Home Blog Page 1520

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol Dirt

By
Jeffrey Boswell
-
Photo by Chad Wells for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Christopher Bell: Bell led 100 laps and held off Tyler Reddick to win the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol.

“I’m thrilled to get this win,” Bell said. “Not only is it big for the Playoffs, but I also got that big trophy plus a sweet gladiator sword. There are two things I can’t wait to do with that sword: 1, Show it off to my friends, and 2, ship it to Mexico and ask Kyle Busch to bring it back the next time he’s there.”

2. Tyler Reddick: Reddick was on the charge late, attempting to catch Christopher Bell, but ran out of time and had to settle for his second consecutive runner-up finish in the Bristol Dirt Race.

“If you saw my post-race interview with Fox’s Jamie Little,” Reddick said, “then you’re well aware that I’m used to coming up a little short.”

3. William Byron: Byron finished 13th at Bristol.

“My team was penalized again after failing inspection at Richmond,” Byron said. “But let’s be honest, we’re just trying to make our car faster; NASCAR keeps catching us. They’re preventing us from making a ‘fast getaway (with it).'”

4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished seventh at Bristol, as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell captured the win.

“Bell’s one of the best drivers on tracks like this,” Truex said. “His name has become synonymous with ‘dirt.’ The name ‘Denny Hamlin’ brings up similar associations, because his name is ‘Mud’ when it comes to retaliatory maneuvers on the track.”

5. Ross Chastain: Chastain finished a disappointing 28th at Bristol, one lap down.

“Dirt track racing is not my cup of tea,” Chastain said. “If I did have a cup of tea, I’m sure someone would have a problem with it. And with it being Easter, I’m sure I’d get crucified for it.”

6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Bristol.

“Michael Waltrip was joined on his Bristol ‘Grid Walk’ by the Easter Bunny,” Harvick said. “From what I understand, the Easter Bunny doesn’t speak, yet he’s still a better interviewer than Waltrip.”

7. Kyle Larson: Larson started on the pole at Bristol and won Stage 1, but was knocked out of the race by Ryan Preece on Lap 177. He finished 35th.

“I think Preece was retaliating for earlier contact between us,” Larson said. “Does he know who I am? Heck. Does he know who he is? Obviously not, because he’s out there trying to make a name for himself.”

8. Joey Logano: Logano had an eventful day, full of spins and contact with other cars, and was finally knocked out of the race on Lap 96. He finished 37th.

“My car was all over the place,” Logano said. “That place was ‘last.'”

9. Kyle Busch: A broken shock with 13 laps to go ended Busch’s night in the Food City Dirt Race. He finished 32nd.

“It wasn’t the finish I was looking for,” Busch said. “On the bright side, though, I got to shake hands with Tim Tebow. That’s probably as close as I’m gonna get to feeling the hand of God. That is, a God-awful NFL quarterback.”

10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney ran near the front for the majority of the night at Bristol, but a spin on a restart with eight laps to go cost him a top-five finish. He finished 23rd.

“The track conditions changed quite a bit over the duration of the race,” Blaney said. “If you took a look at the stands, you noticed that the track was the only thing ‘packed.'”

NASCAR suspends Cody Ware, indefinitely, after arrest

By
Tucker White
-
RICHMOND, Va. - APRIL 2: Cody Ware, driver of the #51 Biohaven/Jacob Co. Ford, and Josh Berry, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on April 2, 2023, in Richmond, Virginia. Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

NASCAR suspended Cody Ware, indefinitely, Monday, following his arrest on felony assault charges.

Ware was arrested, Monday, in Iredell County, North Carolina, on charges of “assault by strangulation — inflict serious injury” and “assault on female.” Furthermore, he’s being held on a $3000 bond. At press time, no details were released on the incident(s) that led to his arrest, or if he posted bond.

Ware sat out Sunday’s Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Rick Ware Racing said, Saturday, he would miss the race, because he was “focusing on a personal matter.”

Mike Marsal Scores 5th at San Felipe

By
Official Release
-

San Felipe, Mexico (10 April 2023) – Mike Marsal opened up the SCORE World Desert Championship season this week with the King Shocks 36th SCORE San Felipe 250 fueled by Baja Vida.

Marsal piloted the No. 236 Spy+ Trophy Truck Spec entry with navigator Hudson Hall as the duo opened up the four-event 2023 SCORE championship campaign.

Marsal qualified on Wednesday before Saturday’s race. Ending with a 6:53.786-second qualifying time, Marsal qualified 25th out of 43 entries on a five mile desert course that is separate from the course used for the race.

The original course was set with a 263.50 mile course over a summit, but on Friday the course was reconfigured to go around the Mini Summit due to the danger of the summit for the bigger vehicles. The change added 19.01 miles to the original course for all four wheel vehicles making the race distance 282.51 miles of tough terrain to cover.

Rolling off the starting line a little after 10:00 am PT on Saturday, Marsal took off into the Baja California, Mexico desert. Over the following five hours and fifteen minutes, Marsal and Hall took on every thing that the desert had to challenge them.

“It was a rough race,” said Marsal. “At RM 3 the coms line wiggled out from behind the dash and the navigation screen on the drivers side failed. We were forced to run the race with no communication and no navigation screen on the drivers side. I am thankful we had so many pre-run miles, it really demonstrated just how familiar we were with the course. San Felipe is all about finding the lines and we did exactly that. The time and preparation we put into the race was apparent.”

The Trophy Truck Spec kept an average moving speed of 48.5 mph, Marsal had passed 20 Trophy Truck Spec competitors on the way to taking a strong fifth place class finish to open up the championship campaign.

“We started in the middle of the pack and I think we worked our way up a decent amount on corrected time,” continued Marsal. “The truck ran flawlessly. It has been an awesome race. There was a lot to get through and we hit a couple trees, took out a cactus, but all in all, the Spy truck is in one piece. I want to thank the entire crew and the Grabowski brothers for doing all the pits, the people of Baja and my family, wife and kids back home.”

Marsal will be back in action May 31 – June 4th for the BFGoodrich 55th SCORE Baja 500 presented by 4Wheel Parts.

Check out Marsal’s qualifying on board at https://youtu.be/N6bRcHSBiVk

Meyer Shank Racing Preps for Big Double-Header Weekend in Long Beach

By
Official Release
-
(Photo by Brian Cleary/bcpix.com)

Pataskala, Ohio (10 April 2023) – For the first time this season Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will have both of its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and NTT INDYCAR SERIES programs competing on the same weekend and on the same circuit.

MSR will kick off the weekend with the IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday, April 15th with live coverage on USA Network / SiriusXM Ch. 207 starting at 5:00pm ET. Then on Sunday, MSR will close out the weekend with round 3 of the IndyCar season starting at 3:00pm ET on NBC / SiriusXM Ch. 160.

Meyer Shank Racing Ready to Tackle the Streets of Long Beach for Round 3 of IMS Competition

After running the two longest races on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) with Curb-Agajanian now sets its sights on the shortest with Saturday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun will share the No. 60 Autonation / SiriusXM Acura ARX-06 in the 100-minute sprint in America’s longest-running street race.

This will be MSR’s sixth start on the 1.968-mile circuit. Last year, Blomqvist qualified third and placed fourth in an Acura ARX-05 DPi – missing a podium finish by a mere 0.966-seconds.

Blomqvist’s only other start at Long Beach was in 2019, when he finished seventh in GTLM.

Braun is an eight-time competitor at Long Beach, winning the Prototype Challenge class in 2013 and taking third overall. He also took home a third place finish the previous year in 2012. Braun also finished a lead-lap seventh in his lone Grand-Am start at the circuit.

Braun ran in five WeatherTech Championship races, scoring three top-10 finishes. Braun’s most recent appearance was in 2021, when he was 10th in GTD.

Prior to last year, MSR’s best Long Beach finish was in 2006, when Ozz Negri and Mark Paterson co-drove a Daytona Prototype to a fifth-place finish. The team also finished sixth in 2015 with Negri and John Pew in a Honda HPD Ligier JS P2.

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach begins on Saturday at 5:05pm ET. Live television coverage will be on USA beginning at 5 p.m. ET and IMSA Radio coverage on SiriusXM Ch. 207.

IMSA Driver quotes:

Tom Blomqvist:

“Long Beach is a really cool event and it’s a track that I enjoy driving at. It’s just a cool event, especially being right downtown and seeing all of the fans.We had a good showing there last year, but it’s a new track for everyone with the GTP cars. We’re a bit unsure how we will stand, but we’ve had some good pace the first two rounds, so we’ll see what we can do on a street course.”

Colin Braun:

“I am really looking forward to the weekend. Long Beach is a unique circuit and with the prior two IMSA rounds being at very different styles of tracks, I think we are all excited to see what our Acura GTP car will do around this iconic street circuit! It is a huge home race for Acura & HPD, so the pressure will be on, but I know everyone at MSR has been working extremely hard to be prepared and put on a great show!”

MSR Looking to Continue Positive IndyCar Momentum on the Streets of Long Beach

Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) bounced back from a tough 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener by posting a top-ten finish at Texas Motor Speedway two weeks ago, as both AutoNation / SiriusXM drivers finished better than they started.

The Ohio-based team looks to continue its climb this weekend at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, one of the signature events of the IndyCar calendar, hosting IndyCar racing since 1984.

Both Helio Castroneves (No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) and Simon Pagenaud (No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) are looking forward to making a start on the second street course of the 2023 IndyCar season. Unfortunately the St. Pete season opener ended on lap 1 for both Castroneves and Pagenaud, but both drivers and MSR feel that they have a strong street course package and are looking forward to showcasing that on Sunday.

Both the team and its drivers have earned solid results at Long Beach, with MSR carding top-10 finishes in each of the last two years, highlighted by a seventh-place run in 2021.

Both Castroneves and Pagenaud have visited Victory Lane in Long Beach, with Castroneves winning in 2011 to go with three other event podiums (2000, 2015, 2016). Pagenaud led 28 laps to win the 2016 race and also finished second in 2012.

The 85-lap Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will air on NBC on Sunday starting at 3 p.m. ET. Saturday’s qualifying will be shown live on Peacock beginning at 3:05 p.m. ET. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 160.

INDYCAR Driver Quotes:

Simon Pagenaud:

“I’m excited for Long Beach, it’s my favorite street course race and I just going to California because that is where my wife is from. We have a really good street course package in St. Pete, so I have a lot of confidence at that track. Obviously with the position that we are at right now, if I am second, I think I am going to go for first. It’s definitely going to be an exciting weekend and I am going to give it my A+ game.”

Helio Castroneves:

“Long Beach is a really great place and it’s been there for so many years. It’s probably one of the oldest street courses in the IndyCar Championship. It’s a challenging place because all street courses are different. We learned a lot from last year and I think we’re going into the weekend with confidence. Now let’s make things happen with the No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM car!”

NABC® partners with PPG to raise awareness about distracted driving

By
Official Release
-

INDYCAR Champion Josef Newgarden urges drivers to keep the focus on the road

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (April 10, 2023) — The National Auto Body Council® (NABC) today announced the launch of the second year of its campaign to raise awareness about distracted driving with the help of partner PPG (NYSE: PPG) and its NTT INDYCAR® SERIES driver, Josef Newgarden.

PPG will again work with NABC® and utilize the star power of Newgarden, a two-time INDYCAR Champion, to support National Distracted Driving Awareness month, part of NABC’s Drive Out Distraction program, launched in 2021 to raise public awareness about one of the leading causes of traffic collisions.

During Distracted Driving Month, NABC® is running a social media campaign to share the message about the dangers of distracted driving. It also has provided NABC® members with educational materials to use in their locations to inform their customers of ways they can be safer on the road.

“Education and intervention remain critical to promoting safe driving. We want to provide some simple solutions that help eliminate distraction in the vehicle, and by working with PPG, we can amp up the volume on our campaign,” said Scott Sampley, chairman of the NABC® Board of Directors. “For example, by simply turning on your ‘do not disturb’ message, you can greatly reduce interruptions from phone calls, texts and posts that take your attention away from the road.”

“We are excited to be partnering again with NABC® for Distracted Driving Month,” said Tom Wolf, PPG strategic sales account director, Automotive Refinish. “Safety is a core PPG value and we want to promote safe practices whether at work, home, or on the move, to help ensure that everyone returns home safely each day.”

“Focus behind the wheel is key to success, whether driving a personal car or a racecar,” added Newgarden, a 26-time INDYCAR race winner. “We need to make sure we stay focused on the road to help keep everyone safe. Talking and texting on cell phones can create distractions, and so can other activities such as tuning the radio, focusing on GPS, or eating and drinking.”

The NABC® Drive Out Distraction program educates drivers and their passengers about reducing distracted driving with a national campaign that focuses on:

  • Preparing for the road trip by downloading directions, checking weather and traffic conditions, setting the radio station and familiarizing yourself with the vehicle controls
  • Reducing cell phone distractions by setting devices to “do not disturb”
  • Eliminating in-car interruptions by securing pets, buckling in children and reminding passengers not to distract the driver with inappropriate behavior

To learn more about the NABC® Drive Out Distraction program or to take the #NABCDriveOutDistraction challenge, visit https://nationalautobodycouncil.org/programs/distracted-driving/.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®

The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,000 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for more than 5,000 First Responders and is helping educate students and adult drivers in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Drive Out Distraction program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $17.7 billion in 2022. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial, and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

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.

1...1,5191,5201,521...6,650Page 1,520 of 6,650