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Interstate Batteries Honors United States Military with Special Partnership and Paint Scheme During Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend

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Semper Fi & America’s Fund Will Be Featured on the Hood of Christopher Bell”s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry TRD

DALLAS, Texas (May 22, 2023) – Interstate Batteries announced today plans to run a special military-themed paint scheme on the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry TRD that Christopher Bell will race during the annual Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race May 28 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Dallas-based Interstate Batteries announced a charitable partnership with Semper Fi & America’s Fund earlier this month and will feature the organization as part of the paint scheme.

“The NASCAR community has always been so supportive of our military and honoring our military is an important part of the Coca-Cola 600 each Memorial Day weekend,” Bell said. “It’s an honor to be a part of that celebration with Interstate Batteries. We are racers and we always want to win, but a victory in the Coke 600 would definitely mean a lot more if it helps to spread the word about the Semper Fi & America’s Fund program and the work they do to help veterans, service members, and military families.”

Semper Fi & America’s Fund (The Fund) is a nonprofit organization that provides critical support to wounded, critically ill and injured veterans, service members and their families. Interstate Batteries – a leading provider of automotive batteries and related products – is raising awareness of and providing financial support for The Fund’s transportation program, which supports injured veterans with stipends for vehicles repairs, adaptive vehicle purchases and vehicle modifications.

“At Interstate Batteries, our values include love and a servant’s heart,” said Lain Hancock, president and CEO of Interstate Batteries. “We are honored to partner with Semper Fi & America’s Fund to provide critical transportation assistance to wounded veterans and their families, and to raise awareness of the important work the organization does.”

“We are grateful for Interstate Batteries’ commitment to help us provide lifetime support to our service members, veterans and military families,” said Karen Guenther, founder, president and CEO of Semper Fi & America’s Fund. “Transportation is an often-overlooked but essential part of achieving a high quality of independence for combat-wounded, injured or ill service members and veterans.”

The average cost to replace an adaptive vehicle ranges from $20,000 to $80,000. With the average lifespan of a vehicle at 12 years, this can have a significant financial burden on veterans. In 2022, The Fund provided $4 million in adaptive vehicle grants for service members and veterans.

In addition to providing financial support, The Fund provides hope, healing and quality of life solutions, working alongside service members and veterans to help them attain and sustain their fullest level of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health as they return to their communities.

“Being able to relearn how to drive wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance from The Fund,” said Army veteran Jeremy Haynes. “That independence empowered me to be able to take my son to his first Little League practice. When we got there, I was so moved with emotions. No one has to drive me. I don’t have to ask someone.”

Interstate Batteries launched a crowdfunding campaign and hopes to help drive awareness for the ongoing needs of military families. Augmenting those efforts is the plan to feature a military-themed paint scheme during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Additionally, Interstate Batteries will host a small group of representatives from The Fund in Charlotte during the race weekend, including veterans who have benefitted from The Fund’s programs.

For more information about Semper Fi & America’s Fund and the transportation program, visit TheFund.org.

About Semper Fi & America’s Fund

Semper Fi & America’s Fund cares for our nation’s critically wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and military families. It was started in 2003 by military spouses who immediately jumped in to provide bedside support to wounded and injured service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, it has provided $300 million in support to more than 30,000 service members. With 18 years of serving military families, it is considered one of the nation’s most trusted charities and one of only three veteran nonprofits to receive an A+ rating from Charity Watch. Supporting all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, Semper Fi & America’s Fund provides one-on-one case management, connection and lifetime support. Today. Tomorrow. Together.

About Interstate Batteries

For more than 70 years, Interstate Batteries® has powered people down roads, trails and waterways and business to succeed. Best known for its starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries, this product has been under car hoods since 1952, each one backed by the company’s service, quality and value. Interstate All Battery Center® provides portable power in both retail and commercial markets. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Interstate Batteries is an industry leader in recycling efforts, as well as a global leader in safe lead handling practices. Guided by a set of common values, the company’s purpose is to glorify God and enrich lives while delivering the most trustworthy source of power to the world. For more information, visit www.interstatebatteries.com.

SOLID SHOWING FOR KENNINGTON AND CASTROL EDGE DOGE

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Photo Credit: Matthew Manor

May 22, 2022. It’s always special when driver DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team arrive at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) for the Castrol Victoria Day Speedfest to officially kick-off the summer racing season. The great crowds always on hand were ready to cheer on the team during round two of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series this past weekend.

Scheduled practice and qualifying sessions were cancelled due to weather conditions on Saturday, so the starting grid was set according to the NASCAR rulebook which put Kennington’s #17 Castrol Edge Dodge on the inside of row two for the 51-lap feature event Sunday.

With only a quick 15-minute shakedown session Sunday morning prior to the race, the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team were anxious to see the performance in the car in race conditions. Kennington maintained the pace of the lead group until their first planned pit stop for fuel. Strategy would play a critical role the rest of the way.

As the race played out the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team considered making additional stops for fresh tires, but it never seemed like the right call based on race circumstances. Kennington would run the entire race on his original set of tires and coming out on top with some hard-fought battles score an eighth-place finish.

DJ Kennington Quotes:
“A big thank you to all the fans that came out to this great event Castrol puts on with CTMP every year. We went back and forth on the strategy during the race. If we came for tires, we’d give up track position and would we have time to get back up front. We decided to stay out, the car was great, hats off to the guys for their hard work preparing the Castrol Dodge. We would have liked to finish higher, but we had another solid race here and our road course program has improved from a year ago. Now we’re headed to Chaudière where we finished second last year, we want that top spot this year.”.

Next up:
DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team head to the Autodrome Chaudière in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec on Saturday June 10th for the next Pinty’s Series race.

TV & Live Streaming
The eBay Motors 200 will be broadcast on TSN May 27, at 4:00 p.m. ET and on RSD2 on Saturday, June 17, at 2 p.m. ET. All races are streamed live on TSN+ and through FloRacing in the United States.

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/@djkracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/djkracing
Website www.djkracing.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DJKenningtonRacing/

WIGHT MOTORSPORTS READY FOR ACTION AT CTMP

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Photo Credit: Matthew Manor

(May 19, 2023) Wight Motorsports Inc (WMI) race teams return to action this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Clarington, Ontario for round number two of the 2023 NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Sunday afternoon Andrew Ranger in his #27 and Glenn Styres in his #0 car will take the green flag just after 1PM for 51-laps of racing action.

The WMI team is ready to bounce back after some tough luck dealt to them in the season opener. Expectations are high with Andrew Ranger who is a three-time winner on the challenging road circuit. Glenn Styres has also made significant strides after only one year of full-time Pinty’s Series competition.
Andrew Ranger will be racing a brand new #27 GM Paillé Chevrolet this weekend. The WMI team has been meticulous in the preparations for the #27 and Styres #0 GSR/Ohsweken Speedway Chevrolet in the days leading up to this weekend’s competition to ensure everything is 100% ready to go.

Weekend Race Event Preview
Saturday May 21st Green Flag 1PM
eBay Motors 200
Race two of 14 in 2023
This is the 25th NASCAR Pinty’s Series race at CTMP

The Track:
2.459-mile, ten turn road course (51-laps)

Best finish: Ranger 1st in 2007, 2009, 2016, Styres 17th in 2022

Quotes:
“A lot of the preparation work for this weekend at CTMP was already completed before the first series race last weekend. This week the focus was on fine tuning to make sure we’re on our game from the start of practice on Saturday. We want to be dialed in right away and let Andrew do his thing, he’ll be up near the front for sure. And I can’t say enough about the progress Glenn is making too, he’s really focused on improving his skills every time he’s in the car”.
-David Wight, WMI Principal

TV & Live Streaming
All races will be streamed live on TSN+ and through FloRacing in the United States. The eBay Motors 200 will also air on TSN Sunday on RDS2 date TBD.

The 2023 NASCAR Pinty’s Series will consist of 14 total races in five provinces on a mixture of oval tracks along with road and street courses.

Race fans can get the latest information regarding WMI and the drivers on these social media channels:

Wight Motorsports Inc Twitter @Wightmotorsport Instagram @wightmotorsport

Andrew Ranger: Twitter @AndrewRanger51 Instagram @andrew_ranger27

Glenn Styres: Twitter @GlennStyres Instagram @glennstyres

Flexcar Sponsors NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Ryan Ellis and No.43 Chevy Camaro at Charlotte

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Ellis to race in Flexcar-sponsored car at Charlotte Uniforms 300 in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 22, 2023 — Flexcar, the smart alternative to car ownership, today announced that it is sponsoring race car driver Ryan Ellis in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event, Alsco Uniforms 300. The race will be held on Saturday, May 27, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Ellis is a third-generation race car driver from Northern Virginia. He has raced since the age of four, when he began racing quarter midgets. He’s won national championships and races in major series’ such as Grand-Am/IMSA, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, and many more. Since 2012, Ellis has competed in the top levels of NASCAR and he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2015.

“For my whole life I’ve been passionate about innovations in the car industry, and I was fascinated to learn about Flexcar’s approach to letting people get all the benefits of having a car, without all the work that comes with owning or taking care of a car,” said Ellis. “I look forward to seeing Flexcar continue to grow in Charlotte, and am honored to represent them at this year’s Alsco Uniforms 300.”

With Flexcar, Charlotte-area residents can choose their car on the Flexcar website or mobile app, specify where they’d like to pick up the car, and drive the car for as long as they’d like. The entire process is 100% self-service through the Flexcar app. Flexcar offers all-inclusive monthly pricing, which includes miles, insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, title, inspection, the ability to swap cars, and more.

“When you go to a NASCAR race, you’ll see that the driver gets to focus on driving, while an extraordinarily talented pit crew team takes care of the rest,” said Corey Lewis, CMO at Flexcar. “At Flexcar, we hope to be that ‘pit crew’ — taking care of the many hassles associated with maintaining a car, and allowing our customers to simply enjoy driving.”

Since Flexcar launched in 2021, customers have driven more than 70 million miles in Flexcars. Flexcar opened an office in Charlotte in 2022, and currently employs more than 10 people in Charlotte. Additionally, Flexcar has a presence in Atlanta, Boston, and Nashville.

ABOUT ALPHA PRIME RACING:

Alpha Prime Racing is a NASCAR Xfinity Series team co-owned by NASCAR driver Tommy Joe Martins and Alpha Prime Sports Founder and CEO Caesar Bacarella. The team was initially founded in 2009 under the name Martins Racing and has since grown into a three-car Chevrolet team, adding the No. 43 Chevrolet in 2023, primarily piloted by Ryan Ellis.

Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 Team Charlotte Motor Speedway Competition Notes

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TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Zane Smith hops back in the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 this Friday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

It will be a one-day event for the team. The Speedco Ford F-150 will make its first laps during practice at 1:35 p.m. with qualifying following. The 200-mile race is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. that evening on FS1.

COMPETITION NOTES:

After finishing 32nd at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, Smith and the Speedco F-150 reunite to take on 134 laps at CMS. Smith finished fifth in last year’s event. This year, Smith and the No. 38 team already have a win in the Speedco colors after holding off Kyle Busch at the Circuit of the Americas.

CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON:

“We hope to have a fast Speedco Ford this weekend. We are working day and night getting this F-150 ready for Charlotte. We are in the middle of this five-week stretch of races and you cannot let off the gas.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

“I am looking forward to Friday. I really like Charlotte. I also like having Speedco on the side of our No. 38. We have a lot of success with them.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Wright Motorsports Dominates at Circuit of the Americas

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AUSTIN, Tex., (May 22, 2023) – The Wright Motorsports Porsches dominated the race weekend at Circuit of the Americas, sweeping both GT World Challenge America powered by AWS victories, and earning an additional three podium finishes at the Austin, Texas- area track. Drivers Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer won the two headlining races of the weekend, followed by second and third-place finishes by Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen in the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“It was an excellent weekend for our championship efforts,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We expanded our points lead in the GT World Challenge team championship, and we continued to have a strong performance in the GT America championship as well. Consistency is what wins championships, and we’re well on the way there, thanks to all the hard work from everyone at Wright Motorsports.”

GT America Race One

Rain from the previous night made the track damp for qualifying on Saturday morning, resulting in a tire gamble for Adam Adelson and the team of the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R as they set the starting position for race one. After starting on rain tires and then switching to racing slicks, they set a grid position of seventh place for the afternoon. He maintained position until about ten minutes into the race, when contact between other cars occurred in front of him, and he suffered an unfortunate spin. Able to safely rejoin, Adelson salvaged a seventh-place finish, and was able to set a fast lap to start the following day’s race from second position.

GT America Race Two

Adelson took the start for race two alongside polesitter George Kurtz, but in the opening minutes made the pass and took the lead. A tight battle with the No. 14 of James Sofronas for the lead position ensued, and the pair was joined by Kurtz and Anthony Bartone to create a train of GT3 cars, all vying for position. Sofronas and Kurtz made contact and stopped in turn eight, while Bartone and Adelson held first and second under full course caution. Bartone spun on the final turn as the field charged down the front straight to the green flag, temporarily blocking Adelson as the field drove by. He was able to rejoin in seventh, with all podium hopes seemingly dashed. Not to be deterred, the No. 120 Porsche managed to conduct an impressive late-race charge from seventh in class to third place, then up to second after the race-winner received a penalty. His second-place finish marks his third podium finish in six races, getting one step closer to contending for the championship points lead.

GTWCA Race One

After a strong qualifying session, Adelson and the No. 120 Porsche sat poised to start the 90-minute race from third place, and Charlie Luck started his stint from sixth in the Pro/Am class. Luck gained a position on the start, as Adelson stepped back a spot, and the pair rounded out the top five in class in the opening laps. Luck showed a large amount of grit in his stint, holding off intense pressure from an eager Samantha Tan in a BMW, a car that showed a strong advantage on the Austin circuit. After a ten-minute battle, she eventually gained the position, as Adelson worked his way up to third behind George Kurtz and Pedro Torres. After applying heavy pressure on Torres, Adelson’s intense focus forced his competitor into making a mistake and he took second place. At the halfway point, Kurtz enjoyed a several-second lead on the field, but a full course caution at the halfway point completely erased his gap. The race went back to green after a slight delay, and the entire field pitted for the mandatory driver change. Elliott Skeer took over from Adelson and exited pit lane in fourth overall, and Jan Heylen resumed the driving duties for Charlie Luck, joining three cars behind.

From there, the final half of the race was non-stop action as the professionally ranked drivers stepped in to finish the final 40 minutes of racing. It began with the top five cars racing side by side and nose to tail in a small group, each fighting for the top position. They went three wide into turn one, a battle that removed Colin Braun from contention in turn one. Skeer slid into second place, applying non-stop pressure on the leading Porsche of Trenton Estep. He took the lead in turn one with 35 minutes to go, and charged forward to the checkered flag, earning yet another win for him and co-driver Adam Adelson.

Meanwhile, Heylen stayed close during the intense fighting up ahead, engaged in his own battle for the final podium position with the Mercedes of Corey Lewis. After completing the pass, he continued his run, taking second place from Spencer Pumpelly with ten laps to go. The pairing of the No. 45 Porsche finished in second place behind their teammates, closing out a successful day for Wright Motorsports in the championship.

GTWCA Race Two

Riding high on the momentum from the previous day’s win, both groups of crew behind the Wright Motorsports Porsche were amped up and ready to go on Sunday for race two. Skeer started the No. 120 Porsche from fourth place, and Heylen in the No. 45 just one row behind in sixth. With rain looming on the weather radar, the team knew every lap counted, and they would need to make the most of their time in clear conditions. Skeer made it up to third in the first lap, holding off heavy pressure from Daniel Morad in a Mercedes while Heylen faced a battle with Corey Lewis and his Mercedes while running eighth. The pair kept at it, and after the two leading cars began to face attrition, Skeer took the overall lead. He stayed out front for the entirety of his stint, and Adelson continued the run from the lead after taking over at the halfway point. Heylen continued his charge forward, picking off the competitors one by one.

After the pit stops and driver changes, Charlie Luck immediately started his stint with an exciting battle with Samantha Tan for third in class, while Adelson joined the race from second in class. He quickly took the lead back from the No. 9 Mercedes, and coasted to the checkered flag, earning another victory. Meanwhile, Luck continued his intense run with Tan, putting on one of the best shows the series had seen all year. In the end, he and Heylen kept their position, earning a third-place result, just behind their race-winning teammates.

Both the GT World Challenge America and GT America championships will resume next month VIRginia International Raceway June 16-18, officially marking the halfway point of the title fights. For additional information, visit wrightmotorsports.com.

DRIVER QUOTES

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

This weekend was one of consistency for us. With a second-place finish and a third-place finish, it was a good points race weekend. We learned a lot. I know I did, with my driving and my race craft. Jan did a bunch of work with me, which was super helpful. He also did his typical heroic job of making up ground for us, especially in race one. We’re coming. I feel it.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

It was a good result after NOLA. We needed a good points weekend. I’m happy with how we came back and overall proud of the job the entire team did. It was a really good race. It’s hard to match the straight-line speed of some of the other cars, but our whole effort is what brought us to the front.

Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

This weekend was an absolutely incredible effort by the whole Wright team. Elliott has been incredible in coaching me and helping me stay confident and continuing to push regardless of whatever we face. Race two was a pretty straightforward race, pretty I’m super proud of the whole team and Elliott, and its extra special to have my family with me today.

Elliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

What a weekend. I can’t be prouder of my family here at Wright. I had a wonderful race car all week. The crew did an amazing job giving us what we needed, and the set up was exactly what we needed. I just did my part, Adam did his, and at the end of the day, we accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

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

Buescher Wins Heat Race, Finishes 16th in All-Star Race

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Pit Crew Turns in Third-Quickest Time in Friday Pit Crew Challenge

WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 22, 2023) – Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Fastenal team rode a wave of momentum into Sunday’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. In Friday’s pit crew challenge, the 17 team turned in the third-quickest pit stop of any team in the field, which earned Buescher a pole position in his heat race on Saturday, where he led every lap and won the 60-lap qualifying race.

This weekend’s action at the historic short track was the first return since 1996, as Buescher and team were one of a handful of teams to test there in recent weeks, bringing even more familiarity to the revamped facility.

Friday kicked off on-track action with a full practice session as both RFK cars finished inside the top five on speed, with the pit crew challenge returning for Friday night. Of all the teams in the field (Open and All-Star), the Fastenal team performed third-best, which gave Buescher a P1 starting position in heat race No. 2 on Saturday.

Buescher dominated the heat, leading all 60 laps to cement his starting spot of 2nd for Sunday night’s All-Star Race.

Unfortunately, to start, Buescher was caught on the high side on the initial start and fell from his P2 starting position. He recovered, though, working back up to inside the top five in the final 100 laps. Surprisingly, no caution flew in that span, a strategy that wouldn’t pan out for the Fastenal Ford, which fell off to ultimately finish 16th.

Racing returns to Charlotte this weekend as the Coca-Cola 600 is set for Sunday night. Race coverage kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Keselowski Finishes 19th in All-Star Race

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NEXLIZET Ford Strong to Start Weekend before Uneventful Sunday Night Race

WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 22, 2023) – In NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway, Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 team showed promise in Saturday’s heat races before going on to finish 19th Sunday night in the 200-lap All-Star Race.

The return to the historic venue for the first time since 1996 brought an action-packed weekend, with a pit crew challenge on Friday, heat races Saturday night, and then Sunday night’s marquee event.

The No. 6 pit crew looked strong and turned in the second-fastest pit stop of the competition Friday, but a loose wheel penalty meant Keselowski would begin his heat race from the tail end of the field. He fired off eighth for the second heat in damp conditions that saw just one yellow flag.

After restarting ninth at lap 33, Keselowski flipped a switch and began a hard charge forward, driving to fourth by race end, which put him eighth on the grid for Sunday night’s star-studded event.

Sunday night saw just one caution flag fly outside of the scheduled break at lap 100. Keselowski was 21st at the time of that break, but the race ran caution-free from there with the No. 6 crossing the stripe 19th.

Racing returns to Charlotte this weekend as the Coca-Cola 600 is set for Sunday night. Race coverage is set for 6 p.m. ET on FOX, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio.

Kyle Larson Cashes In At The NASCAR All-Star Race

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Kyle Larson celebrates after winning Sunday's NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. (NWS/HHP photo)

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 21, 2023) – Kyle Larson left no doubt as to who shined brightest in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The iconic track’s 27-year wait for NASCAR’s return led to Larson pulling a remarkable weekend sweep – winning the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Tyson 250 on Saturday – and following it with a convincing All-Star Race win a day later.

Larson started 15th in Sunday’s 200-lap showcase event, but he struggled with an ill-handling car in the early stages. One pit stop after a Lap 15 caution – for tires and chassis adjustments – transformed Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into a rocket, but he had to go through the entire field after being penalized for speeding on pit road. Larson went from the tail end to second in 36 laps, and passed pole winner Daniel Suarez for the lead on Lap 55.

Larson led 145 of the remaining 146 laps and beat Bubba Wallace to the finish line by 4.124 seconds. Tyler Reddick finished third with Chase Briscoe fourth and Chase Elliott fifth. Ryan Blaney was sixth with Suarez seventh. Erik Jones – in a throwback STP No. 43 Chevrolet, painted like NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty’s iconic car – finished eighth.

Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano rounded out the top 10.

The victory was Larson’s third in a NASCAR All-Star Race, and his third at a different facility. He won the 2019 event at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the 2021 running at Texas Motor Speedway.

Josh Berry, subbing for the injured Alex Bowman, won Sunday’s All-Star Open and finished 15th in the All-Star Race.

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (RACE WINNER): “It was a great night. Great job to Marcus (Smith, Speedway Motorsports’ president and CEO) and his whole team on reviving this place. I don’t think any of us thought that when Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) was here cleaning up weeds and cleaning it up for iRacing (in December of 2019), that we’d ever be here racing. The vibe was great tonight, with all the fans, and it helped that my car was quick. I didn’t expect to be fast at all. … Friday (in practice) we were really bad. We had a good one-lap run but if you looked at my 30-lap average, it was like second to last. I thought we’d run around 15th tonight.

“We pitted for tires, I sped on pit road and we restarted last, but I started picking off some cars and I could get my line working and manage my tires. Once I was picking people off, I was wondering, ‘Is my car this good, or is the tire fall-off this bad?’ We got the lead, and I was like, ‘I want to lap as many cars as I can.’ I think they said I had a 12-second lead at one point. It’s just so cool to dominate like that, like you used to see people dominate races here in the 1980s. I’m very proud of winning this race at three different venues. I am extremely proud to have won the All-Star Race, but to win it at three different tracks is really neat. … This track is so cool. It has a grassroots feel to it, and to me, I think that’s what makes it so special.”

CLIFF DANIELS, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (WINNING CREW CHIEF): “I wasn’t sure how the flow of the race would go. I was watching old North Wilkesboro races earlier this week on YouTube, and there were a lot of green flag runs. I knew that drivers were going to be driving the track, so there was a chance that there would be fewer caution flags. When we pitted (after the Lap 15 caution), we were in 18th, so I thought we needed to do something different than the leaders.”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 23 23XI RACING TOYOTA (RUNNER-UP): “We won ‘the best of the rest.’ (Kyle) Larson was lights-out, so congrats to him. Those guys, they’ve been hitting it on the head really all season, so running second to them isn’t so bad. … I’m proud of my team. Our Columbia Toyota Camry was super strong. … To keep our name in the mix is super important for us. The momentum train is still real. It’s still rolling.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 45 23XI RACING TOYOTA (THIRD-PLACE FINISHER): “I feel like I got into a rhythm that I needed to be in, maybe 50 laps into the race.. I knew the speed of the car was there. It was there on Friday afternoon in practice. We were stacked down in the field from the heat races (on Saturday) and we didn’t have the long-run speed we needed to get going in the right direction.”

MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding NASCAR All-Star week and North Wilkesboro Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Recap: NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

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Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 24TH

FINISH: 23RD

POINTS: 32ND

Noah Gragson Post-Race Quote: “I’m really proud of this team for the effort they put in to get us back out there tonight. Wrecking in the “Open” was tough on everyone. We won the fan vote, which was incredible, and advanced us into the All-Star Race. I’m so thankful for the fans. The car had a lot of damage but it was so cool to see both the No. 42 and No. 43 teams working together and thrashing to get us back out there for the race. The handling of the car was hard to chase during the race. What an effort tonight by our No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet team. This experience at North Wilkesboro Speedway was so special, I wish we ran better, but I’m just so honored to be part of this team.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 STP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 21ST

FINISH: 8TH

POINTS: 25TH

Erik Jones Post-Race Quote: “Solid day at the NASCAR All-Star race for starting in the back of the field. Bringing the car home eighth with the No. 43 STP Chevrolet was a good finish for us. We can probably apply what we learned over the weekend at North Wilkesboro to some upcoming short track racing. At least we were in the ballpark tonight.”

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.

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