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Chase Purdy- No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado Craftsman Trucks Mid-Ohio Preview

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Official Release
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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Race 14 of 23, 67 Laps – 20/20/27; 151.28 Miles

Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.258-mile, 13-turn road course)

Date/Broadcast: July 8, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n a Playoff Spot:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 Bama Buggies team head to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 battling for a spot in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs. Purdy has recorded an average finish of 20.0 across six career starts on road courses. He finished 13th in last year’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after qualifying 22nd, earning his best career finish on a road course in the Truck Series.

In preparation for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio, Purdy and other Chevrolet drivers traveled to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course in May for a track day, where they made laps in Chevrolet Camaros under the tutelage of road course ace Ron Fellows.

Purdy entered the 2022 season having never earned a top-five result in Truck Series action but has produced two across 13 races in his first season at Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), including a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The 23-year-old driver has already produced a career-high seven top-10 finishes this season, after posting just two each in 2021 and 2022. In the Truck Series’ last stop at Nashville Superspeedway, he came from the 12th starting position to finish sixth.

Over the last four races, Purdy has registered an average finish of 8.7 with three top-10 results. Unfortunately, during that span has only trimmed his deficit from being 40 points the cutoff line to 39 points below with just three races remaining in the regular season.

Purdy will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Mid-Ohio as he looks to collect the organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. KBM-owner driver Kyle Busch collected KBM’s record-extending 99th-career victory with his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. Overall, 18 different drivers have won at least one race behind the wheel of a KBM truck, led by Busch’s 47. Four drivers rank second on the list with seven victories: Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Two of KBM’s wins have come on road courses: Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.

The Mississippi native is in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and first with KBM. He enters Friday’s race having totaled two top-five, 12 top-10 finishes, and 20 laps led across his 65 career Truck Series starts. Purdy finished 16th in the Truck Series final standings in 2022 after competing in 22 of the 23 events. He posted two top-10 finishes and nine laps led, with a season-best finish of seventh coming at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

Jimmy Villeneuve is atop the pit box for Purdy and the No. 4 Chevrolet team this season. Prior to being promoted to crew chief for the 2023 season, Villeneuve had served as a Truck Chief at KBM since the 2017 season and in that role was a part of 18 wins, a driver’s championship with Christopher Bell in 2017 and the 2019 owner’s championship with the No. 51 team. This will be Villeneuve’s first time calling a race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He has been on top of the pit box for two road course races in his career. His best result was a 12th-place finish with John Wes Townley at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2016.

Bama Buggies, your one-stop shop for all the biggest names in powersports and utility vehicles, will be the primary sponsor on Purdy’s No. 4 Chevrolet Saturday and for the majority of the events on the 2023 schedule. They are Central Alabama’s powersports experts, serving as an authorized dealer of Polaris, Slingshot, and Seadoo.
Chase Purdy, Driver Q&A:

How does Mid-Ohio compare to other road courses that you’ve raced at?

“I like Mid-Ohio. In a weird sense it races kind of like a short track but it’s a road course – as weird as that sounds. It’s very hard on tires and there will be some beating and banging and sliding around, so it makes for great racing and a good show for the fans. It kind of gives you that short track feel with some bump and runs. It’s definitely my favorite of the road courses that we go to in the Truck Series.”

You were able to go to Mid-Ohio for a track day earlier this year. How beneficial will that be with limited practice time?

“I think any time you can go and get laps, get an idea of the track layout and the feel of things, find certain patches and grooves before you go there for the real thing is always beneficial no matter what type of vehicle you are in. I’m not really a road course expert but having already been there is a big advantage. I ran decent there last year and hoping to do a lot better this year in KBM equipment.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

  • Across 65 career Truck Series starts, has produced 20 laps led, two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Posted a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 2023.
  • Finished 16th in Truck Series championship standings in 2022.
  • Finished fourth in the 2018 ARCA Menard’s Series championship standings after recording 84 laps led, 10 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.
  • Earned the 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rookie of the year honors and finished fourth in the championship standings after posting four poles, 200 laps led, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 14 starts.
  • Won the prestigious Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model race at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., in Dec. of 2018.
  • Chase Purdy’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-76: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-76 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. This was a brand new Silverado for Purdy when he finished 27th at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year.

KBM-76 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have one pole and one top-10 finish across three starts at Mid-Ohio. Corey Heim won the pole for last year’s inaugural race while Chandler Smith was the best finishing KBM driver with a sixth-place finish.
  • Overall across 43 road course starts, KBM drivers have collected two victories: Kyle Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.
  • KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (99) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway last year, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 18 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Jack Wood – No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing Silverado Craftsman Trucks Mid-Ohio Preview

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Race 14 of 23, 67 Laps – 20/20/27; 151.28 Miles

Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.258-mile, 13-turn road course)

Date/Broadcast: July 8, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his seventh NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing Chevrolet in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In addition to running the Truck Series race, Wood will also be competing in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event at the 2.258-mile road course. The California native was relegated to a 29th-place finish in last year’s inaugural Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio after being involved in an accident on lap 55. He has an average finish of 26.0 across five career road course starts in the Truck Series, with a best result of 16th coming at Sonoma Raceway in 2022.

While this will be Wood’s first start on a road course in the Truck Series this year, he has raced in both the ARCA Menards Series West and TA2 Series on road courses this year. Most recently, he finished fourth in the ARCA Menards Series West race June 9 at Sonoma Raceway behind Ryan Preece, Sammy Smith and Riley Herbst. In late April, he captured the pole and brought home the victory at Sonoma in the TA2 Series.

The 22-year-old driver has finished inside the top 10 in two of his six Truck Series starts this season, including recording a career-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. In addition to his part-time schedule for KBM in the Truck Series this season, Wood is running a limited schedule in the ARCA Series with Rev Racing. The California native has one top five and four top-10 finishes with an average result of 11.4 across five ARCA Menards Series starts this season.

Wood will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Mid-Ohio as he looks to collect the organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch collected KBM’s record-extending 99th-career victory with his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. Overall, 18 different drivers have won at least one race behind the wheel of a KBM truck, led by Busch’s 47. Four drivers rank second on the list with seven victories: Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Two of KBM’s wins have come on road courses: Busch at Sonoma last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.

Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie is calling the shots for the No. 51 team this year in his first season at KBM after spending the last 14 seasons atop the pit box in the NASCAR Cup Series. It took the veteran signal caller just two races to get his first win at KBM, winning with owner-driver Kyle Busch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the Cup Series, his drivers produced six wins, nine poles, 57 top-five and 131 top-10 finishes across 528 starts. In 2012, he guided Clint Bowyer to three victories and a runner-up finish in the Cup Series championship standings. In 2017, he guided Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to two wins and a berth in the playoffs. The Florida native has also recorded 11 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and now has two wins as a crew chief in the Truck Series. This will be Pattie’s first race atop the pit box for a Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio. He has one road course victory in NASCAR’s third division, a win with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in June of 1999. He also has two road course victories with Fellows at Watkins Glen in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2000 and 2001). In the Cup Series he has been to victory lane twice on road courses, with Juan Pablo Montoya at Watkins Glen in 2010 and at Sonoma with Clint Bowyer in 2012.

The No. 51 team currently ranks sixth in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings, 68 points above the cutoff line for making the owner’s playoffs with three races remaining in the regular season. Over the first 13 races, they have recorded one win, one pole, 163 laps led, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.7. Kyle Busch returns to the Zariz Transport Silverado at Pocono Raceway July 22 and Matt Mills will be in the No. 51 J.F. Electric Silverado at Richmond Raceway July 29. Wood’s next event will be Aug. 11 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Rowdy Manufacturing will serve as the primary sponsor on Wood’s No. 51 Silverado Saturday. Rowdy Manufacturing offers precision machining of components from concept to completion across all industrial sectors including automotive, aerospace and NASCAR teams. Rowdy Manufacturing builds the chassis that KBM races as well as several other teams in the Truck Series including race-winning organizations Spire Motorsports and Henderson Motorsports. The same attention to detail that has made Rowdy Manufacturing owner Kyle Busch a two-time Cup Series champion goes into every component that comes out of his organization’s Mooresville, N.C. facility.
Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

Are you looking forward to your first road course race in the Truck Series this year?

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve ran a couple road course races this year with the Lagasses (TeamSLR) and was able to win the Trans Am race back in April at Sonoma. I’m excited to try something different and the KBM road course package showed that it was strong at Circuit of the Americas with Kyle (Busch). Mid-Ohio is a fun road course and a place that I’ve put a lot of work into with different tests and what not. I’m running the ARCA race on Friday so that’ll get me some extra laps before the Truck Series race on Saturday as well.”

How different is a truck on a road course compared to the other vehicles you’ve driven this year?

“It’s quite a bit different I would say, the center of gravity in the truck is so much higher than in the Trans Am car and even the ARCA car. I think you have to minimize mistakes even more because of that, but the things that you have to do to go fast on a road course apply across really any vehicle. I just have to be adaptable any pay attention to what we are going to need to do to make speed.”

How does Mid-Ohio compare to other road courses you’ve raced at?

“There isn’t a lot of elevation change at Mid-Ohio, but there are some really heavy braking zones and other cool stuff. It’s got a little bit of everything but there isn’t a lot of room to race side by side, so qualifying is going to be really important especially with not having live pit stops. Our pit crew has been really good and usually helps us out with a couple spots every time down pit road and we’re not going to have that advantage this week. It’s going to be important to get 100 percent out of the vehicle every chance you get. I think we’ll have a good weekend!”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

  • Has produced three top-10 finishes across 41 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Posted a series-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
  • Has compiled 14 laps led, two top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 14 career ARCA Menards Series events.
  • Has totaled three top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 12 career starts in the ARCA Menards West Series.
  • Compiled one top-five and three top-10 finishes across 24 starts in the SRL Spears Southwest Tour from 2017 to 2021.
  • Jack Wood’s No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-71: The No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing team will unload KBM-71 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. Kyle Busch drove this chassis to victory at Sonoma in 2022. Busch also piloted this Silverado at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year where he led 12 laps and finished second. Corey Heim won the pole and led three laps in last year’s race at Mid-Ohio with KBM-71 before transmission issues relegated him to a 26th-place finish.

Click Here for KBM-71 Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have one pole and one top-10 finish across three starts at Mid-Ohio. Corey Heim won the pole for last year’s inaugural race while Chandler Smith was the best finishing KBM driver with a sixth-place finish. Overall, across 43 road course starts, KBM drivers have collected two victories: Kyle Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.
  • KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (99) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway last year, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 41 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Magical Vacation Planner Racing: Chase Briscoe Atlanta Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Atlanta Advance
No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 19 of 36)

● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 9

● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia

● Layout: 1.54-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps

● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, is set for his fourth start on the reconfigured 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway oval. The NASCAR Cup Series returns to oval racing following the inaugural Chicago street race last Sunday, where Briscoe finished 20th, his best in the last four races.

● The 28-year-old driver has shown improvement since reuniting with crew chief Richard Boswell. He qualified 16th at Chicago – his best in the last seven races – and finished 10th in the second stage before pit strategy late in the race left the No. 14 Ford Mustang team battling for its 10th top-20 of the season.

● In three starts at the superspeedway-style intermediate track in Hampton, Georgia, Briscoe has a best finish of 15th, earned in March 2022. He came home 24th in the first visit to Atlanta earlier this year.

● In two outings on Atlanta’s original configuration, Briscoe earned a best finish of 15th in July 2021. He made three starts at Atlanta in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with his best result coming in June 2020, when he finished ninth.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

We’re going from a street race to a high-speed, high-banked intermediate oval. Do you enjoy a schedule that allows for so much change from week to week?

“I do. I think that’s what makes us the best. You have to be able to do it all or you’re going to struggle to compete at this level. The Cup Series, in my opinion, is the most diverse series as far as the types of tracks we run. We see road-course ringers come in for a race or two and dirt guys show up for Bristol, and that’s because that opportunity is there for them to put their skill to the test. We’ve seen some guys that are really good in their discipline come in and struggle in the Cup car and I think that shows just how tough it is to do this. I think it makes me a more well-rounded driver to compete on the different types of tracks, and whether we are running well or not, there’s always something I can learn from it.”

Is there anything you can take away from the race earlier this year in Atlanta and apply to this weekend?

“There’s always something you can look back on and try to improve, but I do think the last race was such an anomaly. It was so cold and super windy. We’ll go in this time and it’ll be warmer even though it’s a later race. That really does change a lot, but we at least know what we’ve got to be prepared for.”

How important is track position at Atlanta where you don’t have a chance to practice before the field is set in qualifying?

“With this new car, track position has become very important, but you really have to have your balance figured out at Atlanta compared to some of the other big tracks we race at. As much as we like to say it races like a superspeedway, we’re more reliant on the handling at Atlanta than we would be at Daytona or Talladega. It’s always a good thing to start up front but, if the car isn’t set up right, we’re going to the back quickly and it’ll be hard to make that up.”

No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink

Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

NASCAR Pinty’s Series race at Honda Indy Toronto named Tiffany Gate Grand Prix of Toronto

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Official Release
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Rev & Run 5K will follow the NASCAR Pinty’s Series race on Friday, July 14th

TORONTO (July 5, 2023) – The gourmet food provider Tiffany Gate has been named title sponsor of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series street race on Friday, July 14, during the 2023 Honda Indy Toronto, set for July 14-16. The headline race of the opening day of the annual motorsports festival at Exhibition Place is now named the Tiffany Gate Grand Prix of Toronto.

Tiffany Gate, a Freshstone brand, has spent over 30 years working with food service providers to create delicious, fresh food that can fit every Canadian’s needs. Fans will have the chance to sample Tiffany Gate Fresh Gourmet premium pasta and potato sides in Thunder Alley during all three days of the Honda Indy Toronto.

“We are thrilled to be the title sponsor on opening day of this world-class motorsports festival,” said Jennifer Booth, Partnership & Media Manager at Freshstone Brands Inc. “This opportunity will allow Tiffany Gate a chance to promote our new retail brand, Tiffany Gate Fresh Gourmet, and we look forward to engaging with race fans over the weekend showcasing a few of our delicious, fresh sides.”

The Tiffany Gate Grand Prix of Toronto caps off Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Honda Fan Friday which offers all fans complimentary general admission – including open first-come, first-served grandstand seating – with a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish® Canada. Make-A-Wish fundraising activities have been an integral part of Toronto’s marquee racing event for more than a decade. To date, a cumulative total of $905,000 has been raised and each dollar will go toward granting wishes for children living with critical illnesses.

“We’re honoured to add Tiffany Gate to our fantastic list of Honda Indy Toronto partners as the new title sponsor of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series race. Tiffany Gate’s involvement provides further momentum to Fan Friday to increase the charitable impact that this great weekend in downtown Toronto will have again,” said Jeff Atkinson, president of Honda Indy Toronto. “Our festival goers having the opportunity to sample an assorted selection of Tiffany Gate’s classic comfort food is also a great new feature added to Thunder Alley.”

Following the Tiffany Gate Grand Prix of Toronto, which wraps up Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Honda Fan Friday benefiting Make-A-Wish® Canada on Friday, July 14, runners and walkers can race in a 5K or 1K on the Honda Indy Toronto track in the inaugural REV & RUN. The 5K course is a two loop route that runs through the Exhibition Place grounds and along Lake Shore Blvd., following the same track used by NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers competing in the Honda Indy Toronto. The 1K course is a family-friendly route that travels through pit lane and down the main straightaway to the Prince’s Gates.

Honda Indy Toronto 2-Day General Admission tickets are still available at $75, offering the best weekend value. Single Day General Admission is $50 for Saturday and $60 for Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free (general admission and paddock) with a ticketed adult providing an exceptional family value.

Honda Indy Toronto is an unforgettable weekend for the whole family. The event’s Rookie Racers program immerses the youngest attendees into the sport with fun experiences. Thunder Alley will be filled with numerous activities and interactive displays including Honda World. Many diverse food options and additional festival gathering points will continue to upgrade the experience for 2023.

All attendees are encouraged to use Toronto’s GO Lakeshore West Train to Exhibition Station for the easiest commute without the worry of traffic or parking at the Honda Indy Toronto. For $80, GO Transit is offering a combo ticket which includes 2-Day General Admission and two daily round trip fares for transportation to and from the event. Single-day combo options are also available at hondaindy.com/GO. Children 12 and under ride free on Go Transit.

For more ticket pricing, event schedule and festival information, visit hondaindy.com.

About Honda Indy Toronto:

Honda Indy Toronto is a world-class motorsports festival which takes place annually on a 2.874-kilometre (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary circuit using the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. The event features many attractions, food trucks, interactive displays and activities, and supports local charities. Honda Fan Friday offers general admission courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation. To date, $905,000 has been raised for Make-A-Wish® Canada. As one of Ontario’s largest annual sporting events with the first race held in 1986 first known as the Molson Indy, it has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers including past NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions like Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power as well as Canadian racing greats Scott Goodyear, James Hinchcliffe, Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Wickens, and more. Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco is planned to be in the 2023 starting field. Honda Indy Toronto is owned and operated by Green Savoree Toronto, ULC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (March 3-5, 2023), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid (June 30-July 2, 2023) and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 1-3, 2023).

For more information, visit hondaindy.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @HondaIndyToronto or follow the event on Twitter @HondaIndy and Instagram @HondaIndy using #indyTO.

Mason Massey to Honor Fallen Mentor at Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Mason Massey is excited to return to his home track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race running the Alsco Uniforms 250. He is returning to the site of his best career NASCAR finish, a 6th place finish in the Spring 2022 Xfinity Series race, and honoring his former mentor Beau Slocumb.

Slocumb was an up and coming racer that started his career on the ¼ mile bullring at Atlanta Motor Speedway and progressed up to the ARCA Racing Series. While chasing his dreams, Beau also mentored young drivers in Bandolero and Legend car racing. Slocumb had an impressive resume’ that led him to 131 feature wins as a racecar driver before he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2009. After fighting the disease for two years, he lost his life at the young age of 26, coincidentally the same age of Massey as he continues to chase his dreams of racing in NASCAR’s highest levels as a full time driver.

Massey will have his number 08 Chevrolet Camaro designed to match Slocumb’s popular bright orange and camouflage look that he raced for years around the Southeast. “It’s really cool to be able to honor Beau at both of our home track. He was a heck of a racecar driver and definitely someone that I always looked up to. I am looking forward to representing Beau Saturday night at Atlanta in the 08 orange and camouflage hot rod, “ said Massey

Buster Slocumb, father of Beau added, “Our family is excited to see Beau’s old paint scheme represented on Mason’s car this weekend in Atlanta. Beau loved racing Thursday Thunder at Atlanta and mentoring many kids over the years, including Mason. We are honored that his life and racing career are still impacting the younger generation today. Thank you to Bryan Hill, Joey Clanton, Tony Gresham and the Massey family for making this happen. Thank you especially to Mason for honoring Beau in this way.”

Massey will be driving the #08 Chevrolet Camaro for SS Greenlight Racing with support from Special Olympics Georgia, John Thornton Chevrolet, A-Z Companies, Live Oak Plantation, Bryan Hill, Joey Clanton Motorsports, and HUMBL.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Saturday, July 8th at 8PM EST. Live coverage of the Alsco Uniforms 250 will be broadcasted on the USA Network, PRN and Sirius XM. For more information about Mason Massey , follow him on Instagram/Twitter @Mason_Massey and on Facebook at Mason Massey Racing.

Doubleheader this weekend for Alsco Uniforms as primary sponsor of Jeb Burton, NASCAR Xfinity race at AMS

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (July 5, 2023) – Alsco Uniforms, the worldwide leader in providing uniform and linen laundry to customers, including restaurants, healthcare spaces, the automotive industry and industrial facilities is proud to once again be the title sponsor of the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the green flag drops on Saturday, July 8.

In addition to sponsoring the race, Alsco Uniforms will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Jeb Burton for Jordan Anderson Racing in the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

“We’ve got an action-packed weekend with Jeb Burton driving for Alsco Uniforms in the Alsco Uniforms 250 on Saturday. He’s had a great season so far and I’m confident he can win our race!” Says Ben Fox, vice president of sales & marketing at Alsco Uniforms

“Alsco Uniforms will also be associate sponsors on Austin Hill and Kyle Busch’s cars. We have a few chances at Victory Lane this weekend.” Fox continued.

Tickets for Saturday night’s Alsco Uniforms 250 are available for purchase at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Jeb Burton fire suit.jpegJEB BURTON:

Burton is the son of NASCAR legend Ward Burton. At 16 years old, Jeb started his professional racing career in what was known as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The Virginia native has since raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series. This year marks Burton’s third full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he competes for the championship with Jordan Anderson Racing/Bommarito Autosport.

“I am so excited to be driving the Alsco Uniforms No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend. They’re not only a great sponsor, but they ensure my entire crew has clean high performance uniforms to wear at each race.” Stated Jeb Burton

Rich Koyle headshot.jpegHONORARY STARTER:

Rich Koyle, Sales Consultant for Alsco Uniforms, will serve as the race’s honorary starter.

“I can’t wait to wave the green flag and hear the roar of the cars as they come to life.”

GRAND MARSHAL:

Alsco Uniforms has proudly appointed Duane King, general manager and managing partner of Tennessee-based concrete company Screaming Eagle Ready Mix, as the grand marshal of the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

Duane King headshot.jpg“My company began using Alsco Uniforms laundry services several years back. We enjoy a great business relationship and share a love of racing. It is truly an honor to be associated with Alsco Uniforms, and I was humbled to be asked to participate in the race weekend events.”

HOW TO WATCH

Fans can watch the Alsco Uniforms 250 Xfinity Race Series on FS1 at 8 p.m. EDT on July 8. They can also follow the action on Alsco Uniforms’ and Jeb Burton’s social media channels.

ABOUT JEB BURTON

Growing up as the son of NASCAR legend Ward Burton, it was only natural that going fast was all Jeb Burton has ever known. In 2008 Burton began his professional racing career at 16 in what was known as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at South Boston Speedway. Close to his hometown of Halifax, Virginia, Burton continued to progress in competition at South Boston Speedway to drive in the Late Model Series, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors. The year 2012 saw Burton move into one of NASCAR’s premier series, making his start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The following year he competed in his first full season and earned his first win at Texas Motor Speedway as well as seven pole awards, five top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes. Burton recorded only two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series before making his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2015 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He went on to make 33 NASCAR Cup Series starts and 109 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts between 2013 and 2022, with his first Xfinity win coming in the spring race at Talladega in 2021. The year 2023 marks Burton’s third full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he competes for the championship with Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport. Away from the racetrack, Burton enjoys hunting, fishing and the outdoors. His love for conservation and land management led to the creation of “Crossroads with the Burtons,” an outdoor series highlighting the life of the outdoorsman and NASCAR driver featured on the Sportsman Channel. Join Jeb Burton on Facebook at Facebook.com/JebBurton, Twitter at @JebBurtonRacing and Instagram at @jebburtonracing.

ABOUT ALSCO UNIFORMS

Alsco Uniforms (alsco.com) is a fifth-generation family-owned and -operated uniform company founded in 1889 and recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the uniform rental industry. Celebrating nearly 135 years in business, Alsco Uniforms provides uniform laundry services and other products that keep businesses clean and safe for a range of customers in the healthcare, automotive, industrial and hospitality industries. With more than 180 locations and 16,000 employees, Alsco Uniforms provides laundry rental services to over 355,000 customers in 12 countries, making Alsco Uniforms the largest uniform company in the world. Visit alsco.com to learn more about why It Pays to Keep Clean with Alsco Uniforms. Join Alsco Uniforms on Facebook at Facebook.com/AlscoUniforms, Twitter at @alscouniforms, Instagram at @alscoinc and LinkedIn at Alsco.

ABOUT DUANE KING

Duane King is an avid race fan and has been from an early age, developing a need for speed growing up in North Carolina. He quickly became a Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty fan. His father served in the military, which allowed King to experience many parts of the world. Traveling the world while growing up molded King into the outgoing individual he is today.

ABOUT RICH KOYLE

Rich Koyle is a sales consultant for Alsco Uniforms in the Salt Lake City area and has been with the company since 2019. Koyle is a father of five amazing kids and a grandpa to eight grandkids. He and his wife, Shannon, love the outdoors and especially camping. Plus, Koyle enjoys golfing and bowling as his “side hustles.”

ABOUT THE QUAKER STATE 400 AVAILABLE AT WALMART WEEKEND:

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.

The Heart of Racing Heads North of the Border

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Official Release
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Bowmanville, ON, Canada (5 July 2023) – The Heart of Racing (HOR) team will head to Canada this weekend to defend its 2022 victory at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (CTMP), for the sixth round of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition. The Chevrolet Grand Prix will air live on NBC at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday, July 9th.

The No. 27 Heart of Racing GTD driver Roman De Angelis, who hails from Windsor, ON., will look to defend his win alongside his 2023 co-driver Marco Sorensen as he targets a win on home soil.

“I always look forward to going to Mosport, not only as a Canadian with it being our only Canadian race, but it’s also such a great track,” said De Angelis. “I’m sure everyone who’s driven there before would agree. Obviously going to a track where we know that the Aston Martin is strong a, as we showed last year with a victory is a good thing. I look forward to hopefully putting together a good result for the Heart of Racing as we’ve had a few tough weekends in a row and a win in Canada will be the best place to get back on the right track.”

At the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, De Angelis and Sorensen were joined by team principal Ian James. After a late race penalty, the No. 27 Aston Martin crossed the finish line sixth following a dramatic six hours of racing. De Angelis and Sorensen will head to CTMP, formerly known as Mosport, sitting third in WeatherTech championship points standing, just 145 points behind the leaders. The duo opened the season by scoring a win at the 24 hours at Daytona and backed that up with a run to a second place finish at Long Beach.

“I’m ready to head to Mosport,” said Sorensen. “This is another new track for me, but I’m ready to get back racing in such a short amount of time. We had some bad luck at Watkins Glen, but I think we can turn it around and grab more championship points this weekend.“

The No. 23 Heart of Racing GTD PRO entry with co-drivers Ross Gunn and Alex Riberas are looking for a turning point as the team enters into the second half of the WeatherTech Championship season.

“Mosport is a really challenging race track,” said Gunn. “I went there for the first time last year and it took me quite a while to get up to speed. The nature and bumpiness of the layout really throws a really unique challenge. I’m looking forward to taking that on head first and try to turn our fortunes around.”

Last year the duo placed third at CTMP, scoring the No. 23 team’s third podium of the season. This season has not gone to plan for Gunn and Riberas as the pair has battled a variety of elements throughout the season and are currently fifth in WeatherTech championship point standings.

“I’m really happy to be going back racing in such a short amount of time, especially after a tough weekend in Watkins Glen,” said Riberas. “To be able to go back to the action next week at Mosport is exactly what the doctor ordered. Mosport is a great track for us. We’ve had success there in the past and on a more personal level, Mosport is my favorite track in the world. I’m definitely excited to go back there. We just have to keep doing our job and keep on executing and at some point, sooner or later it will click for us. We are just staying positive and excited to get back on track.”

The Chevrolet Grand Prix will take the green flag at 12:05pm ET on Sunday July 9th with live coverage on NBC starting at noon.

About The Heart of Racing

The Heart of Racing races to raise funds and awareness for Seattle Children’s Cardiology Research. The team competes internationally with concurrent campaigns in IMSA, SRO, Formula Drift and the 24H SERIES. Last season The Heart of Racing won the IMSA GTD Championship title in the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The Heart of Racing team hosted their first all-female driver shootout in November of 2022, bringing to the team Hannah Grisham and Rianna O’Meara-Hunt for the 2023 SRO GT4 America season. To contribute to The Heart of Racing’s fundraising efforts please visit: https://give.seattlechildrens.org/fundraiser/3642390

Retro Designs Rocks Hard in Bahama Blue IROC Series-Inspired 1974 Porsche 911 RSR

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Official Release
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Internationally-renowned for restoring legendary vehicles of all kinds, Retro Designs is proud to introduce a stunning new 1974 Porsche RSR reimagined in the style of George Follmer’s legendary racing vehicle from the 1974 International Race of Champions (IROC) series. The storied IROC series brought the world’s best drivers from different branches of racing together to compete in identical modified vehicles for multiple rounds. As a result, the globally celebrated races birthed an outpouring of world famous collectable vehicles that still to this day spark fond memories of racers such as Follmer while also cementing Porsche as a dominant force in the racing scene.

“The 1974 RSR IROC edition presented our team with an interesting set of challenges, because we wanted to stay true to the vehicle’s grand racing lineage while also making it suitable for today’s driving conditions and comfortable enough for driver and passenger to take longer trips than just a few laps around the track. I’m extremely proud of the work that the Retro Designs team put in to completely reimagine this racing machine while properly honoring the racing bona fides behind the RSR’s design,” comments Retro Designs Owner Daniel Valjevac. “Even though we upgraded the vehicle in several key areas, the driver can still feel like they are getting behind the wheel of a proper vintage racing machine that was truly groundbreaking in motorsports at the time in the 1970’s.”

Photographed at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race-inspired RSR features bright colors and accents famously associated with the 1970’s series. Painted in Bahama Blue with white accents inspired by George Follmer’s 1974 IROC livery, this reimagined 911 RSR promises to delight motorsport enthusiasts and collectors alike. The amazing recreation features a more powerful engine made for endurance racing and modern-day driving. The engine and transaxle were engineered by Heights Auto Imports in Tampa, FL, who worked with Retro Designs on a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six-cylinder engine good for 300 horsepower working alongside a special 915 transmission.

The new Retro Designs 1974 RSR incorporates Bilstein Coilovers, allowing for a much smoother, more forgiving drive experience on the track or highway. To enhance vehicle stability, Retro Designs installed front tower struts, adjustable sway bars, rear strut tower reinforcement braces, and a strut tower bracing system to create a more brilliant ride all around.

Big Red Brake calipers and 930 turbo rotors cover all four corners of the RSR to provide powerful stopping power with improved performance. Riding on high-performance Fikse tires and incorporating ExtremeContact Sport wheels, the custom 1974 Retro Designs RSR presents a fantastic race-ready vintage 911. Retro Designs also fabricated an exclusive RSR exhaust tip onto the exhaust system to create a sharper motorsports growl to the engine note.

As with all Retro Designs builds, the time-intensive restoration process was rendered in extreme detail, particularly to the interior. Retro Designs implemented period-correct gray 917 Lollipop seats to go along with a Momo Prototipo steering wheel for the classic Porsche race aesthetic that is often associated with the era. The Retro Designs team engineered a heated front windscreen, an electro cooler, and a 74 RSR IROC roll bar for added protection. An RS carpet kit was supplied by FVD and RS door cards were added by Retro Designs to complete the reimagined interior look.

The 1974 Retro Designs RSR is priced at $250,000. For more information on Retro Designs and all current available builds, please visit www.retrodesignsnc.com or call 704-721-0835.

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Fr8Auctions.com Ford Mustang Team Atlanta Motor Speedway Competition Notes

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Official Release
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TEAM AND RACE NOTES

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team reunite with Fr8Auctions.com to take on the now superspeedway-style Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.

The Atlanta, Georgia-based asset recovery business, Fr8Auctions.com, returns to their home track with McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang. This will be the eighth consecutive race that Fr8 Auctions raced with McDowell at the track.

McDowell joined Fr8 Auctions founder, Marcus Barela on July 4 for their Fr8 Auctions Fireworks Extravaganza which was the largest on the southside of Atlanta. McDowell is staying in Atlanta for the week and participating in the Fr8Auctions.com auction on Thursday.

McDowell will then turn his focus to the car. Track activity will begin with qualifying on Saturday at 5:35 p.m. Sunday’s 260-lap race is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on the USA network.

COMPETITION NOTES

After finishing seventh at the Chicago Street Race, Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team head to the Atlanta (GA.) Motor Speedway looking to continue to fight for a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs. McDowell enters the race ten points behind.

McDowell has one top-15 finish with FRM at the track and finished 21st in the first day race at Atlanta in March. Sunday’s race will finish under the lights.

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON

“The track should have more grip at night and it should be faster. It’s tough to take the notes from March and now apply them to this race. We are moving from a 3:00 p.m. start time to 7:00 p.m. and that just changes how we need to approach it.”

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL

“We’re up to speed with what we need for Atlanta.

“I think the track probably threw us all for a little bit of a loop – of just how much it aged in a year and how the grip level changed. The first two races, you really didn’t know exactly what to expect. But now, we have a pretty good understanding of what we need to bring back and things we need to do better.

“It has that element of drafting, pushing and all that. It’s not like that’s not there. But I think handling is more of a legitimate factor that you need to take in for this race, especially for how hot it’s going to be and how the track will change as the sun goes down.

“But we’ll be ready with our Fr8Auctions.com Ford Mustang. It’s a big week for them and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Todd Gilliland Atlanta 2 Media Availability (7.5.23)

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Atlanta 2 Advance| Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 Georgia Peanuts Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, has posted three top-10 finishes so far this season. He spoke with members of the media about last week’s street course event in Chicago and how racing at AMS this weekend will be different from in the spring.

TODD GILLILAND, No. 38 Georgia Peanuts Ford Mustang – DO YOU FEEL ATLANTA IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING? “I think what you said is true. Atlanta is still probably a moving target for everybody in general. I think even the difference between the two races that we run at Atlanta. Going forward I feel like it’s something that we see at a place like Vegas, racing in the really cold and then it’s usually hot when we go back. It’s usually the same thing here. You would think that the setup would be a little bit different and still probably evolving in a better way from the beginning of the year until now. I think, hopefully, our cars drive good. I think that’s the biggest thing as a driver at Atlanta. It’s not as much a superspeedway as one would think and at least from my eyes I think handling still real important there.”

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE TURN 3 PIT ENTRY LAST TIME THERE AND WILL YOU BE USED TO IT THIS TIME AROUND? “Yeah, I think everything kind of went fairly smooth with that pit road. It was unexpected and something I had never even thought of being an issue without the turn three entry, but the NASCAR guys were definitely worried about it from the first time we went there. I think the only thing that’s kind of weird is that you’re coming off pit road off turn two right exactly where guys are trying to get off the racetrack, so you just have to pay a little bit of extra attention there and coordinate with guys. It’s kind of the same thing on pit road when guys are coming out of their stall versus going in, so just faster speed. That’s the biggest issue I could see having, but everything went smooth the first time and I definitely expect more of the same this time around.”

DO YOU ENVISION ANOTHER RACE WITH A 44 LAP GREEN FLAG RUN TO THE FINISH LIKE LAST TIME? “I don’t know. As a younger driver I would always venture to say that there’s gonna be a caution and wrecks and green-white-checkereds to finish the race in the Cup Series. We’ve even seen recently at the superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega where we have relatively greenish finishes to the end, I don’t know. I think Atlanta is a place where you could get pretty out of shape. There’s give and take, but at the same time it’s really easy to have an issue and turn someone around. I would say there will probably be less green flag runs to the end this year.”

WHAT IS YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM CHICAGO LAST WEEKEND? “I think overall I was just extremely impressed with the run of the show. Honestly, I think NASCAR had all of their ducks in a row and it was honestly just super impressive with their preparation on the NASCAR side. We were staying at the Chicago Athletic Association, which is one block away. We walked into the garage. Obviously, it was a similar walk to what we do sometimes at a normal racetrack from the parking lot. I was worried about our haulers being far and it was no further than a normal garage area, and then the rain is something that we can’t control. How many people stuck around for the race on Sunday blew my mind. I thought there was gonna be no one left for the race with how much rain we had and in my eyes it just means how big of an event it was going to be. With all of the concerts and blue skies I think it would have been huge, and then the on track, I think there is definitely a lot to be learned. I think setup-wise all of the drivers were constantly learning out there. I feel like my team did a good job preparing and we were ready when we hit the track, but there’s always going to be a constant evolution of setups, drivers understanding of it all, but I think the course layout was fun and I think the whole thing went relatively smooth.”

IS ATLANTA ANYTHING LIKE DAYTONA OR TALLADEGA? HOW DO YOU VIEW IT? “I’ve been trying to push to my crew chief that it’s not like Daytona and Talladega. To me, I guess you are wide-open. It’s just the hybrid. It’s something new that we’re all trying to understand every time we go back there, but there’s just so much more handling involved. Even at Daytona there are some times, I mean you can feel out of control but stay relatively wide-open and have good speed no matter what, where here if your handling is off, you’re not gonna have the speed. You’re not gonna have the comfortability to drive up front and do what you need to do at all, so, to me, it’s so much more important to have a good driving car. I think almost even in my mind at least, which I don’t know anything about what we’re doing this weekend, but even just a normal mile-and-a-half car, to me, seems like it would just be good at Atlanta – just as much throttle-on time as you can and you’ll have the ability to make moves. I think that’s the biggest thing I’m trying to push.”

HOW MUCH OF A WILDCARD WEEKEND IS THIS OR NOT? “I still think in the early stages of Atlanta that there is still probably opportunity there, but it’s about making good decisions. I think what I’m trying to say and trying to push of – we’re not gonna have a faster car just based on drag and downforce than a Hendrick car when they show up to Daytona and get the pole, something like that. So, what can we do? We can make our car drive better. Have good pit strategy that puts us up front and once you’re up front you just have to have the confidence to be able to make moves and stay up there. We’ve seen Corey LaJoie do really well here at Atlanta and I think that’s a good benchmark that we can have a surprise winner, but it’s really tough when you get in that spot to have everything in line to make it all happen on that one day.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR SEASON SO FAR? “I feel like we definitely had a really good stretch there for a little bit. We got off to a bad start and then went on a good run there for a little bit, and then recently we’ve just kind of been down on speed and not our best performances. It definitely would be nice to get back to consistently being in the top 20 and then hopefully get some top 10s there like we were doing for a while, and it didn’t seem too hard at the time. I know we can get back there, it’s just about constantly developing and getting better. I think in the Cup Series that’s something I’ve learned is you can never just be happy with where you are at and I think we can definitely get back to where we were. Overall, it’s a much better season than last year and I still think that our ceiling is much higher this year.”

DID YOU GET TO GO OUT AND DO ANYTHING IN CHICAGO? “We kind of stayed close to the hotel, but it’s just really fun to walk around the city and see so much life, so many cool restaurants. I always joke and say that I could definitely live in the city. That’s what I love is walking around. The weather was nice for the beginning part of the trip and just seeing how much fun everyone was having down there. We went down to a rooftop restaurant and got some Chicago pizza – all the good stuff right around there – and, honestly, all within a couple blocks of where we were staying. It’s really cool and just a little bit different than what we normally do.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ROAD COURSES LEFT THIS SEASON? “I’m excited about the upcoming road courses. I think that’s definitely our stronger suit when we go to the racetrack here at Front Row and I give a lot of that credit to Michael McDowell. I think he just has us in a good spot as far as setup-wise – braking, just having the fundamental things right when we go to a road course is honestly really huge, so I think he does a really good job with that as far as getting our simulator right and all the tools right. That way we can prepare as good as possible when we get to the racetrack is another thing. I think Ford does a really good job about that and I think all of the upcoming road courses can be really strong with us. It’s funny, I never really grew up road course racing, but just always really enjoyed them since I started doing them.”

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE SINGLE-FILE RESTARTS AND SHOULD IT BE CONSIDERED FOR OTHER ROAD COURSES AS WELL? “That’s a really good question. I don’t know. I think that’s another thing that’s ongoing and evolving as we go. As the younger guy that’s never really watched a race with single-file restarts, I remember when we talked about it and threw around the idea I was like, ‘Man, that seems kind of lame to me.’ It seems like you take the excitement out of the race and, for me, an opportunity. I think if you’re the leader, a single-file restart is great, but as a guy trying to improve their spot and make an aggressive move, double-file definitely gives you a better opportunity for that, but on the flip side I really thought the single-file restarts went really smooth this weekend and got us back into the flow of a race much quicker, which was definitely unexpected. I think both things, because we moved the restart zone back to try and prevent the turn one wrecks and then single-file also, so I thought it honestly all went much smoother and you’re still bunched up but you’re back to racing instead of just wrecking each other and muscling each other out of the way. Like I said, it’s one spot at a time from there instead of just big chunks.”

CAN YOU REMIND ME IN TERMS OF HOW YOU GAINED SO MUCH GROUND AT COTA IN THE FINAL LAPS? YOU SEEM TO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE DOUBLE-FILE RESTARTS THERE. “I think I’ve been on the beneficial side of most. Indy last year, we were able to come away with fourth. We were relatively fast then, but still definitely benefited from some chaos at the end, where at COTA this year we were running OK and then I got spun with probably only five laps to go. Then we were able to make our way back up with other guys getting spun, so my look at it is kind of like sometimes you’re gonna be the one that gets the short end of the stick, but there are gonna be more opportunities for it in the future. To me, I definitely always look at them as an opportunity and maybe that’s more so because I’ve come out of the good side more than the bad side.”

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