Corvette Racing’s Ben Keating was part of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s pre-event press conference today ahead of Sunday’s Six Hours of Monza. Keating and teammates Nicky Catsburg and Nico Varrone share the No. 33 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R and can wrap up the GTE Am Drivers and Teams championships this weekend on the strength of wins at Sebring, Portimao and Le Mans:
BEN KEATING, NO. 33 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s obviously been a fairy-tale season. You’d be crazy to expect it to go this way. Things just seem to have fallen into our hands, really. We haven’t always had the fastest car, and we’ve gotten extremely lucky many times throughout the season. What really makes this kind of unique is that I can look back at every race and I can point to different people on the team where I feel like they have made a specific difference. It’s really been much more of a team win throughout the season, which has been really nice. It’s a really well-run team but a tight-knit group of people who all love to do well and love to perform for each other. It’s a really fun team to be part of. There have been plenty of races so far this season where I feel like I have let everybody down but other people have picked up and covered it for me. It’s been great. Our plan is to do what we’ve been doing – put one step in front of the other, do our job well and hopefully we get enough points to close it out at some point in the next three races.”
ON LAST YEAR’S RACE AT MONZA WITH TF SPORT AND IF THERE IS ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS: “I really love this track. I feel like I have always been quick here. Unfortunately it has not loved me back. I had a blowout on the backstraight in 2021 and blew the whole front of the car off – the bonnet, the splitter, the floor, the exhaust… it was a big explosion. And of course last year we had a rock that broke the bleeder noodle off the caliper. Going into the braking zone at the second chicane, we had no brakes which ended our race last year in dramatic fashion. I don’t believe this place owes me anything. But we’re going to go back at it again and see if we can change that luck.”
The Six Hours of Monza is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CET / 6:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 9. MotorTrend and MotorTrend Plus will provide both live television and streaming coverage, as will the FIA WEC app. Radio Le Mans will stream audio coverage of qualifying and the race.
2023 FIA World Endurance Championship – GTE Am (After four of seven events)
Driver Standings
Ben Keating/Nicky Catsburg/Nico Varrone – 133
Ahmad Al Harthy/Charlie Eastwood/Michael Dinan – 59
Michelle Gatting/Rahel Frey/Sarah Bovy – 56
Francesco Castellacci/Thomas Flohr/Davide Rigon – 47
1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 25 years of racing: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette
3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at CTMP since 2000 – Corvette C5-R (2004), Corvette C6.R (2005-13) and Corvette C7.R (2016-2019). The Corvette C8.R raced at the track for the first time last season.
3: Number of GTE Am wins in four FIA WEC races this season for Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Nico Varrone with the No. 33 Corvette C8.R.
6: Hours difference between the IMSA team competing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Corvette Racing WEC team competing at Monza on the same days.
7: Number of drivers who have won races at CTMP for Corvette Racing. Johnny O’Connell (six), Jan Magnussen (five), Oliver Gavin (four), Ron Fellows (three) and Olivier Beretta (two) each have multiple wins there with the team.
7: Pole positions for Corvette Racing drivers at CTMP. Oliver Gavin leads with three with Antonio Garcia (2016) being the most recent.
11: Class victories at Corvette Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – all since 2001.
14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
34: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999. Ben Keating and Nico Varrone joined that list with their participation – and victory – in the 1,000 Miles of Sebring for the World Endurance Championship.
125: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America, nine at Le Mans – including two weeks ago – and three in the FIA WEC.
275: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
11,080.25: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 20 previous trips to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. That represents 4,506 laps.
358,144.93: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon… and then some!
Corvette Racing at Monza (wins in bold)
2022
No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1st in GTE Pro
About Chevrolet Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 250
Fast Facts
No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Brett Moffitt
Primary Partner(s): AM Technical Solutions (AMTS)
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Tony Raines
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 77
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 14th
Team Championship Point Standings: 16th
Notes of Interest:
Inaugural Journey Marches On: After spending the past several seasons as a full-time team in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, AM Racing will embark on its inaugural journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season with driver Brett Moffitt for the entire 33-race tour continuing with Saturday night’s Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
Saturday night’s race marks the halfway point of the 2023 Xfinity Series season for the Statesville, N.C.-based organization.
Future Focused: With AM’s inaugural Xfinity journey set to continue at the track dubbed the New York of the South, the team has chosen veteran driver Brett Moffitt to lead the team’s campaign from the driver’s seat aboard the No. 25 Ford Mustang.
Moffitt, a native of Grimes, Iowa hails numerous starts across all three of NASCAR’s National Series, including the 2018 Truck Series championship with Hattori Racing Enterprises.
Moffitt, 30, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a stint at Our Motorsports.
Partner Intel: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 17th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season.
Headquartered in Austin, TX, AM Technical Solutions (AMTS) was founded in 1994.
AM Technical Solutions is a Global Architecture, Engineering & Construction firm specializing in the high-tech markets. AMTS has managed over $20B of global capital projects for over 170 different customers in 24 countries and across five continents.
AM Minute: Last weekend was a career-best weekend for AM Racing.
With the ARCA Menards Series team idle, the AM Racing Dirt Division and Xfinity Series teams were both in action.
Austin Wayne Self picked up his seventh win of the season this past Saturday night at Fairgrounds Raceway in Boone, N.C. Overall, the Statesville, N.C.-based Dirt Division has eight victories thus far in 2023.
This weekend, it’s a triple-header weekend for AM Racing with the ARCA and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series programs in Mid-Ohio and the Xfinity Series racing at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Saturday night, July 8.
Austin Wayne Self returns to the Truck Series for AM Racing at Mid-Ohio and will pilot the No. 22 AIRBOX Air Purifier Ford F-150.
Thanks For Your Support: With more than 48 percent of the 2023 season complete, AM Racing and Brett Moffitt would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, CForce Bottling Company, Concrete Supply, Destiny Homes, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market, Lane Frost Brand, Mechanix Wear and Mobil 1.
AMerican Heroes: NASCAR and its fans have always put Patriotism and American Pride at the forefront of every race weekend. That same passion runs just as deep at AM Racing, a team whose family lineage is deeply rooted in the Armed Forces and First Responders workforce.
We’re a team whose blood bleeds Red, White and Blue every day, which is why we are proud to launch, AMerican Heroes.
At AM Racing, it is our mission to recognize and highlight the men and women who continue to put their lives on the line every day, as well as honoring and paying respect to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
We are a nation that is united by one flag, which represents all the liberties and freedoms that we would not be able to enjoy without the sacrifices of those willing to answer the call.
Continuing with Atlanta this weekend, AM Racing will carry the AMerican Heroes livery, which will continue for the remainder of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series seasons.
The team will work to salute all the men and women, past and present, who truly deserve the title of Hero, every weekend.
Brett Moffitt Xfinity Atlanta Motor Stats: Saturday night’s Alsco Uniforms 250 will mark Moffitt’s seventh start at the 1.5-mile speedway.
In his previous six efforts, he has delivered two top-10s, four top-15s and five top-20 finishes. His track-best result occurred during the 2023 spring edition of the Raptor of King of Tough 250 when Moffitt steered to a track best of sixth after starting 12th for AM Racing.
In addition to his previous six Xfinity Series races, the popular driver also has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Georgia race track to coincide with five NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts in the Peach State, including a victory in 2018 driving for Hattori Racing Enterprises.
Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway 1.0-mile to 2.0-mile in length, Moffitt has made 50 starts throughout his career earning one pole and 16 top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.8.
Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 100 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned three top-five and 27 top-10 finishes, including a second-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 17.5.
He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of fourth earlier this year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway with AM Racing.
In addition to 100 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.
Chicago Street Course | The Loop 121 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Chicago Street Course, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team were a part of history.
That history of participating in the first-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series street course carried on to history for the team after Moffitt steered the No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang to a season-best fourth-place finish after starting seventh.
Even though the race was rain-shortened, Moffitt showed incredible pace and honed his road racing skills throughout the streets of downtown Chicago.
The result marked the first-ever top-five finish for AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Brett Moffit’s crew chief.
He will be crew chief for his 115th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his seventh at the 1.5-mile facility in Hampton, Ga.
In his previous 114 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 25 top-10 finishes.
Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.
For more on Brett Moffitt, please visit BrettMoffitt.com, like his Facebook page (Brett Moffitt Racing), or follow him on Instagram (@brett_moffitt_racing) and Twitter (@brett_moffitt).
Brett Moffitt Quoteboard:
On Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I am looking forward to returning to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend with the AM Racing team. After our success there in the spring, I think we can return with a shot at our first NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the season.
“As a team, we have learned a lot together since March, and coming off our season-high fourth-place finish on the streets of Chicago, the momentum is here right now for our AM Racing team and I look forward to capitalizing on it with our No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang on Saturday night.”
On 2023 Season Outlook: “Through the first 16 races, we have definitely showcased speed, but we know we have to turn that speed into better performances.
“Chicago was a great accomplishment of that. We are at the point of the season where we need to press the attack if we are going to make the Xfinity Series Playoffs. We certainly have made gains over the last few weeks and we just need to keep going in the right direction.”
Race Information:
The Alsco Uniforms 250 (163 laps | 251.02 miles) is the 16th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Qualifying begins on Sat. July 8 from 4:05 p.m. – 5:25 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green later that night shortly after 8:00 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 (Satellite Radio).
About AM Racing:
AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.
Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.
The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its seventh year of competition.
The team has named Brett Moffitt, Christian Rose and Austin Wayne Self as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity, ARCA Menards Series and Dirt Modified seasons respectively.
Despite the league’s increasing popularity, there aren’t many people picking on the WNBA. The oddsmakers are less interested in minor markets, which gives bettors excellent opportunities to place wagers. Want to develop your WNBA predictions plan? Making a profit has no one magic formula, but starting with these three-pointers will assist.
No need to wager against the general populace
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Find the value of underdogs
Big underdogs have often been underrated in the WNBA and outperform the spread admirably, particularly when playing on the road. It presents an opportunity to buy low. Furthermore, oddsmakers don’t expect a club with a poor record to play well in subsequent games if they just had a win. Such instances could be another best opportunity to take the underdog.
Know when to bet the under
Because most sports fans like high-scoring contests, the public favors betting on the over. Betting the under is usually a wise move, but this is especially true if both teams hit the over in their games. Pick platforms exaggerate the line when groups examine by preying on the public recency bias. However, historically, very few WNBA predictions teams have consistently hit the over for protracted periods. For instance, in their last ten games to win the 2020 WNBA Championships, the Seattle Storm went over the amount seven times. This remarkable run serves as a reminder of the significance of doing your homework before parting with your hard-earned money.
Techniques
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Know your risk tolerance
Knowing that certain players will bear greater danger than others is infused with the aforementioned premise. This season, Brittney Griner is the most prominent example since her future depends on a situation that is beyond her control. Breanna Stewart’s recovery from her second Achilles injury would be another illustration towards the top of the list.
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Somewhat related to the point above, players miss games in the WNBA for numerous reasons, so it gets helpful to know which players have a history of injuries. It is important to consider that athletes who have missed the most time due to injury frequently have a higher risk of reinjuring those regions than players who have kept reasonably fit.
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are setting up for a superspeedway-style race this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The venerable intermediate-length track races like Daytona and Talladega since a 2021 reconfiguration that raised the banking in the turns and narrowed the straightaways.
That change to the track, one of the cornerstone speedways on the circuit having hosted its first race in 1960, has produced some results that have crew chief Brian Wilson hopeful for a strong weekend for his No. 21 team.
“The last time we visited Atlanta, it was a very successful weekend for Ford Performance,” Wilson said. “Eight of the top 10 qualifiers were in Fords, including the pole sitter, and our manufacturer was able to get the win as well.”
To tune the DEX Imaging Mustang for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400, Wilson is using data gathered at the two bigger superspeedways, Daytona and Talladega, as well as from the race at AMS back in March.
“As we prepare to head south this weekend, we’re studying all of our notes from superspeedway-style races from this year,” he said. “Often these races have been highlights for us, as we’ve led and raced up front often at Daytona and Talladega.
“Between Ford’s success at Atlanta and our super-speedway notebook, we have reason for optimism in our preparations.”
(Burton led nine laps at Daytona and 11 at Talladega this year.)
Wilson said the choice of tire compounds by Goodyear, the exclusive supplier for the Cup Series, is always a factor as is the weather at the track.
“The tire combination that Goodyear is bringing is the same as the first race in March,” he said “The main difference will be the hot July temperatures.
“This tire has proven to be durable enough to allow for two-tire and fuel-only calls. The question is will the hotter temps make the handling gain of four tires pay off in the long run.”
Those answers won’t come until Sunday night. There will be no practice for the Quaker State 400, as is the procedure for superspeedway races, and qualifying is set for Saturday at 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time.
Sunday’s 260-lap, 400-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 7 p.m., with TV coverage on USA Network. Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 160.
About DEX Imaging DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES: Reducing Operating Costs Reducing Paper Consumption Increasing Productivity
DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.
Wood Brothers Racing Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.
Dirty Deeds: The AC/DC Experience will perform a live concert at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday, July 15 as part of the free entertainment lined up for race fans during New England's only NASCAR weekend. Photo Courtesy: NHMS/Adam Glanzman
The July 14-16 NASCAR weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will provide fans free entertainment including a New England Legends display and live talk show, Canine Stars, concerts, games, NASCAR Kids Zone and much more.
LOUDON, N.H. – Sure, NASCAR weekends at “The Magic Mile” are known for fast cars, squealing tires and feeling the roar of 40 of the best drivers in the world flying down the frontstretch, but it’s the off-track entertainment at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) that is guaranteed to make New England’s only NASCAR weekend unforgettable.
From New England Legends to the NASCAR Kids Zone, from Canine Stars to concerts, NASCAR weekend at “The Magic Mile” will have a fun-filled schedule of family-friendly entertainment options for all ages. The free entertainment begins Wednesday, July 12 and continues through Sunday, July 16. The entertainment lineup includes:
New England Legends
New for 2023! Adding a New England flair to the NASCAR 75th anniversary celebration, cars from the region’s top racing legends will be on display Friday through Sunday in the Fan Zone with appearances by Dave Dion, Beaver Dragon, Bobby Dragon, Brad Leighton, Andy Santerre and Dave Moody. The New England Legends live talk show honoring these legends will kick off Saturday at 10:20 a.m. on “The Magic Mile” Entertainment Stage hosted by Tom Corbett Jr. and Justin St. Louis of the Uncommon Deeds Motorsports Podcast as well as Vermont’s own Mamba Smith.
NASCAR Kids Zone
New for 2023! In celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, the NASCAR Kids Zone will be in the Fan Zone Friday through Sunday featuring a coloring book car, photo car, LEGO build and race station, 6V Ride on Racer track, NewBright RC NASCAR racers and Adventure Force play area.
Canine Stars
New for 2023! The Canine Stars educational entertainment act features a world-class team of dog trainers and their adopted dogs from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands and South Korea. They’ve been touring North America since 2012, were seen on “America’s Got Talent” in 2021 and will be performing multiple shows daily in the Fan Zone Friday through Sunday.
Trackside Live
This high-energy entertainment pre-race show includes driver interviews with some of the top stars in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), including Brad Keselowski and Ross Chastain, and plenty of antics and high-jinks from Kenny Wallace and John Roberts. Race fans can catch the live show on “The Magic Mile” Entertainment Stage Sunday at 11 a.m. Click here for the full schedule and guest lineup.
Dirty Deeds: The AC/DC Experience
A true audio and visual experience, fan-favorite AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds invites race fans to take part in two hours of pure rock ‘n’ roll escapism as they take stage Saturday from 8:30-10 p.m. paying tribute to one of the greatest bands of our time. The concert will take place at “The Magic Mile” Entertainment Stage located just outside the infield tunnel across from the S2 Lot.
The Groove Fan Hangout
New last year, The Groove is the ultimate hangout spot to mingle with friends, family and other race fans. Located in the Fan Zone, The Groove will feature DJs, a mechanical bull, a selfie station and plenty of live entertainment, plus comfy couches to lounge in while taking in all the sights. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Open Wednesday through Sunday during race week, fans can enjoy bingo (6-8 p.m. Wednesday) plus performances by April Cushman (8-9:30 p.m. Thursday) and The Flying Ivories Dueling Pianos (9:30-11 p.m. Saturday).
Click here for a complete schedule of weekend fun at The Groove.
Elm City Party Bike
The Elm City Party Bike is New England’s first and foremost pedaled party and sightseeing bike, and it’s coming back to NHMS. Race fans can enjoy a fun, social and relaxing way to explore the NHMS property – from The Groove, around the Fan Zone, down to The Flat Track and back – while exercising or partaking in a snack or beverage of choice. The best part? It’s BYOB!
Elm City Party Bike tours will cruise up and down Broadway Friday through Sunday of race weekend. Each tour lasts approximately 10-12 minutes, so gather up your riding partners and head down to The Groove to sign up for a ride.
Click here for a complete schedule and further information.
Family Movie Night
Race fans can get their popcorn and favorite snacks and find their seats in the grandstands or get comfy on a blanket on the grassy backstretch hill to enjoy “Top Gun: Maverick” on the infield screens. “The Magic Mile” movie night is scheduled for an 8 p.m. start on Thursday.
More Fan Zone Fun
Before the green flag flies, the Fan Zone is the place to be all weekend long. Located in the S2 Lot, Fan Zone activities will be on full display Friday from 12-5 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Race fans can test their physical agility in the inflatable obstacle course, get a hole-in-one at the mini-golf course and play their friends in bocce ball.
Rock Point Viewing Area
Rock Point is an open viewing area featuring lawn games, picnic tables and a cash bar perched atop a beautifully-landscaped area in turn four. It’s the perfect place for race fans to cheer on their favorite drivers with their friends as they mash the throttle and race toward the finish line. Rock Point is open Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. The area will close following the final checkered flag each evening.
Food Court
Race fans looking to fuel up for the race can stop by the Food Court behind the Main Grandstands for delicious grab ‘n’ go options, race weekend favorites and more. The Food Court will be open Saturday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until the checkered flag for the Crayon 301 NCS race.
Giant Games
NHMS has some wicked big fun in store for race fans at The Flat Track, with giant pong and corn hole and a bounce house during Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel. The fun all starts at 4:30 p.m.
Atlas Fireworks and Shot of Poison
At The Flat Track, once the final checkered flag flies on Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel, Atlas Fireworks will put on an amazing display of fireworks before Shot of Poison takes the stage. Atlas Fireworks is set to light up the sky at approximately 9 p.m. followed by a tribute to the 35th anniversary of the greatest rock and roll party band of all time, Poison. Shot of Poison will hit The Flat Track stage following the fireworks.
Be sure to check NHMS.com/Events/NASCAR-Cup-Series/Entertainment/ for more information on all of these features and more.
New England’s only NASCAR weekend is July 14-16 at NHMS. On-track action kicks off Friday with practice and qualifying sessions for the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) plus Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel at The Flat Track. The action continues with NCS qualifying, the Ambetter Health 200 NXS race and Mohegan Sun 100 NWMT race on Doubleheader Saturday and culminates with the NCS taking on “The Magic Mile” Sunday for the Crayon 301. Don’t miss all of the exciting off-track action including Trackside Live, The Groove fan hangout, concerts from Dirty Deeds and Shot of Poison, family movie night featuring “Top Gun: Maverick,” driver appearances, a variety of live performances, fireworks and much more.
Log on to NHMS.com for tickets and more information on the weekend’s lineup of action-packed racing. Tickets for Friday Night Dirt Duels presented by New England Racing Fuel start at just $25 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Doubleheader Saturday tickets start at just $45 for adults while kids 12 and under are free. Sunday’s Crayon 301 tickets start at just $59 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.
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Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), Twitter (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.
CHI-TOWN STREET: Kyle Larson’s summer surge continued Sunday in Chicago with a fourth-place finish in the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. The 30-year-old driver was in the top 10 for nearly the entire event and ran all but two of the 78 total laps in the top 15. After finishing seventh in the opening stage, Larson’s No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 came on strong when the team changed over to slick tires. He drove up to second in the second segment to earn a total of 13 stage points on the day. After pitting under yellow on lap 47, the Elk Grove, California, native restarted 13th and maneuvered to fourth during the final stage to secure his second consecutive top-five result.
SUMMER STREAK: Larson has now finished inside the top 10 in the last four races: fourth at Chicago, fifth at Nashville Superspeedway, eighth at Sonoma Raceway and fourth at WWT Raceway. It is the longest top-10 stretch of his 2023 season and the second-longest current streak among NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Larson’s career-longest top-10 streak of eight occurred in 2021.
ALMOST IN ATLANTA: At Atlanta Motor Speedway, Larson has led the most laps (419) of Cup drivers without a win. He also has two runner-up finishes at the Peach State venue – in 2017 and 2021. Of tracks where Larson has led the most laps, Atlanta ranks sixth.
MOST TOP-FIVES: Larson now tops the Cup Series with eight top-five finishes in 2023. The 2021 champion has also led 588 laps this season, second behind only teammate William Byron (722). Through 18 points-paying races, Larson ranks fifth in most laps run inside the top five (1,758) and has the fourth-most laps inside the top 10 (2,893).
FOUR TIRES FAST: In 2023, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com pit crew ranks second overall in average four-tire pit stop time (11.073), just behind Byron’s No. 24 team (10.960). The No. 5’s over-the-wall crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).
CAST YOUR VOTE: Larson is nominated for the 2023 ESPYS “Best Driver” award, an honor he took home in 2021. The ESPYS are presented by ABC to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding the annual ceremony. Other 2023 nominees in the Best Driver category include Brittany Force (NHRA), Josef Newgarden (IndyCar) and Max Verstappen (Formula 1). Fans can cast their vote here until Sunday, July 9. Tune in July 12 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC to see who takes home the award.
HENDRICKCARS.COM IS HOME: With Hendrick Automotive Group operating nine dealerships in the Atlanta area, Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com crew will wear their white “home” fire suits for the ninth time in 2023. For its home races (15 total this season), sponsor HendrickCars.com releases a unique cap, which are for sale trackside and available to win on HendrickCars.com. Less than 100 of each limited-edition hat will be made available to the public the week of the race. This week’s Georgia-themed hat will be released today and can be found here.
ATLANTA AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS & BEYOND: The extended Atlanta market is home to nine Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships: Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Duluth, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buford, Rick Hendrick Cadillac Dodge Jeep RAM Duluth, Gwinnett Place Honda, Rick Hendrick Buick GMC, Mall of Georgia Mazda, Mall of Georgia MINI and Honda of Newnan. By visiting HendrickCars.com, customers not located in Georgia can can choose from any of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 95 dealerships nationwide. Shopping from the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model, and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks, and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 27 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 24th
No. 9 NAPA/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
TOOK IT TO THE STREETS: After torrential rain showers delayed the start of Sunday’s race in Chicago, the NASCAR Cup Series finally took the green flag for its first-ever street course event. After moving to a backup car following Saturday’s qualifying session, Chase Elliott started from the rear of the field, finished the first stage 20th and rebounded for a 25th-place result in the second stage after making contact with the tire barrier. Strategy in the final stage helped Elliott gain pivotal track position. He held his own through several late-race cautions to take the checkered flag in third at the Chicago Street Course.
WINNER WINNER NO. 9: Last season, Elliott and the No. 9 team were impressive on drafting-style tracks. The team scored two wins – Atlanta Motor Speedway in July and Talladega Superspeedway in October – and only finished outside of the top 10 on one occasion across six starts. Last summer, Elliott led 96 laps en route to victory at his home track of Atlanta, sweeping both stages along the way. Talladega last fall represents the most recent win for the No. 9 team, which led the series with five victories in 2022. The five-time National Press Association Most Popular Driver is the only repeat winner over the last 14 Cup races held on drafting-style tracks.
STREAKING: Elliott is currently riding a streak of three consecutive top-five finishes dating back to June 11 at Sonoma Raceway. Although the Dawsonville, Georgia, native, has missed seven starts this season, he’s finished in every position inside the top five except first. Across the last three races, he finished fifth at Sonoma, fourth at Nashville Superspeedway and third on the Chicago Street Course. Elliott placed second at Auto Club Speedway prior to suffering a leg injury. In just 11 starts in 2023, he has five top-five finishes, tied for the sixth-most in the series.
TO THE POINT: With eight races remaining in the regular season, Elliott sits 24th in the Cup Series standings, 55 points behind the provisional cutline for a playoff spot. The 2020 champion gained 29 points on the bubble over the last two weeks and needs to average seven points per event against the cutline to advance to the playoffs on points.
WIN AND IN: While making the playoffs on points remains mathematically possible, the surefire way for Elliott to lock himself in is with a victory. Last season, he and the No. 9 team went on quite a tear during the summer months. They put together five consecutive finishes of second or better, including three wins: Nashville, Atlanta and Pocono Raceway. The 27-year-old driver has earned four of his 18 career Cup wins across three of the eight tracks left in the regular season: Pocono, Atlanta and Watkins Glen International. At four other tracks, Elliott has nearly taken home the hardware, finishing runner-up at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway, Michigan International Speedway (three times) and Daytona International Speedway (twice).
QUICK STOP: On Sunday at Chicago, the No. 9 pit crew had the fastest four-tire pit stop of the race with a time of 11.877 seconds. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew is composed of T.J. Semke (jackman), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer), Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer) and John Gianninoto (fueler).
HOME GAME: Four partners of Elliott and the No. 9 team are headquartered in Atlanta: NAPA Auto Parts, Hooters, Kelley Blue Book and Coca-Cola. This weekend, NAPA returns as the primary partner on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The company was also the main partner for the team’s victory at Atlanta last July.
DESI9N TO DRIVE: The Chase Elliott Foundation has partnered again with NAPA Auto Parts and Hendrick Motorsports for the seventh edition of its “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Elliott’s race car and race uniform will feature designs by two cancer patients at Children’s. The selected designs were sketched by 11-year-old Alex Corbin and 13-year-old Kayleb Duran-Rodriguez and feature a “summer nights” theme. Elliott’s racing uniform and a VIP race experience are currently up for auction via The NASCAR Foundation’s auction page on eBay through July 12. Fans can also donate directly to the fundraising campaign at desi9ntodrive.org. All auction proceeds will go to the Chase Elliott Foundation to benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s. View all angles of the No. 9 NAPA/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 here.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 25 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 2nd
No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
RECORD YEAR: After 18 of 36 points-paying races, William Byron is having a career year behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Competing in his sixth NASCAR Cup Series season, he has posted three race wins, seven stage victories and 722 laps led, which are all personal records through 18 starts. In 2023, Byron’s two pole awards, seven top-five finishes and 10 top-10s each rank as his second-most at the 18-event mark.
IN THE HUNT: With eight races left in the regular season, Byron is closing the gap to first in driver points. Now just nine markers behind the leader, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native is looking for his first regular-season championship and the extra 15 playoff points that come with it. In 2023, Byron has an average running position of 8.50 – the best of any driver. He has also led 722 laps (most), spent 2,477 laps in the top five (most), 3,197 laps in the top 10 (second-most), collected seven top-five finishes (second-most) and 10 top-10s (tied for second-most).
DRAFT DAY: When it comes to drafting tracks, Byron normally runs up front. He has two wins on this type of track – his first Cup Series victory at Daytona International Speedway in August 2020 and the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2022. He has also led 194 laps at drafting tracks since the start of the 2022 season – the most of any driver.
THE ATL ARCHIVE: Byron has eight Cup starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but Sunday will be only his fourth at the 1.54-mile track since its reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. In the spring race last year, he rocketed to the front of the field and led 111 laps en route to his first win of 2022. The performance made him the fourth-youngest Atlanta winner at 24 years, 3 months, and 20 days. In fact, Byron has led 152 laps in his three starts at the Georgia venue since 2022, tied for the most with Joey Logano.
RUDY RUNS THE ATL: Sunday will mark crew chief Rudy Fugle’s sixth race at Atlanta in the Cup Series and his fourth after the track’s reconfiguration. In the spring of 2022, he and the No. 24 team led 111 laps and captured their first win of the season. In two Atlanta starts since then, Fugle and Byron have led 41 total laps but have been collected in on-track incidents. Fugle also has six NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the 1.54-mile oval with two pole awards and two wins. His drivers recorded five top-10 finishes in those events, including four top-three results. Fugle has finished worse than seventh at Atlanta only once, which occurred with Byron in 2016 when the pair ran second before suffering an engine failure.
WELCOME RELAY PAYMENTS: Earlier today, Hendrick Motorsports announced a new partnership with Relay Payments, the fintech company modernizing payments for the transportation, logistics and supply chain industries. Founded in 2019, Relay’s mission is to help digitally transform the logistics industry. The company offers a digital payment network designed to increase efficiencies, reduce fraud, improve driver satisfaction and eliminate operational headaches. At Atlanta Motor Speedway, Relay Payments will debut as an associate partner of Byron and the No. 24 team for 2023. It also will be featured as a primary partner for two playoff races: Sept. 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway during Truck Driver Appreciation Week and Oct. 15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For a closer look at Byron’s No. 24 Relay Payments Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 18 races in 2023, the No. 24 pit crew continues to lead the Cup Series with an average four-tire pit stop time of 10.960 seconds. The pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Landon Walker (fueler), Ryan Patton (tire carrier), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer) and Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer). The team has posted three of the fastest pit stops of the season, which rank sixth (9.383 seconds), eighth (9.443) and ninth (9.504) overall.
AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: For the second time in 2023, Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, this time at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is Axalta’s 31st year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports.
48 Alex Bowman
Age: 30 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 20th
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
AB IN ATL: On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series will take on Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time in 2023. In the last five races at the 1.54-mile track, including two on the old Atlanta surface, driver Alex Bowman has scored two top-five finishes and three top-10s. His 10th-place result in March 2022 came on the new configuration. At Atlanta earlier this year, he started 15th, finished third in the second stage and came in 14th overall.
IN THE DRAFT: At drafting tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta), Bowman has a career-best result of second at Talladega in 2019. In that race, the driver finished the first and second stages in second and led seven laps en route to a runner-up result behind teammate Chase Elliott.
HARRIS IN HOT-LANTA: Sunday will be the first Atlanta start for the pairing of Bowman and new crew chief Blake Harris, who was sidelined in March due to a NASCAR penalty. The last time Harris called the shots at Atlanta, he led the No. 34 team to a 15th-place start and 12th-place finish.
SAVE THEM ALL: Bowman and primary partner Ally have teamed to bring back the Best Friends Animal Society donation effort in 2023. This week, the duo will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and the Fayette Humane Society, which serves the local community in Atlanta. Ally will increase its donation to $10,000 if the No. 48 team wins on Sunday.
DAY ‘N’ NIGHT: The No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 “night” paint scheme will be featured in Sunday’s race at Atlanta. Throughout the 2023 Cup Series season, the car will showcase two versions of its primary scheme. At night, the No. 48 Ally scheme has a black base with bright plum, grapefruit and seafoam stripes down the side. During the day, the white-based No. 48 scheme races with a similar design to its nighttime counterpart. Check out all the angles of the new look by clicking here.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS /
Hendrick Motorsports
2023
All-Time
Atlanta
Races
18
1,327
69
Wins
5*
296*
16*
Poles
5*
244*
5
Top 5
24*
1,214*
64*
Top 10
35*
2,080*
101*
Laps Led
1,417*
78,734*
3,619*
Stage Wins
10*
89
5*
*Most **Most (tie)
CLOSING IN ON 300: Hendrick Motorsports is just four points-paying victories away from its milestone 300th in the NASCAR Cup Series. Twenty drivers have combined to reach the organization’s current total of 296, which is the most Cup wins by any team. With five victories in 2023, Hendrick Motorsports has posted its 36th multi-win season in the Cup Series while maintaining a streak of at least two per season for the past 30 years. The organization has gone to victory lane at more racetracks (31) than any other active team.
MILESTONE MOMENTS: In addition to 300 Cup Series wins, Hendrick Motorsports is approaching several other major milestones. With 244 pole awards, the team is just six away from 250 at the Cup level. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports engines have recorded 494 NASCAR national series victories and need just six more to reach 500.
PEACH STATE POWER: Hendrick Motorsports has seen eight of its drivers win at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the most among all organizations. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each won five times at the Georgia oval. Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau, Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott and William Byron have one victory apiece. Gordon (23 years, 7 months and 8 days) and Byron (24 years, 3 months and 20 days) stand as the second- and fourth-youngest Cup Series winners in track history.
GEORGIA ON THEIR MINDS: Hendrick Motorsports has been to victory lane 16 times at Atlanta. The total is the most among all Cup teams and is the fifth-most for the organization at any track. Martinsville Speedway (28), Dover Motor Speedway (22), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21) and Pocono Raceway (19) are the only venues where Hendrick Motorsports has more wins.
RECONFIGURATION ROUNDUP: Since Atlanta reconfigured to a drafting track ahead of the 2022 season, Hendrick Motorsports has found great success. Over the last three races there, the Concord, North Carolina, team has the most wins (two), led the most laps (278) and is tied for the most stage wins (three). Byron and Elliott swept last year’s Cup races and rank first and third, respectively, in laps led since the repave.
DRAFTING DOMINANCE: Hendrick Motorsports has 31 all-time wins on drafting tracks (Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta), which is 11 more than the next-best team. In 2022, the organization won three of the six races (both Atlanta events and the fall Talladega race) at drafting tracks.
STILL STREAKING: In the past eight points-paying races dating back to Dover Motor Speedway in May, Hendrick Motorsports has had at least one driver finish in the top five. It is the longest such streak by a team since Hendrick Motorsports had nine straight (from Atlanta in March to Kansas Speedway in May) in 2022.
LEADERS OF THE PACK: With its series-leading 1,417 laps led in 2023, Hendrick Motorsports has been at the front of the pack for 30.32% of the season. The squad has led laps in all but two of the 18 points-paying races: Atlanta in March and the Chicago Street Race in July. Byron (722) and Kyle Larson (588) rank first and second, respectively, in the statistical category.
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Atlanta: “Drafting tracks have always proved challenging. I don’t have as good of a track record at them as I would like, but the finishes don’t always fully depict the No. 5 team’s day. We’ve had a couple decent runs on drafting tracks this season before trouble came our way. We have some good momentum behind our team right now with four top-10 finishes. I look forward to another HENDRICKCARS.COM home race in Atlanta. It would be great to secure a strong finish in the Peach State.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Atlanta: “For the No. 5 team in Atlanta, it’s odd to say that we are looking forward to it because unfortunately in the Next Gen era, I don’t know that we’ve actually finished a race (there). The track layout is a lot different and the package that we have is definitely tough and challenging. I feel like we’ve had some good cars there and even had some good runs going, even though we haven’t always got the finish. We are looking forward to going to Atlanta. It’s going to be a tough and hot race. In the middle of the summer, it will be cool to have a night race. Hopefully we can stay out of trouble and have a good enough car to get up front by the end.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Atlanta as the defending July race winner: “That was a really nice weekend. Obviously, it’s a little different than having a dominant performance at a track that’s not a (super) speedway, but we were really solid. It’s not like you’re getting out to a four- or five-second lead. We just had a car that had the ability to be on offense all day. When you’re on offense and you can be that guy to make lanes move forward and make a difference and pushing somebody to the front, it just puts you in a different league. It puts you in a really nice position to have a good day. We’ve certainly been on both sides of that fence. I missed Atlanta the first time this year, but hopefully we can go back and have a good run again like we did last year. I know a lot of the people around home are super excited about it being a night race, and getting under the lights down there I think is a really big deal. So I’m looking forward to that.”
Elliott on this year’s DESI9N TO DRIVE program taking place at Atlanta: “I’m excited for the return of the DESI9N TO DRIVE program to my home track since it really shines a light on the positive impact Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has on the region. With the race being run at night, I hope it creates an even greater atmosphere than years past. I can’t wait for everyone to see these summer nights-themed designs come to life at the racetrack.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his hopes for Atlanta: “I’m excited to get back to Atlanta (Motor Speedway). We’ve had success there and run up front since the repave but unfortunately got caught up in other people’s incidents the last couple races. Hopefully we can have a clean, smooth weekend and will be there at the end to have a shot at another win.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his expectations for Atlanta: “We were pretty good at Atlanta (Motor Speedway) in the spring race. We got caught in a wreck, but before that we were running second in our lane. So we were running up front. We have a pretty good baseline for Atlanta. Hendrick Motorsports’ speedway cars are always pretty good. So we’ll start there and try to add some more downforce. Since it’s summer, we need to try get the car handling good as well. The second thing is that this will be the first race of the newly updated center section and front clips for all of the Cup Series. We’ll have to see how that affects everything and see how different the car handles now. I don’t think it will be a huge difference, but you never know until we get on track.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to Atlanta: “Obviously, we aren’t where we want to be in the points standings. We had a really good start to the season and were super consistent and then had our penalty and then I was out for three races. Heading into the back half of the season, every race matters. Blake (Harris) and I are really focused on the details and trying to maximize on our days. Chicago (Street Course) didn’t go our way, which was frustrating because I thought we had a car capable of getting a top-10 finish. We just have to go execute from here on out, and it starts this weekend in Atlanta.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his approach to Atlanta: “I thought we had a pretty competitive car in the spring race there. Alex (Bowman) did a really good job in the second stage to score some points. I think it’s just going to be getting back on track. Hendrick Motorsports has had some really good weeks at Atlanta. For us it will be all about maximizing our day, scoring stage points when we can, and trying to be in contention to get a win because that’s what we go there to do.”
JTG Daugherty Racing welcomes back Slim Jim as co-primary for the Quaker State 400, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. appears at Kroger in Griffin, GA on Friday.
HARRISBURG, N.C. (July 6, 2023) – – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the JTG Daugherty Racing team welcomes back Slim Jim® as co-primary of the No. 47 Kroger® Camaro at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1.54-mile oval for the 260-lap superspeedway style of racing.
“Slim Jim is a perfect snack for the race team with us being on the go all the time,” said Stenhouse Jr. “We’re looking forward to having a good weekend at Atlanta with the No. 47 Kroger / Slim Jim Camaro.”
Ahead of the race weekend, Stenhouse Jr. is signing autographs for NASCAR fans at Kroger located at 1524 Hwy 16 West, Griffin, GA from 3 PM to 4:30 PM ET at a big race-themed parking lot event. Included at the event will be a JTG Daugherty Racing show car and several samples for consumers to take home thanks to our family of Kroger Racing brands.
“It’s always great to see everyone that comes out to support us at the store appearances,” said Stenhouse Jr. “We hope to see you there.”
Atlanta Motor Speedway is the site where Stenhouse Jr. captured his very first NASCAR Cup Series pole award in 2013 and his best finish there is 10th-place. His most recent finish was 17th during a day race in March. Now, he’s looking forward to racing under the lights and adding to his Daytona 500 win, two top-five and five top-10 finishes this season.
“This race will be exciting for NASCAR, and I think the cars will look better under the lights and any time we bottom out obviously sparks will show,” said Stenhouse Jr. “For the fans, they will appreciate it being a night race because I’ve sat in the grandstands for a NASCAR Xfinity Series race, and the sun just beats down on the front straightaway grandstands for a long time. For the drivers, I’m sure the track will have more grip. So, we should be able to run closer together than we normally do. The summer race compared to the spring race is always a lot harder to get traction. So, I think the night race will help that.”
Live coverage of the Quaker State 400 on Sunday, July 9 starts at 7 PM ET on USA, PRN and SIRIUSXM Satellite Radio.
The 2023 ARCA Menards Series Daytona race winner Greg Van Alst will make his highly awaited NASCAR Xfinity Series debut for Alpha Prime Racing in Saturday night’s Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
The Anderson, Ind. native has dreamt of this moment ever since he was a child and now more than nearly three decades into his racing career – the most important start in his racing career is on deck this weekend at the Hampton, Ga. track.
“I cannot believe it’s almost here,” said Van Alst with a smile. “I literally have been counting down the days. I am so excited. I can’t even begin to tell you.
“While I have this overwhelming excitement, I know that when I climb aboard that car for qualifying on Saturday afternoon I have a job to do.
“And believe me, I plan to do my job well.”
Van Alst knows that his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at a track that is now being classified as a hybrid superspeedway will present plenty of learning opportunities, but Van Alst, the former CRA | ARCA Late Model champion is poised to digest the learning curve this weekend but still mount his Alpha Prime Racing team a competitive finish.
“There isn’t one thought in my mind that says this is going to be easy,” continued Van Alst. “I know that. This series provides some of the most exhilarating racing in the sport and it is full of talented drivers and powerful teams.
“I am hoping that my years of racing – and having to do most of it as an owner and driver will earn me the respect of my competitors and we can go out and have a successful Xfinity Series debut at Atlanta
and build for our future together.”
Van Alst said he is aiming for a top-20 finish in his Xfinity Series debut and anything beyond that is a small victory for himself as a driver.
“I’ve never been thrown into a race with just qualifying and racing but that’s what is going to happen at Atlanta and that’s OK by me,” sounded Van Alst. “I know that my Alpha Prime Racing guys are bringing me a competitive car and believe me I plan to go out there and get us the best starting position possible and then let the dominoes fall for the race.
“I’d love a top-20 finish on Saturday night. Anything above that is a small victory knowing the competition we are facing and just how close the series is as a whole. I am hoping that some of my superspeedway success will transition in some capacity at Atlanta on Saturday, but we’ll just see how it happens.
“I’m looking forward to racing with my Alpha Prime Racing teammates Jeffrey Earnhardt and Ryan Ellis. It is going to be an emotional weekend for sure, but one of the most memorable days of my life. I can’t wait for Saturday.”
Van Alst has brought longtime marketing partner CB Fabricating with him as the primary partner on his No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for the July 8 race.
Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating and assembly.
Their 40,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures and much more.
CB Fabricating has been a backbone partner for Van Alst dating back to his ARCA | CRA championship in 2019, then his ARCA Menards Series tenure which relaunched in 2021 and continues on a part-time schedule this season.
With the recent passing of Bruce Van Alst (Greg’s father), racing at Atlanta will mean even more to me,” said CB Fabricating founder Chris Barkdull. “Bruce would tell me about taking Greg and his other son Matt to the Cup race at Atlanta when they were younger.
“It was one of their favorite tracks so when the opportunity to race there came up I thought it would be awesome for Bruce to watch Greg race there. Little did we know at that time how sick Bruce was.
“I can only say how blessed I have been as well as my company to be able to be a part of the racing community. I know we should not be prideful, but I think I will be for a moment. I’m looking forward to Atlanta this weekend.”
Van Alst says having CB Fabricating and Barkdull continue their relationship and expand to the NASCAR Xfinity Series means more to him than words could ever express.
“None of this would be possible without Chris,” added Van Alst. “He has been a partner within my racing team for many years now, but to have his support for one of the biggest races of my life is priceless. I wish my Dad could be around to watch in person, but I know he’ll be supporting us spiritually.
“I am proud to represent CB Fabricating in my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut and look forward to bringing home a strong result not only for Chris but the entire Alpha Prime Racing team.”
Additional details on the remainder of Van Alst’s racing schedule will be released in due course.
Since 2002, Van Alst has 36 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of first (win) at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (Feb. 2023). Overall, he has earned one win, three top-five and 17 top-10 finishes and holds an average series finish of 14.0. He finished a career-high fifth in the championship standings in 2022.
For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).
The Alsco Uniforms 250 (163 laps | 251.02 miles) is the 17th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Qualifying begins on Sat. July 8 from 4:05 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later in the evening shortly after 8:00 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 (Satellite Radio). All times are local (Eastern).
Twelve Champion-Level Drivers Square Off in Identically-Prepared Race Cars in Six-Week Series
Two-time NASCAR Champion Joey Logano Joins Telecast as Guest Analyst for First Race
Kicking off six consecutive Thursday nights of prime time racing action, the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) Series makes its debut on ESPN on Thursday, July 13, at 9 p.m. ET, bringing “Thursday Night Thunder” back to ESPN. The Camping World SRX Series pits champion-level drivers from different racing series against each other in identically-prepared race cars, competing on some of America’s iconic short tracks.
ImageThe first event will be at the half-mile Stafford (CT) Motor Speedway and will include 12 drivers from NASCAR and IndyCar racing in competition. Previous NASCAR Cup Series champions Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte and Brad Keselowski will be in the field racing against former IndyCar stalwarts Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Paul Tracy. Rising star Hailie Deegan also will be in competition as will NASCAR Daytona 500 winners Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman and former NASCAR stars Clint Bowyer and Ken Schrader. Two-time NASCAR champion Joey Logano will serve as guest analyst for the first race, joining lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick in the booth to call the action. ESPN SportsCenter anchor Nicole Briscoe will host the telecast while Matt Yocum will report from the pits.
The event launches a new, multi-year media rights agreement between SRX and ESPN that will see the series air exclusively on ESPN, bringing back the Thursday Night Thunder branding.
Thursday Night Thunder, which originally aired on ESPN in the 1980’s, saw legends of racing, including SRX co-founder Stewart, launch their careers.
The 2023 Camping World SRX Series Schedule (all times Eastern)
Date
Track
Time
Network
Thursday, July 13
Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, CT)
9 p.m.
ESPN
Thursday, July 20
Thunder Road Speedbowl (Barre, VT)
9 p.m.
ESPN
Thursday, July 27
Motor Mile Speedway (Radford, VA)
9 p.m.
ESPN
Thursday, Aug. 3
Berlin Raceway (Grand Rapids, MI)
9 p.m.
ESPN
Thursday, Aug. 10
Eldora Speedway (New Weston, OH)
9 p.m.
ESPN
Thursday, Aug. 17
Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)
9 p.m.
ESPN
About SRX:
Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) was created by Sandy Montag and The Montag Group, Investor and former NASCAR COO, George Pyne, NASCAR Hall of Famer and legendary driver Tony Stewart, and NASCAR Hall of Fame Crew Chief and Owner Ray Evernham. Over the first two seasons of SRX, the six-race series has featured drivers from a variety of racing backgrounds with an emphasis on champion-level drivers. SRX has seen some of the sport’s biggest names compete including: Tony Stewart, Bill Elliott, Chase Elliott, Tony Kanaan, Paul Tracy, Bobby Labonte, Willy T. Ribbs, Hailie Deegan, Ryan Blaney, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Marco Andretti, Matt Kenseth, Michael Waltrip, Josef Newgarden, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, and many more.
In 2022, the series field featured a total of five NASCAR Cup Series Championships, three IndyCar Series Championships, four Daytona 500 Winners, five Indianapolis 500 Winners and four NASCAR Hall of Fame Drivers. Tony Stewart claimed the inaugural SRX Championship in 2021 and Marco Andretti claimed the 2022 Championship.
About Motorsports on ESPN:
ESPN’s motorsports coverage over the years has included nearly every form of racing – NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula One, drag racing, sports car racing, motorcycles and more. Production values and sheer volume of content set ESPN apart very early in the game.
ESPN aired its first race on Oct. 7, 1979, exactly one month after the network went on the air. The race was a USAC event taped the previous summer in Salem, Ind. In March of 1981, ESPN aired its first NASCAR Cup race, a tape-delayed event from Rockingham, N.C., and on June 7, 1981, the network aired its first live race, a CART event at Milwaukee.
Currently, the full Formula 1 World Championship airs on ESPN platforms. F1 returned to its original U.S. television home in 2018 – the first race ever aired in the country was on ABC in 1962. F1 races also aired on ESPN from 1984-1997.
HAMPTON, Ga. (July 6, 2023) – Atlanta’s NASCAR night race weekend will employ a host of dignitaries and special guests to be part of pre-race festivities.
Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart (Sunday, July 9) Dignitaries:
Grand Marshal: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress will give the command to start engines from the cockpit of the No. 29 car Kevin Harvick piloted to his first career Cup Series victory in 2001. Childress will then lead the field in the historic ride during pace laps before the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.
Honorary Starter: Walmart Market 21 Asset Protection Manager Joe Milton will waive the green flag to start the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart on Sunday night.
God Bless America Singer: Tenor Timothy Miller will once again bring his stirring rendition of “God Bless America” to Atlanta Motor Speedway to kick off pre-race ceremonies on Sunday evening.
National Anthem Singers: Powerhouse trio Chapel Hart – comprised of sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and first cousin Trea Swindle – will sing the national anthem before the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.
Flyover: Two F-15Cs from the 159th Fighter Squadron “Boxin’ Gators” from the Florida Air National Guard will soar above AMS during the Star Spangled Banner Sunday night.
Pre-race concert: Multiplatinum troubadour Andy Grammer’s pre-race concert on Sunday evening headlines Revs & Riffs’ slate of musical acts during Atlanta’s summer race weekend. Fans will enjoy Grammer’s catalog full of bona fide hits, including the quadruple-platinum “Honey, I’m Good” and platinum singles like “Keep Your Head Up,” “Fine By Me,” and “Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah).”
Driver Introductions: The top-10 starters for Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race will be introduced by comedian John Crist.
Atlanta’s summer NASCAR weekend features 650 miles of action between a pair of night races on the speedway’s high banks.
The weekend kicks off Friday with the Camper Appreciation Party in Bootleggers followed by the Peach Pit Party in the infield later that night. Friday night also brings an opportunity for fans to drive their own vehicles around AMS during Speedway Children’s Charities’ Laps for Charity.
NASCAR action begins Saturday with qualifying for the Alsco Uniforms 250 and the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart. Country music stars Lonestar perform a free concert in the AMS Fan Zone before the NASCAR Xfinity Series races under the lights in the Alsco Uniforms 250.
Sunday brings the main event of Atlanta’s summer NASCAR weekend: the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart. Before the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series take the green flag under the setting sun, raceday is packed full of things to see and do all around the facility, from driver appearances and Q&As, carnival rides, to live attractions in the AMS Fan Zone and Andy Grammer’s pre-race concert and driver introductions on the frontstretch.
For more information or to purchase tickets for this weekend’s events, fans should visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.
About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:
The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart headlines the summer slate of NASCAR racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 9. Featuring the first weekend of night racing at AMS since 2014, Atlanta’s summer NASCAR weekend comes with increased stakes with the NASCAR playoffs looming large.
Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, July 9. The summer race will challenge the rising stars of the sport to stand out and succeed on one of the circuit’s most challenging tracks.
More information on the July 7-9, 2023, Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.
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