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Mitsubishi Motors to Unveil an All-New Compact SUV in Indonesia in August – Equipped with a New Automotive Sound System as a Collaboration with Yamaha

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Official Release
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TOKYO, May 31, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) will premiere an all-new compact SUV at the 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show to be held this August*.

The all-new compact SUV is the first of the new Mitsubishi SUVs to enter the ASEAN market, one of the company’s core business regions. Drawing on the heritage of the brand’s expertise in vehicle development, the all-new model features a stylish yet robust, authentic SUV styling, as well as practicality such as ease of handling and versatile storage spaces, and comfort including a spacious cabin. In addition, through repeated testing and tuning in the road environment of the ASEAN region, the all-new compact SUV provides peace of mind even when handling rough surfaces or roads flooded by heavy rains.

To make the safe, secure driving experience even more comfortable, the all-new compact SUV is equipped with the Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium, a newly developed sound system, for the first time. Mitsubishi Motors and Yamaha Corporation, a musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer, resonated with each other’s spirit of craftsmanship and decided to collaborate.

With a special tuning optimized for the acoustic characteristics of the cabin, the new sound system in the all-new compact SUV delivers a premium, immersive sound experience, making driving even more exciting, comfortable and enjoyable for everyone on board.

*August 10 is press day, and the show is open to the public from August 11 to 20.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) — a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan–, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification–launched the i-MiEV – the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV – the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013.

For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/

RFK Advance | Gateway

By
Official Release
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Gateway Event Info:
Track Info: World Wide Technology Raceway, 1.25-mile oval
Date: Sunday, June 4
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Madison, Illinois
Format: 240 laps, 300 miles, Stages: 45-95-100
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 10 a.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 10:45 a.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:30 p.m. ET, Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • The NASCAR Cup Series heads to WWTR for just the second time after the inaugural Cup Series event there a year ago.
  • Jack Roush has five wins at Gateway (4 Xfinity, 1 Truck), while Brad Keselowski is in line for a milestone start this weekend, and Chris Buescher makes his first-ever appearance at the 1.25-mile oval.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian

  • The No. 6 car will feature branding from Casey’s General Store this weekend as King’s Hawaiian and Casey’s promote the new BBQ Brisket Sandwich. Casey’s serves communities across 16 states in more than 2,400 store locations.
  • Crew chief Matt McCall, in his second year with RFK and Keselowski in 2023, will be atop the box for his 300th NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend. McCall has been full-time in the NCS since 2015 and has worked with Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch and now Keselowski in that span.

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fastenal

Keselowski at Gateway
Starts: 1
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Keselowski makes his second Cup start at Gateway after finishing 20th there a year ago in the Cup Series’ debut at the track.
  • The 2012 Cup Champion also makes his 500th start in the Cup Series on Sunday. He will join a list of 45 other drivers to have eclipsed the 500-start mark, and becomes the sixth active driver to reach the feat joining Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.
  • Keselowski made five Xfinity Series starts at Gateway from 2007-10 as he earned the last NXS win there in 2010. Overall he finished top-10 in three Xfinity races with three races in the No. 88, and the final two in the No. 22.
  • Keselowski also made three Truck starts at WWTR with a P2 finish in his last start in 2010.

Buescher at Gateway
Starts: —
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Buescher is in line for his first-ever start at WWTR this weekend in any series.
  • He missed last season’s inaugural Cup race at Gateway after being sidelined for COVID-19.
  • Zane Smith filled in the No. 17 and made his Cup debut, finishing 17th in the race.

RFK Historically at Gateway
Overall Wins: 5 (Greg Biffle, 1999, 2002; Carl Edwards, 2006, 2008, 2010)

  • Biffle One of the First to Win at Gateway: Greg Biffle established himself as a winner early in the days of NASCAR visiting Gateway, winning his second-ever truck race there in 1999. He led 30 laps in the No. 50 machine after starting fifth for one of his 17 truck wins all-time, and one of nine on that season.
  • Edwards 3x Winner in Illinois: Carl Edwards went to victory lane on three occasions at Gateway, all two years apart beginning in 2006. He led 26 laps in the 2006 race, then went on to lead 79 laps in 2008. He went on to win again in 2010 after starting eighth, capping off his trifecta at the 1.25-mile track.
  • Tale of the Tape: RFK has 49 starts at Gateway across the Xfinity and Truck Series, tallying five combined wins with 28 total top-10s. Four of those victories came in the Xfinity Series from 2002-2010, with the lone Truck win coming in 1999.

RFK Gateway Wins

1999 Biffle Trucks

2002 Biffle Xfinity

2006 Edwards Xfinity

2008 Edwards Xfinity

2010 Edwards Xfinity

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Charlotte: Chris Buescher won stage two and was in prime position for the finish before getting hit on pit road Sunday in the Coke 600. He ultimately came back from that to finish eighth for his sixth top-10 of 2023. Keselowski endured similar unfortunate luck on a couple of different occasions, ultimately finishing 19th after a promising start.

Points Standings (6: 9th, 17: 12th): Keselowski remains ninth in points entering the weekend in Illinois as positions 8-11 are separated by 23 points. Buescher jumped up a spot and is 12th with 20 points surrounding drivers 11-14.

By the Numbers at Gateway

Race      Win       T5           T10         Pole       Laps       Led        AvSt      AvFn     Miles

2              0              0              0              0              490         0              31.0        18.5        612.5
25           4              10           18           2              4845       276         8.6          9.4          6056.3
24           1              3              10           4              3660       83           9.4          16.0        4575
51           5              13           28           6              8995       359         11.5        14.2        11243.8

Stewart Friesen to make 150th Truck career start at Gateway

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In his sixth full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Stewart Friesen is primed to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at World Wide Technology Raceway, the driver of the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will be making his 150th start in the Truck circuit.

A native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Friesen, whose racing career started with go-karts before ascending to over 200 World of Outlaws sprint car victories and over 900 starts in dirt events, made his Truck Series debut at Eldora Speedway in July 2016. Driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado for Halmar Racing, Friesen started 12th but finished 28th in his debut after being involved in an early multi-truck wreck. He went on to compete in five additional Truck events for the remainder of the season, where his best on-track result occurred at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September after finishing 13th.

Entering the 2017 season, Friesen and his team, Halmar Friesen Racing, commenced the season with plans on competing in the Truck Series on a full-time basis. After finishing no higher than 19th during the first seven scheduled events, however, the driver and team did not compete for the following two events before returning to action at Kentucky Speedway in July. Then at Eldora, Friesen qualified on pole position and led a race-high 93 of 150 laps before finishing a career-best second behind two-time champion Matt Crafton. Remaining in competition for 10 of the final 12 Truck scheduled events, Friesen recorded four top-10 results before ending up in 14th place in the final standings.

Friesen commenced the 2018 season by finishing 27th at Daytona after being involved in a late multi-truck wreck. He rallied with a strong, consistent run for the remaining 15 regular-season events as he posted three runner-up results, seven top-five results and 11 top-10 results. The results were enough for him and the No. 52 team to qualify for the 2018 Truck Playoffs. Despite finishing no worse than 17th during the Round of 8, Friesen was eliminated from title contention. Nonetheless, he went on to finish no lower than 11th for the final four scheduled events as he capped off the 2018 campaign in seventh place in the final standings along with nine top-five results, a career-high 16 top-10 results, 188 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.1.

The 2019 season was a breakout year for Friesen, who started the season by finishing 10th at Daytona. Despite finishing 18th at Atlanta during the following scheduled event, he then posted three consecutive top-five results for the following three events before finishing 12th at Dover Motor Speedway. At Kansas Speedway in May, Friesen led a race-high 87 of 167 laps and was leading with two laps remaining before he ran out of fuel and ended up in 15th place. While continuing to pursue his first NASCAR win, he went on to finish in the top five five times during the following seven events. Then at Eldora in July, Friesen achieved his first NASCAR Truck career victory after leading 57 of 150 laps and capitalizing on a two-lap restart over rookie Sheldon Creed. To cap off the regular-season stretch with an eighth-place run at Michigan International Speedway in August, Friesen and the No. 52 team earned a one-way ticket to the Playoffs for a second consecutive season. At the start of the Playoffs, Friesen finished no lower than 19th during the Round of 8 as he transferred to the Round of 6. After finishing fifth and sixth at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway, respectively, in October, he then rallied from serving an opening lap penalty for jumping the start to fend off Brandon Jones and notch his second career win at Phoenix Raceway in November. The victory was one that punched his ticket to the Championship 4 round. During the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, however, Friesen finished 11th on the track and fourth in the final standings behind title rivals Crafton, Chastain and Brett Moffitt. Despite falling short of his first title, Friesen capped off the season with his first two career victories and career-high season stats in top fives (12), top-10s (16), laps led (256) and average-finishing result (8.5).

For the 2020 season, Friesen and Halmar Friesen Racing changed manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota while receiving technical support from Kyle Busch Motorsports. Compared to his previous two full-time seasons while piloting a Chevrolet and receiving support from GMS Racing, the 2020 campaign was a difficult one for Friesen, who posted nine top-10 results and finished no higher than fourth during the 16-race regular-season stretch as he did not qualify for the Playoffs. During the Playoff event at Kansas Speedway in October, Friesen skipped the event and competed in the Short Track Super Series at Port Royal Speedway, where he finished second. With three top-six finishes during the final seven Truck events, the Canadian concluded the season in 15th place in the final standings. In total, he only achieved three top-five finishes, 12 top-10 results, 31 laps led and an average-finishing result of 15.7.

The following season, Friesen returned to the Truck Playoffs despite recording three top-five results and four top-10 results during the regular-season stretch. At the start of the Playoffs, he transferred from the Round of 10 to 8 on the strength of three consecutive top-four results. With only a single top-10 result during the Round of 8, however, he did not transfer to the Championship 4 round. He managed to close the season with a runner-up result in the finale at Phoenix in November and in sixth place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in the Truck Series and racked up four additional top-five results compared to his previous season.

This past season, Friesen finished no lower than 16th during the first eight scheduled events. Then at Texas Motor Speedway in May, he overtook Christian Eckes during an overtime attempt to score his third Truck career victory and snap a 54-race winless drought. The Texas win along with a total of nine top-10 results during the regular-season stretch locked Friesen and the No. 52 HRE Toyota team into the Playoffs for the fourth time in their career. Despite posting three top-seven results throughout the Playoffs, including a strong third-place finish at Homestead in October, Friesen fell short of transferring to the Championship 4 round by a single point. With his title hopes of the season evaporated, he went on to finish fifth at Phoenix in November and cap off the season in sixth place in the final standings for a second consecutive time. Friesen also managed to cap off the season with a total of nine top-five finishes, 13 top-10 results, 130 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.9

Through 149 previous Truck starts, Friesen has achieved three victories, three poles, 45 top-five results, 74 top-10 results, 731 laps led and an average-finishing result of 12.9. He is currently ranked in 11th place in the driver’s standings while trailing the top-10 cutline to make the 2023 Truck Series Playoffs by a single point. He has also racked up three top-five finishes through the first 11 events on the schedule, with his best on-track finish being a second-place result at Darlington Raceway in May.

Friesen is scheduled to make his 150th Craftsman Truck Series career start at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, June 3, with the event’s coverage to occur at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Charlotte Motor Speedway, Nascar CocaCola 600

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. William Byron: Byron started from the pole at Charlotte and was strong throughout, but was one-upped by Ryan Blaney for the win and settled for the runner-up spot.

“Congratulations to Blaney,” Byron said. “He deserved this win, not only because he broke a long winless streak, but also because he clearly had the best car, as you can see by the fact that he led 163 laps. Ryan towered over the competition, just like Fox’s Jamie Little towers over any driver she interviews.”

2. Ryan Blaney: Blaney outdueled pole sitter William Byron late and pulled away to win the Coca-Cola 600, snapping a 59-race winless streak.

“What’s the best thing about ending a winless streak?” Blaney said. “Starting another one.”

3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished sixth at Charlotte, posting his seventh top 10 of the season.

“I spun on Lap 176 and dropped way down the order,” Busch said. “But I made my way back to the front. If you saw the aftermath of my spin, you could say I ‘reversed’ my fortunes.”

4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex came home third in the Coca-Cola 600.

“It was great to see Jimmie Johnson race in the 600 for his team, Legacy Motor Club,” Truex said. “Unfortunately, Jimmie finished dead last. This is a prime example of Jimmie destroying his legacy.”

5. Tyler Reddick: Reddick led 28 laps and finished fifth in the Coca-Cola 600.

“My 23XI Toyota sported the Air Jordan logo,” Reddick said, “and Carolina blue. We could have made it completely a Michael Jordan look had we added a golf club and an image of MJ paying his bookie.”

6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started second at Charlotte and fell back to last early, but took the lead early in Stage 3. But Harvick went high into Tyler Reddick on Lap 358 and spun, sending him back in the field. He finished 11th.

“My car featured the Hunt Brothers Pizza cam,” Harvick said. “Usually, when you hear ‘Hunt Brothers Pizza’ and ‘camera’ mentioned in the same sentence, it’s often a doctor discussing your colonoscopy.”

7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin crashed out of the Coca-Cola 600 on Lap 186 when it appeared Elliott retaliated for contact moments earlier that caused Elliott to brush the wall. Hamlin finished 35th.

“As I said after the incident,” Hamlin said, “Chase threw a ‘tantrum’ and wrecked me intentionally. He should be suspended. I’m sure he’ll profess his innocence, but, much like after his idiotic snowboarding accident, he won’t have a leg to stand on.”

8. Ross Chastain: Chastain finished 22nd at Charlotte.

“There was a shoving match,” Chastain said, “an incident with Denny Hamlin, and many other spins. None of that is unusual. What’s unusual was I wasn’t involved in any of it.”

9. Kyle Larson: Larson struggled early but came on strong midway through Stage 3 with a charge to the front. But Larson’s No. 5 Chevy got loose on a restart with 25 laps to go and suffered extensive damage. Larson’s day was done and he finished 30th.

“I’m planning on doing the Indianapolis 500-Coke 600 double next year,” Larson said. “I think I can do that in less time than it took to complete Stage 4 in Charlotte on Monday.”

10. Christopher Bell: Bell got loose and spun into the infield on Lap 236 but luckily suffered little damage. He wasn’t so lucky on a restart with 25 laps to go when he was collected in a pileup triggered by Kyle Larson’s spin. Bell finished 24th.

“The Coca-Cola 600 is a grueling, time-consuming, and energy-sapping race,” Bell said. “And that’s just for the fans.”

NASCAR issues one-race suspension for Elliott as part of penalty report from Charlotte

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR released its penalty report and a notable name was issued a major suspension following the recent on-track action at Charlotte Motor Speedway that spanned throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The first news to headline the penalty report is that Chase Elliott, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has been suspended from competing in next weekend’s Cup Series event at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

The news comes after Elliott was found to have intentionally wrecked veteran Denny Hamlin on Lap 185 of 400 during the Coca-Cola 600 that occurred this past Monday, May 29.

During the event, Hamlin and Elliott were battling inside the top 10 when Hamlin slipped up the track and crowded Elliott towards the frontstretch’s outside wall which resulted in Elliott making contact with the wall. Elliott quickly responded back by veering his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to the left and turning Hamlin head-on into the frontstretch’s SAFER Barriers at full speed that resulted in both competitors being wrecked out of the event. After the incident, Elliott cited the lack of control over his damaged car after scrubbing the wall that resulted in the contact with Hamlin.

“[Hamlin] ran us up in the fence,” Elliott said in the infield care center on FOX. “Once you hit the wall in these [cars], you can’t drive it anymore. An unfortunate circumstance.”

Hamlin, however, did not mince his words over the incident and called for Elliott to be suspended for the upcoming Cup event at Gateway for jeopardizing a driver’s safety amid a retaliatory act.

“I got right-rear hooked in the middle of the straightaway,” Hamlin said. “It’s a tantrum and he shouldn’t be racing next week. Right-rear hooks are absolutely unacceptable.”

Following the news of Elliott’s suspension for violating NASCAR’s Behavioral and Code of Conduct policy, Hendrick Motorsports released a statement, citing the team’s decision to not appeal the penalty and submit a formal request for a Playoff waiver for Elliott to remain in contention to make the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs. In addition, HMS announced that Corey LaJoie will be serving as an interim competitor for the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry for the upcoming event at Gateway. LaJoie currently competes as a full-time Cup Series competitor for Spire Motorsports. He is set to become the third different competitor to pilot HMS’ No. 9 entry alongside Josh Berry and Jordan Taylor.

With LaJoie joining HMS for a one-race deal, Carson Hocevar, a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor for Niece Motorsports, will make his inaugural presence in NASCAR’s premier series by piloting LaJoie No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry this upcoming weekend at Gateway.

Elliott’s suspension marks the first time NASCAR has suspended a competitor for a retaliatory act since Bubba Wallace was suspended from competing in the Cup Series Playoff event at Homestead-Miami Speedway last October for intentionally turning and sending Kyle Larson into the frontstretch’s outside wall during the previous event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The incident involving Wallace and Larson mirrored the on-track scuffle between Hamlin and Elliott, where Larson forced Wallace up the track as Wallace hit the frontstretch’s outside wall before Wallace quickly retaliated by veering left, clipping and sending Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry into the outside wall as both competitors were knocked out of the event.

Elliott’s suspension also means that he is set to miss his seventh event of the 2023 Cup Series season. He was absent for six consecutive events from early March to the first half of April after suffering a left leg fracture from a snowboarding accident in Colorado during the week of the Cup Series event at Las Vegas. In eight starts through the first 14-scheduled events, including the Coke 600, Elliott has secured two top-five results and four top-10 results, with his best on-track finish being a runner-up result at Auto Club Speedway in February. With an average-finishing result of 14.6, however, he is currently situated in 29th place in the driver’s standings with 215 points and trails the top-16 cutline to make the Playoffs by 81 points. Elliott has until the series’ return to Daytona International Speedway on August 26, which marks the conclusion of the regular-season stretch, to win or point his way into the Playoffs, which will commence at Darlington Raceway on September 3.

In other penalty news highlighting the Cup Series, the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang team piloted by Michael McDowell has been penalized for the loss of a wheel or a wheel that was improperly installed on a racing vehicle when a right-front wheel rolled off of McDowell’s entry on the track’s backstretch with 57 laps remaining. As a result, front-tire changer Scott Brzozowski and jackman Adam Lewis have been suspended from NASCAR competition for the following two Cup Series events.

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Jeff Meendering, crew chief for rookie Sammy Smith and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra team, has been fined $5,000 due to a lug nut infraction, where one lug nut was found to have not been properly secured on Smith’s entry following Monday night’s action. In addition, the No. 74 CHK Racing team piloted by Dawson Cram at Charlotte has been docked 10 driver/owner points for violations involving the air duct, outlet hose and quarter window of Cram’s entry that did not meet NASCAR standards.

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Derek Hartnagel, truck chief for rookie Daniel Dye and the No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST team, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sport’s substance abuse policy.

With this past extended weekend’s events at Charlotte Motor Speedway complete, the Cup and Craftsman Truck Series embark to World Wide Technology Raceway for their next scheduled event while the Xfinity Series travels west to compete for the second-ever time at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon. The Truck Series’ event at Gateway, which is also set to serve as the second of three Triple Truck Challenge events, will occur this Saturday, June 3, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Xfinity Series event at Portland will follow suit at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The Cup Series action at Gateway will conclude the weekend and occur on Sunday, June 4, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Jack Wood – No. 51 Logitech Silverado Craftsman Trucks WWTR Preview

By
Official Release
-

Jack Wood: Driver, No. 51 Logitech Chevrolet

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 200, Race 12 of 23, 160 Laps – 35/35/90; 200 Miles
Location: World Wide Technology Raceway (1.25-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 3, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his fifth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 Logitech Chevrolet in Saturday’s 200-mile race at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR). Wood has finished inside the top 10 in two of his four Truck Series starts this season, including recording a career-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Wood has an average finish of 14.5 across his two prior Truck Series starts at WWTR, with a best result of 10th coming in the 2021 event at the 1.25-mile oval.

Wood, who will make a total of 13 Truck Series starts this season, will be behind the wheel of the No. 51 Silverado for the next three events on the schedule including Saturday. Saturday’s race is the second event of the 2023 Triple Truck Challenge in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For the races at Charlotte, World Wide Technology Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway only points earning drivers in the Truck Series are eligible to participate in those events, with each event having extra money on the line. If a driver wins one of the three races they will earn a $50,000 bonus, if they win two of the three races, they will earn a $150,000 bonus and if Charlotte winner Ben Rhodes is able to win all three races, he will earn a $500,000 bonus. In its four year history, no driver has won all three races. Wood finished 18th in the Charlotte race last week.

Logitech G will be the primary sponsor on Wood’s No. 51 this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, is a global leader dedicated to serving the needs of Gamers and Creators with award-winning hardware, software, and solutions. Logitech G’s industry-leading products include keyboards, mice, headsets, mousepads, simulation products such as wheels and flight sticks, webcams, lights and microphones, and specialized furniture solutions; all made possible through innovative design, advanced technologies and a deep passion for gaming and creator communities.

In addition to his part-time schedule for KBM in the Truck Series this season, Wood is running a limited schedule in the ARCA Menards 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 starts with Rev Racing this season. He currently ranks third in the ARCA Menards Series point standings, 22 points behind Jesse Love. Wood is not scheduled to race in the series’ next event June 17 at Berlin Raceway but will be racing the ARCA Menards Series West event at Sonoma Raceway June 9. Wood has also been running a limited schedule in the TA2 Series, where he captured the pole and brought home the victory at Sonoma in late April.

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 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Saturday will be Pattie’s first time atop the pit box for a Truck Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. He was victorious with Reed Sorenson in the 2005 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race at Gateway and earned finishes of seventh or better in all five races he crew chiefed in the NXS at the Missouri track.

The No. 51 team currently ranks second in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings. With five races remaining in the regular season, they trail the No. 11 team by 22 points. Over the first 11 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 8.5. After Wood finishes his four-race stretch, Kyle Busch will return to the No. 51 Zariz Transport Silverado at Pocono Raceway.

Corey Heim put the No. 51 in victory lane in last year’s race at WWTR. It was KBM’s third victory across 10 races that have been held at the Missouri track since the organization originated in 2010. Bubba Wallace was victorious in 2014 and Christopher Bell brought home the trophy in 2016.

Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

This will be your first Truck Series race at a track less than 1.5 miles this year. Are you looking forward to it?
“The 51 team had a lot of speed at Gateway last year and I think our sim time leading up to this week went really well, so I feel like it will be a good race for us. We just have to put together a whole race. We have had great qualifying speed and race speed in the trucks, our pit crew has done a really great job all year, but I just have to do a little better job of putting the races together.”

What does it take to be successful at World Wide Technology Raceway?
“I think you have to be ok with your truck being a little bit on the edge. I think track position is a huge thing there because it is really tough to make up ground once you lose it. Qualifying is going to be important, and the restarts are going to be especially important this week. You have to take care of your truck because you are going to be using up the transmission and using up the brakes. The biggest thing is that you have to stay mentally focused all day and do your job — especially with how hot it is going to be Saturday. I work hard to be in shape and hopefully with it being a little hotter this weekend that will come into play a little bit.”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

  • Has produced three top-10 finishes across 39 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 two top-five and seven top-10 finishes across 11 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 Logitech Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-66: The No. 51 Logitech team will unload KBM-66 for Saturday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Wood has earned a pair of top-10 finishes in two starts with this Silverado this year, earning a career-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway and a 10th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This chassis has been victorious twice in its career, both at Atlanta, winning with Corey Heim last year and with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch in 2021.

Click Here for KBM-66 Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected three wins, one pole, 482 laps led, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.7 across 29 starts at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Corey Heim picked up the victory in last year’s event while Christopher Bell was victorious at the 1.25-mile track in 2016 and Bubba Wallace brought home the trophy in 2014.
  • 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 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Carson Hocevar to Wheel Spire Motorsports No. 7 Schluter®-Systems Chevy at WWT Raceway

By
Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (May 30, 2023) – Carson Hocevar will pilot Spire Motorsports No. 7 Schluter®-Systems Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Hendrick Motorsports announced earlier today Corey LaJoie will fill in for Chase Elliott this weekend behind the wheel of Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet.

“We’re always happy to help our friends at Hendrick Motorsports and couldn’t be prouder to see Corey LaJoie get the opportunity of a lifetime to race a Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolet,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “When we were approached by HMS, it was really an easy answer. Our entire organization and the whole team at Schluter Systems are on board and thrilled to see Corey realize an incredible opportunity. At the same time, we’re eager to see Carson Hocevar get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Schluter Systems Chevy Camaro. Carson has proven to be more than capable and he’s done a great job in our No. 77 Premier Security Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. This is a win for everyone involved.”

The Enjoy Illinois 300 from World Wide Technology Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, June 4 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 15th of 36 races on the 2023 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Schluter®-Systems
Schluter Systems provides innovative, easy-to-use installation systems to support the durability, integrity and design of tile installations. With over 8,000 products within its growing portfolio, Schluter Systems is continuously improving the landscape of the tile industry. Educational workshops and intuitive approach to product design champions Schluter’s position as an industry leader in quality and service. Schluter Systems services North America with multiple Training, Distribution and Manufacturing facilities in Plattsburgh, NY, Montreal, QC, Reno, NV, and now, Fort Worth, TX. For more information, visit www.schluter.com.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a full-time, two-car NASCAR Cup Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2023, Spire Motorsports will field the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for driver Corey LaJoie and No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Ty Dillon. The team also fields NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway.

Serial1.com Premium E-Bikes Adds Race with Todd Gilliland

By
Barry Albert
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THE First E-Bike Brand to Join NASCAR as a Partner with No. 38 Team This Weekend

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 30, 2023) – Front Row Motorsports (FRM) and Serial 1 premium E-Bikes are proud to announce the extension of their partnership in the NASCAR Cup Series. The USA-based E-Bike company is back on the No. 38 Ford Mustang in support of the sophomore driver, Todd Gilliland. After success at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May, Serial1.com has quickly stepped back up to support Gilliland and the team this weekend at the World Wide Technology (WWT) Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

“After our successful debut at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway during NASCAR Throwback Weekend, we are proud to continue our NASCAR Cup Series program with Front Row Motorsports and Todd Gilliland thanks to the opportunity once again from Carl Ruedebusch,” said Dion Reif, Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Serial 1. “We are hoping to ride the momentum built and continue to bring the thrill, excitement and FUN of Serial 1 premium E-Bikes to the millions of loyal NASCAR fans.”

Serial 1 premium E-Bikes is inspired by the entrepreneurial vision of Harley-Davidson founders- and the revolutionary impact of their first motorcycle, affectionately referred to as “Serial Number One”.

The decision to create the independent Serial 1 brand in 2020 represents the best of two worlds—an innovative arrangement that combines Harley-Davidson’s leadership in two-wheel electric propulsion with the agility and autonomy of a new brand dedicated exclusively to the E-Bike product and customer.

“It is cool that Serial1.com E-Bikes wants to come back and is excited to partner with us again,” said Gilliland. “They have a lot of cool, fun, and amazing E-bikes, I finally got mine this week and now I am excited for everyone to try one. I know I can help get the word out by getting a good finish.”

Gilliland finished 22nd in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at WWT Raceway last season. In NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition, Gilliland has five starts and two second-place finishes at the track. He knows he can have a great race on Sunday.

“I think I can do that because I love WWT Raceway,” continued Gilliland. “I have always run well there and now have that Cup experience. We are all pumped up to get a top-10 finish.”

The new-look Serial1.com premium E-Bikes Ford Mustang and Gilliland will race Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

About Serial 1

Serial1.com offers premium E-Bikes that are guided by intelligent, human-centered design and crafted using the most advanced bicycle technology available, to create the easiest and most intuitive way to experience the fun, freedom, and instant adventure of riding a pedal-assist electric bicycle. Serial 1 is currently under contract to merge with an affiliate of Life Electric Vehicles, Inc. (Life EV), bringing E-Bike manufacturing to the USA.

About Life EV

Life EV is a USA-based corporation, involved in the design, manufacturing and commercialization of electric vehicles, with a current emphasis on electric bicycles. Life EV manufactures its products utilizing free-trade zone processes in Broward County, Florida with a United States Certificate of Origin. Life EV through its affiliates, including Life Electric Vehicles Holdings, Inc. (OTCPK:LFEV), was established to support and grow the E-Bike industry, bringing manufacturing jobs back to the USA.

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_frmand Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS STATEMENT

By
Official Release
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We understand NASCAR’s need to maintain consistency in its officiating. The penalty will not be appealed, and we will submit a formal request for a playoff waiver.

Corey LaJoie, 31, will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. We are grateful to Corey for stepping in and to the team at Spire Motorsports for making him available.

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

By
Official Release
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Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 200, Race 12 of 23, 160 Laps – 35/35/90; 200 Miles
Location: World Wide Technology Raceway (1.25-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 3, 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 World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) for Saturday’s 200-mile race. Despite being only 11 races into the 2023 season, Purdy enters Saturday’s race having already produced a career-high five top-10 finishes. With five races remaining in the regular season, he sits 13th in the driver point standings, 36 points below the cutoff line for being one of the 10 drivers to make the Truck Series playoffs. He will be looking to cut into that deficit this weekend at WWTR, a track where he has finished inside the top 10 in both of his starts there. The 23-year-old driver finished sixth in the 2021 event at the 1.25-mile track and 10th in last year’s race.

Saturday’s race will be the second race of the 2023 Triple Truck Challenge in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For the races at Charlotte, World Wide Technology Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway only points earning drivers in the Truck Series are eligible to participate in those events, with each race having extra money on the line. If a driver wins one of the three races they will earn a $50,000 bonus and if they win two of the three races, they will earn a $150,000. If Charlotte winner Ben Rhodes can go on to win all three races, he will earn a $500,000 bonus. In its four year history, no driver has won all three races. Purdy finished 16th in last week’s race at Charlotte.

Purdy will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway 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 dominant victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year leaving his organization one win 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: William Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Three of KBM’s wins have come at WWTR. Corey Heim won last year, while Bell was victorious in 2016 and Bubba Wallace brought home the trophy in 2014.

The Mississippi native is in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and first with KBM. He enters Saturday’s race having totaled one top-five, 10 top-10 finishes, and 20 laps led across his 63 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. Prior to joining KBM the New Hampshire native served as a truck chief at Athenian Motorsports in 2015 when the team won with John Wes Townley at Las Vegas. He was promoted to crew chief five races into the 2016 season. Villeneuve has guided one Truck Series start at Gateway, a 23rd-place finish with John Wes Townley 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:

Do you enjoy racing at World Wide Technology Raceway?
“Gateway is a track that I’ve had success at and run well at, so I’m excited to go back there. I don’t know what it is about that track — I just really like the feel of it and how you have to race it from a driver’s standpoint. It’s a really neat race track with having two different corners and both ends of the race track being completely opposite. I like to think Turns 1 and 2 race like a short track and we are shifting down there, then Turns 3 and 4 race like a traditional mile race track, like a Loudon. Aero is really important and makes it hard to pass. You need to qualify well and do everything you can to keep your track position. I’m excited to go there in a KBM truck and see what we can do.”

Is it important to end this five-week stretch of races with a strong run headed into two weeks off?
“We are coming to the end of a five-week stretch where there have been some bumps in the road, but it is crucial to end on a high note. You want to have some momentum going into a couple weeks off and then be ready to make a push to get into the playoffs in the final four weeks of the regular season. We just need to execute and have a good day on Saturday.”

How do you prepare for the heat that you’ll experience this weekend?
“It’s going to be 95 degrees and hot on Saturday. This place is notorious for that, during the summer it feels like it’s one of the hottest places on Earth. You need to hydrate during the week, work out and eat healthy. We do a lot of cardio and some heat training as well. Nothing that we are not used to, but it’s definitely going to be more demanding from a physical standpoint inside the truck.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

  • Across 63 career Truck Series starts, has produced 20 laps led, one top-five and 10 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-60: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-60 for Saturday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway. KBM-60 will be making its first start in 2023. It was last driven by John Hunter Nemechek to a 10th-place finish at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park last July. This chassis has recorded two career wins. Kyle Busch won with KBM-60 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2020 and Brandon Jones won with it at Pocono Raceway in 2020.

KBM-60 Performance Profile:
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected three wins, one pole, 482 laps led, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.7 across 29 starts at World Wide Technology Raceway. Corey Heim picked up the victory in last year’s event while Christopher Bell was victorious at the 1.25-mile track in 2016 and Bubba Wallace brought home the trophy in 2014.
  • 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.
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