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Nannini Wins First Career Pole on IMS Road Course

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 12, 2023) – Matteo Nannini came to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week needing a boost after a tough start to the season.

Consider that wish granted. Rookie Nannini earned his first INDY NXT by Firestone pole position Friday for the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Nannini, from Italy, finished 15th in both of the first two races of the season in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing car.

Nannini’s top lap was 1 minute, 15.3194 seconds in the eight-minute session on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. His previous best start this season was ninth at the season opener in March at St. Petersburg. It also was the first INDY NXT by Firestone pole for the JHR team since current NTT INDYCAR SERIES standout Rinus VeeKay swept both poles for the season-ending doubleheader in September 2019 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

“We really needed the result as a team,” Nannini said. “We didn’t start the championship in the best way possible. So, definitely starting in Indy with P1 is really satisfying. I’m really happy for the team, really happy for myself and the group that is supporting me.”

Live coverage of the 35-lap race starts at 1 p.m. ET Saturday on Peacock, INDYCAR LIVE and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

“In this series, qualifying is important,” Nannini said. “When you start in the middle of the pack, the possibility to have a crash is much higher. Now we make sure that we can finish the job tomorrow.”

Hunter McElrea will join Nannini on the front row after qualifying second at 1:15.4467 in the No. 27 Smart Motors car fielded by Andretti Autosport.

Rookie Louis Foster helped to put two Andretti Autpsport cars in the top three of qualifying, as he will start third in the No. 26 Copart/USF Pro Championship car after a best lap of 1:15.5070.

Kyffin Simpson, who led morning practice, qualified fourth at 1:15.5334 in the No. 21 HMD Motorsports with CGR machine. Josh Green was the third rookie in the top five, ending up fifth at 1:15.6517 in the No. 3 HMD Motorsports with DCR car.

Series championship leader Christian Rasmussen qualified sixth at 1:15.6814 in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR machine.

Rank Car Driver Name C/E/T Time Speed Diff Gap Best Lap Laps
1 75 Nannini, Matteo (R) D/ /F 01:15.3194 116.576 –.—- –.—- 3 6
2 27 McElrea, Hunter D/ /F 01:15.4467 116.379 0.1273 0.1273 5 6
3 26 Foster, Louis (R) D/ /F 01:15.5070 116.286 0.1876 0.0603 5 6
4 21 Simpson, Kyffin D/ /F 01:15.5334 116.245 0.2140 0.0264 4 6
5 3 Green, Josh (R) D/ /F 01:15.6517 116.063 0.3323 0.1183 3 6
6 6 Rasmussen, Christian D/ /F 01:15.6814 116.018 0.3620 0.0297 3 7
7 14 Pierson, Josh D/ /F 01:15.7763 115.873 0.4569 0.0949 4 6
8 29 Roe, James D/ /F 01:15.7949 115.844 0.4755 0.0186 3 6
9 51 Abel, Jacob D/ /F 01:15.8840 115.708 0.5646 0.0891 2 7
10 76 Lindh, Rasmus D/ /F 01:15.9196 115.654 0.6002 0.0356 6 6
11 47 Ahmed, Enaam (R) D/ /F 01:15.9371 115.627 0.6177 0.0175 5 7
12 68 Frost, Danial D/ /F 01:15.9399 115.623 0.6205 0.0028 4 7
13 57 Kaminsky, Colin (R) D/ /F 01:16.0357 115.477 0.7163 0.0958 5 7
14 28 Chadwick, Jamie (R) D/ /F 01:16.0817 115.408 0.7623 0.0460 4 6
15 10 Gold, Reece (R) D/ /F 01:16.0982 115.382 0.7788 0.0165 4 6
16 39 Siegel, Nolan (R) D/ /F 01:16.2173 115.202 0.8979 0.1191 5 7
17 98 Jones, Jagger (R) D/ /F 01:16.2753 115.115 0.9559 0.0580 4 6
18 7 Bogle, Christian D/ /F 01:16.4292 114.883 1.1098 0.1539 4 6

Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer Lilly King To Ride in Fastest Seat in Sports

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 12, 2023) – Hoosier Olympian Lilly King will ride in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 13, leading the full field of drivers to the green flag of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES road course race.

King is a breaststroke swimming specialist, who has been one of Team USA’s most consistent performers since 2016.

She won the women’s Olympic 100-meter breaststroke title at the Rio 2016 Olympics before teaming up with Kathleen Baker, Dana Vollmer and Simone Manuel to deliver the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay gold medal.

A year later, King landed the 100-meter breaststroke world title in a world record time of 1:04:13.

At the 2019 World Championships, she defended that crown, added the 50-meter world title and helped Team USA break the 4×100-meter medley relay world record.

King demonstrated her versatility at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, winning the 100-meter breaststroke bronze before moving up a distance to claim the 200-meter breaststroke silver medal. She went on to land the 200-meter world title in 2022.

To date, the Evansville swimmer has won five long-course world titles across the 50-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events.

“Lilly knows speed, but there’s nothing like the action-packed and exhilarating NTT INDYCAR SERIES experience at IMS,” said Alex Damron, Penske Entertainment Corp. vice president of corporate communications. “We’re honored to give her one of the best seats in town and a first-hand look at what it’s like to tackle the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS.”

INDYCAR’s Fastest Seat in Sports is a high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride in a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat. At almost every race on the schedule, the car advances the field of drivers to the start/finish line to signify the beginning of the race, with a special passenger in the guest seat. Previous participants in the Fastest Seat in Sports include Lady Gaga, NBA champions Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard, Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, actors Simu Liu and Channing Tatum, and many others.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES represents the ultimate challenge in racing, with drivers competing at speeds of 200+ mph across a demanding set of ovals and road and street courses. The full schedule can be viewed here.

NASCAR Officially Names 75 Greatest Drivers In Celebration of 75th Anniversary

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Official Release
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Distinguished group to be recognized during annual Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway

Daytona Beach, Fla. (May 12, 2023) – Last night’s announcement of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers completed the list after a several-week rollout. The drivers, honored in celebration of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary, will be recognized during the annual Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway.

The unranked collection of the sport’s greatest drivers comprises 25 new names who were added to the list of 50 Greatest Drivers that received the distinction during NASCAR’s 50th anniversary in 1998.

The new additions were determined by a blue-ribbon committee of former drivers, team owners, industry personnel, NASCAR executives and current and former media members. NASCAR partnered with industry stakeholders to add the element of surprise as it revealed five new names each of the past five weeks, much to the delight of fans and the drivers themselves.

Darlington race weekend will serve as the capstone celebration for the 75 Greatest Drivers, as the full group will be honored prior to Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Several NASCAR legends will attend and participate in fan-facing activities including autograph sessions and live Q&A’s on Saturday and Sunday. More details are available at darlingtonraceway.com.

Fans can visit the NASCAR 75 content hub for more details about the 75 Greatest Drivers and other anniversary content, including interactive historical timelines, entire seasons-in-review, original content with legendary drivers and more.

The following were recently announced as one of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers:

Sam Ard – Back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (1983-84).

Greg Biffle – Won 19 NASCAR Cup Series races. 2002 Xfinity Series champion and 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion.

Jeff Burton – Won 21 NASCAR Cup Series races and 27 Xfinity Series races.

Kurt Busch – 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion won 34 Cup races including the 2017 Daytona 500.

Kyle Busch – Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2015, ’19) and 2009 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 15-time Most Popular Driver won 26 times in the Cup Series, including two Daytona 500s. Won back-to-back Xfinity Series championships in 1998-99.

Carl Edwards – Won 28 NASCAR Cup Series races. 2007 Xfinity Series champion.

Chase Elliott – 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2014 Xfinity Series champion.

Denny Hamlin – Won 49 NASCAR Cup Series races including three Daytona 500s (2016, ’19, ’20).

Kevin Harvick – 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion has 60 Cup wins. Two-time Xfinity Series champion (2001, ’06).

Ron Hornaday Jr. – Four-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion (1996, ’98, 2007, ’09).

Jimmie Johnson – Record-tying seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2006-10, ’13, ’16).

Bobby Labonte – 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 1991 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.

Randy LaJoie – Won consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series championships in 1996-97.

Kyle Larson – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

Joey Logano – Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2018, ’22) has 32 Cup Series wins including the 2015 Daytona 500.

Kasey Kahne – Won 18 NASCAR Cup Series races.

Matt Kenseth – 2003 NASCAR Cup Series champion won 39 Cup races including two Daytona 500s.

Brad Keselowski – 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2010 Xfinity Series champion.

Sterling Marlin – Won 10 NASCAR Cup Series races including back-to-back Daytona 500s (1994-95).

Ryan Newman – Won 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including the 2008 Daytona 500, and 51 poles.

Larry Phillips – Five-time NASCAR Weekly Series champion (1989, ’91-92, ’95-96).

Mike Stefanik – Record-tying nine NASCAR championships – seven Whelen Modified Tour (1989, ’91, ’97-98, ’01-02, ’06) and two East Series (1997-98).

Tony Stewart – Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2002, ’05, ’11).

Martin Truex Jr. – 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion and back-to-back Xfinity Series champion (2004-05).

NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers

Bobby AllisonDenny HamlinRyan Newman
Davey AllisonKevin HarvickCotton Owens
Sam ArdRay HendrickMarvin Panch
Buck BakerRon Hornaday Jr.Benny Parsons
Buddy BakerJack IngramDavid Pearson
Greg BiffleErnie IrvanLee Petty
Geoff BodineBobby IsaacRichard Petty
Neil BonnettDale JarrettLarry Phillips
Jeff BurtonNed JarrettTim Richmond
Kurt BuschJimmie JohnsonFireball Roberts
Kyle BuschJunior JohnsonRicky Rudd
Red ByronKasey KahneMike Stefanik
Jerry CookMatt KensethTony Stewart
Dale EarnhardtBrad KeselowskiMarshall Teague
Dale Earnhardt Jr.Alan KulwickiHerb Thomas
Ralph EarnhardtBobby LabonteMartin Truex Jr.
Carl EdwardsTerry LabonteCurtis Turner
Bill ElliottRandy LaJoieRusty Wallace
Chase ElliottKyle LarsonDarrell Waltrip
Richie EvansJoey LoganoJoe Weatherly
Red FarmerFred LorenzenBob Welborn
Tim FlockTiny LundRex White
A.J. FoytSterling MarlinGlenn Wood
Harry GantMark MartinCale Yarborough
Jeff GordonHershel McGriffLeeRoy Yarbrough

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Seven Former RFK Drivers Tabbed to NASCAR 75 Greatest Drivers List

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Official Release
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Biffle, Newman, Edwards, Burton, Keselowski, Busch and Kenseth Honored by NASCAR

CONCORD, N.C. (May 12, 2023) – In honor of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary, NASCAR has announced its full list of drivers added to the 75 Greatest Drivers throughout its history, with seven having significant current or former ties to Jack Roush and RFK Racing.

Naming the 75 Greatest Drivers is a continuation of the popular program established in 1998 recognizing the 50 Greatest Drivers for NASCAR’s golden anniversary. Mark Martin, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee in 2017, was a member of the original list of 50 greatest drivers.

Over the last four weeks, NASCAR has announced the new set of 25 drivers that joined the 50 already announced, as the entire group will be honored this weekend as part of NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway.

Joining the prestigious list of 75 is Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth, and what is likely six future Hall of Famers in Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and Brad Keselowski. Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards and Busch are responsible for five of Roush’s eight NASCAR Championships all-time (Kenseth – 2003, Cup; Busch – 2004, Cup; Biffle – 2000, Truck; Biffle – 2002, Xfinity; Edwards – 2007, Xfinity) and contributed to 168 wins for Roush across NASCAR’s three major series.

Fresh off his Hall of Fame induction earlier this year, Kenseth, the 2003 Cup Champion, was a mainstay at the front of the field during the sport’s rise to mainstream prominence in the early 2000s. His 2003 Championship marked the final title in the non-playoff era, as his 39 Cup wins tie him for 21st on the all-time winner list. Kenseth piloted the famed No. 17 entry for Roush for an impressive 13 seasons, and delivered Jack his only two Daytona 500 crowns in 2009 and 2012, the latter being the team’s record 300th NASCAR victory.

Biffle, a two-time NASCAR Champion with Roush, broke onto the scene in 1998 earning Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors. He earned the Truck Series title two years later, and then another year later, was the 2001 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year. In 2003 he began full-time in the Cup Series, a tenure that spanned an impressive 14 seasons with 19 wins. Having driven nearly his entire career for Roush, Biffle also won 20 times in Xfinity, and 17 times in Trucks.

Busch, the first champion of the Cup Series’ playoff era in 2004, established a long career with wins in 19 of his 22 seasons as a Cup regular. It marked Jack’s second consecutive title, at the time, as Busch won a total of 14 Cup races for Roush in his five full seasons in the No. 97 entry. Busch also finished second in points to Biffle in the 2000 Truck Championship, amassing four wins in the No. 99 entry.

Burton – nicknamed ‘The Mayor’ – earned Rookie of the Year honors in a crowded 1994 class, and went on to score 21 Cup Series victories. He drove for Roush from 1996 through 2004, earning 17 of his wins in that tenure, and also totaled 27 Xfinity Series victories, 16 of which came with Roush.

Edwards, a 28-time winner in Cup competition, spent a decade alone in the iconic No. 99 and No. 60 entries for Roush from 2004 through 2014, amassing 61 combined wins and multiple championships. He delivered Roush Xfinity Series owner titles in 2007 and 2011, and finished runner-up in four other seasons.

Newman, the ‘Rocketman,’ earned his nickname with a reputation for scorching qualifying laps, posting 51 pole positions in his career, ninth all-time in Cup Series history. He filled the seat of the famed No. 6 entry for Roush from 2019-21, powering the team back into the playoffs in 2019 and totaling 21 top-10s in the span as he joined an elite list of drivers to surpass the 750 starts mark in Cup competition.

Keselowski, a now veteran who recently branched into Cup Series team ownership at RFK, makes the 75 Greatest list with a long record of success. The Michigan native won the 2010 Xfinity Series title, and has since won 35 races in Cup action including the 2012 series title. His 39 Xfinity wins also rank fourth all-time in that series.

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 36th season in 2023, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, brings to the team a championship mindset himself having won the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Young’s Motorsports Darlington Raceway Truck Series Team Preview

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Official Release
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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Buckle Up South Carolina 200

Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Kris Wright
Primary Partner(s): WrightCars.com
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2023 Driver Points Position: 19th
2023 Owner Points Position: 25th
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Settling In: Road racing standout Kris Wright returns to Young’s Motorsports for the full 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season continuing with Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway.

The former IMSA and Formula 3 driver returns to Young’s Motorsports this season after spending the 2022 season competing in both Trucks and the Xfinity Series.

Wright competed in 16 Truck Series races during the 2021 season for Young’s Motorsports earning four top-20 finishes and a season-high 12th-place finish at Daytona.

Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR: Kris Wright pays tribute to Chip Ganassi with a throwback paint scheme that will appear on the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST at the Darlington Raceway. Wright will honor the Pittsburgh, Pa. – native with the recreation of the Chip Ganassi Racing 2007 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) red and black scheme that was victorious at the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

Earning his first career win, Juan Pablo Montoya made history as the third foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series event. The hard-charging Colombian displayed his road-racing prowess, overcoming a 32nd place qualifying effort climbing through the field, using NASCAR’s new Car of Tomorrow chassis for the first time on a road course. He became the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway after starting further back than 13th place.

Glad You Are Here: For the second time in 2023, WrightCars.com will serve as the primary partner on Wright’s No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Family-owned and operated, WrightCars.com is a respected Wexford dealer serving the Pittsburgh, Cranberry and Beaver areas, Wright Automotive Group’s six locations carry an extensive inventory of new and used luxury cars and SUVs.

The Lady in Black Statistics: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s fourth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at the Darlington Raceway, one of the oldest and most historic racetracks. The Pittsburgh, Pa., – native has three starts at the Darlington Raceway.

Wright made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series track debut at the Darlington Raceway on May 7, 2021.

In addition, Wright has one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start (2022) at the Darlington Raceway.

Speedway Stats: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s 23rd speedway (tracks 1 to 2 miles in length) start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

Wright also has five combined NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on speedways.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Wright as crew chief of the No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

He will be crew chief in his 112th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 111 races, he has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes to his resume.

He has two prior Truck Series races as crew chief at the unique 1.33-mile oval.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C.,- based organization has logged 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kris Wright, please visit, KrisWrightMotorsports.com, like him on Facebook (Kris Wright Racing) and follow him on Twitter (@kriswrightraces).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Kris Wright Pre-Race Quotes:

On Darlington Raceway: “Our throwback paint scheme for this week at the Darlington Raceway means a lot to me because of the connection to Chip Ganassi – he is a good friend of our family and from Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).

“We wanted to honor him and his legacy in the industry, along with Juan Pablo Montoya. He was one of my favorite drivers and is a huge part of why I got into racing in the first place.”

No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Brad Means

2023 Driver Points Position: 25th

2023 Owner Points Position: 31st

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd returns to Darlington Raceway, the ninth race of the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season eyeing his first top-10 of the year but more importantly hunting his second win of his Truck Series career.

No. 149: This weekend at Darlington, Boyd will make his 149th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and will make his 96th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Friday night.

The highlight of his NASCAR career is a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Darlington Raceway, Young’s Motorsports and Boyd welcome SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds as the primary partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time in 2023.

SAD DADDY prides themselves in building a quality, 100% American-made hunting blind. Each of their blinds provides optimal comfort and shelter in some of the harshest hunting conditions.

At SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds they strongly believe in God and family values. They are extremely honored to build a product that promotes spending time with family and carrying on the great tradition of hunting.

The term sad daddy is one of the many words to describe a big buck in the hunting world.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Darlington Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 will mark Boyd’s fifth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race at the historic South Carolina race track.

In his four previous efforts, Boyd has a track-best of 21st after starting 26th in the 2021 spring edition of the In It To Win It 200 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

He has an average track finish of 23.3 since 2020.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway; Boyd has made 55 starts throughout his career. He also holds an average finishing position of 24.6.

Chasing That W: Boyd is eyeing his second career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series victory for himself and Young’s Motorsports.

In 2019 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Boyd pulled an upset during the Truck Series Playoffs by winning the Sugarland Shines 250 at the 2.66-mile superspeedway edging Todd Gilliland by 0.027 seconds.

Truck Series Rundown: In seven years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 95 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes, and a championship best of 17th in 2019 and carries an average finish of 23.8.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 12 SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds Chevrolet Silverado RST is crew chief Brad Means.

He will make his Truck Series crew chief debut at the unique 1.33-mile oval Friday night.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C.,- based organization has logged 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Spencer Boyd, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Boyd Racing) and follow him on Instagram (SpencerBoydpr) and Twitter (@SpencerBoyd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Spencer Boyd Pre-Race Quote:

On Darlington Raceway: “Darlington is always a fun weekend with a lot of history and contagious atmosphere. The racing on the track is fierce and competitive. With the track being hot on Friday, the trucks are going to slide around a lot.

“We just need to get a good balance on our No. 12 SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds Chevrolet Silverado RST and look for a strong showing under the lights on Friday night.”

No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt

Primary Partner(s): Young’s Motorsports

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Joe Lax

2023 Driver Points Position: 27th

2023 Owner Points Position: 36th

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Young’s Motorsports Debut: This weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Willow Park, Texas native Kaden Honeycutt as the driver of the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time in 2023.

About Kaden: Kaden Honeycutt is 19 years old and resides in Aledo, TX. Kaden started racing in 2012 in the Bandolero Division compiling multiple wins throughout Alabama and Texas.

In 2016 he moved into the INEX Legend Car Young Lions Division where he visited victory lane multiple times. In 2017 he advanced to the INEX Pro Series where he won the Las Vegas Bullring Showdown.

2017 also saw Honeycutt competing in the Pro Truck Series that included the 2017 Pro Truck, Snowball Derby event at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway.

From 2018 to 2020, he graduated to the ARCA Menards Series, as well as competing in select Super Late Model and IMCA Dirt Modified events.

Over the past two seasons, he has participated in the CARS Tours Late Model program, picking up three victories, while also continuing to compete in select IMCA Dirt Modified events.

Last year, he advanced to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series where he amassed one top-10 and three top-15 finishes.

This season, he has continued a limited Truck Series program, while also competing in select CARS Tour events.

Kaden Honeycutt Truck Series Stats: Entering Darlington, Honeycutt has 14 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races to his credit, earning a career-best ninth-place finish twice, most recently at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track where he finished ninth after starting third in the WEATHERGUARD Truck Race on Dirt for Roper Racing.

Since 2021, he has carried an average finish of 21.1.

Kaden Honeycutt Truck Series Kansas Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway will mark the Texan’s debut at the historic 1.33-mile track.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeycutt as crew chief of the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will be crew chief in his 104th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 103 races, he has one pole and eight top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his sixth race as crew chief at Darlington Raceway.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kaden Honeycutt, please like him on Facebook (Kaden Honeycutt Racing) and follow him on Instagram (kadenhoneycutt10) and Twitter (@KadenWHoneycutt).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Kaden Honeycutt Pre-Race Quote:

On Darlington Raceway: “I am very excited for this opportunity at Young’s Motorsports. I would like to say thank you to Tyler Young for even considering me to drive this weekend at Darlington.

“I have had success on the simulator at this track and hope to transfer it to real life and make the most out of our night. Thank you also to my Mom and Dad for never giving up on me through this tough journey.

“I cannot wait to hit the track on Friday!”

Race Information:

The Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the ninth of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2023 schedule. The one-day show begins with practice on Friday, May 12 from 3:05 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows practice beginning at 3:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

Daniel Dye – Darlington Preview

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Official Release
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EVENT PREVIEW: DARLINGTON
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Friday, May 12 | 7:30 PM ET
FS1 | MRN | SiriusXM
Driver: Daniel Dye
Hometown: Deland, Florida
Birthday: December 4, 2003
Series: NASCAR Truck Series
Vehicle: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Blake Bainbridge
Owner: Maury Gallagher

NASCAR Truck Series Stats:
Starts: 8

Points: 20th

Track: Darlington Raceway
Date: Friday, May 12
Race: 7:30 PM ET
Length: 200 Miles
Coverage: FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, FOX Sports App

Mental Health Awareness Month
Daniel Dye has partnered with NASCAR to promote Mental Health Awareness Month throughout the month of May. The Race To Stop Suicide will play a key role in these initiatives, and several pieces of content around the topic will be posted via Daniel’s social media handles.

Darlington Stats

Daniel Dye will be making his first start of any kind at Darlington this Friday night.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

Starts: 8; Best start: 10th; Best finish: 13th (Kansas I); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 20th

Chassis History/Info
Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 343 for the second time this weekend at Darlington Raceway. This chassis made its debut earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Daniel led five laps and finished 19th in only his second time in a truck.

Throwback Scheme
The iconic Petty blue and orange colors will make an appearance on the No. 43 Race To Stop Suicide Chevrolet as a homage to Richard Petty’s 1973 STP paint scheme. This scheme dates back to the 1970’s, when Richard was in the height of his racing career. Daniel has driven the famous No. 43 on the majority of his race cars since the start of his racing career, and his throwback scheme has been a hit amongst longtime fans since it was announced to run.

Sunoco Rookie Battle
Dye’s 13th place result at Kansas Speedway was the fourth highest finish of the drivers competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Looking at the leaderboard of rookie points, Daniel is currently slotted in fourth, 83 points behind leading candidate Nick Sanchez and 11 points behind Rajah Caruth in third.

From the Driver’s Seat

Darlington is undoubtedly one of the tougher tracks for a rookie to go to for the first time, what comes to your mind racing here?

“As a driver, you always hear about Darlington being tough. I’m looking forward to the challenge and will be leaning on my teammates and their experience and utilizing our sim time to make the most of our weekend. We’re going to take advantage of practice as much as we can and learn throughout the entire race with our No. 43 team at GMS Racing.”

Joe Graf Jr. | RSS Racing Darlington Raceway Shriners Children’s 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Preview

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Official Release
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RSS Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Shriners Children’s 200

Fast Facts

No. 38 RSS Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr.
Primary Partner(s): Bethel Motor Speedway | Lefcourt Brothers Racing
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Steve Addington
Spotter: Joe Campbell
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 23rd
Team Championship Point Standings: 23rd

Notes of Interest:

Settling In: After spending the last three seasons with SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (2020 – 2022), Joe Graf Jr. moved to RSS Racing during the offseason where he’ll spend the majority of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season competing for the Sugar Hill, Ga.-based team.

In addition to RSS Racing, Graf will also compete in a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule driving the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

NASCAR Throwback: Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing join most of the NASCAR Xfinity Series field by participating in this year’s NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

For Saturday afternoon’s 147-lap race, Graf Jr. will pay homage to a popular paint scheme ran at Bethel Motor Speedway.

Bethel Motor Speedway is a quarter-mile asphalt oval race track, located near the site of the original Woodstock Music Festival in White Lake, New York. The track located in Swan Lake, NY is also sanctioned by NASCAR as part of its Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.

The track is promoted by Jeff Lefcourt, one of the two owners of Lefcourt Brothers Racing.

Lefcourt Brothers Racing was created by brothers Jeff and Jonathan Lefcourt to support up-and-coming drivers in the top three tiers of NASCAR. A lifelong fan of motorsports, Jeff has been involved in motorsports for many years as both a driver and a track owner.

After having an ownership stake in SS GreenLight Racing during the 2022 NASCAR season, Jeff wanted to expand his involvement. He and Jonathan decided to combine their love of motorsports with their business expertise to create a platform to help aspiring racers get more seat time and exposure to potential partners.

And thus, Lefcourt Brothers Racing was born.

Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 30 percent of the 2023 Xfinity Series season complete, Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing would like to thank their associate marketing partners: AVOID, Bass Reaper Bait Company, Bucked Up Energy Drink, CoverSeal, EAT SLEEP RACE Apparel, fgrACCEL, G-Coin®, GTECHNIQ, JACOB Companies, Lefcourt Brothers Racing, Love Motorsports, Model Electronics and ShopRite for their continued support.

Catch Him On The Dial: Before Joe Graf Jr. straps into his No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway | Leftcourt Brothers Racing Throwback Ford Mustang on Saturday, the RSS Racing driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Pat Patterson on Saturday morning, May 13, 2023, at approximately 10:00 a.m. ET.

Graf will also spotlight a commercial featuring GTECHNIQ in several spots throughout the weekend, including the full four-hour program on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Darlington (S.C.) Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Shriners Children’s 200 will mark Graf’s seventh start at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame.”

In his previous six Darlington efforts, he delivered a track-best of 19th twice, most recently during the fall edition of the 2021 Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200 after starting 32nd for SS GreenLight Racing.

The Mahwah, New Jersey native earned a respectable 19th place finish in his Darlington Raceway debut in May 2020 when NASCAR returned to competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a speedway, Graf has competed in 51 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 25.6 and an average result of 25.8.

Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway | A-Game 200 Race Recap: In his most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, Graf competed in his seventh race of the season with the organization but the 10th Xfinity Series race overall of the season.

Without practice or qualifying due to inclement weather, Graf started his No. 38 JACOB Companies Ford Mustang from the 21st starting position.

Throughout the 200-lap race, Graf hovered inside the top-20 but dropped to 22nd in Stage 3 where he encountered green flag pit stops. Picking up a few positions in the waning laps of the race, the former ARCA Menards Series winner earned his best Dover finish since 2020.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow monthly.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Steve Addington is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 274th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday and his 19th race at the historic track in Darlington, S.C.

In his previous 273 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected 11 wins, 10 poles, 68 top-five and 118 top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has two teammates at RSS Racing.

Veteran Ryan Sieg will drive the No. 39 CMRroofing.com Ford Mustang, while younger brother Kyle Sieg will drive the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford Mustang.

Ryan Sieg is set to make his 312th career Xfinity Series start overall and 13th at Darlington. His best Xfinity Darlington track finish occurred in the 2020 edition of the Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200, where he finished third after starting 11th for his family-owned RSS Racing team.

Kyle Sieg is set to make his 30th career Xfinity Series start overall and third at Darlington. His best Xfinity Darlington track finish occurred in the 2022 edition of the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200, where he finished 23rd after starting 38th also driving for his family-owned RSS Racing team.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on TikTok (@JoeGrafJr), Twitter (@JoeGrafJr), Instagram (@joegrafjr) and YouTube.

For more on RSS Racing, please like them on Facebook (RSS283839) and follow them on Instagram (@rss283839) and Twitter (@RSS283839).

Joe Graf Jr. Quoteboard:

On Darlington Raceway: “I am pumped up about Darlington. It definitely is one of my favorite race tracks on the schedule. I haven’t always had the best finishes at Darlington, but I always have had speed.

“I think our No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway | Lefcourt Brothers Racing throwback car looks great and I feel confident we can build off the last two races and earn ourselves another solid finish on Saturday afternoon.

“It is going to be a hot weekend at Darlington which should provide a weekend of great racing for the fans because the cars will slip around and lack grip.

“That gets me excited because I feel like I can really excel in those types of races. Hopefully, we have a good afternoon and build more momentum towards Charlotte Motor Speedway at the end of the month.”

On The 2023 Season: “We started the year off really strong between RSS Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, but unfortunately we’ve had a few setbacks the last couple of weeks that has broken up the momentum.

“We were able to turn Talladega from a bad race into an OK race. We had another decent race at Dover. Hopefully Darlington will continue the righting of our year and putting our season back on track. We are definitely capable of it; we just need everything to come together.

“I just need to continue to stay focused, communicate with my team and utilize the knowledge that I’ve gained over the past three years to recover and have my best Xfinity Series season yet.”

Race Information:

The Shriners Children’s 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the 11th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 12 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag the following afternoon, Saturday, May 13 shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About RSS Racing:

RSS Racing fields multiple entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series led by mainstay driver Ryan Sieg.

RSS Racing has competed in NASCAR events since 2009 from its headquarters in Sugar Hill, Ga.

KYLE LARSON TO STEER SPIRE MOTORSPORTS NO. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET SILVERADO AT NORTH WILKESBORO

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (May 11, 2023) – Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, will drive Spire Motorsports No. 7 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was previously announced Alex Bowman would drive the team’s entry. Bowman is currently recovering from an injury.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to run the (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN) Truck (Series) race at North Wilkesboro next weekend with Spire Motorsports,” said Larson. “It’s a shame that Alex (Bowman) won’t be able to compete. We wish him a speedy recovery so he can return to the track soon. Since I’ve never raced at North Wilkesboro, I think it could be beneficial to get some additional laps in at the track. I’m looking forward to double duty All-Star weekend.”

The Tyson 250 from North Wilkesboro Speedway will be televised live on FOX Saturday, May 20 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.


About Hendrickcars.Com …
HendrickCars.com is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.

About Hendrick Automotive Group …
Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 95 dealership locations, 21 collision centers and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.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.

Honda and GS Yuasa Sign Joint Venture Agreement To Establish New Company, Honda – GS Yuasa EV Battery R&D Co., Ltd.

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Official Release
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TOKYO, May 12, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) and GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa) today announced that they have signed a joint venture agreement toward the establishment of a new company. As announced on January 23, 2023 with a joint press release titled, “Honda and GS Yuasa Reach Basic Agreement Toward Collaboration for a High-capacity, High-output Lithium-ion Battery,” the two companies have been discussing specifics for collaboration on high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion batteries, mainly for EVs.

To address the rapidly growing demand for batteries, the new joint venture company, which will be named Honda GS Yuasa EV Battery R&D Co., Ltd., will research and develop lithium-ion batteries and battery production methods that will be highly competitive at a global level. Moreover, the new company will strive to establish a supply chain for key raw materials and a highly-efficient production system for its batteries.

The new company is scheduled to be established and begin operation before the end of 2023. The establishment of the new company and the start of its operation are subject to the approvals of the relevant authorities.

Comments by Koichi Yamamoto, Representative Director and President (to be) of Honda GS Yuasa EV Battery R&D Co., Ltd.
“We are very pleased that Honda and GS Yuasa have reached a joint venture agreement, which will become a new milestone in our pursuit of the realization of carbon neutrality, which is a goal shared by the two companies. The new company will fully leverage the strengths of the two companies and establish a strong presence in the rapidly expanding battery market.”

About the new company (plan)

Company name:
Honda GS Yuasa EV Battery R&D Co., Ltd.

Head office location:
1, Inobanba-cho, Nishinosho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto, Japan

Capital:
Amount of capital at establishment: 2 billion yen
Amount of capital reserve at establishment: 2 billion yen

Capital contribution ratio:
50% Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
50% GS Yuasa International Ltd.

Directors:
Koichi Yamamoto, Representative Director and President (from Honda)
Masaaki Hosokawa, Representative Director and Vice President (from GS Yuasa)

No More Dilemma Between Cross-Country Ability and Speed: Top 5 Fastest SUVs

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SM
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Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

When Land Rover and Jeep tried to promote the “Sport Utility Vehicle” theme more than half a century ago (think of the Land Rover Series I or the classic Wagoneer), they had one big problem: their cars were in no way associated with speed. Indeed, the original Land Rover Series I could run out of gas before reaching 60 mph. But the situation has changed since then.

Now the world is driving the Aston Martin DBX707, an SUV that staggers the imagination with an incredible 190 mph. To date, this is the fastest car, formally related to SUVs, but many other models follow it literally on the heels.

The Indy Auto Man experts offer the top 5 SUVs that can outrun a sports sedan. Despite their large curb weights and the aerodynamics that suffer from their sheer size, these vehicles are surprisingly fast. At least in places with no speed limits and long and straight roads.

5. Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat (177mph)

The Durango SRT Hellcat is one of two seven-seat SUVs on this list. A seven-seater SUV, in theory, has no right to be too fast, but the maximum speed of the Durango SRT Hellcat is 177 mph, and this is not a typo. It has the same supercharged 6.2-liter V8 as the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, with the same torque but more power at 710 hp. This family SUV was introduced only in 2021, abandoned, and then returned in 2023, but with a Hemi engine. It epitomizes everything Dodge is proud of – crazy power and bold design.

4. Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT (186 mph)

The Turbo GT is available only in the body of the Cayenne Coupe. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 produces 631 hp, 849 Nm, and this is enough for the Turbo GT to accelerate to 186 mph. In addition, it is also the most dynamic SUV on this list, with acceleration to sixty in 3.1 seconds. And the quarter-mile run is 11.6 sec, exactly on par with the more powerful Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but it was the Turbo GT that set the Nürburgring lap record.

3. Audi RS Q8 (optional 190 mph)

While the standard RS Q8 only hits 174 mph, the optional package raises the limit to 190 mph. In this case, all 591 liters are used with 800 Nm of torque available from the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. However, the power of the Audi engine is not surprising because it is very similar to what is under the hood of other cars on this list, including the Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne. At the same time, the standard RS Q8 MSRP is only 114,500 thousand dollars, which makes it perhaps the most affordable car on this list.

2. Bentley Bentayga Speed (190 mph)

The Bentayga Speed is the second seven-seater on this list, the most comfortable, and also one of the fastest. The powerful 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 works almost imperceptibly, with its 626 hp with 900 Nm of torque. It reaches 190 mph and almost outruns the Urus, but when an experienced driver will notice that access to all its power requires pushing harder on the pedal. After all, it is designed in such a way that the movement is as smooth and comfortable as possible. And while a Dodge or Jeep makes a crazy noise when accelerating, the Bentayga Speed ​​accelerates with utmost nobility.

1. Aston Martin DBX707 (193mph)

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the longest straight road is in Saudi Arabia—the length of one of the sections of Highway 10 is almost 150 miles. And if you could find a way to put the DBX707 on par with any of the SUVs on this list, it would come first. A top speed of 193 mph laurels it of being the fastest luxury SUV in the world. The DBX707 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. In this respect is not inferior to the Cayenne Turbo GT. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 produces 697 hp. with 899 Nm of torque, paired with a nine-speed wet clutch gearbox. Even though electric vehicles (like the Tesla Model X) seem faster at first glance, they fizzle out at higher speeds, and the DBX707 eventually overtakes them. So right now, Aston is the fastest SUV in the world.

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