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Weekend schedule for Richmond and Texas

By
Angie Campbell
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Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford, leads the field to start the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on April 03, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series head to Richmond Raceway. They will be joined by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour while the Craftsman Truck Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, March 31

Whelen Modified Tour – Richmond:
12:45 p.m.: Practice – No TV
4:15 p.m.: Qualifying – No TV
6:30 p.m.: Virginia is for Lovers 250 race – FloRacing /MRN – Rescheduled to Saturday, April 1 at 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 1

Xfinity Series – Richmond:
8:05 a.m.: Practice – FS1 – Canceled
8:35 a.m.: Qualifying – FS1 – Canceled – Justin Allgaier on Pole
Post Qualifying on Press Pass
1 p.m.: ToyotaCare 250 race
Distance: 187.5 miles (250 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 75, Stage 2 ends on Lap 150, Final Stage ends on Lap 250
The Purse: $1,721,030
Post Race on Press Pass

Cup Series – Richmond:
10:05 a.m.: Practice – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM – Canceled
10:50 a.m.: Qualifying – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM – Canceled – Alex Bowman on Pole
Post Qualifying on Press Pass

Truck Series – Texas:
10:35 a.m.: Practice – No TV
11:05 a.m.: Qualifying – No TV
4:30 p.m.: SpeedyCash.com 250 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Distance: 250.2 miles (167 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 77, Stage 2 ends on Lap 122), Final Stage ends on Lap 167
The Purse: $710,218

Sunday, April 2

Cup Series – Richmond:
3:30 p.m.: Toyota Owners 400 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Distance: 300 miles (400 laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 70, Stage 2 ends Lap 230, Final Stage ends on Lap 400
The Purse: $7,529,485
Post Race on Press Pass

Hendrick Motorsports statement

By
Official Release
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“We are grateful to the National Motorsports Appeals Panel for their time and attention,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “Today’s outcome reflects the facts, and we’re pleased the panel did the right thing by overturning the points penalty. It validated our concerns regarding unclear communication and other issues we raised. We look forward to focusing on the rest of our season, beginning with this weekend’s race at Richmond (Raceway).”

Jack Wood – No. 51 Sevwins Silverado Craftsman Trucks Texas Preview

By
Official Release
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Jack Wood: Driver, No. 51 Sevwins Chevrolet

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: SpeedyCash.com 250, Race 5 of 23, 167 Laps – 77/45/45; 250.5 Miles
Location: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile, quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: April 1, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his third start for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 Sevwins Chevrolet in Saturday’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. Wood is coming of a strong run at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he made his way to the front of the field before getting spun while leading with just over 20 laps remaining. The California native was able to rally in the closing laps to equal a Truck Series career-best result with a 10th-place finish. In his first start of the year, he qualified third for the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway but was relegated to a 27th-place finish after unexpected rain shortened the event while the No. 51 team was employing a strategy of riding at the back of the field to miss wrecks before moving forward late in the race.

The Texas race will the third of a 13-race schedule for Wood with KBM in 2023. Sevwins, a mental skills program for students, coaches and teams will serve as the primary sponsor for Saturday’s 167-lap event at the 1.5-mile quad-oval. Sevwins was also the sponsor last year when he finished 16th in his lone Truck Series start at Texas.

Wood will be looking to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Texas as he looks to collect the organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. KBM-owner driver Kyle Busch collected KBM’s record-extending 99th-career victory with his dominant victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. Overall, 18 different drivers have won at least race behind the wheel of a KBM truck, led by Busch’s 47. Four drivers rank second on the list with seven victories: Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. KBM’s nine Texas wins are the most the organization has at any track they’ve raced at. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has four Texas wins (2010, 2014, 2019 & 2020), while John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Greg Biffle (2019), Christopher Bell (2017), William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015) all have one Texas triumph.

Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie will call the shots for the No. 51 team this year in his first season at KBM after spending the last 14 seasons atop the pit box in the NASCAR Cup Series. It took the veteran signal caller just two races to get his first win at KBM, winning with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the Cup Series, his drivers produced six wins, nine poles, 57 top-five and 131 top-10 finishes across 528 starts. In 2012, he guided Clint Bowyer to three victories and a runner-up finish in the Cup Series championship standings. In 2017, he guided Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to two wins and a berth in the playoffs. The Florida native has also recorded 11 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and he now has two wins as a crew chief in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Pattie’s lone race atop the pit box in the Truck Series at Texas was a 21st-place finish with Ron Fellows in 1999. In the Cup Series, his driver’s collected four top-10 finishes across 27 starts and in the Xfinity Series posted three top-five and three top-10 finishes across 11 starts.

The No. 51 team currently ranks fifth in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings after four races.

William Byron will get behind the wheel of the No. 51 HendrickCars.com Silverado for his first of three races this year April 8 at the Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway. Owner-driver Kyle Busch will return to the No. 51 at Martinsville Speedway April 14.

Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

You’ve been traveling with the team to the races where you aren’t behind the wheel. What have you been able to learn by doing that?
“It’s been really good for me to go to the track and watch these races from a different angle that I normally don’t get to see. Being able to sit on the pit box with Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and understanding the communication that goes on between him and the engineer, as well as with him and the spotter and what the pit crew does during the race and all the kind of stuff you might not even think about. It’s been a good perspective for me to see. Starting to understand more of the behind the scenes of what happens on a race weekend. When you go as a driver, you are really just focused on driving the truck, but these couple races I’ve been able to learn quite a bit as far as team communication goes.”

Does the strong run you had at Atlanta give you confidence heading into this week’s race at Texas?
“Coming off a strong run at Atlanta, I’m definitely looking forward to Texas. I’ve just been really pleased with the speed that the KBM trucks have had this year, so as a driver that gives you a lot of confidence and makes you really excited for each race. I know that we are going to show up with a fast Sevwins Silverado. Texas is going to be a good one for me, it’s going to be different than anything I’ve raced on so far this year in the KBM equipment, but KBM has been really strong at Texas in past years. It’ll be interesting with us being there without Xfinity and Cup — the track preparation that SMI will be doing I feel like will be a little bit different than what we are used to. I think it’ll be a good day for us, we just need to keep the nose clean and maintain track position. The way that the pit stops are set up, your not going to be able to gain spots on pit road like we have been able to at the last couple of races, so that is going to throw a little curveball in there. It’s also going to be a lit bit longer of a race than what we are used to in the Truck Series as well, so I think you just need to keep your head in the game, maintain your track position and try to give the best feedback that you possibly can to your crew chief throughout the race so that you have what you need when it gets down to the end of the race.”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

  • Has produced two top-10 finishes across 37 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Posted a series-best 10th-place finish in August of 2021 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, equaled it at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2023.
  • Has compiled five laps led, one top-five and five top-10 finishes across 11 career ARCA Menards Series events.
  • Has totaled one top-five and four top-10 finishes across nine ARCA Menards East Series races.
  • Has totaled two top-five and seven top-10 finishes across 10 career starts in the ARCA Menards West Series.
  • Compiled one top-five and three top-10 finishes across 24 starts in the SRL Spears Southwest Tour from 2017 to 2021.
  • Jack Wood’s No. 51 Sevwins Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-66: The No. 51 Sevwins team will unload KBM-66 for Saturday’s race at Texas. This is the same chassis that Wood led two laps and scored a 10th-place finish with at Atlanta in his last start. This chassis has been victorious twice, both at Atlanta, winning with Corey Heim last year and with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch in 2021. Heim raced this truck to a seventh-place finish in last year’s Truck Series event at Texas.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected nine wins, four poles, 1065 laps led, 20 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.8 across 59 starts in the Lone Star State. KBM’s nine Texas wins are the most the organization has at any track.
  • Owner-driver Kyle Busch’s has four Texas wins for his organization (2010, 2014, 2019 & 2020). John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Greg Biffle (2019), Christopher Bell (2017), William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015) all have one Texas triumph.
  • KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (99) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway last year, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Lawless Alan – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Lawless Alan – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance
SpeedyCash.com 250 | Texas Motor Speedway (167 Laps / 250 Miles)
Saturday, April 1 | Fort Worth, Texas | 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 45 PlainsCapital Bank / MG Machinery LLC Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, California) | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Lawless Alan: Twitter: @lawlessalan25 | Instagram: @lawless_alan | Facebook: /LawlessAlanRacing | Web: www.lawlessalanracing.com

COTA Recap: Lawless Alan had a career-run going at COTA, battling in the top-10 for much of the day. Contact on a restart forced Alan below the esses, which resulted in a pass-through penalty, and ultimately took the No. 45 out of contention. Alan earned stage points and ran inside the top-10 for the majority of the race, before ultimately finishing 17th.

Alan on COTA: “Having a background in road racing helps me tremendously at the road courses, especially COTA. We had a great run until the penalty set us back. But, for us to rebound after the adversity to finish in the top-20 is a step in the right direction for our team.”

Alan at Texas Motor Speedway: Alan’s first start at Texas Motor Speedway came last season, where he finished 30th.

Alan on Saturday’s Race at Texas: “Much like Las Vegas, going to Texas for a second time will really help because I know what to expect. A good run in COTA makes me excited to be back behind the wheel this week in Texas.”

On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will carry MG Machinery LLC, PlainsCapital Bank, and Niece Equipment in Saturday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway.

MG Machinery offers construction, heavy equipment, and mining equipment. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, MG Machinery is more than a heavy equipment dealer.

PlainsCapital was founded in 1988 by former Hilltop Holdings Vice Chairman and Co-CEO Alan White and a group of investors who raised the capital to acquire Plains National Bank, a Lubbock financial institution with one branch and $198.8 million in assets.

Thirty years later, PlainsCapital Bank is the fourth-largest bank in Texas based on deposit market share. PlainsCapital has a statewide presence with more than 60 locations in markets such as Austin, the Coastal Bend, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley.

PlainsCapital has a diverse range of services, including commercial banking, treasury management, private banking, and wealth management, as well as consumer banking.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About AUTOChargit:
AUTOChargit designs, manufactures and installs EV charging systems for automated and conventional parking applications. AUTOChargit can decrease capital expenditures by up to 75 percent by providing automated coupling and decoupling of EV charging stalls from the power source. For conventional parking applications, a single 40-AMP circuit coupled with a single AUTOChargit System can be multiplexed to four, eight, or 12 stalls. Each charging stall is individually metered for the exact tracking of electricity usage. The AUTOParkit Mobile APP provides a touchless experience for the user.

About AUTOParkit:
-AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time.

-AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

-For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

Carson Hocevar – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Carson Hocevar – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance
SpeedyCash.com 250 | Texas Motor Speedway (167 Laps / 250 Miles)
Saturday, April 1 | Fort Worth, Texas | 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Michigan) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Carson Hocevar: Twitter: @CarsonHocevar | Instagram: @CarsonHocevar | Facebook: /carsonhocevarracing | Web: www.CarsonHocevar.com

COTA Recap: After a sixth-place qualifying run on Friday, Carson Hocevar’s Saturday would not go as smooth. The 20-year old driver battled mechanical problems in the latter-half of Stage One, which forced him to the garage with a 34th-place finish.

Hocevar on COTA: “We’ve put COTA behind us, and we’re focused on the tracks ahead that we can be strong at with our Worldwide Express Chevrolet. It’s easy to be discouraged after the high hopes we had in Austin, but at the end of the day, that’s racing.”

Hocevar at Texas Motor Speedway: With two starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Hocevar has an average finish of 7.5; the best among active Truck Series competitors with more than one start.

Hocevar on Saturday’s Race at Texas: “Our intermediate program has been strong over the past two years – that was evident in Las Vegas. Last year, we had a shot at winning Texas, but wound up forth. My confidence is high and I’m pumped to get another shot with this Worldwide Express team.

On the Truck: Hocevar’s No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About Worldwide Express:

The WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S. , with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. The WWEX Racing initiative was borne of a desire to address the complex but underserved logistic needs of the performance motorsports industry, using the unique combination of capabilities offered by the three brands’ combined 80+ years of insight. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.

Chad Chastain – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Chad Chastain – SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance
SpeedyCash.com 250 | Texas Motor Speedway (167 Laps / 250 Miles)
Saturday, April 1 | Fort Worth, Texas | 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 41 GlobalTranz Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Chad Chastain (Alva, Florida) | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman Jr.
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Chad Chastain: Twitter: @chadchastain36 | Instagram: @chad36chastain | Facebook: /ChadChastainRacing

The No. 41 Truck Last Week at COTA: At Circuit of the Americas, the No. 41 Silverado picked up another top-five finish with Ross Chastain behind the wheel. A fuel cell issue forced a lengthy pit stop under yellow in the third stage, but ultimately, Chastain made his way through the field to move the No. 41 team to ninth in the Owner’s Championship standings.

Chastain at Texas Motor Speedway: Saturday marks Chad Chastain’s first start at Texas Motor Speedway.

Chastain on First Truck Series Start of 2023 Season: “It’s super exciting to be back with Niece Motorsports this year with GlobalTranz and WWEX Racing. We started shipping Florida watermelons this week, and I get to race on Saturday. So needless to say, this is an exciting week for me.”

On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 41 GlobalTranz Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises of Worldwide Express, Unishippers, and GlobalTranz.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About Worldwide Express:

The WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S. , with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. The WWEX Racing initiative was borne of a desire to address the complex but underserved logistic needs of the performance motorsports industry, using the unique combination of capabilities offered by the three brands’ combined 80+ years of insight. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Richmond NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Richmond NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Richmond 250 (Round 7 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, April 1
• Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway
• Layout: .75-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1 p.m. EDT on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Richmond (Va.) Raceway for Saturday’s Richmond 250 and Cole Custer couldn’t be happier to be racing at a short track. After racing from the back of the field into a top-three position during last Saturday’s race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, the No. 00 Haas Automation driver looked to be in contention to fight for the win with AJ Allmendinger and Sheldon Creed. Contact with another car derailed those plans, however, as Custer fell off the lead lap and had to settle for a 32nd-place finish. He’s looking to turn his luck around at Richmond and hopes to continue to show speed as he heads to one of his best tracks on the schedule.

• The Richmond 250 will be Custer’s eighth Xfinity Series start at Richmond. Since his first start at the track in 2016, he has never finished outside of the top-15. In his last fulltime season in the Xfinity Series in 2019, Custer led a race-high 122 laps in the April race at Richmond and scored the win in his No. 00 Ford Mustang. He beat runner-up Austin Cindric by 2.639 seconds. He followed up that victory with a third-place finish when the series returned to Richmond in September. Custer and his SHR Ford also started on the pole and led 43 laps en route to a sixth-place finish in the April 2018 race there. In his first Xfinity Series start at the track in April 2016, he scored a sixth-place finish driving the No. 5 JR Motorsports entry.

• In addition to his Xfinity Series starts, Custer has six NASCAR Cup Series starts and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Richmond. His best outing was his 14th-place finish in his second Cup Series race there in September 2020. Custer’s first two Richmond starts came in the K&N Pro Series East in 2013 and 2014. The first year, he started and finished third after leading 24 of 100 laps, then qualified second and led a race-high 52 of 100 laps the following year en route to his fourth of four career victories in that series.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst isn’t slowing down. As the only fulltime Xfinity Series driver to finish in the top-10 every race this season, the No. 98 Monster Energy driver hopes to keep the momentum going during Saturday’s Richmond 250. After weeks of running in the top-three and contending for wins, Herbst is looking forward to his return to his favorite track on the circuit – Richmond Raceway. He has come to excel on the short tracks in the Xfinity Series, as was evident last season. In the four races at the tracks less than a mile in length, Herbst scored three top-fives last season, including a fifth-place finish in April on the .75-mile Richmond oval. He was third in November at the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Raceway paperclip, and fifth at the half-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September. He just missed a fourth short-track top-five last year when he finished sixth in the April race at Martinsville. Saturday’s race at Richmond will mark Herbst’s 16th on a short track. After finishing an impressive sixth in his first career start in June 2018 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Herbst has gone on to earn 11 more top-10s, including his last six short-track starts dating back to a third-place finish in September 2021 at Bristol.

• Saturday’s Richmond 250 will mark Herbst’s sixth at Richmond. In addition to last April’s fifth-place finish, he earned a fifth-place finish there in April 2021. In his five Richmond starts since debuting at the track in April 2019, Herbst has only finished outside the top-10 once. Strategy calls by crew chief Richard Boswell and Herbst’s savvy driving led to the 24-year-old driver’s top-fives in his last two visits to the track. Both came as a result of late-race calls to take tires and good restarts by Herbst.

• Herbst’s top-10s in each of the first six Xfinity Series races is his best career start to a season, elevating him to second in the points standings, just 15 points behind the championship leader Austin Hill. Dating back to his eighth-place result last October at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he’s posted nine consecutive top-10s. In the midst of that Xfinity Series top-10 streak, Herbst also scored another pair of top-10s outside the series. He co-drove to a third-place finish in November’s Baja 1000 in the family’s Herbst Motorsports trophy truck, and his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 in February resulted in a 10th-place finish behind the wheel of the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang.

• Monster Energy will once again adorn the hood of Herbst’s No. 98 Ford Mustang this weekend at Richmond, but he won’t be the only Herbst in a vehicle sporting the iconic green monster claw. Across the country, Monster Energy will also be on the Herbst Motorsports trophy trucks in the San Felipe 250. Just before Herbst takes the green flag in Saturday’s race at Richmond, his younger cousins, Pierce, Thor, and EJ Herbst, and his uncle Tim will take over the reins of the family’s Monster Energy trophy trucks for a 9 a.m. PDT race start in San Felipe, Mexico. NASCAR on FOX featured the Herbst off-road racing legacy in a segment on the March 4 Las Vegas Motor Speedway pre-race show. Watch the full feature HERE, and follow the Herbst family entries in the San Felipe 250 via live tracking on SCORE International Saturday morning prior to the Xfinity Series race.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

Time to put COTA behind you and move on to a track where you’ve won in the past. How excited are you to head to Richmond in search of another victory?

“I’m ready for Richmond. It’s a track that I’ve won at before, so I’m hoping we can find a little magic there this weekend. It’s going to be hard, though. Unlike the race I won, this is a day race. The track’s going to be hot and slick. Honestly, it can be a really frustrating racetrack. I feel like you go there and fight the same thing every single time. The difference is just how emphasized your problems are, so hopefully we can get into the corner how we want to and go for the win.”

The SHR short-track program has been strong in the past, but even more so the past few years. What are your goals, both as a driver and a team, in these short-track races?

“I mean we want to go and win every race that we’re in, both myself as a driver and the overall team. Obviously, Riley (Herbst) has had some good runs on short tracks in his career and with SHR. I’m hoping to kind of lean on him with this new package and get us both up there to compete for the win at the end. We want both cars to be as competitive as possible, so we’ll continue to work together as one team.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

We’re heading to Richmond Raceway for the first true short-track race of the season. How do you think the new rules and package on the Xfinity Series cars will affect the racing there?

“I don’t think anyone knows how this package will affect the short-track races. It’s going to be different, for sure. We’ve put some simulator time in to try and figure it out, but I don’t think we’ll know until we hit the track on Saturday for practice. I could definitely see it forcing the drivers to come off the corners a little straighter but, again, there are things you just have to figure out by getting behind the wheel of the car. I’m excited to get to Richmond, though. It’s one of my favorite racetracks on the circuit. I feel like if we can do everything right, we’ll be a contender at the end of the race.”

You came out of the gate strong in 2023, now the only driver to finish in the top-10 in every race so far, and you’re contending for wins. How close do you think you are to scoring that first career Xfinity Series win?

“I think we’re close, but we’re always coming into a race competing to win. That’s never not been the plan. I could see us winning one of these next few races, though, and that’s exciting. There’s a new confidence on this team, and it’s honestly just showing how much hard work we’ve put in these past few years. I’m proud of how much I’ve matured as a driver, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to grow with. I’m hoping to put them and my biggest supporters at Monster Energy in victory lane soon.”

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview: Richmond Raceway

By
Official Release
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Race Information

  • Round: NASCAR Cup Series race No. 7 of 36
  • Track Location: Richmond Raceway – Richmond, Virginia
  • Race Name: Toyota Owners 400
  • Broadcast: Sunday, April 2nd at 3:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio) Sirius XM NASCAR Ch. 90
  • Team Entrants:

No. 42 | Noah Gragson & Luke Lambert – Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro Zl1
No. 43 | Erik Jones & Dave Elenz – U.S. Air Force Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Richmond Raceway Stats

  • NCS Starts: 1; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 24th (2022)
  • NXS Starts: 7; Wins: 1 (2021); Best start: 3rd; Top 5s: 3; Top 10s: 5; Laps led: 48

2023 NCS Season Stats

  • Starts: 6, Best start: 10th; Best finish: 12th (Atlanta); Laps led: 1; Current points position: 26th
  • About Sunseeker Resorts: Opening in 2023, Florida’s newest luxury resort located in Charlotte Harbor is the first resort property of Sunseeker Resorts, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company. Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor occupies over 22 waterfront acres with 785 guest rooms, including 189 Signature Sunsuites™. Set upon the Peace River and Florida Gulf Coast, this premier resort offers 20 original food and beverage concepts; including seven stand-alone restaurants, eleven bars and lounges, two poolside offerings and a 25,000-square-foot multi-dining experience. Additional hotel amenities include a waterfront promenade, two unique rooftop and waterfront pool experiences, 60,000-square-feet of combined convention space, full-service spa and salon, a 7,100-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center with four group exercise studios with specialty instructor lead classes, three retail and market shops, and an 18-hole championship level golf club exclusive to hotel guests only. The resort is conveniently located within a short drive of Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Tampa airports. For more information, visit www.sunseekerresorts.com. Follow on Instagram: @sunseekerresorts and like us on Facebook: @sunseekerresorts.
  • A memorable win: Richmond Raceway holds a special memory in the NASCAR career of Noah Gragson. At 23 years old, Gragson won the Xfinity race at Richmond on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Gragson’s post-race interview was one of reflection and he was able to honor America by stating the day wasn’t about the win, but about honoring those lost. Gragson’s crew chief at the time was Dave Elenz.
  • Above Average: Throughout Gragson’s seven starts at Richmond in the Xfinity Series, he has an average finish of 9.4 coupled with three top-five and five top-10 finishes. Gragson has led 48 laps around the track with one win. He has one start at Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series but with a 22nd place finish in 2022 completing 397 of 400 laps.

-Lambert at Richmond: Crew chief Luke Lambert has 17 starts with four different drivers at Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series. He’s coached drivers to two top-five and five top-10 finishes with 36 laps led throughout the years.

-Don’t forget the coffee: As announced prior to the Circuit of the Americas race event, Black Rifle Coffee Company will support Gragson and the No. 42 team for six races this season. They are offering NASCAR fans 25% off a first time purchase or subscription. To redeem the offer, go to Black Rifle Coffee Company and use the code “BRCCMOTOR” at checkout. Follow on Instragram, Facebook, and YouTube, or subscribe to Coffee or Die’s daily newsletter for updates.

  • NG Appearances:

Sunday, April 2nd | Trackside Merchandise Trailer: Noah will sign for fans at his souvenir/merchandise rig located in the Midway at Richmond Raceway from 12 – 12:30p.m. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB merchandise rig is shared with JR Motorsports.

  • From the Drivers Seat: “I’m looking forward to Richmond this weekend. The No. 42 team has been rallying back the last two weeks with strategy and speed. The pit crew has been awesome. My first race win at Richmond in Xfinity was really special and I was able to drive the NextGen car last fall in a Cup car. We are making some progress as a team and each week things are coming together more and more.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Richmond Raceway Stats

  • NCS Starts: 11; Best start: 5th; Best finish: 6th (Fall, 2017); Top 10s: 1
  • NXS Starts: 4; Poles: 1 (Spring, 2016); Best finish: 2nd (Fall, 2016); Top 5s: 3; Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 19

2023 NCS Season Stats

  • Starts: 6; Best start: 8th; Best finish: 8th (Atlanta); Top 10s: 1, Laps led: 14, Current points position: 21st
  • About The United States Air Force: The mission of the United States Air Force is to fly, fight and win – airpower anytime, anywhere. Whether full time, part time, in or out of uniform, everyone who serves plays a critical role in helping us achieve mission success. For 2023, the Air Force Recruiting Service is hiring over 26,000 new Airmen. An emphasis is on recruiting people with no prior military service into one of over 130 enlisted career opportunities. The Air Force recruits to retain, so we recruit the brightest candidates possible, then provide them with tough, highly technical training that gives them the right skills to sustain the combat capability of America’s Air Force. For more information about Air Force benefits and opportunities, go to www.airforce.com.
  • U.S. Air Force Adds to Partnership Schedule: The three-race partnership between LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and the United States Air Force was announced prior to the start of the 2023 season-opening DAYTONA 500. In its 15th season with the team, The U.S. Air Force uses their partnership with the team to activate at-track for recruiting efforts. Due to excitement with the program and the proximity to headquarters in Washington D.C., the U.S. Air Force will add an additional primary to the schedule, which will hit the track this weekend. Driver Erik Jones will pilot a red, white and blue-themed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds paint scheme on the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday.
  • Qualifying Strength: Erik Jones continues to flex his muscle in qualifying sessions on several occasions this year. For a moment in Group A qualifying last weekend, Jones held the track record at Circuit Of The Americas, topping the charts in round one. Ultimately, Jones would start in the eighth position, besting his 10th place qualifying lap at Phoenix Raceway. Last year at Richmond, Jones put up a lap in his No. 43 Chevrolet that was fast enough to place him in fifth for the initial start. He looks to continue this single lap speed this weekend and turn it into more.
  • From the Driver’s Seat: This weekend, you will have the added support from the U.S. Air Force on your No. 43 Chevrolet. What does it mean to you to drive this special Thunderbirds paint scheme?

“It’s pretty cool to have the U.S. Air Force on the No. 43 – its year three for me as a driver to represent them. Having the Air Force Thunderbirds paint scheme this weekend – its just a really good looking car – its probably my favorite Air Force paint scheme over the last few years. I’m happy to have them onboard and I hope to have a good run for them. We’ve come close a few times to getting them a win in some speedway races, so hopefully we can get it done this at Richmond this weekend.”

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, and Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

Daniel Dye – Texas Preview

By
Official Release
-

EVENT PREVIEW: TEXAS
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Saturday, April 1 | 4:30 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: Travis Sharpe
Owner: Maury Gallagher
Primary Sponsors: KIX Country, Solar-Fit

NASCAR Truck Series Stats:
Starts: 4
Points: 17th

Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023
Race: 4:30 PM ET
Length: 250 Miles
Coverage: FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, FOX Sports App

Onboard Camera
Daniel Dye will again be featured with an onboard camera on the FOX Sports broadcast at Texas Motor Speedway. Race to Stop Suicide and ShopDanielDye.com is this week’s presenting partner for live coverage on the No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado.

TV Ratings on FS1 & FOX Sports App
700,000 people tuned in to the live broadcast at Circuit of the America’s on March 26. The event was rebroadcast several times, averaging more than 112,000 viewers each.

Texas Motor Speedway Stats

Daniel Dye will be making his first start in any series at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

Starts: 4; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 16th (Atlanta); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 17th

About KIX Country 98.7 FM
WAKX (98.7 FM, “KIX Country 98.7”) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Palm Coast, Florida. The station is owned by Flagler County Broadcasting and the broadcast license is held by Flagler Broadcasting, LLC. WAKX shares radio studios in Bunnell, Florida, with sister stations WBHQ (92.7 FM) and WNZF (1550 AM).

Chassis History/Info
Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 330 in the Lone Star state. The chassis has raced one time previously at Texas Motor Speedway in 2020, where Zane Smith led 26 laps with it before finishing in 19th. The truck has one win to its credit, coming at Dover Motor Speedway in 2020 driven by Smith. Dye last drove this Chevrolet in Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, where he finished in 16th.

Sunoco Rookie Battle
A respectable 18th place finish at COTA was salvaged by Daniel Dye after suffering a catastrophic setback in practice that forced the No. 43 team to replace his engine, transmission, rear gear, and more. Dye would start shotgun on the field in Saturday’s XPEL 225, but worked his way through the field methodically, climbing 18 spots in the process to earn a top-20 finish. Dye is now tied for second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with Jake Garcia, 33 markers behind Nick Sanchez.

Quarter Midgets to Trucks
This weekend might be the first time that Dye races on the 1.5-mile intermediate track layout on the property, but he has raced at Texas Motor Speedway once before in a different capacity. On June 9th, 2018, Daniel competed in a quarter midget race held in the parking lot of TMS, and even went home with the trophy. Dye continues to show his support for quarter midget racing, often spending his time with his eight-year-old nephew, Jet Risley, who currently races in the same class Dye began his career in.

DD Appearances
Fans attending the Speedy Cash 250 will have an opportunity to meet Daniel Dye on race day:

Located in a tent just outside of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage area, fans can meet all three GMS Racing drivers in an autograph session from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM local time.

From the Driver’s Seat

Thoughts on competing at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

“I’m looking forward to going to Texas with our No. 43 team this weekend, it’s another intermediate track on our schedule but quite a bit different than what we had in Las Vegas and Atlanta. It will be a new challenge for us, but I’m going to learn all day throughout practice, qualifying, and through the first stage of the race. I haven’t been to that track since I raced quarter midgets out in the parking lot a few years ago, so I think it will be a fun experience to come full-circle by racing at the big track.”

TOYOTA LAUNCHES SUPRA SHOWDOWN PROGRAM FOR SELECT NHRA EVENTS

By
Official Release
-

POMONA, Calif. (March 29, 2023) – Toyota, the official car of the NHRA, is pleased to unveil their new at track program, the Supra Showdown, this weekend at the Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip.

“After a stellar debut season with the Toyota GR Supra Funny Car on track, we look forward to showcasing the Toyota GR Supra in the Supra Showdown at select events this season,” said Paul Doleshal, group manager, motorsports, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “We think this is a great way to engage the fans and highlight the Supra’s performance as the fans prepare for the exciting NHRA action on track.”

The Supra Showdown will feature two identical Toyota GR Supras making passes down iconic dragstrips across the country as part of NHRA national events. Toyota will pit its Top Fuel drivers against its Funny Car drivers in each race and keep a season-long tally on round wins to establish a team winner. The finale will take place in Charlotte in the fall, where Toyota will donate to the charities aligned with the winning team and drivers. For the 2023 season, Team Top Fuel drivers will compete for Matco Tools for a Cause (AB Motorsports), Wyakin Foundation (Davis Motorsports), Feeding America (Kalitta Motorsports) and East Texas Treatment Center (Torrence Racing). The Team Toyota Funny Car drivers will compete for A Soldier’s Child Foundation (Ron Capps Motorsports), Feeding America (Kalitta Motorsports) and Austin Pets Alive (DC Motorsports).

The Supra Showdown will provide fan engagement opportunities with the on-track racing action at races in Pomona, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Chicago, Bristol and Sonoma, before the finale at the fall Countdown race at zMax Dragway. When the Toyota GR Supras are not racing on track, they will be featured at the Toyota Racing Experience fan display in the NHRA midway.

Toyota is coming off another stellar season in NHRA action as Ron Capps delivered a Funny Car championship in his first season with the Toyota GR Supra, while all five Toyota’s Top Fuel drivers scored top-10 finishes in the season-long point standings – highlighted by Antron Brown’s runner-up finish. For the 2023 NHRA season, Toyota will continue to support Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley, Brown, Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon and Steve Torrence, along with Funny Car’s Capps, Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd as Toyota plans to secure its latest drag racing milestone – its 200th NHRA victory – this year.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 20 electrified options, with more in showrooms later this year.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

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