Home Blog Page 1519

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Bristol Dirt

By
Official Release
-

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Bristol Dirt
Food City Dirt Race

Justin Haley, No. 31 Tide Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley qualified 25th for the Food City Dirt Race after finishing sixth in his respective heat race.
  • Haley and the No. 31 Tide Camaro fired off strong with his only complaint being stuck in traffic. As the run went on, Haley told crew chief, Eddie Purdue, many other cars looked free on entry, but he liked where he was at. Haley finished stage one ninth, earning a stage point.
  • In stage two, Haley told the No. 31 team the car was good and he just needed to get into his rhythm. Haley went on to finish stage two ninth, earning another stage point.
  • At the stage break, Haley told the team he was committed to the bottom, and the No. 31 Tide Camaro was still pretty decent, he just needed more left rear drive.
  • In stage three, Haley told the team he was struggling with rear grip. Haley battled for track position, on the final restarts and finished sixth in the Food City Dirt Race, his best result of the 2023 season thus far.

“We didn’t have a great day yesterday in the heat race, we really struggled, so to come out here and move forward as soon as the green flag dropped was a good day for us. Going into stage two, we knew we had a top-10 car and this sixth place finish is what our team needed. It’s tough to compete at this level, but we’re working hard and trying every week. – Justin Haley

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Tide Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 29th for the Food City Dirt Race after finishing seventh in his respective heat race.
  • Allmendinger reported to crew chief, Matt Swiderski, it was difficult to determine how the balance of his No. 16 Tide Camaro was, as he was struggling pinned on the bottom in traffic.
  • Working with spotter, Frank Deiny, Allmendinger tried different lanes to learn the track and try to find speed.
  • Throughout stage one, the No. 16 Tide Camaro struggled with handling and lacked grip in the corners, ultimately finishing the stage 22nd.
  • In stage two, Allmendinger moved up to 20th before he had a tire go down lap 99. The No. 16 restarted two laps down and finished stage two 35th, the only car two laps down.
  • Allmendinger got back on the lead lap after taking the wave around on lap 176 and was the free pass on lap 202.
  • Allmendinger climbed through the field, avoiding several spins, to finish 16th in his NASCAR dirt debut at the Food City Dirt Race.

“I’m happy with the end result today. We were definitely making progress, struggled in the middle of the race. Fortunately, we were able to get back on the lead lap and make some gains there. I felt like I figured it out a little bit there at the end, wish I could have figured that out earlier. Overall, it was a good comeback from where we were being two laps down. I’m proud of the team and we just need to keep trying to do better.” – AJ Allmendinger

Jonathan Davenport, No. 13 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1

  • Jonathan Davenport qualified 21st for his NCS debut in the Food City Dirt race after finishing fourth in his respective heat race.
  • Under the first caution, Davenport said his No. 13 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro turned really well when he was in the gas, and he could get the car to do what he wanted when he was able to run his line. Davenport told the No. 13 team he was slightly loose in as he was learning his lift point and breaking in the first stage.
  • The No. 13 Camaro continued to free up throughout the opening stage and Davenport felt he was better running the top as he was still learning the car. Davenport finished stage one 23rd.
  • Davenport spun on lap 82 from 23rd, telling the team he “wanted to take more than the car wanted.” As the track became more slick, Davenport relayed handling information to the team saying, “it’s probably just how I’m driving, I’m just trying to learn.” The No. 13 Camaro finished stage two 30th.
  • Davenport’s day came to a finish on lap 175 when the No. 13 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro made right front contact with the No. 5 car that had spun into the top lane. The team could not repair the damage; Davenport finished 36th in this NCS debut at the Food City Dirt Race.

“I enjoyed the opportunity and I had an awesome time! Hate to end it on a bad note. I know we didn’t run as good as we wanted to, but main focus was I really wanted to finish the whole 250 laps and put on a good showing for Nutrien Ag Solutions and Kaulig Racing. I appreciate everyone’s hard work and thank you for this opportunity.” – Jonathan Davenport  

 
About Kaulig Racing™

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

WEC preview: Cadillac takes positive steps to Portugal

By
Official Release
-

No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R team aims for continued improvement in second race of season

DETROIT (April 10, 2023) – Following an impressive debut of the hybrid Cadillac V-Series.R in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Cadillac Racing turns its attention to the opening leg of the European schedule and the 6 Hours of Portimão in Portugal this weekend.

Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook will share the driving duties of the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R In the 11-car Hypercar class on the Algarve International Circuit.

“It will be the first time we run the car in Europe. That will be a challenging weekend,” said Bamber after the team opened with a fourth place in the 1000 Mile of Sebring on March 17.

Its sister racecars – the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R – on Saturday will seek to give the iconic brand six consecutive victories on the streets of Long Beach, California, in the third race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

The 100-minute race is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn circuit.

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken, started from the pole and went on to claim the victory in the Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 18. It was Cadillac’s third consecutive win on the 3.741-mile, 17-turn course and first in the recast Grand Touring Prototype class.

“We have a solid car and we can’t wait to get to the rest of the WEC season and the IMSA season and show the world how great it is,” GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser said. “Every time we turn the car on, we learn something. Whether if we move it or even if it sits still, we learn something, and the racing is the best way possible to learn. We can only grow and get better.”

The 6 Hours of Portimão will mark the third race for the No. 2 drivers in the new Cadillac V-Series.R powered by a 5.5-liter V-8 normally aspirated engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing propulsion team paired with the spec energy recovery system.

They opened with a fourth place in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January followed by the strong showing at Sebring International Raceway.

“We’ll keep giving it the same effort we’ve given it so far and try to build on this good result,” team manager and strategist Stephen Mitas said.

The WEC has visited the Algarve International Circuit once (June 2021) – an eight-hour race in which Westbrook co-drove a Hypercar entry with Ryan Briscoe and Romain Dumas that qualified 11th and placed 30th overall (54 laps behind). Bamber and Lynn have raced at the circuit in various formulas.

Completed in 2008, the racecourse has hosted the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix, MotoGP and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals among other races and is an annual stop for the European Le Mans Series. Bamber observed that many of the circuit’s 15 turns have personality and that its undulating 4,653 kilometers (2.891 miles) length is akin to riding on a roller coaster.

Two free practices Friday and one Saturday totaling 150 minutes precede the 15-minute Hypercar qualifying session. Green flag for the 6 Hours of Portimão is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET/noon local Sunday.

As announced late last month, a second Cadillac V-Series.R is entered for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on April 29. Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande will drive the No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R.

What they’re saying

Earl Bamber: “I’m very excited for Portugal. We had a great day in Sebring, fighting for a podium, and I think we all want to go one step higher and make it there this time. The team has been doing some really good preparation and I know we are going to make positive steps every race. It’s a learning process in the WEC, but we have all eyes forward to make it on to the podium.”

Alex Lynn: “It was a strong showing for the whole crew in Sebring, and we’re all excited to now get our European adventures started. This will be the first time competing with this car in Europe, and we’ve put a lot of time into understanding what the car needs, making efforts across the simulator and now it’s about executing a clean race. There is this big buildup to Le Mans, where we can score some serious points beforehand. We’re really looking forward to continuing to learn and carrying on with this strong momentum that this car and team has provided.”

Richard Westbrook: “We had a lot of positives come out of our first WEC race — reliability, good points and we got a ton of data. With how our car was running, it is disappointing not to have come away with a podium finish at Sebring. But we are a brand-new WEC team and are still learning about the car and the WEC rules. It will be a bit of going into the unknown at Portimao because it is unlike any track we’ve raced on or tested on in the U.S. Still, I’m looking forward to the challenge and confident we’ll continue to score more solid points in the championship.”

Martin Truex Jr. to launch Piper’s Wings

By
Official Release
-

NASCAR Cup Series Driver Kicks Off New Charitable Initiative During National Donate Life Month

MOORESVILLE, North Carolina (April 10, 2023) – It was Sept. 29, 2020, when Tyler and Kaitlyn Berryhill made one of the most difficult decisions a parent would have to make.

Following a stay at Arkansas Children’s hospital in Little Rock, their 1-year old daughter Piper passed away after battling a condition called Congenital Myasthenia Type 6 (CMS6) – a rare, genetic disease that afflicts fewer than 5,000 people in the United States. CM56 is an inherited disorder that develops around birth that causes muscle weakness and fatigue. A hospital employee approached the couple in a very professional manner and asked if they would be interested in organ donation. And during their darkest hour, the Berryhills made the decision to donate Piper’s organs and let her legacy live on through others. The organ donation gave the gift of life to three other children, and today the couple is grateful to have Piper’s legacy live on through those three individuals who were the recipients of such an incredible gift.

Since 2020, NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr’s MTJ Aviation has flown more than 365 life-saving organ donation flights. While that’s an impressive number in its own right, a new charitable initiative named after Piper Berryhill, called “Piper’s Wings,” is set to take flight in accelerating the opportunities for organ donation. Funding developed through Piper’s Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, will be used for mercy flights to help families that need transportation for their loved ones, along with special missions. As part of the organization’s effort to educate and build awareness of the importance of organ donation, the Piper’s Wings logo appeared on the C-post of Truex’s No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry TRD during last Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 Cup Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

“On behalf of everyone at MTJ Aviation, we couldn’t be more excited to announce the formation of a new charity, Piper’s Wings,” said Truex, who won his Cup Series championship in 2017. “In less than three years, we’ve already been able to make a big impact by flying much-needed organs urgently to those who need them. Our entire team at MTJ Aviation are especially grateful to honor Piper Berryhill. Through Piper’s Wings, we not only will have a great opportunity to help those who can’t afford to otherwise benefit from services like we offer, we’re also spreading the message of how important organ donation is. And we can’t think of a better way to kick off April, which is National Donate Life Month.”

Piper’s story was featured Sunday evening on NASCAR on FOX Pre-Race show prior to the Bristol Dirt Race and can be seen here FOX Feature. To learn more about Piper’s Wings and also donate at the following link Piper’s Wings site.

“We are honored to have Piper’s name live on through Piper’s Wings and continue to spread the great work of organ donation and the impact that it has on others,” said Tyler Berryhill, Piper’s father. “It is a logistical wonder how they are able to get this all to work and be able to transport organs to those who desperately need them. Every single hospital staff member lined the hallway to honor Piper as we walked her to her organ surgery – it’s what hospital call an ‘honor walk.’ It was a very powerful moment for our family to see these nurses and doctors who had invested so much time with us during our stay at the hospital, who were there with us. As we were walking, I was thanking them, and a lot of them were crying. We had some of the best nurses and doctors anyone could ask for. Little did we know, but this was in September of 2020 during COVID, and Piper was the first organ donor at the hospital since COVID began, and the staff was grateful when we made the decision to donate.”

While Truex was wheeling his No. 19 Toyota around the track at Richmond last weekend, he and his team hosted Tyler and Kristin Berryhill at the track, along with Dr. David Bruno M.D., of the VCU Hume-Lee Transplant Center, and several collegues of the hospital team who are key members of the transplant program. Through a relationship with MTJ Aviation, VCU is the first call for organ donation flights. The VCU Hume-Lee Transplant Center is one of the busiest transplant programs in the nation, known for superior patient outcomes that are made possible by top-tier transplant physicians and surgeons, dedicated laboratories, and an award-winning nursing staff.

“We are beyond grateful for the amazing work being carried out by Martin Truex Jr., and Piper’s Wings,” said Dr. Bruno, Interim Division Chair for the Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery at VCU and VCU Health System. “Both are bridging a monumentally important gap in order to increase accessibility to more organs for more patients, making second chances possible.”

Last year, more than 21,000 people were organ donors (14,904 deceased, 6,465 living). There’s a major need for organs nationwide, as some 114,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant (heart, liver, lung, kidney, pancreas), and each day 17 people die waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Only three in 1,000 deceased individuals die in a way that allows for organ donation, which makes choosing to be an organ donor so critically important. The current waitlist for those in need of a transplant at VCU Medical Center (VCUMC) alone is at 971. In 2022, VCU Health Hume-Lee Transplant Center was able to transplant over 500 organs.

About National Donate Life:

Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues available to save and heal lives through transplantation while developing a culture where donation is embraced as a fundamental human responsibility. DLA owns, manages and promotes Donate Life℠, the national logo and brand for the cause of donation; motivates the public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; provides education about living donation; manages the National Donate Life Registry at RegisterMe.org; and develops and executes effective multimedia campaigns to promote donation. Founded as the Coalition on Donation in 1992 by the donation and transplantation community, Donate Life America changed its name in 2006 in response to extensive research and the desire to align the organization with the Donate Life brand. Over the past 30 years, Donate Life America and the Donate Life Community have registered 170 million organ, eye and tissue donors in the United States.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Recap: Bristol Dirt

By
Official Release
-

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 36th

FINISH: 33rd

POINTS:30th

Noah Gragson’s Post-Race Quote: ““I felt like we had a much better No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevy from the heat races to the race. Luke Lambert (crew chief) and the rest of the Sunseeker team really did a great job of making adjustments to the car and improving it; going from dead last in the heat race and starting 36th in the race, and then getting up into the top-10. The team did a great job, a great effort in making adjustments. I caught the wall in the second stage and then with probably about 40 or 50-laps to go, just broke a toe link so that took us out of contention. But I felt like we had a really good Chevy. Just proud of everyone’s efforts from where we started the weekend to where we ended. I felt like we got way better. Just appreciate everyone’s hard work.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Club Wyndham Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 18th

FINISH: 14th

POINTS: 26th

Erik Jones Post-Race Quote: “I’d say that was pretty good. We kind of just survived the chaos and obviously had an up and down day going three laps down early on. To come back and finish in the top-15 is pretty solid. We just need to find a little more in the car and get a little bit better for next year, but I’m definitely happy to get out of here with a decent finish after a night like that. Proud of everyone’s efforts on our Club Wyndham Chevy, looking forward to Martinsville next week.”

Next Race: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway on April 16 for more short track action. Coverage for the event begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN Radio/SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional motor racing team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, owned by Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB operates two full-time entries, the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 of Noah Gragson and the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 of Erik Jones. The team also fields a third part-time entry, the No. 84 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, for Johnson’s limited racing schedule in 2023.

Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY MOTOR CLUB operates alongside GMS Racing, which fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS Racing in 2012, Gallagher, along with one of the NASCAR garage’s most accomplished figures, Team President, Mike Beam, built a victorious organization, capturing the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

Our mission at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is to create an inclusive environment for auto-racing enthusiasts, celebrate the past and future legacies of our partners and team members, and to compete for race wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

Burton Finishes 15th at Bristol

By
Official Release
-

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team avoided the pitfalls that come with racing on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway and came away with a 15th-place finish in the Food City Dirt Race.

That equaled Burton’s previous best finish of the season, at Auto Club Speedway in February.

Burton and the DEX Imaging Mustang lined up 20th for the start of Sunday’s 250-lap race on the clay-covered Bristol track.

The team struggled in the early going, finishing 30th in the first 75-lap Stage but improved to 24th by the end of the second Stage.

As the race went on, Burton and the DEX Mustang moved further through the field. With 66 laps remaining, Burton moved into the top 20 and ran there for the remainder of the race.

With just under 10 laps left to run, Burton moved into the top 15 and was running there when the checkered flag flew.

Next up for the No. 21 team is a trip to the Wood Brothers’ home track, Martinsville Speedway, for next Sunday’s NOCO 400.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

Buescher Finishes 18th after Strong Ending in Bristol Dirt Race

By
Official Release
-

Fastenal Ford Strong Late but Caught Behind Spin in Final Restart

BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 9, 2023) – Chris Buescher had a top-10 in his sights on the final restart of Sunday night’s Bristol Dirt Race, but a spin just in front of the Fastenal Ford set him back in the closing laps to finish 18th.

Buescher began the night from the 27th position after finishing seventh in his heat race Saturday night. In total, cautions dominated much of the action with 14 in total that spanned 73 laps.

Buescher worked his way inside the top-20 halfway through the second stage and went on to finish 17th at the end of it by lap 150. After restarting there with 100 to go, the 2022 Bristol night race winner began methodically picking off positions as four cautions flew in the final stage alone.

He was 15th on a restart with 43 laps remaining, and worked his way to 12th when the final caution flew with 15 to go. He fired off 12th with eight to go, turning some of his fastest laps of the race when the No. 12 went spinning just in front, forcing Buescher to check up on the high side, ultimately losing all momentum. With just a handful of laps remaining he was only able to battle back to 18th.

Race action continues next week at another short track, Martinsville Speedway, with race coverage Sunday set for 3 p.m. on FS1. Radio coverage can be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Keselowski Finishes 17th on Bristol Dirt

By
Official Release
-

King’s Hawaiian Ford Survives Dramatic 250 Laps

BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 9, 2023) – In the third iteration of the Bristol Dirt Race, survival was again a theme as Brad Keselowski did just that, finishing 17th in the King’s Hawaiian Ford.

The 2012 Cup Champion began the night from the 31st position, but took advantage of 14 different cautions throughout – totaling 73 laps – to carve his way through the field slowly but surely.

Keselowski essentially made up all of the ground in the third and final stage as he began it from the 34th position, and from there kept advancing through the field as four cautions were displayed in the final 100 laps. He was 24th with 48 to go and restarted 21st with 15 to go before ultimately driving to the 17th-place result.

Short-track action continues next weekend at Martinsville Speedway with race coverage on Sunday set for 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Bristol Dirt

By
Barry Albert
-

BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

RACE: FOOD CITY DIRT RACE DATE: APRIL 9, 2023

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START – 7TH STAGE ONE – 19TH STAGE TWO – 32ND FINISH – 19TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric finished 19th in the third edition of the Food City Dirt Race Sunday evening on the red Tennessee clay at Bristol Motor Speedway. Cindric rolled off the grid seventh after a stout performance in his heat race. Cindric maintained his top-10 pace for the first chunk of Stage 1 but slipped to 19th at the end of the segment as he struggled with drive off. Under the six-minute service clock, Cindric pitted for a list of adjustments to aid the handling of the car in preparation for Stage 2. Cindric restarted 19th and navigated a slew of cautions, but sustained damage to the right rear toward the end of the stage, dropping to 32nd. The driver of the Discount Tire Ford Mustang steered the car to pit road for the second service break to receive a right-rear toe link repair, fresh tires, adjustments and fuel. Cindric restarted 32nd for the final showdown and avoided various late-race incidents to collect a 19th-place finish.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Yeah, it was a pretty crazy night. I wish I could do it all over again with my experience from tonight and just kind of knowing where the track was going to go and what I needed out of my car. I feel like we could have saved ourselves from losing some track position early. I got to trying too hard to run the top and made a mistake, getting some damage. The team did a great job fixing it and getting the toe link swapped back on. We made some spots back up and clawed back through the field to get inside the top 20, avoiding some craziness. Overall, it was an OK day, but kind of a disappointment after a really good Saturday. I learned a lot.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/MAYTAG FORD MUSTANG

START – 9TH STAGE ONE – 5TH STAGE TWO – 8TH FINISH – 23RD

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 team brought a strong Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang to Sunday night’s Food City Dirt Race as it showed top-five speed from the drop of the green flag. Blaney fought through a loose-handling condition on the entry and exit of the corners in the opening stage, but battled to cross the line fifth in Stage 1. Following a four-tire stop and a round of adjustments at the stage break, Blaney maintained his spot in the top-10 as the track began to change. He kept alternating between the high and low lines throughout Stage 2 while adapting to a slicker track surface, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the stage. Despite falling outside the top-10 in the early laps of the final stage, Blaney started to make his move forward by wrapping the bottom line in the corners and eventually made his way back into the top-five by lap 221. With under 20 laps to go, he picked off the next two in front of him to sit third in the running order before the caution flag flew on lap 235. Blaney chose the bottom lane to restart on the inside of row one as the field took the green flag with eight laps to go, but was spun by the No. 14 in turn one after contact with the left rear. Blaney avoided contact, but the race stayed green the rest of the way resulting in a 23rd-place finish.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I was excited to start on the front row [on the final restart]. I thought that we were kind of making the middle work and I was really pumped to start on the front row and see what we had, but we never got a shot. The 14 hit us from behind and that was it.”

Stewart-Haas Racing: Food City Dirt Race from Bristol

By
Official Release
-

STEWART-HAAS RACING
Food City Dirt Race

Date: April 9, 2023
Event: Food City Dirt Race (Round 8 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile, dirt oval)
Format: 250 laps, broken into three stages (75 laps/75 laps/100 laps)
Race Winner: Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (Toyota)

SHR Race Finish:

● Chase Briscoe (Started 14th, Finished 5th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)

● Kevin Harvick (Started 26th, Finished 9th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)

● Ryan Preece (Started 8th, Finished 24th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)

● Aric Almirola (Started 19th, Finished 31st / Running, completed 240 of 250 laps)

SHR Points:

● Kevin Harvick (3rd with 255 points, 26 out of first)

● Chase Briscoe (20th with 163 points, 118 out of first)

● Ryan Preece (27th with 108 points, 173 out of first)

● Aric Almirola (29th with 101 points, 180 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Briscoe earned his first top-five and second top-10 of the season, It was also his first top-10 in three career NASCAR Cup Series starts on dirt at Bristol

● This was Briscoe’s best finish so far this year. His previous best was seventh March 12 at Phoenix Raceway.

● This was Briscoe’s third straight top-15. He finished 15th March 26 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, and 12th last Sunday at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.

● Briscoe finished seventh in Stage 1 to earn four bonus points and sixth in Stage 2 to earn five more bonus points.

● Harvick earned his fifth top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in three career NASCAR Cup Series starts on dirt at Bristol.

● This was Harvick’s second straight top-10. He finished fifth last Sunday at Richmond.

● Preece finished fourth in Stage 1 to earn seven bonus points.

● Almirola finished 10th in Stage 2 to earn a bonus point.

Race Notes:

● Christopher Bell won the Food City Dirt Race to score his fifth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first on dirt at Bristol.

● Bell was the seventh different winner in the eight NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.

● There were 14 caution periods for a total of 73 laps, including the final lap, as the race ended under caution.

● All but 10 of the 37 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Bell leaves Bristol as the new championship leader with a 13-point advantage over second-place Ross Chastain.

Sound Bites:

“I just needed a little bit more on the top (of the track). I felt like I was OK. I just wasn’t quite as good. I thought the 45 (Tyler Reddick) was definitely probably the best. The 20 (Christopher Bell), I felt like I could kind of pace him, but it was going to be nearly impossible to pass him. There were a couple times I was close in (turns) one and two. I feel like I had my hands tied the whole time. I needed to be a little bit better. Overall, an awesome day for our Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang. A good, solid points night for us, which is something we haven’t had all season long. Wish we could’ve gotten the win. I thought it was an awesome race. I hope the fans thought it was, too. I had a lot of fun in the car.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang

“It just takes me too long to get going. It’s not that we don’t have a good car or can’t do it, it just takes me forever to figure out where I need to be. The more worn out and nasty the racetrack gets, the better I am, but it just took me too long to figure it out.” – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

“I think if we could’ve kept track position, we had a top-10 car. But when it got slick like that, I don’t know how many people were actually moving forward, but it was just try and hold on. Those last 75 laps or so, I mean, once you lose track position after Stage 1, man, you guys saw it, guys stayed out and they maintained it. What are you gonna do at that point? I don’t care if Chad (Johnston, crew chief) had a magic wand and I had a special set of tires that were staggered special, it wouldn’t have mattered. You just can’t do anything. There’s no grip anywhere. But that’s the third week in a row we’ve run top-10. It starts with running there to winning races, and we’ve showed speed, so that’s something. You’ve got speed but, ultimately, it’s certainly frustrating when you’re not getting the results of where you’re running and not really due to something that you can really control. But, at the end of the day, the clock resets at midnight. We’re moving forward and we’re gonna go to Martinsville with every bullet loaded, so we’ll be good.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang

“I tried. I was out of my comfort zone already running up there and I was doing way better than I thought I was capable, and I started really getting a feel for it and a rhythm and started to get comfortable. Then I went down into turn one and tried a little bit harder and slid through the cushion and got in the fence and broke the right-rear toe link, and then we lost 10 laps changing the right-rear toe link. I’m just disappointed in myself and mad at myself for throwing away a good finish, but I was trying and just made a mistake.” – Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the NOCO 400 on Sunday, April 16 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

How To Choose The Right Truck Accident Attorney: Top Tips And Tricks

By
SM
-
Photo by Quintin Gellar

You may comprehend the significance of contacting an attorney if you were involved in an accident involving a truck or suffered the loss of someone as a result of someone else’s negligence. Do not be concerned; many attorneys focus on this area of law. Finding a lawyer with expertise in handling truck accidents and a solid reputation is crucial. Truck accidents cause a disproportionately high number of injuries, which is the primary factor driving people to seek legal counsel. As there is a lot of turnover in the trucking industry, you must receive adequate reimbursement for your injuries to confirm that the truck driver was driving the truck lawfully. 

The following advice should assist you in making a choice when selecting a lawyer.

Do Not Work With the First Attorney You Meet With

You are never sure if the first attorney you visit will be the most suitable for your case, so this may not be the best advice. Before selecting a particular attorney, it is crucial to ask around and search for someone who focuses on truck accident cases. Due to websites that allow past clients to rate lawyers, this is now even more crucial. Anyone can post reviews about their interactions with a particular law firm on many websites. When analyzing reviews, it’s critical to distinguish between real clients and potential clients. 

When searching for a “truck accident lawyer,” you will find the best attorneys in this area who have received excellent reviews from previous customers. If you are looking for a truck accident lawyer in San Diego, do your research and find the right attorney for your case. Prioritize lawyers who specialize in truck accident cases and have received excellent reviews from previous clients.

Pay Attention to the Lawyer’s Location 

It is strongly advised to work with a law firm with an office if you need a truck accident attorney. This way, if something goes wrong during the procedure, you can stop by and speak with someone in person whenever you like. This is crucial because it can speed up and greatly increase the efficiency of the process. Additionally, it’s critical that your attorney return phone calls and provide options if, for reasons unknown, a face-to-face meeting with you is not possible. This will prevent the process from being slowed down. You can also inquire with a lawyer about the availability of an assistant to help you deal with your case. 

Trustworthy Law Firm

Look for a law firm with the most recent tools and resources when speaking with attorneys about your case. Additionally, you ought to seek out a business with a solid track record of obtaining compensation. For instance, it’s a good idea to research any recent judgments or agreements they have obtained. 

In the end, the attorney you select must be able to clearly explain the situation and give you access to all required information. You should request that their office send over any relevant paperwork as quickly as possible. This might involve documents, reports on your health, and other records that are pertinent to your situation.

Effective and Proper Communication

It should be easy for you to get in touch with your attorney whenever a problem arises. For instance, they should be ready to assist you if you decide to consult with a different medical professional or seek another point of view on an injury. 

When the current state of your case changes, for instance, or their office requires more time to compile a crucial element of your claim, they should get in touch with you. The ideal attorney will keep you informed of your case’s development and be accessible for inquiries. Additionally, they need to give you enough details about your situation so you can make a well-informed choice.

Transparency

The ideal attorney will provide you with all the information you need to make an educated choice. A competent attorney should also be able to outline the exact amount of their fee before beginning to work on your case. For instance, they must inform you if any of the settlement funds you obtain go toward covering their fees.

Rates Or Total Price 

Lawyer fees usually range between thirty-three percent and forty percent of the total compensation amount. If the lawyer is asking for fees above those amounts, you might want to search elsewhere. 

Finding a counselor who meets all the requirements is crucial, as you can see. Numerous variables will influence your settlement when you are pursuing a personal injury claim; for this reason, you must have an adept and knowledgeable lawyer on your side. Most cases don’t resolve for months or even ever. It is best to continue searching until you find an attorney who genuinely embodies the most crucial characteristics listed above.

1...1,5181,5191,520...6,649Page 1,519 of 6,649