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CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Title Within Reach

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Official Release
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After Le Mans win, No. 33 C8.R team can wrap up GTE Am championships

DETROIT (July 3, 2023) – Fresh off a stunning class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – its ninth since 2001 – Corvette Racing can add one more major honor this weekend with the resumption of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Depending on its finish and those of other title contenders, Corvette Racing can wrap up the GTE Am Drivers and Teams championships at the Six Hours of Spa. Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating, Nico Varrone and the team of the No. 33 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R have won three of the first four WEC rounds to open a commanding 74-point advantage with 91 possible points remaining in the final three races of the season.

Such a position likely was incredibly optimistic for even the biggest Corvette Racing fan before the season began. Not only is this season the first for the Catsburg/Keating/Varrone trio, but it also is the in GTE Am for Corvette Racing. The new challenge hasn’t been too big for the team, which largely has nailed every pit stop and strategy call during this year’s campaign.

That was part of the story last year at Monza for the Corvette squad, which won in its debut at the circuit in the GTE Pro class. Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy were winners that day in the C8.R on a strategic masterpiece by the Corvette squad.

The team will need to rely on some of that quick and clever thinking this time around as the Corvette will carry 40 additional kilograms of “success ballast” in accordance with GTE Am sporting rules. That is due to the victory in the previous race at Le Mans, 10 kilograms for taking the runner-up spot at Spa (the race prior to Le Mans) and another 15 for leading the championship.

On a positive note, the No. 33 C8.R raced at Spa with 45 extra kilograms over its minimum weight and placed second, highlighted by a furious late-race defense by Catsburg to hold on to the second position.

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.

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Coming into the season, we were confident that we could compete for race wins and the championship. We knew we had a good team and a good car. But I couldn’t have expected the success we have had so far with three wins – Le Mans among that – and a chance to win the championship this early. Even though we are in this position, we cannot take anything for granted or lose focus. Fortunately I have teammates in Ben and Nico and a team behind us in Corvette Racing that won’t let that happen. Monza is a very good and fast track. We may be a little limited by the success ballast but it will not change our approach and mindset. I’m ready to get there and go for the best result we can get.”

BEN KEATING, NO. 33 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I love Monza. On the WEC calendar, Le Mans and Monza are my best tracks. Interestingly enough in my first year at Monza in WEC, I rented a bicycle and was riding around. On the grandstand side, there is a driver development simulator company. I spent four or five hours there on a whim. At the time, my chief competitor was a Ferrari with Alessio Rivera, and in the sim he was my coach! So every year since then, I always book time. Monza is one of my best tracks, but I’ve yet to finish a race there. It’s been my unluckiest track. One year we had a blowout at 170 mph, and it blew apart the car so much that it bent the exhaust, blew the floor out and blew the hood off. Then last year, we lost brakes and flipped the car. Even though I feel really good about my performance at Monza, the track has not always loved me back. I have a lot of faith in the Corvette and the Corvette Racing team. I really feel like in this season, the team’s performance has been key to our results. This race will be no different. We’ll be carrying 40 extra kilograms for the race, but the other teams chasing us have weight, too. I’m hopeful we can clinch a championship there. It doesn’t require a podium finish but does require some points for us and the 25 and 85 cars having a bad race. With the 40 extra kilograms, it would be a lot to expect us to win. I’m not saying it’s impossible because anything is possible with this car and this team.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 33 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I love Monza! It’s a fast track with a lot of history. We have been doing a great job all year. I feel like the pressure from ahead of Le Mans is gone with the victory there. We will arrive at Monza with less pressure and I think enjoying the moment. We will do what we do every race – do what we do, do what we know, keep it clean, be as fast as we can and get the pit stops and strategy right. Everything will come to us after that. If we are champions in Monza, then great. But we are not going in with that mindset. We are going to do our best and trying to win.”

2023 FIA World Endurance Championship – GTE Am (After four of seven events)

Driver Standings

  1. Ben Keating/Nicky Catsburg/Nico Varrone – 133
  2. Ahmad Al Harthy/Charlie Eastwood/Michael Dinan – 59
  3. Michelle Gatting/Rahel Frey/Sarah Bovy – 56
  4. Francesco Castellacci/Thomas Flohr/Davide Rigon – 47
  5. Alessio Rovera/Lilou Wadoux/Luis Perez Companc – 43

Team Standings

  1. No. 33 Corvette Racing – 133
  2. No. 25 ORT by TF – 59
  3. No. 85 Iron Dames – 56
  4. No. 54 AF Corse – 47
  5. No 83 Richard Mille AF Corse – 43

CORVETTE RACING AT CTMP & MONZA: By the Numbers

  • 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.

Burton Finishes 30th at Chicago

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Official Release
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On a historic day for the sport of NASCAR racing, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang finished 30th, two spots better than they started,in the Grant Park 220 on the streets of Chicago.

Not only did NASCAR’s elite Cup Series race for the first time on a street course, the race victory went to a New Zealander Shane Van Gisbergen, who became the first driver since Johnny Rutherford at Daytona in 1963 to win a Cup race in his first series start. Rutherford’s win came in a points-paying qualifying race.

Sunday’s ground-breaking race was regarded as a big success for NASCAR in spite of torrential rains that delayed the start of the race and led to the race ending 22 laps shy of the advertised 100 as darkness closed in on the Windy City.

As the skies began to clear late in the afternoon, NASCAR officials elected to start the race on rain tires. Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team set in to try and overcome a poor 32nd-place starting position.

The No. 21 Mustang cracked the top 25 for the first time at Lap 15 but was running 29th at the end of the first 20-lap Stage.

In Stage Two, the team executed a strategy of running long during a round of green-flag pit stops, Burton moved into the top 10 before pitting from eighth place at Lap 27. The strategy nearly paid great dividends as the caution flag flew a lap later, but it ended up being of little help as Burton wound up 26th when the second Stage ended at Lap 45.

The intensity of the race picked up as the track dried and teams switched to the faster slick tires. Adding more drama was a decision to end the race at Lap 75 due to impending darkness.

Burton ran into a tire barrier as he tried to avoid a crash ahead of him with just over 10 laps left to run. After a trip to pit road to replace a flattened tire, he returned to the track and finished 30th.

Next up for Burton and the Wood Brothers team is a Sunday night race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 9.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Omnicraft®
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.

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.

Cadillac at Monza: Focus shifts to championship

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Official Release
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After podium finish at Le Mans, No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R is third in Hypercar standings

DETROIT (July 3, 2023) – Developing the Cadillac V-Series.R for the 24 Hours of Le Mans was key among Cadillac Racing’s objectives in the first half of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Now, with a celebrated podium finish in the centenary event, vying for the Hypercar championships is the focus.

Entering the fifth of seven races in its maiden tour of the WEC calendar, Cadillac Racing is third in the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers Championship and the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R trio of drivers is third in the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers Championship.

First up is the 6 Hours of Monza this weekend on the 5.793-kilometer, 11-turn (seven right, four left) Autodromo Nazionale di Monza circuit. The “Temple of Speed” is a fast-flowing circuit, with tight, technical corners separated by the lengthy straights during which “you can stretch your legs,” according to Richard Westbrook, who co-drives the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R with Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn.

A 13-car Hypercar field is augmented by LMP2 and LMGTE Am categories for a 36-car lineup at the famous Italian road course.

“I’ve competed in Hypercar there before and many times in GT, and I think it will really suit our Cadillac,” Westbrook said. “(Tire) degradation can be quite high and that’s been a plus of our car so far.”

At Le Mans, the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R continued its consistent run of top-five finishes with its first podium. Third place after qualifying sixth energized the entire Cadillac Racing camp. The sister No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon, placed fourth, and the No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R with Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken sharing the seat soldiered on to place 10th in class after an early race mishap.

MotorTrend will telecast the race live in the U.S. starting at 6:30 a.m. ET Sunday, July 9. Discovery Velocity holds the rights for Canadian broadcast, while Eurosport and L’Equipe will broadcast to much of Europe. RadioLeMans.com will also call the action.

Fans can also get a driver’s view of the action via the live No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R in-car camera. HERE.

What they’re saying

No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R

Alex Lynn: “It’s going to be great racing again in the World Endurance Championship, taking a lot of momentum to Monza from our overall podium at Le Mans. There is no doubt that it was a big occasion for us as a team and for Cadillac and the brand-new car that we’re all enjoying racing. Monza is a great race to get into straight off of Le Mans. Beautiful circuit, beautiful surroundings. Exciting to get going with the guys again and win this race.”

Richard Westbrook: “I’m really looking forward to Monza coming off such a positive result for everyone at Cadillac Racing. To get an overall podium for the first time at Le Mans after being away for a long time is something that we can all be proud of. We learned so much, which we’re going to carry on forward to Monza and the rest of the season. Now, Le Mans is gone and we can focus forward. We knew where we are really strong and know where there’s a little bit where we can improve. Looking at the nature of the circuit I think it’s going to be good for us. It’s a track that I enjoy racing on. I’ve competed in Hypercar there before and many times in GT, and I think it will really suit our Cadillac. It’s a track where you can really stretch your legs and it’s important that you’re really good on the tires. Degradation can be quite high and that’s been a plus of our car so far. Looking forward to continuing the momentum.”

Earl Bamber: “I’m really enthused by the result at Le Mans and the progress we’ve made in just our first year in the WEC. It shows all the hard work that the team, Cadillac and its partners have put in, and there’s more positives to come. Monza is a great track overall and the race in the Hypercar class will be intense for the drivers and entertaining for the spectators. We’ll have to navigate the slower traffic in the tight corners, but there a long straights that will provide overtaking opportunities. I’m looking forward to returning to Monza and getting back in the seat of the No. 2 Cadillac.”

Buescher Finishes 10th in Chicago Street Race

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Official Release
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Buescher Extends Streak of Eight-Straight Road Course Top-10s

CHICAGO (July 2, 2023) – Chris Buescher kept his streak of top-10s on road courses alive Sunday at the Chicago Street Race, finishing 10th in the Fastenal Ford Mustang.

“It was pretty smooth for us in our Fastenal Mustang, I’m proud,” Buescher said following the race. “We made some good changes after practice and had a fast race car there. We strategized to go to 100 laps and that call kind of mid-strategy really got us. I felt like then just trying to figure out all the cars getting spots back. I don’t understand. It felt like a lot of things didn’t make sense to me today, but the course was pretty decent.”

It appeared midway through the afternoon that inclement weather would not work in favor of the race taking place on Sunday. However, after historic rain fell all day, skies eventually cleared as the green fell not long after its originally-scheduled start time.

Buescher took the green from the 15th position after just missing out on the final round of Saturday’s qualifying session. The team employed an early stay-out strategy as Buescher remained on track through the opening stage, finishing 12th at the end of the 20-lap segment.

He then pitted for the first time and took dry tires at lap 23 as the track eventually turned manageable enough in normal tire conditions. He broke into the top-10 from there, and later finished just outside the top-10 in 11th at the stage two conclusion at lap 45.

The caution was displayed at lap 44, which caused the stage to officially end, before NASCAR then determined the race would end at lap 75, as opposed to the full distance. That put Buescher and the field in a unique position to manage strategy for the remaining laps. Just a lap after that restart, a multi-car pileup stopped the action again as Buescher and many others made it through. However, those cars involved in the incident were ultimately scored back in their original positions, putting Buescher 20th on the restart.

From there he began working his way back through the field with help from three final cautions over the last 18 laps. The field came to a halt one last time with two to go, setting up a NASCAR overtime restart. Buescher was then scored 10th and maintained the position, securing his eighth-straight road course top-10.

“At the end of the day it (the track) was pretty decent,” Buescher added. “It put on some decent racing at certain times and in different spots. I think we had a better car than where we finished, I know we did, but we just got caught up in the way the race played out. I can’t believe we raced today, either.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend for the second time this season, with race coverage Sunday night set for 7 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Keselowski Finishes 24th in Chicago Street Race

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Official Release
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Chaotic Afternoon in Historic NASCAR Event

CHICAGO (July 2, 2023) – Brad Keselowski overcame an early misfortune Sunday in a chaotic race on the Chicago Street Course to finish 24th in the Elk Grove Village Ford.

Historic rains moved in Sunday morning and delayed in the initial start, nearly pushing the race to Monday, but clear skies prevailed giving way to the green flag not long after the scheduled green flag. Keselowski began the day from the 20th position, but was pushed into the tire barriers just a few laps in, unfortunately giving up his track position.

He went on to finish the opening stage in 35th at lap 20, as the field eventually all switched to dry tires just after the stage end. From there, three cautions waved in stage two with Keselowski working back up to 22nd by lap 44, which ended the stage under yellow.

At that point, NASCAR deemed the race would end at lap 75 due to approaching sunset. Four more cautions flew over the final 27 laps, including one that sent the race to NASCAR overtime, with Keselowski finishing the day 24th.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend for the second time this season, with race coverage Sunday night set for 7 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Chicago Street Course

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Official Release
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CHICAGO STREET COURSE

RACE: GRANT PARK 220 DATE: JULY 2, 2023

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START: 31ST STAGE ONE: 22ND STAGE TWO: 29TH FINISH: 6TH POINTS: 22ND

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric recorded a strong sixth-place finish in Sunday’s inaugural Grant Park 220 on the streets of Chicago, marking his third top-10 finish of the season. Heavy rain loomed over the Chicago area throughout the morning and early afternoon, delaying the start of the much-anticipated event to the evening. When the green flag flew, Cindric started at the rear after extensive repairs had to be made to the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford following an accident in practice on Saturday. Cindric reported early on that the car was lacking drive, and made his first trip down pit road on Lap 24 to exchange the wet weather tires for slicks. The Team Penske driver returned to pit lane under caution on Lap 40 after relaying that the car was tightening up. Cindric restarted 33rd, but when a caution a few laps later slowed the field, Cindric remained on track and gained significant track position as the majority of the field pitted. After the race length was shortened to 75 laps from its original 100-lap distance due to the threat of darkness, the 24-year-old racer maneuvered through various late-race cautions to collect a sixth-place result at the Chicago Street Course.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “The entire No. 2 team started the day with very wet shoes and socks. I know everyone was kind of in that same boat, but these guys have been working their tails off since I hit the same wall twice yesterday. I’m just really proud of the team, not just the effort. I mean, Jeremy made a great strategy call and had great forethought with what was gonna happen with the weather and the timing and everything. We kept it off the wall and were able to have some speed at the end of the race to really contend inside the top 10 and really earn a good finish. I’m just proud of everybody on this Discount Tire Ford Mustang. It’s not what I want. I want to win, but we’ve had a really tough stretch and this is a good step in the right direction.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/DUTCH BOY FORD MUSTANG

START: 17TH STAGE ONE: 37TH STAGE TWO: 36TH FINISH: 33RD POINTS: 9TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney started from 17th in Sunday’s inaugural Chicago Street Course race as single-file racing took place during the opening laps with teams in wet weather tires in damp conditions. While running 19th at the time of the second caution of the day on lap 12, Blaney made his first trip to pit road for fuel only as the No. 12 team looked to gain track position with a green flag pit cycle looming. Shortly after the restart on lap 17, Blaney made contact with the wall and suffered right front damage, forcing him to come to pit road for repairs to the right front toe link. After rejoining the field two laps down, Blaney crossed the line 37th at the end of Stage 1. As track conditions began to improve, Blaney made his way to pit road under green on lap 27 for four slick tires, but was forced to make an additional stop on the following lap to remove the blocker in the windshield air duct. After the race distance was shortened to 75 laps, Blaney earned the free pass under caution on lap 57 and maneuvered his way around several late-race incidents to come away with a 33rd-place finish.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Tough one for our No. 12 crew, wish we could have had a better showing in an event like this. We got put in a tough spot with the right front damage early but ended up being too big of a hole to climb out of.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 9TH STAGE ONE: 11TH STAGE TWO: 27TH FINISH: 8TH POINTS: 10TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano picked up three spots in the first three laps of the inaugural Chicago Street Course race despite a single-file start to begin the afternoon. Battling the damp conditions on wet weather tires, Logano was shuffled out of the top-10 by the halfway point of Stage 1 before settling for an 11th-place finish in the opening segment. Logano continued to struggle with overall grip as green-flag pit stops began to cycle and made contact with one of the tire barriers before making his way to pit road. The damage proved to be insignificant when the No. 22 team surveyed the Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang on pit road on lap 22 and sent Logano back out on the course with four slick tires. While running in the top-20 when the caution flag flew on lap 31, several cars stayed out but the No. 22 team called Logano to pit road for four tires and a round of adjustments. The strategy call ended up paying off in a big way as Logano took the green flag from fourth in lap 49 after a majority of the field pitted under caution. Following a multi-car incident shortly after the restart, the race was shortened to 75 laps, allowing Logano to make it the rest of the way on fuel. Logano held steady in the top-five of the running order as the laps clicked off but fell to sixth when the caution came out on lap 67. Another on-track incident with two laps to go set up a green-white-checkered finish and Logano was able to fend off those on fresher tires to secure an eighth-place finish, marking his ninth top-10 showing of the season.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “It was hard to race. I mean, there were some passes made. It’s not probably any harder than any other track that we go to. Overall, I’d say this was a success. I’d say more cautions than normal on a road course because of the walls, but hey, we got it in today. That was good.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series makes its second trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 9 for the Quaker State 400. Coverage begins at 7 pm E.T. on USA, PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Chicago Street Course

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Official Release
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Grant Park 220

Justin Haley, No. 31 Benesch Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley started the Grant Park 220 from 37th after not being able to qualify due to unapproved adjustments.
  • Starting the race on rain tires, Haley lacked rear grip in his No. 31 Benesch Chevy. Haley pitted when the first caution came out on lap three, putting on rain tires with an air pressure adjustment. When the second caution flag fell on lap 12, Haley noted improvement, but needed track position. He would pit for fuel only under caution. Haley went on to finish the first stage in 25th before pitting on lap 21 for slick tires.
  • After switching to slick tires, Haley cracked the top 20 and made it as high as 15th before the caution came out on lap 30. Haley pitted once again for tires and fuel, while the majority of the field stayed out. He restarted 32nd on lap 33 before working his way up to 23rd, where he finished the second stage under caution.
  • After staying out at the end of stage two, Haley would take over the race lead to begin the final stage, but would need to save fuel if the remainder of the race were to go green. Haley continued to lead as more cautions fell throughout the final stage, leading a total of 23 laps. When a caution fell with eight laps remaining, Haley fought to keep his lead on the restart over the No. 91, who had 16-lap-fresher tires, but ultimately lost the battle for first. Haley went on to finish second, his best finish with Kaulig Racing.

“I put us in a tough spot yesterday during qualifying, but we stayed late last night putting a new body on the No. 31 Benesch Chevy and rewrapping it. Then to be in a position to win after starting last was big for this Kaulig Racing team. Coming that close and being one spot short is disappointing, but I’m so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing and what we accomplished.” – Justin Haley

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Bath Planet Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 10th for the Grant Park 220. Prior to the start of the race, the field put on wet weather tires for the track conditions.
  • Allmendinger was 11th when the first caution came out on lap three. Allmendinger told the team he had no traction compared to the cars around him, and lacked rear grip. The team stayed out under caution, and Allmendinger made his way up to ninth by lap 10. The second caution came on lap 12, and the team opted to stay out as the track conditions were not ready for slick tires. By lap 19, Allmendinger made it up to eighth where he would finish stage one.
  • On lap 21, Allmendinger pitted under green to put slick tires on. As green flag stops cycled through, Allmendinger made his way back into the top 10, telling his team on lap 28 his car still lacked rear grip, as he took over seventh position on lap 29. Allmendinger went on to finish the second stage ninth as the caution came out on lap 44.
  • NASCAR informed teams under caution the race would be shortened by 25 laps due to darkness. The No. 16 team changed its strategy and came down pit road on lap 45. Allmendinger would restart 24th with 27 laps remaining. He made his way up to 15th when the caution came out on lap 49 for a multi-car wreck. Allmendinger avoided the wreck, but told the team he may have suffered minor front-end damage after being shoved from behind into the corner. On lap 52, the No. 16 Chevy restarted 19th after several cars in the wreck kept their track position. Allmendinger moved quickly up to 15th by lap 57 when another caution came out. After the restart, he continued to gain track position, making it up to 12th by lap 62. The handling of Allmendinger’s car began to fade, as he fell to 17th where he would finish the race after one overtime attempt.

“We’re disappointed in our finish for sure. Our car wasn’t great; we lacked grip all day. Our strategy got thrown off when the race was shortened, and we just couldn’t get our car back up in the top 10. Congrats to my teammate, Justin Haley, on a good run today. Wish we could have been up there with him and had a better finish in our Bath Planet Chevy, but it just wasn’t our day.” – AJ Allmendinger  

The Loop 121

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet

  • Daniel Hemric qualified ninth for The Loop 121.
  • In the opening stage, Hemric made it to sixth place before the first caution fell on lap five. Hemric’s lap times were faster than the No. 00 and No. 20 who were running first and second, respectively, before the caution flag fell. Hemric restarted sixth but was shuffled back to ninth on the restart. Crew Chief, Jason Trinchere told Hemric his strength was entering turn one. With five laps remaining in stage one, Hemric sat in seventh position and was told to focus on not overdriving the car. Hemric finished stage one in eighth position, earning three stage points.
  • In stage two, Hemric fought a loose car for a majority of the stage. The team elected to stay out while others came in to pit. Restarting eighth on lap 21, Hemric was back up to sixth in only two laps. Hemric had saved enough fuel that he did not need to pit during the weather-shortened race. The caution flag was displayed on lap 25 for lightning, and the race was official, despite being two laps short of halfway. Hemric finished the race in seventh position.

“It was an interesting weekend to say the least, and a huge success on NASCAR’S behalf as far as putting all of this together. Obviously, execution with the weather couldn’t have gone much worse. At the end of the day, the whole sport had to rally together and do something unique and different, and we did that. All and all, it resulted in a seventh place finish for us and we will continue in the right direction and head to Atlanta.” – Daniel Hemric

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet

  • Chandler Smith qualified 16th for The Loop 121.
  • Smith quickly jumped multiple positions at the start of the race to move into 13th before the first caution. On the first restart, Smith took advantage of the city-traffic jam to crack the top 10, where he’d finish stage one.
  • Shortly after the start of stage two, the No. 34 spun to bring out another caution. Smith told crew chief Bruce Schlicker that his tires felt good. Schlicker told Smith to save as much fuel as he could during the caution period to open up a new strategy for later in the race.
  • The Loop 121 was red flagged 25 laps into the race, as lightning struck near the course. After the delay led to the postponement of the event until Sunday, the race was deemed official three laps short of the official midway point, due to torrential rain. Smith finished eighth, per the running order at the time of the red flag.

“I’m always happy with a top-10 finish. Myself and the team needed it, especially after missing the chance to finish strongly at Nashville. It’s not like we didn’t have to work for it either. We gained a bunch of spots with just 16 laps of green flag racing. While the weather could have been much better, I was really happily surprised with the event as a whole.” – Chandler Smith

Justin Marks, No. 10 Jockey Chevrolet

  • Justin Marks qualified 12th for The Loop 121.
  • Marks’ day would end early, after a blown motor on lap five of The Loop 121, relegating him to a 38th-place finish.

“We had a really fun start to the day in Chicago, I just hate that we lost the motor so early in our No. 10 Jockey Chevy. That’s just part of it. I would love to have another opportunity at it.” – Justin Marks  
 
About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

CHEVROLET NCS AT CHICAGO: Post-Race Report

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
CHICAGO STREET RACE
GRANT PARK 220
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
JULY 2, 2023

Van Gisbergen Steals Inaugural Chicago Street Race in NASCAR Cup Series Debut

Team Chevy Sweeps Top-Five

· Making the crossover from his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the Supercars Championship to the No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL1, Shane van Gisbergen’s victory came in his first career NASCAR Cup Series start.

· This marks the first time a driver has won in his first career NASCAR Cup Series start since 1963 (Johnny Rutherford – Daytona International Speedway).

· Van Gisbergen became the sixth driver born outside of the United States to win in NASCAR Premier Series – last accomplished by Trackhouse Racing teammate Daniel Suarez (Sonoma Raceway 2022).

· Van Gisbergen is the sixth different Team Chevy driver to record a NASCAR Cup Series win this season.

· The victory marked Chevrolet’s series-leading 11th NASCAR Cup Series victory this season.

· The winningest manufacturer in NASCAR Cup Series history, Chevrolet now sits at 844 all-time wins in NASCAR’s premier series.

· Team Chevy drivers swept the top-five finishing positions in the NASCAR Cup Series street race debut – recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet teams. The feat was last accomplished by the manufacturer one year ago at Road America.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL1
2nd Justin Haley, No. 31 Benesch Law Camaro ZL1
3rd Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hooters Camaro ZL1
4th Kyle Larson, No, 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1
5th Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL1

TOP-FIVE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Shane Van Gisbergen (Chevrolet)
2nd Justin Haley (Chevrolet)
3rd Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)
4th Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
5th Kyle Busch (Chevrolet)

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the Quaker State 400 available at Walmart on Sunday, July 9, at 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

 
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 91 ENHANCE HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 1st

Let’s be honest, Shane, when this deal came together, did you honestly feel like this was possible?

“No, of course not, but you always dream of it. Thank you so much to the Trackhouse team, Enhance Health, Project91. What an experience in the crowd out here. This was so cool. This is what you dream of. Hopefully I can come and do more.”

What were you telling yourself on those final few restarts?

“Wow, when we had that strategy back to 18th, I started to worry a bit. But had some full stands on some people, and the racing was really good, everyone was respectful. It was tough, but a lot of fun.”

It’s Monday back in Auckland but I’m sure there’s a party going on about 1:00 in the afternoon. What would your message be to the young drivers back there in Australia and New Zealand?

“Anything is possible. But the fans in Australia and New Zealand, the response this week and the coverage has been — I can’t explain it. Like the response and the support I’ve got from everyone and even over here how welcoming everyone is, I can’t believe it. Dream come true.”

You know everybody is going to want you to drive their car now. Are you up for a full-time Cup ride?

“I’m doing one more year in Oz and then I’d love to come over here.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 BENESCH LAW CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 2nd

Justin Haley had the unenviable task of trying to hold off a three-time Supercars champion with 16 lap less fresh tires. Talk us through final laps there.

“Yeah, it was tough. I put it in the tire barrier yesterday and we stayed up all night. I stayed with the guys through the rain; rewrapped this thing and put a new body on it. Benesch came on for this weekend. Congrats to Project91. It sucks, obviously, where we are right now – we aren’t in position to win every week, so coming that close obviously is not what you want. But just really proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing and what an awesome event. Can’t wait to come back next year.”

Once your crew chief, Trent, told you that you were okay on fuel, what clicked in your head to try and go get it because you had no idea where Van Gisbergen was?

“I was really struggling under the braking zones. Felt like I could get off the corner better than anyone, but, I mean, what are you going to do? He had 16 lap fresher tires.

Just strategy, and I feel like I put us behind yesterday putting it in the tire barrier. And then from there, it just kind of trickles and whatnot.

But what is there to be disappointed about, you know? We’ll go to Atlanta (Motor Speedway) next week and try our best. Appreciate Kaulig Racing, Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, for giving me this opportunity and we’ll try to make the best of it.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 3rd

Was there anything more you had to go up and contend with the 91?

“Well, first off, I really appreciate everyone on our Hooters team for just fighting all weekend. I did not do a very good job yesterday, obviously crashing and crashing again today and just kept putting us in big holes. So I have to certainly be better, but I appreciate the effort and the willingness to keep fighting by everybody on our team. I appreciate that and looking forward to going back to work and trying to get better.

Huge congratulations to Shane (van Gisbergen), man that was a clinic. He made us look really, really bad. He is going to go home and tell all of his friends how bad we are. So, I am looking forward to getting to work and hopefully we can figure out how to run with him at the next one he comes to.”

He is pretty good, but what kind of momentum does this build for you guys in the Playoff push right now?

“Yeah, I am still of the mindset that we need to win. I need to do a lot better job than I did this weekend to go win. We were gifted an opportunity there at the end and I just could not comfortably out-brake someone enough than really putting myself in a vulnerable position. I felt like when we got the track position, I was trying to get Justin (Haley) as quick as I could. I knew Shane was coming and I needed to get that pass done quicker and try to get going there, but just needed more pace and needed to be faster in a lot of different areas. So, like I said, need to go to work a little bit, but proud of the effort and glad our group never quit.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 4th

YOU WERE PATIENT IN THE WET, THEN YOU LIT UP LIKE FIRE WHEN YOU PUT THE SLICKS ON

“Yeah, I was trying to get my confidence built up while it was wet and I knew as long as it didn’t rain, it was eventually going to dry out. So, just didn’t want to hurt my car in the wet and tried to maintain the best I could, which we did. As soon as the lanes started to dry out, we were much better than the people braking. We just had a lot more confidence than the people braking around me and was able to get to second and the pit strategy cycle stuff happened and it kind of messed our race up a little bit. But we were able to rebound to finish fourth. So, a great points day for our team and we needed that. So, had a lot of fun and congrats to the Trackhouse team. I mean, so much respect to them because that was really cool to watch. Him out my windshield making the moves he was making and taking us all to school. So, he is an extremely amazing race car driver and I hope the rest of the world notices that. Its pretty damn cool. So just a pleasure to get to race with him and battle with him a little bit. I know all of Western Springs Speedway in New Zealand is pretty pumped up right now.”

DISREGARDING THE RAIN, WHAT WAS THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE LIKE HERE ON THIS TRACK IN CHICAGO?

“It was an amazing experience and I hope everybody here enjoyed it as much as I did. I hope the fans here that maybe had never been to a race before enjoyed it. I hope the city enjoyed it enough to welcome us back because I felt like the buzz around the city last handful of days was amazing. The crowd stuck around the whole race too. I mean, it was downpouring all race long and I was not sure what kind of crowd we were going to have once we got going and it was great. Without the rain we had yesterday and today, it would have been way better with the concerts and all that. So, hopefully we get another go at it last year because I enjoyed it, I thought NASCAR did a great job with the racetrack, and all that. It got a little messy with the stack up in 11, but aside from that……and we all need to look at that and see how we can do that better to get the lineup right. But, all in all, it was a great event and I just had a great time.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1

Finished 5th

“The No. 91 passed me there towards the end of the race. Just finding a rhythm- I just couldn’t find that middle all day long. So when you see someone else do it, and you’re like ‘I’ll trust him, I’ll do it.’

We gave everything we had for the 3CHI Chevy. A good top-five finish; solid run. I wanted more, obviously. I felt like I could’ve got the next two, at least. Just trying to maintain and come home with a good top-five at the end.”

From wet tires to slicks, and the track was still wet in parts – what was that like?

“Just slick. Just ice to start. You’re trying to brake as hard as you can, as deep as you can, into these turn; but yet as soft as you can so you don’t lock up tires. That was my issue there getting into Turn Six – I just overstepped it a little bit and got the rears locked up. Just could never get it back under control the whole way in. Just was sliding.

Hate it for my guys that we got back behind there, but again, we had a good car that was able to get us good track position to get a good day out of it.

Thanks to Rowdy Energy, Chevrolet, 3CHI, everybody to get us a good finish again today. We’ll see if we can get this again next week.”

How did you think NASCAR managed the race with single-file restarts and everything?

“They did it alright. That was definitely the way to go. Just trying to finish out two-wide into Turn One with half the track dry, half the track wet, was not going to be good.

Talk about how your day played out in Chicago…

“I mean we put it in the tire barriers there early in the race. Didn’t do us any favors. Trying to get all you can in those icy conditions. It was a bit treacherous, but I just got locked up and couldn’t get it back. Just slid off the track into the tires. Thankfully we didn’t have too much damage. We were able to come in and fix it; get back rolling, get back out there and work on passing some guys. Really wasn’t going too far forward, so we were able to pull a different card on strategy being back there, being back in traffic, and just thinking – maybe, just maybe the race would get cut short for darkness. We played that option and it worked in our favor.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 GET BIOETHANOL CAMARO ZL1

Finished 36th

“Unfortunate ending to an exciting day. Road racing has never come easy to me, but the work and effort has started to show up. Proud of the fight today by the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevy team. As far as clipping the wall, I knew it would be an issue. I even talked about coming to this place knowing you can’t peak out to get more air. In this instance, I didn’t feel like I peaked out, just had my car setup for an early apex, it was turning and just caught the wall. Thankful for our partners at Get Bioethanol. We had the green machine rolling pretty good. We will keep fighting.”

NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 42 WENDY’S CAMARO ZL1

Finished 25th

“Today was kind of crazy – it the course was so different than yesterday – I really had fun yesterday and today was just so different. It was definitely a learning experience for sure. We had good speed in qualifying and had an incident early on. Lost two laps and then got them both back so we battled a bit. We had a lot of fun with Wendy’s this weekend and it was so cool to see how many fans stayed through all that rain to watch the race. I’m proud of what all we did with Wendy’s for bringing out the Baconator to Chicago. We had a fast No. 42 Chevy last time in Atlanta so just looking forward to next week and getting back there. Overall a fun weekend, just wanted a better result.”

ERIC JONES, NO. 43 DRAIVER CAMARO ZL1

Finished 16th

“It was a good day for the DRAIVER Chevy. Just got up there and were in a good spot, then got a little behind and crossed up on pit strategy when they shortened the race. Lost a lot of spots there through that cycle and just never could get them back. Only had 25 laps there and a lot of them were yellow, so it kind of is what it is. I thought we had good speed, a good car. Just got mired too far back in the pack to try and get back up front and contend. Solid day, though. Good car and had a lot of fun.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Recap: Chicago Street Race

By
Official Release
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Noah Gragson, No. 42 Wendys Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 23RD

FINISH: 25TH

POINTS: 32ND

Noah Gragson Post-Race Thoughts: “Today was kind of crazy – the course was so different than yesterday – I really had fun yesterday and today was just so different. It was a learning experience for sure. We had good speed in qualifying and had an incident early on. Lost two laps and then got them both back so we battled a bit. We had a lot of fun with Wendy’s this weekend, and it was so cool to see how many fans stayed through all that rain to watch the race. I’m proud of what all we did with Wendy’s for bringing out the Baconator to Chicago. We had a fast No. 42 Chevy last time in Atlanta so just looking forward to next week and getting back there. Overall, a fun weekend, just wanted a better result.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Draiver Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 21st

FINISH: 16TH

POINTS: 30TH

Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: “It was a good day for our Draiver Chevy. We got up there and we were in a good spot but got behind and crossed up on pit strategy when they shortened the race then lost a lot of spots through that cycle. We could never really get them back. We only had twenty-five laps there at the end, and most of them were yellow, so it is what it is. I thought we had good speed, the car just got mired a bit too far back in the pack, but we tried to get back up front and contend. It was a solid day, with a good car, and I had a lot of fun.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for drivers Noah Gragson and Erik Jones, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.

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

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

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

Connor Mosack Shows Speed in Chicago

By
Official Release
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Driver of Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra a Top-Five Mainstay in Inaugural The Loop 121 Before Carburetor Issues Derail Strong Run

Date: Sunday, July 2
Event: Inaugural The Loop 121
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Chicago Street Course (temporary 2.2-mile, 12-turn street circuit)
Format: 55 laps, broken into three stages (15 laps/15 laps/25 laps)
Start/Finish: 4th / 35th (Running, completed 25 of 25 laps)
Race Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Note: Race was shortened 30 laps shy of its scheduled 55-lap distance due to weather.

Overview:

Connor Mosack showed speed throughout the inaugural The Loop 121 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the 2.2-mile, 12-turn Chicago Street Course, qualifying a career-best fourth and running among the top-five for the majority of the race. An issue with the carburetor on his No. 19 Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra, however, derailed Mosack’s strong run. The problem first developed on lap 21 when Mosack felt a loss of power, specifically in third and fourth gear. When the caution came out for a nearby lightning strike on lap 25, Mosack ducked into the pits for his crew to lift the hood and diagnose the problem. He returned to the track in 35th and shortly thereafter, the race was postponed for rain. But with a plan to replace the carburetor on the Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota and seemingly plenty of laps still remaining, Mosack eyed opportunity to work his way back toward the front when racing resumed. It never happened. Persistent rain forced NASCAR to call the race official after 25 laps, denying Mosack a chance to return to the top-five and saddling him with a 35th-place finish.

Connor Mosack driver of the No. 19 Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing:

“I feel like we were a solid, top-five car. Even kind of riding around a little bit, I feel like we had some pace in the bank all weekend that we were saving for when we needed it. So we took it pretty easy in practice, and then used a little bit of it for qualifying – left a little bit out there, for sure, but we were pretty happy with where we started. The goal was to always stay in the top-five, at least for the first half or three-quarters of the race and just keep the thing in one piece and be there at the end. That was our goal, but we didn’t get that opportunity. We had a carburetor issue about lap 21 or 22 and started falling back quickly. Thankfully, we got a caution. We came down pit road to take a look at it and, obviously, we went to the back of the field before they called it yesterday for lightning. The plan for today was to get the carburetor changed and then we’d have 30 laps to make our way back to the front. But with them calling the race, we didn’t get that opportunity and it was really disappointing. I especially hate it for our partner, Porter Pipe & Supply. They brought a lot of people here and they were really excited to see the race and see the car. We know we’ve got the pace. There are things from the first half of the race that we certainly can learn from and apply to Road America. So it wasn’t a complete waste of a weekend, by any means, but we would’ve liked to have had a better result.”

Notes:

● This was Mosack’s 11th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and his ninth of the season. It was his first start of 2023 with Joe Gibbs Racing.

● Mosack’s fourth-place qualifying effort was the best of his Xfinity Series career. He toured the 2.2-mile, 12-turn street course in 91.018 seconds at 87.016 mph.

● Mosack was the 10th-fastest driver in the lone practice session prior to The Loop 121. Mosack’s best lap in the session was 93.113 seconds at 85.058 mph.

● The Loop 121 marked the NASCAR debut for Porter Pipe & Supply. Based in Addison, Illinois, Porter Pipe & Supply is a third-generation, family-owned and operated wholesale supplier of commercial and industrial pipe, valves, fittings, plumbing supplies, HVAC and refrigeration equipment and mechanical products.

Next Up:

Mosack returns to the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli July 7-9, competing in the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series event at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. A pair of TA2 test sessions on Friday kicks off the weekend around the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit. TA2 practice takes place Saturday morning with qualifying set for later that afternoon. The 25-lap, 75-minute TA2 race is set for 12:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday with live streaming provided by the Trans Am Series and SpeedTourTV channels on YouTube, with a delayed re-broadcast on MAVTV set for 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 13. Mosack’s next Xfinity Series race comes with Sam Hunt Racing on Saturday, July 15 via the Ambetter Health 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. That race will be broadcast live at 3 p.m. EDT on USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

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