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CRAFTON, SMITH HIGHLIGHT ‘FAST FIVE’ STORYLINES FOR SATURDAY’S NCTS SPEEDYCASH.COM 250

  • ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton has made more starts at Texas Motor Speedway than anyone in all three of NASCAR’s National Series and INDYCAR.
  • Defending NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Zane Smith looking to sweep the “Texas Two Step” after last week’s win at Circuit of The Americas in Austin.

FORT WORTH, Texas (MARCH 29, 2023) – The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series continues its “Texas Two Step” as the two-race swing through the Lone Star State culminates with Saturday’s SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The series competitors will shift from last week’s twisting, 3.41-mile Circuit of The Americas permanent road course in Austin to the ultra-fast, high-banked 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth for the fourth race of the season.

The one-day show opens Saturday with a 30-minute practice beginning at 9:35 a.m. CT followed by qualifying at 10:05 a.m. Once the field is set, the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 will get underway at 3:30 p.m. (TV: FS1, Radio: MRN, SiriusXM).

The SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 is the companion event for Sunday’s PPG 375 (11:15 a.m., TV: NBC & Peacock. Radio: SiriusXM, INDYCAR Radio Network, 95.9 The Ranch-local).

Here’s a look at the “Fast Five” storylines for the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 NCTS race:

  1. ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton will extend his record for most career starts of any series that has competed at Texas Motor Speedway in Saturday’s SPEEDYCASH.COM 250. The 47-year-old Crafton, in his 23rd full NCTS season, will be making his 43rd TMS start, which dwarfs the career leaders in NASCAR’s other two national series and INDYCAR.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick owns the NASCAR Cup Series mark with 38 while Jeremy Clements of Jeremy Clements Racing holds the top spot in the Xfinity Series at 28. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, the INDYCAR career leader, will be making his 25th start in Sunday’s PPG 375.

Crafton is a two-time winner at Texas and has the track records for career top-five finishes (17) and top 10s (30). He also ranks second for career laps led at 444.

  1. Defending series champion Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports is producing a carbon copy of his run to last year’s title and is hopeful the script finishes out the same way.

A year ago, he won the season-opening race at Daytona and followed with his second victory of the season at Circuit of The Americas. He has done so again, winning last week at COTA by 5.451 seconds over runner-up Kyle Busch after a season-opening win at Daytona.

Smith, however, does find himself in a much better position in the NCTS points standings at this stage. Smith, who was 31 points behind leader Chandler Smith last season, exited COTA with the top spot, three ahead of ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski.

He is hopeful that he doesn’t mirror his 2022 result at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished six laps down and in 32nd place.

  1. ThorSport Racing’s driving trio of Ben Rhodes, Majeski and Crafton have combined for one win through the first four races of the season, but there is no need to fret for the organization.

ThorSport Racing currently holds three of the top six positions in the NCTS points standings heading into the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250. Majeski is two points behind Smith in second, Rhodes is 18 back in third and Crafton is 38 out in sixth.

Consistency has been the key as the group has combined for eight top-10 finishes, including four among the top five. Majeski and Rhodes have registered top 10s in three of the four races, including both having a pair of top-five performances, while Crafton has two top-10 finishes.

  1. The NCTS may want to issue directions to Victory Lane leading into the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250.

Of the expected 36 drivers in the field, only two current fulltime NCTS drivers have recorded victories in the series’ 26-year history at Texas Motor Speedway. Crafton is one as expected, with the ThorSport Racing veteran winning at Texas in 2014 and again the next season.

Joining Crafton is Stewart Friesen of Halmar Friesen Racing. Friesen earned his victory last season in overtime, marking his first win in 53 races dating to November of 2019.

  1. The most productive drivers in the last 10 races at Texas Motor Speedway include some of the usual suspects.

Crafton leads the way with nine top-10 finishes, including four among the top five. Grant Enfinger of GMS Racing has seven top-10 finishes, including five top-five efforts. Friesen has four top-five finishes and five top 10s overall. Rhodes has four top-10 finishes, including two among the top 10.

Interestingly, Friesen is the only one among the group with a win during the timeframe.

Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 events schedule consists of everything from the April 1-2 NTT INDYCAR SERIES/NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series doubleheader and the Sept. 23-24 NASCAR Playoffs weekend, car shows and competitions and the Ducks Unlimited Expo, the four-day Hwy 30 Music Fest and Bandas y Trocas Hispanic concert and truck show, and then wrapping up the year with the family-favorite and speedway tradition Gift of Lights holiday light show.

Season tickets and camping for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 major event season are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus buying individual tickets, get the best seat selection and more. All-new reduced rates are available for the GEICO Infield, GEICO VIP and WinStar World Casino & Resort Lone Star Circle camping areas. Click HERE for more information and to purchase season tickets.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 03.29.23

This Week in Motorsports: March 27-April 2, 2023

· NCS/NXS: Richmond Raceway – April 1-2
· NCTS: Texas Motor Speedway – April 1
· NHRA: Pomona Dragstrip – April 2
· ARCA WEST: Irwindale Speedway – April 1

PLANO, Texas (March 29, 2023) – It is the annual Toyota Owners weekend at Richmond Raceway this Saturday and Sunday, while the NASCAR Truck Series competes in Texas for the second straight weekend. The NHRA Drag Racing Series runs at iconic Pomona Dragstrip, while the ARCA cars are on-track on the West Coast in Irwindale, California.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Reddick looks to continue to impress… Tyler Reddick battled through multiple overtime restarts to win at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. It was his first victory for 23XI Racing and Toyota, and fourth of his career. Reddick has now earned three consecutive top-five finishes and moved inside the top-10 in points. The California-native is looking for his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond this weekend.

Hamlin ready for another home win… Denny Hamlin celebrated as a team owner on Sunday, and now the Chesterfield, Virginia-native is ready to pick up the victory while driving. Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gabehart proved to have the right strategy one season ago as he passed William Bryon with five laps to go to earn the win – his fourth Cup Series victory at the track.

Smith plans to cash in… Sammy Smith led all full-time Xfinity Series drivers with a fourth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas, which qualified the 18-year-old to run as part of the first Dash 4 Cash race in Richmond, with the top-finishing driver earning $100,000. Smith will be making his Richmond Raceway debut in the ToyotaCare 250 on Saturday.

Home track for Hunt… Sam Hunt, owner of Sam Hunt Racing, will be heading home when his two Toyota GR Supras compete on Saturday. Hunt, a Midlothian, Virginia-native, owns the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra driven by Connor Mosack and Kaz Grala’s No. 26 Toyota GR Supra. The team scored its best finish – a third place result by John Hunter Nemechek – at the track in 2021.

Friesen looking to go back-to-back… Stewart Friesen clinched his Playoff berth and earned his first win at Texas Motor Speedway in this race one season ago. He led 60 laps (of 149) to earn his first victory aboard a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

Ankrum continues strong start to the season… Tyler Ankrum earned a season-best fourth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday – the third top-10 run in as many starts on the Austin road course – to move Ankrum inside the current Playoff field. The California-native has had multiple strong runs at Texas Motor Speedway – including a third-place finish in his track debut in 2019.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Ashley plans to add another Pomona win… Fresh off his first victory of the season in Phoenix, Justin Ashley heads to California to compete at the Pomona Dragstrip. The New York-native is the defending race winner at the Winternationals.

Torrence leads again… Steve Torrence is still looking for his first victory of the season, but his strong performance in the first two events has put him on-top of the Top Fuel standings. Torrence began the season in the final round in Gainesville, before adding a semi-final performance in Phoenix.

DeJoria running well to begin the season… Alexis DeJoria and her DC Motorsports team has had a stellar start to the season. In Phoenix, DeJoria won the first #2Fast2Tasty challenge on Saturday before registering her second straight semi-final performance. The Texan heads to Pomona inside the top-five in the point standings.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West

Hingorani back close to home… One week after making his ARCA East debut, Sean Hingorani heads back closer to home to compete in ARCA West racing action at Irwindale Speedway. The California-native is making his track debut – one week after a top-five finish at Five Flags Speedway in Florida.

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EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Porsches Ready for Action at Sonoma Raceway

BATAVIA, Ohio. (March 29, 2023) – A new season in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS begins this week at Sonoma Raceway, and Wright Motorsports will launch the pursuit of the championship title with two Porsche 911 GT3 R entries. The father and son-in-law duo of Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen return to the series in No. 45 Porsche (type 992), and will be joined by team newcomers Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer in the No. 120 Porsche (type 991.2).

“It’s exciting to have a two-car program again in SRO America,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We have two great driver pairings, and with the competitive and reliable nature of the Porsche, we’re looking forward to getting on track and getting this season started. Charlie and Jan found a great grove last year, remaining in the championship fight until the end. Adam and Elliott have put in the work this offseason and we hope for a successful debut for them this weekend.”

After a nail-biting conclusion to the 2022 championship that saw the pair fighting for the title until the final laps of the season finale, the Indianapolis 8 Hour, Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen return to the series looking to reclaim their spot as SRO America series champions. Last year, the pairing kicked off the season in spectacular fashion, winning both Sonoma Raceway rounds. This year, the combined expertise of the family pairing will give the duo a strong advantage, looking to again finish on the top step of the podium in the No. 45 Porsche.

Adelson will make his GT World Challenge America debut this weekend with Elliott Skeer as his co-driver, racing the No. 120 Porsche. Sporting an eye-catching green and yellow livery, the pair will compete against 17 other entries in the SRO America headlining series. Though new to the series, the pair are no strangers to Sonoma Raceway, having competed on the California circuit previously in the SRO GT4 ranks.

Located in the southern Sonoma Mountains, Sonoma Raceway is known for its challenging layout, which includes 12 turns and significant elevation changes. A popular destination for motorsports fans, the facility is the perfect place for the GT America championship to kick off the 2023 season. Rounds One and Two of the thirteen-round championship are a pair of 90-minute races, beginning on Saturday, April 1 at 3:05 PM PT. Race two will close out the weekend on Sunday, April 2 starting at 2:15 PM. Both races will air live on youtube.com/GTWorld.

DRIVER QUOTES

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

I’m super excited to get the year underway with the new car. This is one that I’m sure we will need to do development on. We had the previous car for five years and really knew how to adjust it well. This will be a big learning year from that standpoint. I really love Sonoma and I’m excited to check out who will be racing this year and to focus on our program and continuing to improve it.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R

I am happy to be back in SRO America with Charlie and we’re ready for a new season! We had a good start to the season here last year, so I hope we can repeat the same result. New season, new car, new competitors: there is a lot to be excited about. I can’t wait to get back in the Wright Motorsports Porsche.

Adam Adelson // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

Sonoma is the closest place to a home track that I’ll be racing at this year. It’s proper old school with a crazy layout and no runoff, which I really enjoy in a racetrack! I’ve had lots of success and many career-defining moments here, and it feels right having my first race in GT World Challenge America here. I know Wright Motorsports is going to be at the top of their game and so is my co-driver Elliott. I’m ecstatic to see what we can achieve on our first time out together!

Eliott Skeer // No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R

Going into Sonoma for the SRO season opener feels like back-to-school day in the best way possible! While competing in the 911 GT3 R will be a new experience for both Adam and myself, we have done all of the preparation possible and having the entire Wright Motorsport team to help guide us in the right direction has me feeling confident in a successful first outing for the year. With Sonoma being a very technical and demanding circuit, we are looking forward to seeing where we stack up against the other GT3 competitors. The weekend will surely throw some challenges our way, especially with weather this time of year! I am grateful for the opportunity to not only compete in a GT3 R full season, but to do so alongside Adam under the Wright Motorsports banner will make this an incredible experience no matter what.

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

JR Motorsports — NXS Richmond Preview

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Richmond Raceway
RACE: ToyotaCare 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles)
DATE: Saturday, April 1, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 1 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 12:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will once again compete for the $100,000 prize as a Dash 4 Cash contender at Richmond Raceway this weekend.
• The Franklin, Wis. native previously won the Dash 4 Cash bonus during this race last season, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet to a third-place finish.
• At tracks measuring under one mile in length, the young driver has tallied four top-five and six top-10 finishes with his best effort being the third-place finish here last season.
• After a seventh-place finish at COTA, Mayer currently sits sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings, 62 markers behind the leader.

Josh Berry
No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet
• Josh Berry has one win, one top-five and five top-10 results in 11 starts on tracks measuring under one mile in the NXS. The victory came in 2021 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
• In three starts at Richmond, Berry has earned a pair of seventh-place finishes as his best efforts on the .75-mile speedway.
• Berry has been on a roll of late, notching five consecutive top-10 finishes in the first six races, including two in the top five this season.
• Berry’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro will carry the colors of JARRETT this weekend for the second time this season. In the first race with JARRETT at Phoenix Raceway, Berry drove to an eighth-place result.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/NIBCO Chevrolet
• Brandon Jones has made 12 starts at the .75-mile D-shaped oval and has recorded three top-10 finishes, with his best being an eighth-place finish (2018 and 2020).
• Jones has made 40 starts on short tracks in the NXS and has scored one win (Martinsville – 2022), six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, while leading the field for 299 laps in total.
• Jones’ 13.9 average finish on short tracks is the best on any style track for the Atlanta native.
• The 26-year-old Jones comes off a strong finish last week at Circuit of the Americas where he suffered a flat tire, but battled back to an 11th-place finish.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has two prior NXS victories at Richmond, coming during the 2020 season in a historic weekend sweep. Allgaier led a combined 213 out of 500 laps en route to the pair of wins.
• Allgaier enters this weekend as one of four drivers with the chance to compete for the $100,000 NXS Dash 4 Cash bonus.
• In his NXS career on short tracks, the Illinois native has scored a combined four wins (including his first career win at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2010), 25 top fives and 42 top 10s in 69 starts.

Driver Quotes

“After last week’s race, I feel more than confident in my team that we are going to have a great finish this week at Richmond and contend for that $100,000 prize in the Dash 4 Cash. We won it last year so I am hopeful we can swoop in and take the win and race for it again in Martinsville. I’m happy to have Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) back calling the shots and really excited to get back to short-track racing.” – Sam Mayer

“I’m really looking forward to Richmond this weekend. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the schedule and it’s a place where we have always run really well. Plus, we have the added incentive this weekend with the chance to go after $100,000 in the Dash 4 Cash. Hopefully we can keep our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet clean all day long and be fighting for that checkered flag in the end and come away with that Dash 4 Cash bonus. I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys are ready, we just need to go out and execute and see what happens.” – Justin Allgaier

“Richmond is a good track for this JARRETT Chevrolet and for me. It’s tight and racy and very much a short track that races like a bigger oval. We’ve been really consistent so far this year, and we’re solid in the points, but I’m looking to get a victory before the Easter break. Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the rest of the No. 8 team give me fast Chevrolets every time out and we’re looking for Victory Lane this weekend.” – Josh Berry

“I can’t wait for Richmond this weekend and to run a short track with this team. Jason (Burdett, crew chief) swept the weekend with Justin a couple of years ago, so I know this team is capable of bringing a fast Menards/NIBCO Chevrolet. Hopefully we can put the entire race together and be there at the end of it. This team deserves a good run and there’s no better time than this weekend.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates

• JR Motorsports at Richmond: JR Motorsports has competed at Richmond Raceway a combined 89 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the .75-mile facility, JRM has tallied six wins, 29 top fives – the third most it has at any facility – and 54 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came with Noah Gragson during the 2021 season.
• Dash 4 Cash: Since the beginning of the program in 2009, JR Motorsports has collected 19 Dash 4 Cash wins. Sam Mayer won his first $100k payday at this race last season and will compete next to teammate Justin Allgaier, who has four D4C wins himself, for the prize this weekend.
• Jarrett: Whether you’re a P&L Owner or Logistics Manager, take the Jarrett Supply Chain Challenge to check if there are needlemoving improvement opportunities in your supply chain. 90 percent of people who’ve taken the challenge have found huge opportunities. Will you take the challenge?
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones will be at the JR Motorsports / Legacy M.C. souvenir rig in the Richmond Raceway Fan Zone on Saturday, April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Meyer Shank Racing Hoping To Rebound at Texas Motor Speedway

Pataskala, Ohio (29 March 2023) – Meyer Shank Racing’s (MSR) INDYCAR program is looking for a Texas-sized helping of redemption this weekend, as the team looks to put a tough season opener in the rear-view mirror with Sunday afternoon’s PPG 375 at Texas Motor Speedway (Noon ET, NBC, SiriusXM Ch. 160).

The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener lasted about four turns for both Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves as they were involved in race-ending crashes on the opening lap at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Now the Ohio-based team looks to press the reset button on the 2023 campaign as it heads to the high-speed 1.5-mile TMS oval for 250 laps of four-wheel warfare in the team’s signature AutoNation / SiriusXM Hondas.

Castroneves returns to a track where his name is etched four times in Victory Lane, second among IndyCar winners at the Texas venue. The Brazilian has wins in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013 to his credit and he has led in 12 different races for a total of 503 laps at the front. His stablemate Pagenaud has a pair of second-place finishes in Texas and will look to take that final step up the podium this weekend.

MSR has five starts on the TMS oval and has a history of qualifying well, earning three top-six starts in its five attempts, with a best race-day finish of seventh coming in 2021.

Aside from the racing action, MSR will be looking forward to a big weekend of activation from its long-time sponsor, AutoNation. Castroneves and Pagenaud will kick off the weekend with an AutoNation Dallas dealership appearance, paired with a private fundraiser for DRVPNK, in support of Wipe Out Kids Cancer. Explore ways to contribute here.

“AutoNation’s mission is to drive out cancer. Having partners like Meyer Shank Racing joining us in the fight is outstanding,” said Marc Cannon, AutoNation’s Executive Vice President and CXO. “As one of America’s most admired companies, our Associates, Customers and brand partners are the reason why we have made DRVPNK our singular philanthropic mission.”

The 250-lap PPG 375 will air on NBC on Sunday starting at Noon ET. Saturday’s qualifying will be shown live on Peacock beginning at Noon ET. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 160.

Driver Quotes:

Helio Castroneves:

“I’m super excited to go to Texas, and that place brings me a lot of good memories and I’ve won there many times. Unfortunately, last year wasn’t a great race for us, however we know what we can do better and we’re really betting all of out chips on this one.”

Simon Pagenaud:

“Texas is a great track for our cars and we had a fantastic showing last year. It’s a track that I have had great results at, but I’m still chasing a win there. Tire degradation is going to be a massive game and last year it was quite important. This year we have a new aero package from IndyCar with a bit more downforce which should help the tires hold on longer and also keep the pack a bit more together. For me, this race is the beginning of my year. St. Pete unfortunately did not meet our expectations with the crash at the start of our race, so now it’s time to get some momentum going.”

Burton, Menards/Dutch Boy Team Ready For Richmond

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Menards/Dutch Boy team are headed to the Commonwealth of Virginia, home of the Wood Brothers and the Burton family, hoping to for a strong home-team run in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway.

The Wood Brothers have been competing at Richmond since 1959, when the late Glenn Wood made the team’s first start there, finishing second in the Richmond 200. Wood also won a Convertible Series race there in 1957.

“Any time the Wood Brothers team races in Virginia we’re excited about the weekend,” crew chief Brian Wilson said, adding that Richmond race, like many others in the early portion of the schedule, will see teams working to adapt to new rules for the 2023 season.

“There’s great opportunity as everyone is still learning about the new low-downforce short-track package.”

Wilson said a big part of racing in the Cup series is evolving with rule changes.

“With a drastic reduction in spoiler size and removing several under-body aero pieces, we know this package will require changes to the car’s set-up,” he said. “We’ve tried to utilize what we learned at Phoenix with this package and apply that during our simulator time through Ford Performance this week.

“Everyone on the Menards/ Dutch Boy Ford is excited to get to Richmond for Saturday’s practice and Sunday’s race.”

Practice for Sunday’s 400-lapper on the three-quarter-mile oval is set for Saturday at 10:05 a.m., to be followed at 10:50 by qualifying.

Sunday’s race is set to get the green flag just after 3:30 p.m. with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1. Stage breaks are planned for Laps 70 and 230.

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 WoodBrothers 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.

United Rentals Racing: Ryan Preece Richmond Advance

RYAN PREECE
Richmond Advance
No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Richmond 400 (Round 7 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 2
● Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway
● Layout: .75-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps / 300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 160 laps / Final Stage: 170 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece heads to Richmond Raceway this weekend for the sixth time of his NASCAR Cup Series career. He has a best finish of 20th (twice, 2019 and 2020) and a best start of 16th. Preece has also made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond. Last season, he ran for BJ McLeod Motorsports in the No. 5 Ford, started sixth and finished 16th, his best Xfinity finish at the track. He also made one ARCA Menards Series East start in 2015 in the No. 41 for Doug Fuller. Preece started last of 35 cars and raced his way to a 14th-place finish.

● In one NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start at Richmond Raceway in 2021, Preece started third and won the 156-lap race, leading 98 laps total. Preece ran the race for Ed Partridge in the No. 6 and dominated the entire evening.

● Six races into the 2023 season, Preece is 29th in the driver standings with 69 points.

● The Cup Series went left and right last weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas for the first road course race of the season. It marked the series’ third visit to COTA, the 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course. Preece made his second start at the Texas course on Sunday, starting 26th and finishing 36th in the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Preece rallied to a 10th-place finish in stage one but the end of the race was tough as he got caught up in a wreck in the final laps.

● The 2023 West Coast swing wrapped up a few weeks ago at Phoenix Raceway and the series returned to the Southeast at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Preece raced for the fifth time in his Cup Series career. He was credited with a 28th-place finish at Atlanta. Prior to Atlanta, the series wrapped up the 2023 West Coast Swing at Phoenix Raceway, where Preece ended with a 12th-place finish, his best points-paying finish of the season.

● Preece was a victim of circumstances in the second event of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, getting caught up in a multicar accident on a lap-88 restart and ultimately finishing 33rd. The following weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Preece battled a tight racecar all day and was credited with a 23rd-place finish.

● Preece opened the 2023 season with a strong showing in the 65th running of the Daytona 500. He and the No. 41 Ford Mustang qualified 20th and logged the best 10-consecutive-lap average in final practice. On race day, Preece finished second in Stage 1 before getting caught up in a multicar accident on lap 181. He was unable to return to the race and finished 36th.

● United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), the largest equipment rental company in the world, is serving as the primary sponsor of Ryan Preece and the No. 41 team of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) for select NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023. The partnership began with the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, Feb. 4-5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. United Rentals has an integrated network of 1,449 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,700 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,700 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.3 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index®. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Additional information about United Rentals is available at UnitedRentals.com.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

You’ve had success at Richmond Raceway in the past and won the modified race at the track in 2021, what’s it like to race at Richmond?

“Ever since we switched over to the NextGen Cup car, there are a lot of things that I’m starting to learn translate from what I used to race to what it is now. There’s a lot of things that are similar to the modifieds and a lot of things you’ve got to look for and be mindful of when it comes to that track. It’s one of those tracks that will sort of tempt you to be looking for maybe a little bit better turn or you can want a certain amount of forward drive and then you hurt other areas. It’s a really delicate balance of what you need in order to be fast there.”

With your short-track background, are you looking forward to this weekend’s race?

“I am really looking forward to Richmond this weekend, we’ve got this one circled for sure. I feel like after Phoenix, Richmond has turned into something that I’m really looking forward to. Phoenix was a good race for our team and we got our best finish of the season. We learned a lot that weekend after practice and qualifying. We didn’t show what we had in practice and qualifying but when it came time for the race, we really showed what we had. We were fast and our car was strong. My team and I were able to take notes from that race and I think we’ll be able to capitalize on what we learned there and the success we had and really put it all together at Richmond.

What is your team the most focused on now that we’re six races into the season?

“We have to be on offense now. I’ve been saying that for weeks now but it’s even more true now than ever. We have not gotten the finishes that we need and despite how we’re getting there, we’ve got to change the narrative. Our main goal is consistency now. We need to unload fast, qualify well and stay out of trouble to salvage good finishes. Our team needs good finishes.”

We had our first road-course race of the season at COTA last weekend, how did that go?

“I was really looking forward to COTA because I’m not a road-course racer and I don’t have a ton of road course experience but we worked really hard on that program leading up to the race. Road courses are all about strategy and if it works out in your favor or not. I felt like we had a good strategy and my crew chief Chad worked hard on what he thought would put us in the best position at the end. But we got a penalty and then toward the end of the race, the strategy did end up working in our favor when a caution came out and we were up there toward the front of the field. But you never go green at the end of those races and then we got swept up in other people’s messes and it ruined our day. It didn’t go great at all from that perspective but we did make gains on the road course program.”

No. 41 United Rentals Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston
Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Underneath & Interior Mechanic: Clint Leatherwood
Hometown: Rockmart, Georgia

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgway
Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Second Cadillac to compete in Spa round of WEC

Bourdais, van der Zande add to depth of preparation for Le Mans in Hypercar class

DETROIT (March 29, 2023) — A second Cadillac V-Series.R will join the Hypercar lineup for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on April 29.

The gold No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande, will compete for the victory alongside the sister No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R in the third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook, is contesting the full WEC season. They combined to drive to a fourth-place finish in Cadillac Racing’s WEC Hypercar debut March 17 in the 1000 Miles of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway and next will challenge for the win April 16 in the 6 Hours of Portimão at Algarve International Circuit.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to bring another Cadillac to the race at Spa in the FIA World Endurance Championship season,” said GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser. “Any opportunity that we have to prepare for Le Mans within the WEC rules and regulations is great.

“This will get the team even more ready to tackle that race as well as an opportunity to bring more Cadillac participation to the European race.”

Van der Zande has competed twice at Spa in LMP2 (2012, 2021), while Bourdais co-drove an LMP1 entry in 2012 and an LMP2 car in 2022 at the 4.35-mile, 20-turn Le Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Endurance racing has been taking place at Spa-Francorchamps for nearly 100 years and the 6 Hours of Spa has been a part of every WEC season to date.

“We are looking forward to the first WEC race where both of our Cadillac Hypercars will be participating,” said Mike O’Gara, director of operations for Chip Ganassi Racing which campaigns the Nos. 2 and 3 racecars in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype and WEC Hypercar classes. “Cadillac and Chip Ganassi Racing believe that we are stronger when we race multiple cars on any given race weekend. The Spa event will serve as a much-needed dress rehearsal for the Le Mans 24-hour race.

“It will be a great opportunity for our ‘IMSA regulars’ to be immersed in the WEC rules and race procedures in anticipation of the big event in June.”

The Nos. 2 and 3 Cadillac V-Series.R racecars will be joined by the No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R for the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Action Express Racing-prepared car claimed the pole for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17 and went on to post Cadillac’s 28th prototype victory since 2017 and its third in a row at Sebring International Raceway with Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken sharing the wheel..

“We can’t wait for the Whelen Engineering Cadillac to join us at Le Mans and bring the whole family back together again,” Klauser added.

The No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, running as the No. 01 in the IMSA GTP class, earned a podium finish in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January and started from the front row in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. The hybrid racecar led a field-high 120 laps and registered the fastest lap of the race (1 minute, 48.311 seconds; 124.308 mph) on the 3.741-mile, 17-turn course before retiring with a fuel distribution system issue.

Bourdais and van der Zande will aim to successfully defend their IMSA victory April 15 on the streets of Long Beach, California.

The Cadillac V-Series.R features an all-new Cadillac 5.5-liter DOHC V8 naturally aspirated engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing propulsion team based in Pontiac, Michigan. The body, codeveloped by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara, incorporates key Cadillac V-Series production car design elements.

Renger van der Zande

  • Birthdate: Feb. 16, 1986
  • Birthplace: Dodewaard, Netherlands
  • Residence: Amsterdam
  • Family: Wife Carlijn, daughter and son
  • At Spa: 2012 – Co-driver with Thomas Holzer and Mirco Schultis of No. 31 Lotus in LMP2; qualified the car fifth in class. DNF. … 2021 – Co-driver with Alex Brundle and Jakub Śmiechowski of No. 31 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07 in LMP2; qualified 11th in class. Finished fifth in class and eighth overall.
  • 2023 results: Co-drove to third place in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona after starting fourth; started second and classified eighth in class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring.
  • Notable: Co-drove to three victories in 2022. Win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R upped his IMSA total to 18 wins, including eight with Cadillac Racing. … Two-time overall winner of Rolex 24 At Daytona in Cadillac DPi-V.R. … Won 2020 Petit Le Mans and Rolex 24. … 2016 IMSA GTLM champion. … Raced in Europe in Formula Renault, A1GP, GP2, German Touring Car, Porsche SuperCup, Intercontinental GT Challenge and WEC. … Marking 10th year of competing in sports car racing in the U.S. … Competed in two WEC races in 2022 in LMP2 class with Vector Sport.
  • Twitter: @Rengervdz

Quick Q&A: What fuels your competitive spirit? “To make the most out of and to optimize the whole package; the car, the team, the drivers, the strategy, and all the factors that get thrown at you during a race. It takes all everything to win a race and when you’ve done it better than others, that’s a good day.”

In one sentence, how would you describe the art of driving? “Finding the limit of your car for the conditions that are available.”

Sebastien Bourdais

  • Birthdate: Feb. 28, 1979
  • Birthplace: Le Mans, France
  • Residence: St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Family: Wife Claire, daughter and son
  • At Spa: 2012 – Co-driver with Nicolas Minassian of No. 9 Pescarolo Team LMP1 entry; qualified the car ninth. Finished 15th overall. 2022 – Co-driver with Ryan Cullen and Nico Müller of No. 10 Vector Sport LMP2 entry. Finished 16th overall.
  • 2023 results: Co-drove to third place in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona after starting fourth; started on front row and classified eighth in class in Twelve Hours of Sebring.
  • Notable: Co-drove to the 2021 Twelve Hours of Sebring victory in a Cadillac DPi-V.R. … Earned pole for 2022 Twelve Hours of Sebring with qualifying lap record of 1:45.166. … Co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to three victories in 2022. Victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park was his 10th IMSA win. … Competed in select WEC races in 2022 in LMP2 class. … Ford GT driver for Chip Ganassi Racing 2016-2018; won Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2014 and 2017. … 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro class winner in 2016. … Competed in Formula One in 2008. … Four-time INDYCAR champion (2004-07); won 37 races total in Champ Car and INDYCAR.
  • Twitter: @BourdaisOnTrack

Quick Q&A: What fuels your competitive spirit? “Racing was my passion well before it became my job and thankfully the passion has remained. There is nothing else that excites and fulfils me more than driving a race car.” In one sentence, how would you describe the art of driving? “For me, it’s all about being one with the car. When you reach that state, it’s the most satisfying feel I know.”

No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R

Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais

Van der Zande and Bourdais return for their second season as teammates for the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype season and two races in the FIA World Endurance Championship. They teamed with six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon to place third in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. In 2022, van der Zande and Bourdais co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to three victories — at Long Beach on April 9, at Belle Isle on June 4 and at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on July 3 – starting from the pole in the former two. … CTMP was the 18th IMSA victory for van der Zande and 10th for Bourdais. … Bourdais set the qualifying lap record time at Long Beach and Belle Isle. He also set the lap record time in earning the pole for the Twelve Hours of Sebring and for the Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio.

No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R

Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook

Second-year entry in expanded Cadillac Racing factory program that is contesting the full WEC calendar. … The trio co-drove to fourth place in the IMSA season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in preparation for the seven-race WEC season. They co-drove to fourth place in Cadillac Racing’s WEC debut March 17 in the 1000 Miles of Sebring. . … Bamber and Lynn return as teammates for the second year. They co-drove to the victory in the Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2022, along with runner-up finishes on the streets of Long Beach and Road America in the No. 02 Cadillac DPi-V.R. … They are joined for the 2023 season by veteran sports car racing driver Richard Westbrook, who co-drove a Cadillac DPi-V.R last season with JDC-Miller MotorSports. … Bamber, who owns his own race team, salutes his home country with a silver fern design on the sides of his helmet — a quasi-national emblem used for various official New Zealand symbol. … Westbrook earned an overall podium finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022. … Lynn most recently competed in the full WEC season in 2018-19. He was the teammate of Cadillac Racing driver Alexander Sims in the 2020-21 Formula E season.

Brennan Poole to make 100th Xfinity career start at Richmond

Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Competing in his fifth season with at least one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Brennan Poole is within reach of a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Richmond Raceway, the driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet Camaro will reach 100 career starts in the Xfinity circuit.

A native of The Woodlands, Texas, and the 2011 UARA-Stars champion, Poole made his inaugural presence in the NASCAR Xfinity circuit during the 2015 season when he joined HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi to pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for 15 events. By then, he had made a total of 35 starts in the ARCA Menards Series while garnering six victories. Making his debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, Poole started 16th and finished ninth, which would be his best result of the season. He went on to make a total of 17 starts throughout the 2015 Xfinity season, where he notched another top-10 result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July by finishing 10th. He also achieved 10 top-15 results and an average-finishing result of 12.4.

In 2016, Poole campaigned in the Xfinity circuit on a full-time basis behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for Chip Ganassi Racing. Commencing his rookie season by finishing 27th at Daytona International Speedway in February, Poole notched two 10th-place results during the first eight events on the schedule. Then at Talladega Superspeedway in April, he dodged a last lap carnage involving leaders Joey Logano and Elliott Sadler to edge Justin Allgaier in a photo finish and notch what would have been his first career victory in NASCAR. Poole, however, was relegated back to third place in the final running order after NASCAR awarded the win to Sadler by virtue of being in first place when the caution for the final lap wreck was displayed and since Poole had assumed the lead after the caution was displayed. Despite falling short of winning at Talladega, the Texan notched another third-place run at Road America in August along with an additional three top-five results and nine top-10 results during the final 17 regular-season events on the schedule before claiming a spot to the inaugural 2016 Xfinity Series Playoffs. With his title hopes evaporating despite claiming three consecutive top-20 results during the Round of 12, Poole earned three top-11 results during the final four events on the schedule before finishing in eighth place in the final standings. Overall, he achieved four top-five results, 17 top-10 results, 11 laps led and an average-finishing result of 12.4 during his first Xfinity season.

Remaining at CGR for the 2017 season, Poole’s sophomore season commenced with a 26th-place run at Daytona after being involved in a late wreck. He rallied by posting four eighth-place runs during the following nine events. At Daytona in July, Poole notched his first career pole in the series and was running towards the front until he was bumped by William Byron and wrecked with Ty Dillon on the fronstretch. He rallied by finishing seventh. Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Poole’s highest on-track result was a fourth-place run at Iowa Speedway in July as he recorded 12 top-10 results before making his second consecutive appearance in the Xfinity Playoffs. During the Playoff opener at Kentucky Speedway in September, the Texan notched a career-best runner-up result after finishing 14.5 seconds behind teammate Tyler Reddick. He then claimed back-to-back fifth-place results before transferring to the Round of 8. Following two consecutive top-12 results during the Round of 8, Poole entered the round’s finale at Phoenix Raceway in November with a five-point advantage over the fourth and final transfer spot to the Championship 4 finale. During the 23rd lap at Phoenix, however, Poole’s hopes of transferring to the finale evaporated after he collided with Caesar Bacarella in Turn 1, which sent Poole’s No. 48 Chevrolet into the outside wall with a blown right-front tire and significant damage that terminated his run. He went on to finish sixth in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and in a career-best sixth place in the final championship standings. Ironically, Poole achieved the exact number of top-five runs (four) and top-10 results (17) from his rookie season while capping off the season with 14 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.5.

The following season, Poole lost his ride at CGR, but sued the team in June and alleged that the organization along with agency Spire Sports + Entertainment breached his contract by moving his sponsor DC Solar to sponsor CGR’s NASCAR Cup Series operations. With the settlement between all three parties being disputed out-of-court at the conclusion of the season, Poole proceeded by making a total of 27 starts in the NASCAR Truck Series from 2018 to 2021. He also campaigned in his first full-time season during the 2020 Cup season, where he finished 32nd in the final standings while competing for Premium Motorsports.

This past season, Poole returned to the Xfinity circuit with the intention of competing in the series’ three West Coast events for Mike Harmon Racing. He failed to qualify at Auto Club Speedway in February and at Phoenix in March, but managed to compete at Las Vegas in March, where he finished 37th following an early engine failure. Ultimately, Poole attempted to compete in 21 additional events with MHR, Jimmy Means Racing and JD Motorsports throughout the season, but successfully qualified for nine, beginning at Richmond Raceway in April and concluding at Phoenix in November. In a total of 10 starts, his best on-track result was a 14th-place run at Homestead with JD Motorsports in October.

Through 99 previous Xfinity starts, Poole has achieved a pole, eight top-five results, 36 top-10 results, 31 laps led and an average-finishing result of 16.7 while he continues to pursue his first victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series. He has racked up an average-finishing result of 27.7 through the first six Xfinity events on this year’s schedule, with his best on-track result being a 13th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway two races ago, and is ranked in 27th place in the driver’s standings.

Poole is scheduled to make his 100th career start in the Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, April 1, with the event’s coverage scheduled slated to occur at 1 p.m. ET on FS1.

Mazda Joins Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels

HIROSHIMA, Japan, Mar 29, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – The Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels (Research Association) and Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) are pleased to announce Mazda’s participation as a full member of the association. The Research Association was established on July 1, 2022 by ENEOS Corporation, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Subaru Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, and Toyota Tsusho Corporation. Mazda’s entry brings the total number of participating companies to seven.

The Research Association promotes technological research on the use of biomass as well as efficient production of bioethanol fuel for automobiles to realize a carbon-neutral society. On October 25, 2022, the Research Association concluded with Okuma Town in Fukushima Prefecture the Basic Agreement on Establishment of New Business Facilities, and launched initiatives aimed at promptly and appropriately resolving challenges faced by the community. The research on improving production technology for bioethanol fuel and using CO2 generated during bioethanol fuel production, which the Research Association has been promoting as part of a range of diverse options for achieving carbon neutrality, coincide with the idea promoted by Mazda of providing more options with its multi-solution strategy, and this synchronicity led Mazda to take the step of joining the Research Association.

Hiroyuki Yamashita, Senior Principal Engineer responsible for technological research at Mazda, said, “We are very honored to have received this invitation from the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels. Through the Research Association, we will work together with other member companies to promote research and development on production technology for bioethanol fuel and other technologies. We will make every effort to increase the potential of carbon neutral fuels, a promising option for achieving a carbon neutral society.”

In addition, Koichi Nakata, Chairman of the Board of the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels, stated, “Carbon neutral fuels are a leading energy option for realizing a carbon neutral society. We are delighted that Mazda, which has accumulated considerable knowledge and technology relating to carbon neutral fuels, has become our new partner. The Research Association will further promote research on production technology for bioethanol fuel and the use of CO2 generated during that process.”

For more information, visit https://newsroom.mazda.com/en/publicity/release/2023/202303/230329a.html.