Neighborhood Heroes program recognizes first responders, military members, educators, athletes and others in our regional communities who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their professions to make significant impacts in the lives of others.

DALE JR. SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS GET TO MEET THE LEGEND: There were more than 170 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scholarship applicants this year and the committee was able to narrow the list down to six finalists where ultimately two winners were selected. The winners, Caleb Kent of nearby Happy Valley High School in Watauga, Tenn., and Jamie Sullivan of the University of Northwestern Ohio, were the winners and were recognized and presented plaques on Friday during pre-race ceremonies for the Food City 300, which Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a participant. Following the presentation, the two winners were able to meet Dale Jr. and get a quick photo with the NASCAR Hall of Famer for which the scholarship is named.

Kent, who has his own motorsports podcast and is a part of the announcing team for both football and basketball at Elizabethton High School, plans to pursue a career in broadcasting. He was able to meet and spend some time with NASCAR journalists Jeff Gluck and Bob Pockrass in the BMS Media Center prior to receiving his award.

Sullivan, a Florida native who lives in the Charlotte area, is also wanting to pursue a career in marketing and communications in professional motorsports. She is already a Monster Truck driver and has worked on a pit crew for an ARCA team.

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 in 2021 began converting 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, Inc., a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.

Interstate Batteries Racing: Texas Advance – Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs

By
Official Release
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CHRISTOPHER BELL |TY GIBBS
Texas NASCAR Cup Series Advance

NASCAR Cup Series Overview

● Event: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Round 30 of 36)

● Date: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023

● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth

● Layout: 1.5-mile oval

● Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Interstate Batteries Racing Notes

● Texas is Twice as Nice This Weekend. Interstate Batteries, the founding partner at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), is doubling down for the first time ever this weekend in the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth by taking over the primary sponsorship of two NASCAR Cup Series entries. The famed Interstate Batteries medallion will adorn the hoods of both the No. 20 JGR Toyota Camry TRD of driver Christopher Bell and the No. 54 JGR Toyota Camry TRD for driver Ty Gibbs.

● No Double Vision Here. While both paint schemes will highlight the Interstate Batteries brand, they will not be without their differences. Bell will sport the 2023 Interstate Batteries scheme that has appeared on each of the JGR cars at various times throughout the season. Gibbs will sport a scheme with a matte-black base and Interstate Batteries branding in green with gold accents.

Christopher Bell, Driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD in the NASCAR Cup Series

● Let the (Second Round) Games Begin. Bell is among the 12 drivers who have advanced to the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which kicks off this weekend with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas. The playoff standings have been reset following last weekend’s Round of 16 finale at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, showing Bell in seventh place, five points above the Round of 8 cutline heading into the 30th race of the 2023 season.

● No Red River Rivalry Here. College football season is in full swing and one of the most storied rivalries in the sport is that between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas. The Red River Rivalry has been going strong since 1929 and is referred to as such in honor of the “Red River,” which runs along much of the border between the states of Texas and Oklahoma. Hailing from Norman, Oklahoma – a mere three hours from Texas Motor Speedway – Bell is considered a bit of a hometown kid when it comes to racing at Texas. That’s something he has in common with his primary sponsor for this weekend’s 400 mile race in the Lone Star State. Interstate Batteries, the outrageously dependable battery brand, is based in Dallas, a few short miles from the Texas oval. This is the fourth of five races at which Bell will pilot the Interstate Batteries-branded Toyota Camry. Interstate Batteries wraps up its 2023 primary role at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway next month with Bell and the No. 20 team.

● Taming Texas. Bell is a five-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and he would like nothing more than to make this weekend’s race at Texas his sixth series win. In four career Cup Series starts at Texas, Bell has earned a pair of third-place finishes – each coming in the track’s fall races in 2020 and 2021. Prior to his Cup Series career, Bell was a regular in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The 2019 season was his last as an Xfinity Series regular – a season in which he scored eight wins, the final of which was at Texas during the track’s fall race. In total, Bell has five starts at Texas in Xfinity Series competition, scoring one win, three top-five finishes and four top-10s.

Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD in the NASCAR Cup Series

● Just a Little Bit Closer. Ty Gibbs makes his 45th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at Texas. While he is not part of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoff field competing for the season title, he still has plenty for which to race. Sitting at the top of that to-do list is scoring his first career Cup Series win – a feat he came close to achieving during last Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol. To date, Gibbs has a trio of top-five finishes on his 2023 Cup Series racing resume, including his fifth-place finish at Bristol last weekend where he led a total of 102 laps before eventually losing the lead to teammate and eventual race-winner Denny Hamlin with less than 150 laps to go.

● Texas History. The 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval is a track at which Gibbs has pevious Cup Series racing experience. He competed in the 2022 edition of the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, qualifying 16th, completing every race lap and finishing 20th. In addition to his lone Cup Series start in the Lone Star State, Gibbs participated in a pair of Xfinity Series races – both during the 2022 season in which he won the Xfinity Series championship. The 20-year old’s best Texas effort was a third-place finish he earned during last November’s Xfinity Series race.

Christopher Bell, Driver Q&A

It’s been a full year since the NASCAR Cup Series has raced at Texas. It’s a track that has seemed to be feast or famine for you. What are your expectations as you head into the weekend?

“This Texas race is the first 400-mile race we’ve been in at the track. That will probably drive the intensity and make every lap more important. Last year, we had tire issues that really set us back, but I feel like our intermediate track program should set us up well this weekend. This race is going to be a very important race when it comes to being able to transfer to the next round in the playoffs. After this, we have Talladega and then the road course at Charlotte.”

You’ve had quite the streak in qualifying – earning the top starting spot in each of the first three playoff races. How important is qualifying up front, particularly at a track like Texas?

“Having a good starting spot is important because you start out with great track position. The other part of it is that it usually means you have a pretty good racecar. We put ourselves in good position. I’m really proud of the Camrys that this 20 group have been able to bring to the races since we’ve started the playoffs. Adam (Stevens, crew chief) and the entire team have been doing a great job of being prepared every week.”

What does it mean to be part of this special sponsorhip program Interstate Batteries is executing this weekend with both you and Ty driving cars with Interstate branding?

“Driving the Interstate Batteries car is kind of a right of passage at JGR – it’s like you are officialy part of the club. It’s a big deal to everyone at Interstate Batteries and everyone at JGR – they are the team’s founding partner. It’s an honor to be able to drive that car and would be even more special to win with it and at Texas.”

Ty Gibbs, Driver Q&A

What are your thoughts about this weekend’s 400-mile race at Texas?

“I enjoy racing at Texas and it’s cool that Interstate Batteries has given me a black car for this event. It’s a big weekend for them with myself, (Christopher) Bell and (Trevor) Bayne all running the Interstate Batteries scheme. They are an important part of Joe Gibbs Racing and the founding sponsor, so hopefully we can give them a great weekend.”

Interstate Batteries is the founding partner at JGR. How special is it to be racing the Interstate Batteries colors at its home track this weekend?

“Norm Miller has been great to JGR all the way back to 1991, when my grandfather started this whole thing. He’s just a great guy, and Lain Hancock is doing a great job, and it’s more than a sponsorship – they’re part of the family. And I hope we can put them in victory lane.”

Weekend schedule for Texas

By
Angie Campbell
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Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 Lenovo/ThinkEdge Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on September 25, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series travel to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend as the Playoffs continue. It will be the first race in the Cup Series Round of 12 as William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace continue their quest for the coveted 2023 Cup Series championship.

Following last week’s event at Bristol Motor Speedway, Cup Series drivers, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell were eliminated from championship contention.

The Xfinity Series heads to Texas for the second race in the Round of 12 Playoffs. Justin Allgaier won the first event at Bristol Motor Speedway and secured his spot in the following round. Joining him in the bid for the championship are drivers John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed, Jeb Burton, Sam Mayer, Parker Kligerman and Josh Berry.

The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is off but returns on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Talladega Superspeedway for the second race of the series Playoffs Round of 8.

NASCAR PressPass will be available throughout the weekend.

All times are Eastern.

Saturday, September 23

10:35 a.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – All entries – NBC Sports App
11:05 a.m.: Xfinity Qualifying – Impound/Single Vehicle/1Lap/All Entries – NBC Sports App
12:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – Group A & B
1:20 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound) Group A & B/Single Vehicle/1 Lap, 2 Rounds
USA/PRN/SiriusXM/ NBC Sports App

3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300
Stages end on Laps 45/90/200 Laps = 300 miles
USA/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: $1,377,593

Sunday, September 24

3:30 p.m.: AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
Stages end on Laps 80/160/267 = 400.5 miles
USA/PRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: $8,955,060

Tony Schumacher and More Stars Making Big Moves at betway NHRA Carolina Nationals

By
Official Release
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Tony Schumacher sits ninth in the points standings heading into this weekend’s betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, determined to make a significant jump at the track. (CMS Photo)

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 20, 2023) – A regular season filled with struggles changed almost overnight for Tony Schumacher. The Top Fuel legend and eight-time world champ enjoyed a sizeable turnaround to open the Countdown to the Championship, advancing to the semifinals last weekend to kick off the playoffs.

He moved up to ninth in the points standings heading to this weekend’s betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, determined to make another significant jump at a track that has served him well over the years in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

Schumacher has won the Charlotte fall race at the zMax Dragway twice and is excited for another big weekend at the Bellagio of Dragstrips. Last weekend was Schumacher’s best performance in his 11,000-horsepower SCAG Power Equipment/JCM Racing dragster in three months and it couldn’t have happened at a better time as the 86-time event winner has his sights set on a big playoff push.

“I love Charlotte,” Schumacher said. “We’re getting down to cutthroat time with just five races left in the season. Right now, we’ve got to make moves, but our SCAG dragster performed so great last weekend in Reading. I’ve been saying all year long, that we’re going to get it figured out. It’s not a matter of if but when. We have a lot of confidence going into this weekend and we all feel really good about these last few races of the year.”

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) claimed victories in 2022 at the fall race at zMax Dragway.

Funny Car’s Robert Hight, who won the spring race in Charlotte at zMax Dragway, moved into the points lead last weekend with a victory, but stands at just three points over back-to-back defending world champ Capps. Others to watch include Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, John Force, Chad Green and J.R. Todd.

Matt Hartford moved into the Pro Stock points lead for the first time in his career with his win in the playoff opener. He’ll try to keep it against the likes of reigning world champion Erica Enders, Dallas Glenn, Troy Coughlin Jr., defending event winner Stanfield and Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals winner Deric Kramer.

Also on track will be the Pro Stock Motorcycle division which will include the likes of points leader Matt Smith, who jumped Gaige Herrera with his win to start the Countdown. Hot on their heels are Hector Arana Jr., Eddie Krawiec and Angie Smith.

The betway NHRA Carolina Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the new NHRA Factory X presented by Holley class, the ever-exciting Mountain Motor Pro Stock category and a Top Fuel Motorcycle exhibition. Fans can also look forward to special freestyle motocross exhibitions all weekend. The star riders will perform three times a day in the midway, adding another entertaining aspect to the weekend.

On Saturday, fans can brush up on their NHRA knowledge and attend Nitro School to learn more about how the cars operate and reach their thrilling speeds. That takes place at the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Camping World Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets and much more.

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

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet at zMax Dragway in Charlotte. This unique opportunity gives fans a chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 22, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FS1 at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, please visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 09.20.23

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: September 18-24, 2023

· NCS/NXS: Texas Motor Speedway – September 23-24
· NHRA: zMAX Dragway – September 22-24

PLANO, Texas (September 20, 2023) – NASCAR heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the first time this season, starting the Round of 12 of the Cup Series Playoffs. NHRA continues its Countdown to the Championship this weekend at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Round of 12 begins with strong Toyota presence … By the end of last weekend’s dramatic race at Bristol Motor Speedway, all five Toyota NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers advanced to the Round of 12, highlighted by Denny Hamlin’s victory at the famed half-mile track. The Virginia native, inching closer to his 50th career Toyota Cup Series win, is joined in the next round by Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell, along with 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. Toyota has more cars than any other manufacturer remaining in the playoffs as the championship push continues.

Reddick goes for three straight wins in the Lone Star State … Tyler Reddick is looking to keep his hot streak in the state of Texas going. The driver of the 23XI Racing No. 45 Camry TRD was the victor at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022 and captured his first win of 2023 at Circuit of the Americas just outside of Austin, Texas. Getting his third straight win in the state would secure Reddick a spot in the Round of 8.

Bell aims for fourth consecutive pole position … Christopher Bell has been unmatched in NASCAR Cup Series qualifying over the past month, earning three straight pole positions (Darlington, Kansas and Bristol). The driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing, entering the Round of 12 seventh in points, has the most pole positions this season with five.

Toyota Xfinity playoff drivers atop the cutline going into Texas … John Hunter Nemechek and Sammy Smith both had successful outings at Bristol last weekend and are above the playoff cutline as the Xfinity Series playoffs continue in Texas. Nemechek is currently second in the playoff standings with a 65-point cushion, while Smith is five above the cutline with two races before the next elimination.

Nemechek returns to a favorable track … John Hunter Nemechek heads back to Texas Motor Speedway where he’s found success so far in his young career. The 26-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver, pushing for the Xfinity Series title, won the NXS race at Texas in 2021, along with the Truck Series race the night before. A win for Nemechek would be his seventh of the 2023 Xfinity Series season and secure him a spot in the Round of 8.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Kalitta earns milestone 50th career win … The extended event at Maple Grove Raceway last weekend finished with Doug Kalitta earning his 50th career victory, defeating Steve Torrence in an all-Toyota Top Fuel final. The win catapulted Kalitta up the Top Fuel standings as the Michigan-native aims for the season championship with five races to go in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.

Toyota’s Top Fuel win-streak continues… Kalitta’s Top Fuel victory secured the sixth consecutive in the category for Toyota drivers, which dates back to the event at Pacific Raceways in Seattle in July. Kalitta, along with Torrence, Antron Brown and Justin Ashley have all been victors over the stretch. Teams and drivers go for an astounding seventh consecutive Toyota win this weekend in Charlotte.

Brown and Capps aim for repeats in Charlotte … Returning to zMAX Dragway, Brown (Top Fuel) and Ron Capps (Funny Car) will go for back-to-back wins in the Carolina Nationals to continue their championship pushes. Both have had success at the North Carolina drag strip over the course of their careers, whether it be the Carolina Nationals or Four-Wide Nationals, with Capps also claiming victories in Charlotte in 2017 and 2018, and Brown winning in 2016.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.

Blaney to make 300th Cup career start at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Mike Biskupski for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Competing in his eighth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Ryan Blaney is poised to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Playoff event at Texas Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang will achieve career start No. 300 in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of High Point, North Carolina, Blaney made his inaugural presence in NASCAR’s premier series at Kansas Speedway in May 2014. By then, he was competing in his second full-time season in the NASCAR Truck Series with Brad Keselowski Racing and had accumulated two victories in the series along with his first Xfinity Series win at Kentucky Speedway in September 2013. Driving the No. 12 Ford Fusion for Team Penske, Blaney started 21st and finished 27th in his Cup debut. He then made his second series start at Talladega Superspeedway five months later, where he finished 22nd despite starting fourth.

The following season, Blaney competed on a part-time basis in the Cup Series for the Wood Brothers Racing, where he piloted the iconic No. 21 Ford Fusion. He entered in 16 of the 36-race schedule and went on to achieve a season-best fourth-place result at Talladega Superspeedway in May along with a total of two top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 25.3.

In 2016, Blaney was named a full-time Cup Series competitor in the No. 21 Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers Racing, which embarked on its first full-time campaign since 2008. Commencing his rookie campaign with a 19th-place result in the 58th running of the Daytona 500, Blaney’s highlights throughout the regular-season stretch included a fourth-place run at Michigan International Speedway in August, a fifth-place finish at Kansas Speedway in May and a sixth-place result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

Despite notching seven top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, he did not qualify for the 2016 Cup Playoffs. He rallied by finishing fourth at Chicagoland Speedway in September after utilizing a late pit strategy to remain out on the track on old tires for a two-lap shootout and inherit the lead until being overtaken by Martin Truex Jr. during the restart.

Finishing no higher than eighth for the final nine scheduled events, Blaney capped off his first full-time Cup season in 20th place in the final standings and in the runner-up spot behind Chase Elliott for the rookie title on the strength of three top-five results, nine top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 18.5.

Remaining with the Wood Brothers organization for the 2017 Cup season, Blaney kickstarted the season on a strong note by finishing in second place in the 59th running of the Daytona 500 behind Kurt Busch. He then endured an up-and-down voyage through the following 12 events by posting three results in the top 10. The highlight during this stretch was achieving his first Cup career pole at Kansas in May, where he went on to lead 83 of 267 laps and battle Truex for the victory until settling in fourth place in the final running order.

Then at Pocono Raceway in June, Blaney withstood a fierce duel against Kyle Busch to assume the lead with 10 laps remaining before holding off Kevin Harvick to score his first Cup career victory in his 68th career start. By then, Blaney recorded the 99th Cup victory for Wood Brothers Racing as he also became the third first-time winner of the 2017 season and the 189th different competitor to win in NASCAR’s premier series.

After achieving an additional four top-10 results for the remaining 12 scheduled events, where he surpassed 100 Cup career starts, the Pocono victory guaranteed Blaney and the No. 21 Wood Brothers team a spot in the Cup Playoffs for the first time. With four top-11 runs throughout the Rounds of 16 and 12, Blaney transferred all the way to the Round of 8, where his title hopes came to an end with respective finishes of eighth, sixth and 17th. With a 29th-place result at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, Blaney concluded his sophomore Cup campaign in ninth place in the final standings. Overall, he achieved a victory, his first two poles, four top-five results, 14 top-10 results, 301 laps led and an average-finishing result of 17.3 throughout the 36-race schedule.

In July 2017, Blaney was announced to be rejoining Team Penske to pilot the No. 12 Ford Fusion while Paul Menard would be taking over the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Fusion for the 2018 Cup season. Blaney started the 2018 season with early momentum after winning the first of two Daytona Duel events at Daytona in February, which awarded him the third-place starting spot for the 60th running of the Daytona 500. During the 500, he led a race-high 118 laps and was in contention until he was involved in a late multi-car wreck, an incident that relegated him back to seventh place in the final scoreboard.

Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Blaney and the No. 12 team achieved five top-five results and 12 top-10 results with their highest on-track result occurring at Kentucky Speedway in July, as they made the 2018 Cup Playoffs. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series. During the first two events in the Round of 16, Blaney finished fifth and 19th, respectively. Then during the inaugural Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course event, he notched his first elusive victory of the season and transferred to the Round of 12 after dodging a final lap incident involving Truex and Jimmie Johnson.

During the Round of 12, however, Blaney’s title hopes evaporated with respective finishes of 11th, 29th, and seventh. Managing a strong runner-up result at Texas Motor Speedway in November and through the final four scheduled events, he capped off the season in 10th place in the final standings. By then, Blaney doubled his top-five results (eight), recorded two additional top-10 results (16 total) and a pole (three total), increased his laps led (660 total) and improved his average-finishing result (14.8) from his previous Cup season.

For the 2019 Cup season, Blaney clinched a spot in the Playoffs for a third consecutive season on the strength of seven top-five results and 12 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. After notching two top-10 results during the Round of 16 and transferring to the Round of 12, he captured his first Cup victory of the season at Talladega in October after edging Ryan Newman at the finish line by 0.007 seconds and during a two-lap shootout. With an automatic pass to the Round of 8, Blaney finished no lower than eighth throughout the round but fell short of transferring to the Championship 4 finale by two spots in the Playoff standings. With an 11th-place finish at Homestead, he capped off his junior Cup season with 11 top-five results, 18 top-10 results, 422 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.7.

In 2020, Blaney commenced the season by being edged by Denny Hamlin by 0.014 seconds in the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 amid a harrowing final lap accident involving Newman, whom Blaney bumped and sent into the outside wall and upside-down while battling for the victory. He rallied 12 races later by edging Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 0.007 seconds to win at Talladega for a second consecutive time and for his fourth career victory in NASCAR’s premier series. The Talladega victory along with a total of eight top-five results and 11 top-10 results ensured Blaney a spot for the 2020 Cup Playoffs.

His title hopes, however, came to an early end after finishing no higher than 13th during the Round of 16. Nonetheless, he capped off the season with momentum and with six top-10 results during the final seven scheduled events before finishing in ninth place in the final standings. While he tied his accumulated top-five results (11) and led more laps than his previous season (668 total), he earned one less top-10 result from his previous season (17) and with an average-finishing result of 13.8.

The 2021 season was a career year for Blaney, who finished no higher than fifth during the first five scheduled events before notching his first victory of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March after overtaking Kyle Larson under the final 10 laps. By then, he surpassed 200 Cup career starts. He proceeded to finish in the top 10 nine times during the following 18 events before capping off the regular-season stretch with back-to-back victories at Michigan and Daytona in August. Making his fifth consecutive appearance in the Cup Playoffs, Blaney transferred all the way from the Round of 16 to 8 on the strength of four top-10 results. He, however, did not transfer to the Championship 4 round due to respective finishes of sixth, 37th and 11th during the Round of 8 as he went on to finish fourth in the finale at Phoenix Raceway in November and seventh in the final standings. In addition to achieving his first multi-victory season, Blaney also recorded a total of 11 top-five results for a third consecutive season, a career-high 20 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 11.9.

This past season, Blaney endured his first winless season in the Cup circuit for the first time since 2016 despite achieving three poles, eight top-five and 12 top-10 results throughout the regular season. Mired within the results was his first All-Star victory at Texas in May, where he fended off Hamlin during a two-lap shootout. With a 15th-place result in the regular-season finale at Daytona in August, Blaney claimed the final transfer spot to the 2022 Cup Playoffs by a mere margin over Truex. Despite transferring all the way from the Round of 16 to 8 with three top-10 results, he missed the cutline to make the Championship 4 despite finishing as high as third during the Round of 8.

Blaney ended up finishing in second place in the finale at Phoenix, which marked his second runner-up result of the season, and in seventh place in the final standings. Despite recording three less top-10 results compared to his previous season (17 total) and with an average-finishing result of 13.6, he achieved a career-high 12 top-five runs.

Blaney commenced the 2023 Cup season with an eighth-place finish in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 despite being in two separate multi-car wrecks. He then proceeded to notch six additional top-10 results during the following 12 events, including two runner-up results. At Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 in May, Blaney made a triumphant return to Victory Lane after leading a race-high 163 of 400 laps and beating William Byron by six-tenths of a second to notch his eighth career victory in NASCAR’s premier series and first since winning at Daytona in August 2021. With a guaranteed spot for the 2023 Cup Playoffs based on his Charlotte win, Blaney secured four additional top-10 results during the remaining 12 regular-season events before the Playoffs commenced. Despite recording respective finishes of ninth, 12th and 22nd during the Round of 16, Blaney was one of 12 competitors to advance into the Round of 12. He is currently ranked in 11th place in the Playoff standings with 3,008 points as he prepares to tackle the Round of 12 and continue his quest to contend for his first Cup Series championship.

Through 299 previous Cup starts, Blaney has achieved eight victories, nine poles, 65 top-five results, 126 top-10 results, 3,489 laps led and an average-finishing result of 15.5.

Blaney is scheduled to make his 300th Cup Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 24, with the event’s coverage to occur at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

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