Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Circuit of The Americas Advance | Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang, will be making his 49th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Circuit of The Americas this weekend. Cindric has shifted his road racing experiences to NASCAR, producing NXS wins with Ford at Watkins Glen (2019), Mid-Ohio (2019), Road America (2020), Daytona Road Course (2020), and Indianapolis Road Course (2021).

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – WHAT DO YOU THINK THE STRATEGY WILL BE AND HOW WILL IT CHANGE WITH THE LACK OF STAGE CAUTIONS? “I think it changes a lot in comparison to… I’d say especially what we saw last year with stage racing and how it really impacted the road courses. I’d say COTA probably wasn’t the worst, but as far as like Sonoma, you either took points or you decided to finish well. You had opportunities for people to decide if they had a car that was good enough to win or just take points. Obviously, in my opinion, the purpose of the stage points is to reward the cars that run well, and I think everyone would agree that the winner of the race should be one of the best cars. With that all being said, I’m not saying that the best cars didn’t win races last year, but I think with eliminating the breaks and the ability for us to run green flags pretty organically – probably more traditionally – it really changes the opportunity for strategy depending on cautions and potentially fuel mileage. I think it really changes the strategy of the race and how to go about your speed, but also and most importantly, it gives the chance for the best cars of that race to be rewarded for being the best.”

AFTER A MESSY XFINITY AND TRUCK RACE AT ATLANTA, WHAT KIND OF RACE DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BE AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS? “I think relating to last week, obviously you saw a really messy Xfinity and Truck series race, and a relatively calm, but racy, Cup race by the end of things. I honestly think I’m going to credit the Next Gen car to that one, because our cars can race like that a lot better because we’re not relying on side force. At some tracks we go to, you kind of wish we had that as a thing where you can manipulate cars in front or behind, or whatever else. But in that style of racing, I feel that makes it a lot easier to race side-by-side with people on our doors. You can make the argument of the quality of driver or experience and so on as high as the Cup series, but at the end of the day, there was a lot of wrecks that happened in Xfinity and Truck due to side force getting taken away with cars on the door. So as far as road racing and what to expect this weekend, and I think an extension of my initial answer, with these stage breaks and cautions, everyone gets stacked up on the restarts, COTA is an opportunity in corner No. 1 as far as making it eight, nine-wide going into a hairpin corner. I think those opportunities are certainly a lot less because I think the opportunity to go green flag for a lot longer is a lot higher. You think about tracks like COTA that have the most run-off than anywhere we go – you’re probably going to have to have stranded vehicles or multiple incidents, or probably a tire falling off to cause a full-course caution.”

WERE YOU AT THE MUSTANG GT3 TESTING AT SEBRING, AND WHAT IS THE ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR THAT CAR NEXT SEASON? WILL THIS BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FORD DRIVERS TO PREPARE FOR ROAD COURSE RACES IN CUP? “No, but I’ve watched the video in question about a million times. It certainly has the opportunity to be – from my own standpoint and not based on anything else or conversations I’ve had. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships I have. It’s an exciting time in GT racing just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars. Also the opportunity with WC and Le Mans, and how it all lines up for that category of car, it’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible. How that relates specifically to NASCAR, the drivers and how often they want to participate or be in the Rolex… could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer. But the challenge, the drive and logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to kind of find your one-off ride for the race – at least in my experience and that’s what I still anticipate. I definitely think there is more of a pathway than I’d think before as far as Ford drivers are concerned. I’m excited. Hopefully, I get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. I think that’s the first box you have to check, and it’s cool for a guy like Jim Farley – there’s no doubt he’s a racer as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see that he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”

DO YOU AGREE WITH WHERE NASCAR PUT THE CHOOSE LINE AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, AND DO YOU THINK IT WILL CHANGE MUCH FOR THE RESTARTS? “Do I think it’ll change much for the restarts? Probably not. I’ll be honest: It probably creates a bit more of a logistical complication at a road course, just because usually for me, I rely on my spotter a lot for the information. Especially when you’re kind of outside the top-10 and don’t have much of a scope on the field. I feel like anyone is just going to take the track position opportunity. But, it does give you the option to make a right or wrong decision, so it definitely adds plenty of stress to the driver, and it can certainly change your day depending on if it’s better or worse. You can certainly make the same argument for speedway racing, but regardless, I think the back straightaway out of Turn 11 is going to be the best place for the choose zone. It’s really the only straightaway that gives NASCAR enough time to look at the line-up and make the decisions they’d need to make if someone messes up on the choose or if there’s a problem with the line-up. So, from that standpoint, I think it’s the best location for it. I think that’ll be different depending on each road course as far as logistically which section of racetrack – it’ll probably be different at IMS, Chicago, Sonoma or somewhere else, or the rovals. It’ll be interesting to see how challenging it is. From my own personal standpoint, we’re prioritizing to have a spotter over in that location just for that implementation. So, it’ll be interesting to see how it goes this weekend and how much influence it’ll have. I feel like the choose for the drivers, more times than not, is an opportunity to screw up more than it is an opportunity to gain something. So, it’s definitely a factor but probably not as big of a factor as maybe what it was last weekend at Atlanta.”

WITH TWO FORMER FORMULA 1 CHAMPIONS AND A FORMER IMSA CHAMPION, HOW BIG IS THIS RACE AS A WHOLE, AND HAVE YOU FELT THIS MUCH HYPE FOR A ROAD RACE SINCE YOU BEGAN IN NASCAR? “It’s really cool. As far as the pedigree of drivers, not only in our own field but also guys who are coming in for a one-off or a couple of unique opportunities, I’d say between guys with experience with this Garage 56 program between Jordan [Taylor] and Jenson [Button] and obviously Kimi [Räikkönen]’s experience last year and actually coming in with some relative seat-time… the guys also won here in Formula 1 so it’s not like he doesn’t know the track – maybe Watkins Glen. I’ll be certainly expecting for him to perform at an even higher level than what he did at Watkins. Excited to see that and excited to race against guys like that, and have them in our sport, stadium and wacky way of doing things probably in comparison to what they’re used to. It’s a lot of fun and fun to see the growth of someone who’s trying this for the first time. I’ve been in this sport for what I would consider a limited amount of time, and the things that were new to me and strange to me are probably strange, new or different for someone else. It’s fun to see what those different, strange, awkward moments are for other people as they’re trying to learn. I think it’s fun for the race fans as well. Guys like that who are extremely established, I would expect probably every single one of them in a certain respect to have some pace this weekend.”

LAST YEAR, YOU HAD THE DAYTONA 500 WIN IN YOUR BACK POCKET. THIS YEAR, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT POINTS RACING A LITTLE BIT MORE. WHAT’S THE APPROACH THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR? “I’d say the first couple of races were a bit frustrating for us – just getting put into the wall three weeks in a row is just not going to be good for points. From that standpoint, last weekend was definitely our best points weekend in Atlanta. I’d say, the points are also extremely tight right now because everyone is kind of having that up-and-down trying to find that footing. That’s where going into this year, I really thought you’d see the same parity and the same up-and-down performance, trying to find our consistency as you saw from a lot of groups last year. And that’s continuing this year. That consistency is huge for being in control of your own destiny points wise. I’m still of the belief that you’ll have to win a race to feel comfortable as far as playoffs are concerned. So, from that standpoint, playoff points are nice but a win still gets everything done for you.”

NO STAGE BREAKS ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE STRATEGY FOR TEAMS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DRIVERS? “I personally have never done a NASCAR sanctioned race that didn’t involve stage breaks. It’ll be new to me, as far as pushing those cars for that long. If it were the last generation car, I’d be concerned about brakes and those long green flag runs. I’d say with this Next Gen car, not so much. But someone’s going to fall out of the seat – that’s my prediction for the weekend. I can tell you it’s not going to be me, but I think it’s more possible this weekend than any other weekend. it’s not going to be cool by any means, and it’s a physically challenging track. You have that long back straightaway to rest, but I did the Goodyear tire test a couple months ago, and two days of driving around that place knocks you around – it’s a bumpy racetrack. You’re using a lot of the runoff that wasn’t meant to be driven on, so you’re getting tossed around in there, banging around, grabbing gears all the time and using your legs to brake. On top of that, they’re pretty hot race cars to drive. From that standpoint, I think it’ll be a pretty physical weekend.”

FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS A ROAD RACING BACKGROUND, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURGENCE OF ROAD COURSE RINGERS AND IS THIS TREND GOING TO CONTINUE IN THE SPORT? “I’d say as cool as it is, I’d love for it to be a gateway or catalyst to see guys of that caliber – they’re not just guys who come and do road courses but they’re champions and world champions and were, or are, the best at what they do… and they’re coming and joining our racing. I hope it’s a catalyst or gateway for them joining us on not just road courses, but oval racing as well. I mean, it’s so different, but I feel it challenges you in so many different ways. I’m looking forward to one of those guys getting the opportunity to go outside of their comfort zone and do just that. Because I know how big of a difference and culture shift it was for me. So yeah, I hope it’s a gateway for that.”

WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK THE SHORT TRACK ROAD COURSE PACKAGE WILL HAVE ON THIS RACE? “As far as the effect on this race: it’s hard to say. Obviously, we raced at Phoenix and kind of saw the differences or lack thereof as far as the race. It’s going to change a bit how you setup the car or how you offset it. Your guess is as good as mine as far as what it’s going to be like compared to last year’s aero configuration other than the fact that it’s a lot less downforce, which means there will be a lot less grip and a lot slower. You could make the argument that a couple inches off the rear spoiler probably creates less drag and you could probably make up some time on the straightaways. But passed that, I think you’ll be fighting for grip in the braking zones and definitely into the higher speed corners. It’s just how much and how much do I need to adjust our car for it.”

DOES THE LOWER DOWNFORCE LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THE ROAD COURSE RINGERS JOINING THE FIELD FOR THE RACE? “I think to a certain extent, it does. I would also say whatever percentage of downforce we took off is probably just going to be that much less than Kimi Räikkönen or Jenson Button has ever driven in a race car – because it’s a lot less. From that standpoint, those guys are in for a treat depending on how you expect it. In comparison to Watkins Glen, you could be really aggressive with our cars at Watkins Glen just with how fast and how much grip that track surface has, and I’d say the lack of straight-line brake zones, that’ll probably be the biggest difference for a guy like Kimi who hasn’t really had to do that much straight-line braking in one of these cars. But these guys are really talented at what they do. I’ve always said, ‘A race car’s a race car.’ So, I think as far as car control and the ability to make lap time, I have zero doubt that those guys will be on pace. So, from that standpoint, does it level the field? Maybe, because everyone is scrambling just as much as the next guy. But, I think having practice and that 50-minute session, the opportunity to change some tires and feel some things out, that will probably be more beneficial than anything.”

WE SAW THE TOYOTA STRUGGLE ON THE ROAD COURSES A LOT LAST YEAR UNTIL CHRISTOPHER BELL WON AT THE ROVAL. NOW THEY HAVE TYLER REDDICK IN THEIR CAMP, WHO WON TWO RACES. WITH THIS NEW CAR, CAN ONE DRIVER MOVING OVER MAKE AN IMPACT ON HOW A PARTICULAR CAR PERFORMS – ESPECIALLY ON ROAD COURSES – WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLES IN THE PAST? “I think it’ll be a great example with Tyler, who clearly had an impact in almost every road course race that we ran last year as far as running out front, including Circuit of The Americas. From that perspective, absolutely. I think a driver can come in and make an impact as far as not just on the racetrack, but also the culture. As far as giving the team confidence, ‘Hey this is a somebody who’s clearly been able to make this work. We have to believe in how far off we are or aren’t.’ If they are on pace or not on pace. If it wasn’t the Cup series, I’d say it makes more of a difference. But it takes the entire package. It’s about the guy in the controls and making the right decisions about the race car, but it’s about having the right race car at the same time, the execution – it’s about all those things. I still think it’s about having the big package. I think having a clear-cut example of someone who’s been able to make it work can certainly help a program that may be struggling. The inconsistency and their performance I would agree with, certainly an observation of mine. It seemed like Hendrick and RCR were super strong, especially by the end of the year on road courses. So from that standpoint, I’d look at those guys as the groups to beat heading into COTA.”

NEXT WEEK AT RICHMOND WITH THE SURFACE, YOU THINK THE CHANGES WILL BE MORE PRONOUNCED THAN WHAT WE SAW AT PHOENIX? “Yeah, I think so. I think there are less places to hide at Richmond as far as when you’re bad, you’re really bad. This package, even at Phoenix, even when you were a little bit off, you were really off. I could certainly see Richmond being more of an extreme example and probably the most extreme you’d ever see as far as that’s concerned. I think that’s a perfect example of a race weekend that you’re going to have to think the guys that execute and keep up with the track are going to really be able to excel with this package or have the opportunity to excel more with this package than the previous package. But characteristically, I feel like a lot of those things are the same, but a little bit more exaggerated with there being a smaller window on grip.”

Blue Buffalo sponsors DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his No. 47 Kroger Camaro Team.

HARRISBURG, N.C. (March 22, 2023) – JTG Daugherty Racing is teaming up with Blue Buffalo to celebrate the special role that pets play in our families. On Sunday, March 26 and again on July 23, the Blue Buffalo brand will be represented on the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing car.

Blue Buffalo is the country’s #1 natural pet food and is fueled by its mission to love, feed and treat all pets like family, making it a great partner for JTG Daugherty Racing and driver and pet parent, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

“Blue Buffalo is thrilled to sponsor JTG Daugherty Racing as a co-primary partner as we deliver value to shoppers through the Kroger Racing program. Ricky is both an incredible driver and a dedicated pet parent, which makes him the perfect driver to represent BLUE and Kroger at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA),” said Rob Branham, National Sales Director at Blue Buffalo.

It’s obvious Stenhouse Jr. and his family have a special place in their hearts for animals. The Olive Branch, Mississippi native and his wife Madyson own Slide Job Ranch, which is home to a variety of four-legged family members and their beautiful Goldendoodle, Ruby. On February 19th of this year, the wavy-haired fur baby made her first appearance in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

”Yeah, we had Ruby in Victory Lane and that was special,” said the 2023 DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION Stenhouse Jr. “Madyson and I love animals and we know how important it is to have natural ingredients for your pets because they are a part of your family and you want them to live happy, healthy lives. We’re excited to have Blue Buffalo join JTG Daugherty Racing at COTA.”

Live coverage of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday, March 26 starts at 3:30 PM ET on FOX, PRN and SIRIUSXM Satellite NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90). Then on Sunday, July 23 tune into USA, MRN and SiriusXM live from Pocono Raceway at 2:30 PM ET.

About Blue Buffalo:

Blue Buffalo, the country’s #1 natural pet food, started with a promise made to a lovable Airedale named Blue who struggled with cancer, #1 disease-related killer of dogs and cats. His family, the Bishops, wanted to feed him the best food possible, so they searched for food with high-quality ingredients, but decided to create something even better – natural pet food for dogs and cats with nutritious ingredients, real meat first, and some of the highest standards in the industry. Since Day 1, BLUE’s team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists have carefully selected high-quality, natural ingredients and upheld its True BLUE Promise to dog and cat pet parents – real meat as the first ingredient with NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, NO corn, wheat or soy, and NO artificial flavors or preservatives. The result is a portfolio of high-quality, natural food and treats that both dogs and cats love. This simple idea: “Love them like family. Feed them like family.” lives on today in every Blue Buffalo recipe.

About JTG Daugherty Racing:
JTG Daugherty Racing has been competing in NASCAR for 29 years and is owned by husband and wife Tad Geschickter and Jodi Geschickter, Gordon Smith and five-time NBA All-Star/NBC analyst Brad Daugherty. On Sunday, February 19th their team won the iconic Daytona 500 with Olive Branch, Mississippi native Ricky Stenhouse Jr and his No. 47 Kroger/Cottonelle Camaro at Daytona International Speedway. The memorable win is the 2023 DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION’s third NASCAR Cup Series victory and the team’s second win in the premier series. The team is fully committed and strategically planning to officially secure a coveted spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, which kicks off at Darlington Raceway on September 3rd, 2023 with the Round of 16.

Race Information

• Round: NASCAR Cup Series race No. 6 of 36
• Track Location: Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) – Austin, Texas
• Race Name: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
• Broadcast: Sunday, March 26th at 3:30 PM ET live on FOX (TV), PRN (Radio) Sirius XM NASCAR Ch. 90
• Team Entrants:

No. 42 | Noah Gragson & Luke Lambert – Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Camaro Zl1
No. 43 | Erik Jones & Dave Elenz – Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
No. 84 | Jimmie Johnson & Todd Gordon – Club Wyndham Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

• Noah Gragson will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at COTA on Sunday
• NXS Starts: 2; Best start: 12th, Best finish: 4th (2022); Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1

2023 NCS Season Stats

• Starts: 5, Best start: 20th; Best finish: 12th (Atlanta); Laps led: 1; Current points position: 24th
• About Black Rifle Coffee Company: Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) is a Veteran-founded coffee company serving premium coffee to people who love America. Founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer, Black Rifle develops their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they learned while serving in the military. BRCC is committed to supporting Veterans, active-duty military, first responders and the American way of life. To learn more about BRCC and save 25% off your first time purchase or subscription, visit Black Rifle Coffee Company and use the code “BRCCMOTOR” at checkout. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, or subscribe to Coffee or Die’s daily newsletter for updates.
• Road course starts: Throughout his five seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Gragson has 20 starts on road courses accumulating nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. He has raced COTA twice in the Xfinity Series with a best finish of fourth, which occurred in 2022.
• But first, coffee: Gragson delivered a win in the season-opening Daytona event for his partner Black Rifle Coffee Company back in 2020. The rapidly growing and mission-driven premium coffee company founded to support Veterans, active-duty military, and first responders announced last week they are partnering with Gragson for six events this season starting with COTA.
• ANG ppearances:

Sunday, March 26th | Team Chevy Stage: On race day, Noah Gragson will make his way to the Team Chevy Stage for a Q&A session at 11:00 AM local time in the COTA Fan Zone.

• From the Drivers Seat: “Last weekend was the boost we needed for the entire LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team. We ran a solid race in Atlanta, learned a lot and I think we left a little on the table. It was a solid points day. Moving on to this week, we finished fourth at COTA last year in Xfinity and have put a lot of work in during this off season to get better there. It’s a really fun track and an awesome energy with the crowd. I am looking forward to the challenge. I’m really glad to have Black Rifle Coffee Company on the car this weekend – the paint scheme is really sharp and we hope to give them a good show.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

• NCS Starts: 2; Best start: 29th; Best finish: 9th (2022); Top 10s: 1

2023 NCS Season Stats

• Starts: 5; Best start: 10th; Best finish: 8th (Atlanta); Top 10s: 1, Laps led: 14, Current points position: 21st
• About Allegiant: Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant’s fleet serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com.
• First Top-10 of the Year: In a remarkable run to the finish, Jones was able to pass several cars on the white flag lap in Atlanta to bring home his Allegiant Chevrolet with an eighth place finish. Not only was this Erik’s best finish of the season, but it was also LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s best result yet, scoring the team’s first top-10 of the year. A great recovery and sign of tenacity overcoming damage sustained in “the big one” towards the end of the race.
• Racing in the Rain: Jones has raced in the rain three times during his NASCAR career – once at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and three times in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, COTA, and most recently Watkins Glen last season. He’s been quite successful in that discipline, earning three top-10 finishes with a best showing of third place at the ROVAL in 2020. If the wet condition tires end up get used on Sunday, Jones might be one to watch.

-EJ Appearances: Fans attending this weekend’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix will have a chance to meet Erik Jones on Sunday:

Sunday, March 26th | Team Chevy Stage: On race day, Erik Jones will make his way to the Team Chevy Stage for a Q&A session from 10:30 – 10:45 AM local time in the COTA Fan Zone.

• From the Driver’s Seat: With there being no stage breaks for this race, how will that affect the strategy in how you approach this weekend?

“I think it opens up some more options, the old stages how we’ve had the last few years, you were kind of locked in to one way or the other – take stage points or take a higher finishing position. We will see how it used to be I think with running the race backwards and trying to make sure you have enough fuel to get to the end of the race. We will see how much tires matter, I think they are going to be pretty important with probably some more fall off than what we’ve seen in the past with the track aging and getting more slick a bit. I think it will be a fine balance between tires and trying to pit as early as you can to make it on fuel, so we will see how it plays out with our Allegiant Chevy.”

Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Club Wyndham Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

• Jimmie Johnson will make his first official start at Circuit Of The Americas this weekend.

NCS Career Stats

• Starts: 687, Championships: 7 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016) (tied for most all-time), Wins: 83 (sixth all-time), Poles: 36, Top 5s: 232, Top 10s: 374, Laps led: 18,941

2023 NCS Season Stats

• Starts: 1; Best start: 39th; Best finish: 31st (Daytona)
• About Club Wyndham: This year, Club Wyndham is offering racing fans 15% off on a bucket list NASCAR vacation. Save on resort stays during race weeks in destinations near select races by booking through Extra Holidays, Club Wyndham’s rental platform. See Offer Details below.* Click to learn more http://www.extraholidays.com/legacy

*Travel offer details: Book by December 31, 2023. Travel by December 31, 2023. Two-night minimum length of stay required. Valid for new reservations only. Reservations are subject to availability. Reservations may be limited during certain holidays. Cannot be combined with any other offer. All monetary amounts are noted in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted.

• Hitting the road: Since the DAYTONA 500, Johnson has kept himself fairly busy. He participated in a 24-hour test at Sebring International Raceway as well as a test at Circuit of Americas in the NASCAR Garage 56 entry with Hendrick Motorsports. Along with co-drivers Jenson Button, Mike Rockenfeller and Jordan Taylor, Johnson and the team continue to prepare for the rapidly approaching 24 Hours of Le Mans.

-Lots of reps: For the last two years, Johnson has been perfecting his road and street course craft in an INDYCAR. He competed in 25 events logging 4,213.7 miles on these types of tracks. Since his departure from full-time NASCAR racing, Johnson has participated in seven International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) races as a driver competing in the ROLEX 24 Hours at DAYTONA, 12 Hours of Sebring, Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen endurance events. Additionally, he has logged hundreds of hours on a simulator in preparation for each individual event.

-Racing in the Rain: Both Johnson and crew chief Todd Gordon have experience in racing in the rain. Gordon’s first race at COTA took place in the first NASCAR Cup Series event at the track with driver Ryan Blaney. Johnson ran the IndyGP at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May in torrential rain, which proved both educational and challenging.

-Crew Chief Todd Gordon’s weekend outlook: “I ran COTA with Ryan Blaney in 2021 in the rain. Neat venue, really long and lots of different facets to this track. There are high speed straightaways, lots of short, tight 90-degree corners and it’s got some sweeping right-handers through the stadium section. So, its really a track that has all the facets of road course racing. This track asks a lot out of the team, car and driver and it’s the first time we’ve gone there with this low downforce and the package we ran at Phoenix. It’s a really cool opportunity. I’m looking forward to the practice and see what Jimmie likes – he is a really good student – and I think his INDYCAR road course experience is going to be key because he understands how to race his way thought a road course. Should be a great weekend.”

-From the Driver’s Seat: “This is going to be such a great weekend. I’ve had this race on my bucket list for a really long time and I’m thankful for a partner like Club Wyndham for making it possible. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the track, these NextGen cars with the low downforce, and thankful we have a practice on Friday to see what we have to work with. Todd Gordon and the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team have prepared a great car back at the shop. From everything I’ve heard this track puts on a heck of a show, and from a venue standpoint, it’s such a great stage for this sport. I’m looking back to getting back to the track, we have spent some time in the SIM to prepare and I’m ready for the 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.

This Week in Motorsports: March 20-26, 2023

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas) – March 25-26
· NHRA: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (Chandler, Ariz.) – March 26
· ARCA EAST: Five Flags Speedway (Pensacola, Fla.) – March 25

PLANO, Texas (March 22, 2023) – NASCAR teams make their first road course stop of the 2023 season at Circuit of the Americas in Texas this weekend, while NHRA drag racing is back on track in Arizona and the ARCA East Series season kicks off in Florida.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Bell adds another top-five… Christopher Bell scored another top-five finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday – his third top-five and fourth top-10 run in five starts this season. With the strong start to the year, Bell sits second in the point standings – just a single point outside of the top spot. The Oklahoma-native scored a third-place finish at Circuit of the Americas one season ago.

Reddick rallies with back-to-back top-fives… Tyler Reddick continued his performance turnaround at Atlanta Motor Speedway as he made it two straight top-five finishes to continue his charge up the point standings. He currently sits in a Playoff spot as the series heads to one of his strongest track configurations. Reddick’s first two Cup Series victories occurred on road courses last season, and he also scored a strong fifth-place finish at COTA last year.

Gibbs makes Xfinity season debut… Reigning Xfinity Series champion Ty Gibbs will complete double duty for the first time this season as the Cup Series rookie of the year contender will run the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs is looking for his first win at Circuit of the Americas but has been excellent on road courses in his NASCAR career – picking up Xfinity Series wins at the Daytona Road Course, Watkins Glen International and Road America.

Nemechek continues to run strong… John Hunter Nemechek continues to have a strong start to his first full-time season with Joe Gibbs Racing. Nemechek drove to his fifth top-10 finish in five starts this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway – one of only three NXS drivers to score top-10 finishes in every start this season. Nemechek was strong at Circuit of the Americas last season as well, scoring a runner-up finish in the Truck Series event.

Two for Grala… Kaz Grala has been impressive throughout his NASCAR tenure on road courses and is looking to take advantage of two races at the first road course of the season at Circuit of the Americas. The Massachusetts-native will make his second start for TRICON Garage in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, before hopping aboard the wheel of his normal ride – the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing in Xfinity Series action. Grala led 11 laps and finished second in the Truck Series event at Circuit of the Americas in 2021.

Ankrum adding to Austin success… Tyler Ankrum has had strong runs in both races in Austin thus far. The Hattori Racing Enterprises driver finished seventh in his No. 16 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro last season and won the pole before finishing third in the debut event at the track in 2021.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Torrence looking for another Phoenix win… Despite a runner-up finish in Gainesville, Steve Torrence heads into Wild Horse Pass with the points lead – a place where he has had a lot of success. The Torrence family has won three of the past four runnings of this race with Steve winning in 2018 and 2020 and Steve’s father, Billy Torrence, scoring the win in 2019.

Toyota leads new challenge… Phoenix is the kick-off to the new NHRA challenge, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty race, which pits the semi-finalists from the previous race back against each other for Countdown points. Toyota drivers have four of the eight slots in the nitro classes with Steve Torrence taking on Doug Kalitta in one of the Top Fuel pairings, while Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd will both be competing on the Funny Car side.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA East

Two for Toyota in ARCA East… Two Toyota development drivers are kicking off the ARCA East season at Five Flags Speedway this Saturday. Both Sean Hingorani and William Sawalich are just 16 years old and competed in their first ARCA race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. Hingorani battled mechanical woes after starting seventh, while Sawalich was spun while leading in the closing laps and finished 13th.

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Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, March 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST on FOX

• Kaulig Racing has made three starts at COTA in the NCS.
• The team’s best finish at COTA came in 2021, when AJ Allmendinger placed fifth in 2021 Echopark Texas Grand Prix

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions FARMSMART Camaro ZL1

• AJ Allmendinger has two NCS starts at COTA.
• Allmendinger led two laps in the 2022 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix and was in contention for the win before last-lap contact while fighting for the lead resulted in a 33rd place finish.

“Obviously last year we had a really good shot to win the race. It’s a completely different year with a completely different package. Hopefully we’ll unload close to what we had last year and just build off of that as the weekend goes on. New way of racing without stages there, so you have to qualify well and try to run up front because there isn’t much you can do strategy wise. We know this is a weekend we can run up front, score good points and hopefully give ourselves the chance to win which is the ultimate goal.” – AJ Allmendinger on Circuit of the Americas

Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Camaro ZL1

• Justin Haley has made two starts at COTA, recording his best start of ninth last year with Kaulig Racing.
• Haley’s best finish at COTA is 15th.

“I’m looking forward to the first road course of the year. COTA was the first track that we made the final round of qualifying at last year. We showed a ton of speed in both qualifying and the race along with my teammate, AJ (Allmendinger). It’s one of those tracks I’ve enjoyed racing at in other series and have some confidence going into the weekend.” – Justin Haley on Circuit of the Americas  
Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today

Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, March 25 at 5:00 p.m. EST on FS1

• Kaulig Racing has made six starts at COTA in the NXS, earning one win, one runner-up finish, four top-10 finishes and 33 laps led.

AJ Allmendinger, No. 10 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

• AJ Allmendinger has two NXS starts at COTA.
• With a win in the 2022 season and a runner up finish in 2021, Allmendinger has led 33 total laps and has an average finish of 1.5 at the 3.41 mile racetrack.
• COTA will be Allmendinger’s first NXS start of the 2023 season.

“I’m excited to get back in the Xfinity car at a track we won at last year. COTA is a racetrack I have enjoyed; hopefully we can go there and be good in the Xfinity car and give ourselves a chance to win. It’s a stacked field with who is entered for this race, so we have to be on our A-game, but feel like we’ll have a good chance.” – AJ Allmendinger on Circuit of the Americas

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Camaro

• Daniel Hemric has made two starts at COTA in the NXS.
• So far in the 2023 NXS Season, Hemric has recorded one top five, three top-10 finishes and has an average start of 12.6 and average finish of 14 across five starts.

“Road-course racing time is here, and it’s such a vital part of putting a complete season together as a race team. With stage racing still in effect, but no stage breaks to go with it, there’s a lot more on the drivers and teams this week in my opinion from a preparation standpoint, as well as the additional strategy involved in trying to strategically approach the weekend. We are excited for the challenge.” – Daniel Hemric on Circuit of the Americas

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Chevrolet Camaro

• The Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today will be Chandler Smith’s first road course race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
• Smith made two starts at COTA in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS), with a best finish of fifth.

“I’ve really improved on road courses over the last few years, but it’s still a discipline I am trying to get better at. It helps having a teammate this weekend that’s one of the best road-course racers in NASCAR today in AJ (Allmendinger). I’ll definitely lean on him a good bit. We had a good run last year at COTA, but it’ll be a different experience being in the Xfinity car compared to a Truck. Hopefully we can rebound this week and get some of that positive momentum back.” – Chandler Smith on Circuit of the Americas  
 
About Kaulig Racing™

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