Getting to work every day might be a chore, but with the proliferation of full suspension folding electric bike, getting to work can be made easier, more enjoyable, and less harmful to the environment. These forward-thinking and versatile fat tire electric bike are an excellent mode of transportation for urban inhabitants who are looking to cut down on their time spent commuting, their financial outlay, and their negative influence on the environment. Continue reading to find out more about the many reasons why a folding electric bike can be the best choice for you when it comes to commuting and why you should consider getting one.
Why a Folding Electric Bike Better Commuting Option?
Let’s check out the advantages of a foldable electric bike and see whether it’s the right option for your commute:
Convenient and Compact
Full suspension folding electric bike is meant to be lightweight and compact, which makes them ideal for use in areas with limited space, such as packed streets and flats with limited floor space. They are compact enough to be stored in the trunk of your vehicle or under your office desk without taking up too much room. Your ability to fold your bike up in a matter of seconds will allow you to make a smooth transition from riding a bike to using public transportation, which will help you save both time and money on your daily commute.
Electric Power Assistance
Electric power support is yet another big benefit that comes with riding the full suspension folding electric bike or fat tire electric bike. You have the choice to ride it like a standard bike, but it also has an electric motor that may provide you with an additional boost if you want it. When traveling over extended distances or negotiating rough terrain, this might be a very beneficial tool for you. Even if you are exhausted or contending with severe headwinds, the electric motor may be able to assist you in keeping a constant pace while you are riding.
Eco-Friendly
Saving energy and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases are two major benefits offered by full suspension folding electric bike. The use of one of these e-bikes as a mode of transportation is an environmentally responsible choice since it eliminates the need for the use of fuel and the generation of additional pollutants in the atmosphere. Since these fat tire electric bike run on rechargeable batteries rather than traditional gas-powered engines, they offer a green transportation option.
Cost-Effective
Investing in a full suspension folding electric bike that can handle your daily commute may end up saving you money in the long term. You no longer need to depend on costly gasoline or the charges charged by public transit. The first cost of purchasing a folding orfat tire electric bike may seem to be significant; nevertheless, throughout the course of its ownership, you will realize significant cost savings in areas such as gasoline, vehicle maintenance, parking fees, and public transit.
Healthy and Fun
Traditional bicycles, even fat tire electric bike versions, have the same positive effects on one’s health as riding a bicycle regularly. Your core will become stronger, your cardiovascular system will get better, and you may even find that you lose some weight as a result of doing these exercises. On top of that, riding about town on one of these motorcycles is a thrilling and exciting experience, making it a far more interesting pastime than sitting in a car during rush hour.
How to Choose Which Electric Foldable Bike Is Best for You?
When you buy a foldable electric bike, you should definitely do a sufficient amount of research concerning the topic beforehand. Look out for what other customers have said about the product online, and be sure you purchase it from a reliable brand like Maxfoot. It would be best to consider other considerations, such as the maximum speed, the weight capacity, the amount of time the battery will last, and the fat tire electric bike. It would be best if you are looking for a full suspension folding electric bike with seats and handlebars that can be adjusted so that it is simple to ride and comfortable.
Conclusion
Consider purchasing afull suspension folding electric bike if you’re seeking a mode of transportation that isn’t as taxing on the environment, can get you to work more quickly, and provides a more pleasurable experience overall. As a result of the fact that they are not only enjoyable but also practical and convenient, these fat tire electric bike is an excellent choice for city residents who are looking for an alternative to conventional modes of transportation. If you decide to make a move to an electric folding bike, you will not only be improving your health and well-being, but you will also be doing your bit to minimize the amount of carbon that you produce.
Green flag to start the NASCAR Cup Series Echopark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 27, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
This weekend all three NASCAR national series head to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for a full schedule of on-track activity. The 20-turn, 3.41-mile road course track presents a unique challenge for all of the competitors. As an added bonus, Formula One champions Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen, along with IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar champion Jordan Taylor, will join the Cup Series regulars on Sunday in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
GRAMMY® Award-winner Darius Rucker will be the honorary starter and also perform in a pre-race concert before the Cup Series race Sunday afternoon.
Notes: Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger will be making his 400th career Cup Series career start this weekend. Ross Chastain is the defending Cup Series race winner. AJ Allmendinger won the Xfinity Series event last year and Zane Smith was victorious in the Truck Series at COTA in 2022.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, March 24
2:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – No TV – Tape Delay 8 p.m. on FS1 4:30 p.m.: Truck Series Practice – No TV – Tape Delay 9 p.m. on FS1 5 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – No TV – Tape Delay 9 p.m. on FS1 Post Truck Series Qualifying – Watch liveon Press Pass 6:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – FS1 7 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – FS1 Post Xfinity Series Qualifying – Watch live on Press Pass
Saturday, March 25
11:30 a.m.: Cup Series Qualifying – FS1/PRN/SiriusXM
1:30 p.m.: CRAFTSMAN Truck Series XPEL 225 Distance: 143.22 miles (42 Laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 12, Stage 2 ends on Lap 26, final Stage ends on Lap 42 FS1/MRN/SiriusXM The Purse: $740,517 Post Truck Series Race: Watch live on Press Pass
5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today Distance: 156.86 miles (46 Laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 14, Stage 2 ends on Lap 30, Final Stage ends on Lap 46 FS1/PRN/SiriusXM The Purse: $1,695,270 Post Xfinity Series Race: Watch live on Press Pass
Sunday, March 26
3:30 p.m.: Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Distance: 231.88 miles (68 laps) Stage 1 ends on Lap 15, Stage 2 ends on Lap 30, Final Stage ends on Lap 68 FOX/PRN/SiriusXM The Purse: $9,294,829 Post Cup Series Race: Watch live on Press Pass
COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST COTA NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
• Event: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today (Round 6 of 33) • Date: Saturday, March 25 • Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas • Layout: 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course • Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Cole Custer Notes of Interest
• Cole Custer is ready for a new challenge as the No. 00 Haas Automation team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) heads to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, for Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today. Not much luck has been dealt to Custer thus far in 2023, but he’s looking to turn that around with an entirely different style of racing this weekend. After three consecutive 12th-place finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, and Atlanta Motor Speedway, respectively, Custer is trading in the superspeedway-style and intermediate tracks for the complexities of road-course racing. Saturday’s 48-lap, 156.86-mile race marks Custer’s 116th NASCAR Xfinity Series start and his 16th on a road course. Best of his previous 15 road-course outings was a third-place finish at COTA last March in the No. 07 Ford Mustang for Bobby Dotter Racing.
• The Pit Boss 250 will be Custer’s third Xfinity Series start at COTA. Before last year’s third-place finish at the 3.426-mile, 20-turn circuit, Custer finished seventh in 2021. He also has a pair of NASCAR Cup Series starts there with a best result of 23rd earned last March.
• Custer’s strong road-course performances have not been limited to the Xfinity Series. He also has top-10s in all three of his NASCAR Truck Series outings on road courses, all occurring at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. Best of those was his most recent outing in 2016 with the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry, for which he qualified on the pole, led a race-high 39 laps and finished just .034 of a second behind race winner John Hunter Nemechek. Custer also made three road-course starts apiece at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series with a best finish of third in the 2016 race at Watkins Glen.
Riley Herbst Notes of Interest
• Riley Herbst is proving to be a silent title contender as the Xfinity Series heads to its sixth race of 2023 at the COTA. After leading laps and running up front in last Saturday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Herbst picked up his second consecutive top-five finish. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for SHR has now scored eight top-10 finishes in a row dating back to his eighth-place result on Oct. 22, 2022, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That consistency has spilled over to a pair of top-10s that Herbst secured outside the Xfinity Series, as well. He co-drove to a third-place finish in last November’s Baja 1000 off-road race in the Terrible Herbst Motorsports entry and earned a 10th-place finish last month in his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 65th running of the Daytona 500.
• Herbst’s five consecutive top-10s to start the 2023 Xfinity Series season is a career first. He’s one of only three drivers who have posted top-10s at each race thus far – Austin Hill and Nemechek are the others. Herbst arrives at COTA tied with Nemechek for second in the driver standings, the highest position he’s held at this point in a season. Herbst has collected a total of 44 stage points in 2023, and he’s finished outside the top-10 in just one stage so far this season.
• Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 will mark Herbst’s third career Xfinity Series start at COTA. His first start there in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in 2021 resulted in a 16th-place finish. He returned last March to post a 26th-place finish after struggling with balance issues.
• While Herbst looks to make a breakthrough Xfinity Series run at COTA this weekend, he’ll try to capitalize on the momentum from his string of strong road-course outings the latter half of last season. After an incident ended a top-three run at a rainy inaugural race June 4 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, he went on to earn top-10 finishes at each of the next three road-courses events – July 2 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (seventh), July 30 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (sixth), and Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (seventh). He also ran in the top-five for a majority of the playoff race Oct. 8 on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval, but a late-race incident on a restart ended his day early and took him out of the running for the championship.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang
You’re returning to COTA, which you’ve experienced in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Talk about your thoughts heading into the race and how you think those prior starts will help.
“I’ve always loved road-course racing and, honestly, COTA’s been a solid track for me. Road-course racing is fun. I ran the Xfinity race there the past two years as well as the Cup races, so hopefully we can keep building on what I learned there and go for the win this weekend. Any laps on a road course helps, but I have laps there in an Xfinity Series car, so thankfully I kind of know what to expect.”
After the first five races of the season, what do you believe it will take to get you back to victory lane in the Xfinity Series?
“Honestly, the team isn’t lacking in anything. We’ve brought fast cars and led laps, it’s just about having a perfect day where everything goes our way. We were fast at Auto Club, but bad luck and a cut right-front tire took us out of the running. Then, we have just struggled to get the position on the track and the balance right the past three weekends. We’re close. Hopefully, we can get it done this weekend.”
Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang
You’re competing up front, leading laps, finishing well, and you’re currently tied for second in the driver standings. Would you consider the No. 98 Monster Energy team something of a silent contender?
“As much as I love to see the growth, I’m also OK with running under the radar. We’re going for the win every week, but I also don’t think it hurts to see just how far we’ve come. I think people are realizing that we can race for wins and be a top team, but I’m also OK being a dark horse in the series. I know what this No. 98 team and I are capable of and I hope to be able to show that to people each and every week.”
COTA has been a tough track for you in the past, but you and the team did seem to elevate your road-course game the latter half of last year with top-10s at Road America, Indy and The Glen, and you also had a strong runs cut short on the Charlotte Roval and at Portland. How do you feel going into this Saturday’s race?
“Yeah, I just haven’t really figured out COTA. It’s just a difficult track to figure out, to be honest. It definitely hasn’t been my best track on the circuit, but there’s always room for improvement. Cole performed well there in the Xfinity Series the past two years, so I’m hoping to learn from him. We did do well at the other road courses last year, but COTA is a beast of its own. Each road course is different. We have limited practice, but we’re ready to take on the challenge and continue to improve on our finishes.”
NASCAR Cup Series Next Race: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix The Place: Circuit of The Americas The Date: Sunday, March 26 The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET The Purse: $9,294,829 TV: FOX, 3 p.m. ET Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 231.88 miles (68 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 68)
NASCAR Xfinity Series Next Race: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today The Place: Circuit of The Americas The Date: Saturday, March 25 The Time: 5 p.m. ET The Purse: $1,695,270 TV: FS1, 4 p.m. ET Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 156.86 miles (46 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 14), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 46)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Next Race: XPEL 225 The Place: Circuit of The Americas The Date: Saturday, March 25 The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET The Purse: $740,517 TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 143.22 miles (42 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 12), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 26), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 42)
NASCAR Cup Series
Circuit of The Americas sets the stage for the NASCAR Cup Series
Crank up the lights and focus-in the cameras, because the stage is set for the NASCAR Cup Series to return to one of the country’s premiere tracks, the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix this Sunday, March 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This week the NASCAR Cup Series teams are preparing for the first of six road & street courses on the 2023 schedule – Circuit of The Americas (Mar. 26), Sonoma Raceway (June 11), Chicago Street Course (July 2), Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Aug. 13), Watkins Glen International (Aug. 20) and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 8).
On 1,500 acres of land just outside of Austin, Texas construction began in 2010 on what is now known as the Circuit of The Americas. The 20-turn, 3.41-mile, multi-elevational counterclockwise circuit takes advantage of the naturally rolling landscape, including a 133-foot hill at Turn 1. The track also has an amphitheater, the largest permanent outdoor amphitheater in Central Texas, and a 251-foot observation tower.
The sprawling Circuit of The Americas road course has hosted two NASCAR Cup Series races (2021, 2022). The inaugural event was held on May 23, 2021, but was shortened from its scheduled 68 laps to 54 due to inclement weather. The race produced 11 lead changes among 10 different leaders, but it was Hendrick Motorsports driver and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott who won the inaugural event under caution.
The series returned to 3.41-mile track in 2022 and this time ran the full scheduled length (68 laps) producing 13 lead changes among nine different leaders. The final lead change of the NASCAR Cup Series March 27, 2022 race took place with two laps to go – Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain passed Tyler Reddick for the lead – and went on to win his first career Cup Series race.
Last season’s race was also the premiere of the Next Gen car on a road course, and it didn’t disappoint. Circuit of The Americas produced a NASCAR Cup Series record for green flag passes for the lead on road course tracks with 30 green flag passes for the lead. The previous record was held by Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with 22 green flag passes for the lead in 2021.
This weekend’s on-track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series begins with practice on Friday, March 24 at 2 p.m. ET followed by Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday, March 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Both events will be televised on FS1.
NASCAR introduces new package for short tracks and road courses
NASCAR has announced this season updates to the components of the NASCAR Cup Series car for races held at road courses and short tracks (excluding Bristol and Dover). The Road Course and Selected Short Track Package will consist of the following:
2” Spoiler
Remove Engine Panel Strakes
Remove Center and Inner Diffuser Strakes. Only the Outer Diffuser Strakes will remain installed. Spacers will be installed between the diffuser flap and diffuser due to removing the inner diffuser strakes.
Remove Diffuser Fences and Replace with Baseline Fences.
Splitter stuffers will remain unchanged from the current components.
The rules are in place at the following tracks: Charlotte Roval, Chicago Street Course, Circuit of The Americas, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Martinsville, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Phoenix, Richmond, Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
So that teams and drivers can have additional track time to adjust to these new components, NASCAR has made Circuit of The Americas an ‘extended practice’ weekend. A 50-minute practice is scheduled for Friday from 1:05 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. local time.
Standings leader Joey Logano dominated Atlanta, looks to keep success rolling at COTA
After a prevailing performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend, that saw Team Penske’s Joey Logano lead 130 of the 260 laps and pass RFK Racing driver Brad Keselowski to win, has leaped to the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings lead by one point over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell in second place.
Holding the points standings lead for the second-time already this season, Logano’s win has also etched his name on the list of 2023 Playoff drivers to secure their spot; joining Ricky Stenhouse Jr., William Byron and Kyle Busch. He has also earned his spot in this year’s NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race which will be held at the newly renovated North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 21). Now, the 32-year-old will look to extend his points lead and get his first series career win at Circuit of the Americas this weekend.
Logano is already an established road course racer in the series, taking the win at Watkins Glen International in 2015. In his two series starts at Circuit of The Americas he has put up one top-five finish (third) and an average finish of 17.0. Last season at COTA, he started sixth and ran well but was caught in a late race incident that relegated him to a 31st-place finish.
NASCAR road course aces to watch this Sunday
Heading into this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas, the NASCAR Cup Series has 12 former road course winners entered in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix this Sunday, March 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and 11 of them are looking for their first win of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season (all except Kyle Busch and Joey Logano).
Three new drivers were added to the NASCAR Cup Series road course winners list last season; including Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain, who won his first career Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas, and Daniel Suárez, who earned his first career Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway, and not to mention, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who earned two road course wins last season driving for Richard Childress Racing at Road America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
“When I look back at our first win, I think of all of the people who helped me get here,” said Chastain. “My family, sponsors, team owners, all of the men and women who have spent time trying to help me put everything together so I could race. It would’ve been so easy for me to give up and go back and work at the farm. Instead, I kept working at it, and kept trying and so many people were there to help me.”
Of the three (Chastain, Suarez and Reddick) the pre-race loop data stats are pointing to Ross Chastain as the one to watch for this weekend at COTA. In his two starts at 3.42-mile course, he has posted one win and two top fives. He leads the series in average finish with a 2.5, average running position with a 6.785, driver rating with a 125.8, fastest laps run (20) and laps in the top 15 (112 laps, 91.1%).
Active Road Course Winners (12)
Total Wins
Sonoma
WGI
Charlotte
Daytona
Indy
COTA
Road America
Kyle Busch
4
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
Martin Truex Jr
4
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
Kyle Larson
4
1
2
1
0
0
0
0
Kevin Harvick
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
AJ Allmendinger
2
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
Christopher Bell
2
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
Tyler Reddick
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Joey Logano
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Ryan Blaney
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
Denny Hamlin
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Daniel Suárez
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Jimmie Johnson
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ross Chastain
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
With current active Cup Series road course wins leader, Chase Elliott (with seven road course wins), sidelined with a broken leg, which leaves three drivers assuming the role this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas – Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson – each with four road course victories in their careers and none have come at COTA.
But of the active road course wins leaders – Busch, Truex and Larson – the pre-race loop data stats are pointing to Kyle Busch as having the most success this weekend at Circuit of The Americas. He ranks in the top five in nearly every category: average running position (9.065), second-best; driver rating (92.4), ninth-best; fastest laps run (9), third-best; laps in the top 15 (102 laps, 82.9%), second-most; and quality passes (80), second-most.
Probably, the hungriest to revisit Victory Lane of the three active road course wins leaders is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., who hasn’t won a points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race since Richmond on Sept. 11, 2021 – 49 races ago. Three of Truex’s four road course wins have come at Sonoma Raceway (2013, 2018, 2019) and he earned his fourth at Watkins Glen (2017). The veteran from New Jersey ran well at COTA last season posting a seventh-place finish after starting 17th.
Button, Räikkönen and Taylor join the Cup Series at COTA
With the announcements of Formula One champions Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen and IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car champion Jordan Taylor joining the NASCAR Cup Series to compete in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas on March 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio the level of road racing competition in the series was officially raised.
Rick Ware Racing and Mobil 1 have worked in conjunction to bring the 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button to NASCAR to compete in three races this season – Circuit of The Americas (March 26), Chicago Street Course (July 2) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Aug. 13). This weekend, Button, native of Frome, England, will attempt to make his series debut piloting the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet with crew chief Billy Plourde on top of the pit box.
“Obviously, racing a Cup car is very different than what I’m used to,” Button said. “But I just get excited about that new challenge, and when I throw myself into something, I am 100% in.”
The 43-year-old driver has won 15 races in 306 career Formula One starts. His final start came in 2017, and his last full-time F1 season was in 2016.
Returning to the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend, after making his career debut at Watkins Glen International last season, is the 2007 Formula One world champion Kimi Räikkönen. The driver from Espoo, Finland will be back in the Trackhouse Project No. 91 Chevrolet with crew chief Darian Grubb on the pit box.
This will be Räikkönen’s second stint in the Project 91 car, he helped introduce the program last season at Watkins Glen International. The 43-year-old driver started the race at The Glen in 27th but was caught in an incident exiting the bus stop that relegated him to a 37th-place finish.
“Last year was a great experience,” said Räikkönen. “Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what we were looking for because we got caught up in a wreck, but that’s part of racing. I am excited to have another go and hopefully we will stay out of any big issues. This will be tricky for sure, but the further we go in the weekend the easier it gets. At least I have an idea of how we can approach the weekend. I think we did a good job last year. Is the car going to give us a better result? I don’t know, I hope so.”
Joining Button in making his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas will be IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car champion Jordan Taylor, who has been selected to replace an injured Chase Elliott in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on road courses until Elliott is healthy enough to return. Taylor will be working with crew chief Tom Gray this weekend.
Taylor, from Orlando, Florida, has also been tapped as the fourth driver in the NASCAR Garage 56 project that will have an adapted NASCAR Next Gen car compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year.
“Jordan is a world-class road racer and has recently been working with our Garage 56 team preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” team owner Rick Hendrick said. “He’ll be able to step in and do a great job at COTA.”
Jimmie Johnson will check off a ‘bucket-list’ item this weekend at COTA
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and current owner/driver at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Jimmie Johnson, will be returning to the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas – his second start of his 10-race part-time 2023 schedule.
“COTA has been on my racing ‘bucket list’ for a very long time,” said Johnson. “But my timing was off by a year or so. I was hoping it was going to be on the INDYCAR schedule – and it wasn’t – and then they added it to the NASCAR schedule after I left. I’m excited to finally be able to check this one off the list and thankful to Club Wyndham for making it happen. From everything I’ve heard, NASCAR drivers have had a lot of fun racing at COTA, so to say I’m looking forward to it is an understatement.”
Johnson made his return to the series in the season opening DAYTONA 500, where he started 39th and finished 31st.
Throughout Johnson’s NASCAR Cup Series career, he has made 40 starts on road courses posting one win (Sonoma, 2010), nine top fives and 20 top 10s. His most recent NASCAR Cup Series start on a road course was on Oct. 11, 2020 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval; where he started 30th and raced his way up to a 13th-place finish.
Top performers in the Next Gen last season on road courses
Last season the NASCAR Cup Series competed on six road courses in the newly introduced NASCAR Next Gen car. Now, the series is about to embark on the first of six different road courses this season, but before they do lets take a look at the top performers on road courses last season in the new car.
Wins – Five different drivers won on road courses in the Next Gen car last season, led by Tyler Reddick who scored two victories in 2022 at Road America and the Indianapolis Road Course. The other four winners were Ross Chastain (COTA), Daniel Suarez (Sonoma), Kyle Larson (WGI) and Christopher Bell (Charlotte Roval).
Runner-Up Finishes – Six different drivers finished runner-up in the six road course Cup Series races last season: Alex Bowman (COTA), Chris Buescher (Sonoma), Chase Elliott (Road America), Austin Cindric (Indianapolis RC), AJ Allmendinger (WGI) and Kevin Harvick (Charlotte Roval).
Top Fives – A total of 18 different drivers scored top-five finishes in the six road course races run last season, led by Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick with three top fives each.
Top 10s – A total of 26 different drivers posted a top-10 finish in the six road course races run last season, led by Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick with five top 10s each.
Average Finishes – A total of five different drivers had an average finish of 10th or better in the six Cup road course races last season – Chase Elliott (9.0), Chris Buescher (9.0), Austin Cindric (9.3), Tyler Reddick (9.5) and Michael McDowell (10.8).
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Honorary Starter Darius Rucker will perform pre-race concert at COTA – Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Darius Rucker will perform his chart-topping hits during a one-hour pre-race concert prior to the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday, March 26 at 12:45 p.m. CT. Rucker has been named the Honorary Starter for the event.
Darius Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Diamond-certified debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the Top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including RIAA Platinum-certified Learn to Live and True Believers, plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his 9x Platinum version of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time.
Actor Brendan Hunt named Grand Marshal of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix – Two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, writer and producer Brendan Hunt, who co-stars in the Apple TV+ global phenomenon Ted Lasso, will serve as the Grand Marshal for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Hunt will have the honor of providing the “Drivers, start your engines” command to the field prior to Sunday’s race.
Hunt is best known for his role as “Coach Beard” in Ted Lasso and has won consecutive Emmy Awards in 2021 and ’22 for “Outstanding Comedy Series” as the show’s producer. Hunt is a six-time Emmy Award nominee, including five with Ted Lasso. In 2021, he was a nominee for “Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series” as well as two nominations for “Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series.”
Cup Series driver milestone starts to watch for – Over the next few races several drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will reach milestones starts if they continue to run fulltime in the series.
This weekend at Circuit of The Americas on March 26, Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger will be making his 400th career NASCAR Cup Series start.
Then at Richmond Raceway in two weeks on April 2, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric will be making his 50th career NASCAR Cup Series start.
And at Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt on April 9, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch will be making his 650th NASCAR Cup Series career start. Busch will become the 27th different NASCAR Cup Series driver all-time to make 650 or more starts.
Then at Talladega Superspeedway on April 23, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick will be making his 800th career NASCAR Cup Series career start. Harvick will become just the 10th different NASCAR Cup Series driver all-time to make 800 or more starts in the series.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Hometown boy Austin Hill wins again at Atlanta
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill has proven that he is the one to beat, having already snagged three wins in the first five races of the season. The last time a driver won three of the first five races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was in 2016 with Kyle Busch.
The Winston, Georgia native, Hill, raced his way to the checkered flag from the third starting position. He led three times for a race-high 103 of 163 laps. This was his second win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his home track.
Hill will now prepare for the next race on the schedule – Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Although he has yet to post a win on a road course in the Xfinity Series, this very well could be the weekend he accomplishes the feat. Last season on the Texas 3.41-mile road course, Hill posted a runner-up finish.
He also did well on other road courses last season, posting a third-place in Portland, a fourth-place finish at Road America, and a ninth-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Getting rowdy in Texas: COTA up next
The NASCAR Xfinity Series just wrapped up its fifth race of the season last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and will now gear up for the first road course on the schedule – the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today at Circuit of The Americas on Saturday, March 25 at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the second race of a doubleheader Saturday at COTA joining the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, the XPEL 225, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The Circuit of The Americas road course is a relatively new track on the NASCAR circuit, having only produced two Xfinity Series races. There has been a different winner in Victory Lane in both years – Kyle Busch won the inaugural race in 2021 and A.J. Allmendinger snagged the checkered flag last season.
Busch, who won the 2021 race from the pole position, is not entered in this weekend’s Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today, but Allmendinger will be pulling double duty in the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in hopes of pulling off a back-to-back win at COTA.
The road course ringer, Allmendinger, is not the only NASCAR Cup Series driver pulling double duty this weekend. Aric Almirola (No. 08 SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet), William Byron (No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) and Ty Gibbs (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) will also join in on the fun.
Drivers will hit the track for practice on Friday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 7 p.m. streamed on FS1.
Circuit of The Americas bringing in drivers from all over the Americas
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will spice things up this weekend at COTA as two drivers from South America will attempt to qualify for the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today.
One of the drivers is someone race fans have seen in a Xfinity Series race before – Miguel Paludo. The Brazilian driver has eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts under his belt. He has made two starts at the Austin, Texas road course, placing a top-10 finish last year in the No. 88 Chevrolet with JR Motorsports.
Also joining NASCAR this weekend will be Baltazar Leguizamón, who will be racing in hopes of becoming the first Argentinian driver to post a start in a NASCAR national series race.
Leguizamón will make his qualifying attempt behind the wheel of the No. 74 Chevrolet for CHK Racing.
Although the 22-year-old has yet to run some laps in a Xfinity Series car, he has plenty of experience on road courses. He won the 2018 Atlantic Championship Series title and earned a runner-up championship finish in the inaugural season of F3 Americas.
“I am really proud to be the first Argentinean with a NASCAR national series license. It’s been a long way on my career living my dream in international motorsports. All the hard work is paying off right now, said Leguizamón. “This is huge for us, for my country, and for South America. It’s my childhood dream beginning to come true.”
Dash 4 Cash program returns in 2023 starting at COTA
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program was designed to add elements of unpredictability and drama leading up to and during four designated races, increase on-track competition, engage fans and reward / recognize NASCAR Xfinity Series regular competitors.
Eligible Xfinity Series regulars who are the top finishers at those designated events will pocket cash bonuses. This weekend’s race at COTA will act as a qualifying race to determine the four eligible drivers with the first crack at the extra money.
The four events in the 2023 Dash 4 Cash initiative are:
The top four eligible Xfinity Series regulars from each event will form the field for the next race’s bonus.
Eligibility requirements for this year will be similar to the 2022 structure. Drivers who have not declared to collect Xfinity Series points may not participate in the series’ Playoffs, elimination events, or Dash 4 Cash races. That list of restricted events also includes the Chicago Street Race on July 1.
Top performers on road courses in the Xfinity Series
The first NASCAR Xfinity Series race on a road course took place in 1986 at Road Atlanta and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip – the only road course on the schedule that season. Fast forward to this season, and the Xfinity Series will take on seven road courses – this weekend’s Circuit of The Americas, Portland International Raceway (June 3) Sonoma Raceway (June 10), Road America (July 29), Indianapolis Road Course (Aug. 12), Watkins Glen International (Aug. 19) and Charlotte Roval (Oct. 7). But before the competitors take to the track this weekend, here is a look at some of the top road course performers in the series.
In total, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has run 74 road course races all-time (1982-Present) producing 37 different winners, led by Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger with 10 road course wins. Four road course winners in the Xfinity Series are active this weekend – A.J. Allmendinger (10 wins), Justin Allgaier (three wins), Ty Gibbs (three wins) and Jeremy Clements (one win).
Last season, a total of eight different drivers had an average finish of 15th or better in the six Xfinity Series road course races – A.J. Allmendinger (2.0), Noah Gragson (6.3), Ty Gibbs (10.0), Josh Berry (10.8), Austin Hill (12.8), Brandon Jones (13.3), Ryan Sieg (14.3) and Sam Mayer (14.5).
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Derek Kraus to make Xfinity Series debut – A familiar face at NASCAR, Derek Kraus, will be joining Kaulig Racing next weekend at Richmond Raceway behind the wheel of the No. 10 Chevrolet to make his Xfinity Series debut.
Kraus has been racing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2018 and has run three full-time seasons (2020-2022). In his 74 starts, he’s posted four top fives, 26 top 10s and has a best standings finish of 11th (2020, 2022).
Hocevar is taking his signature ‘fancy hats’ to the Xfinity Series – Rising NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series star Carson Hocevar will be seen this weekend attempting to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the first time in his career. The Portage, Michigan native, who has been seen around the tracks wearing his signature hats has been tapped to pilot the No. 07 SS-Greenlight Racing Chevrolet with crew chief Mike Hillman in the Xfinity Series race.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Truckin’ in the great state of Texas
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series just wrapped up race number three at Atlanta Motor Speedway and now heads to Austin, Texas for the fourth race of the season, the XPEL 225 on Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The race will be the first of a double-header Saturday that features the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at 5 p.m. ET.
The No. 38 Ford seems to be a lucky truck at the 3.41-mile road course as Todd Gilliland drove No. 38 to Victory Lane in the inaugural COTA race in 2021 and Zane Smith accomplished the same feat in 2022 once he got behind the wheel.
Smith will now have the chance to go back-to-back at the Texas road course and once again bring the No. 38 Ford to Victory Lane. The 2022 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champ already has one win under his belt this season (Daytona), two top fives and two top 10s.
Stats and figures: Texas edition
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is heading to Circuit of The Americas for the third time in its history. The previous two races have produced a different race winner and different pole winner each time.
In the inaugural race in 2021, Tyler Ankrum won the pole with a speed of 75.041 mph, while Todd Gilliland went on to win the race.
In last season’s COTA Truck race, Sheldon Creed had the fastest truck in qualifying with a speed of 90.985 mph and Zane Smith ultimately took the checkered flag.
This year’s XPEL 225 winner will look to take the COTA race record from Todd Gilliland, a record he secured with a speed of 70.79 mph.
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will kick off the triple-header weekend with practice on Friday, March 24 at 4:30 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 5 p.m. ET.
Several competitors pulling double duty action this weekend
Circuit of The Americas seems to be a popular track amongst drivers as many will be pulling double duty this weekend. Cup series regulars Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Alex Bowman, and Xfinity Series driver Kaz Grala will kick off their COTA weekends with the XPEL 225.
This weekend’s Truck race will be Busch’s second start of the season. He made his first 2023 CRAFTSMAN Truck series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he won the race from the pole position. This will be Busch’s second time behind the wheel of his No. 51 KBM Chevrolet at the 3.41-mile Austin road course. In last year’s race, he posted a third-place finish.
Like Busch, Chastain has also made one Truck Series start this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but this will be his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at COTA. He will be driving the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. Although he hasn’t ran COTA in a truck, he did get behind the wheel of a truck at Sonoma’s 1.99-mile road course last season and finished fourth. Plus, he won the NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA last season.
Bowman will be piloting the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and posting his first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of the season this weekend. Last season, he made a Truck Series start at COTA and ultimately finished in the 25th position.
Grala will be behind the wheel of the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota this weekend. He has made one Truck Series start this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He enters this weekend’s XPEL 225 having made two Truck Series starts at COTA. In the 2021 inaugural race, he posted a runner-up finish and last season, he finished 14th.
Top performers on road courses in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has competed on road courses throughout its history, including the inaugural season in 1995. This season, the series will take on two road courses – this weekend’s Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 8. But before the trucks take to the track this weekend, here is a look at some of the top road course performers in the series.
In total, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has run 30 road course races all-time (1995-Present) producing 24 different winners, led by Joe Ruttman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. with three road course wins each. Four road course winners in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series are active this weekend – Ben Rhodes (Daytona RC, 2021), Zane Smith (COTA, 2022), Parker Kligerman (Mid-Ohio, 2022) and Kyle Busch (Sonoma, 2022).
Last season, a total of five different drivers had an average finish of 10th or better in the three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road course races – Zane Smith (1.7), Chandler Smith (5.3), Carson Hocevar (5.7), Parker Kligerman (9.0) and Grant Enfinger (10.6).
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
“Tyler Ankrum Day” in Austin, Texas – Tyler Ankrum, who won the inaugural pole at COTA in 2021 and went on to finish third in the race, will have the honor of saying that March 25, 2023 is officially “Tyler Ankrum Day” in the city of Austin, Texas.
The mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, will officially proclaim “Tyler Ankrum Day” on March 25 at 9:50 a.m. CT at the No. 16 hauler in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage.
“This is really special,” Ankrum said. “To have my very own day in Austin for the second consecutive year, is crazy, but it’s truly an honor to be recognized and represent not only the city of Austin, but the more than 500,000 LiUNA! members and all the NASCAR fans out there.”
Truck Series drivers run a tire test at North Wilkesboro – Truck Series drivers Zane Smith, Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar spent some time at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Monday ahead of the much-anticipated race in May.
Monday’s test ran seven-plus hours as a prelude to three NASCAR Cup Series teams scheduled for their own Goodyear session Tuesday.
“Rarely do you have a test where you are smiling the whole time you are out there going around the track,” Hocevar said. “It was a lot of fun to be out there today slipping and sliding around on this historic track. It sounds silly, but this is our ‘Field of Dreams.’ I’m not a baseball fan, but it was super cool to see that. This is just like that. This is our deal. Everyone has high expectations and hopefully we meet (them). It felt like I was walking into a track where we weren’t supposed to be. I’m just really glad that NASCAR, Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. and the CARS Tour kept picking at it.”
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.”
XPEL 225 | Circuit of the Americas (42 Laps / 143.22 Miles) Saturday, March 24 | Austin, Texas | 1:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Team: No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado Driver: Ross Chastain (Alva, Florida) | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman Jr. Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com Follow Ross Chastain: Twitter: @RossChastain | Instagram: @rosschastain | Facebook: /RossChastainRacing | Web: www.rosschastain.com/
The No. 41 Truck Last Week at Atlanta: In Bayley Currey’s first start of the season in the Craftsman Truck Series, he captured his first career top-five and moved the No. 41 Silverado into 14th-place in the Owner Standings.
Chastain at Circuit of the Americas: Though Chastain doesn’t have a Craftsman Truck Series start at COTA, he secured his first career Cup Series win at the track last year. Chastain has an average finish of 2.5 at the 3.4-mile track in the Cup Series, tied for best in the series.
Chastain on Returning to Site of First Cup Series Win: “It’s awesome to get to do this with Worldwide Express and everyone at Niece Motorsports. I’ve never been able to race for Al in Austin in his hometown before, so it’s really special. Last year’s Cup Series win was a lifelong dream and I’m pumped to try to do it again in the Truck Series.”
On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz.
About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.
The WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S. , with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. The WWEX Racing initiative was borne of a desire to address the complex but underserved logistic needs of the performance motorsports industry, using the unique combination of capabilities offered by the three brands’ combined 80+ years of insight. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.
XPEL 225 | Circuit of the Americas (42 Laps / 143.22 Miles) Saturday, March 24 | Austin, Texas | 1:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Atlanta Recap: After running solidly inside the top-15 most of the day, Lawless Alan was involved in an incident with less than 15 laps remaining in the Fr8 208. Unfortunately, Alan was forced to retire from the race in 32nd-place.
Alan on Atlanta: “We had a lot of speed and were competitive all day which is what our goals for the race were. It’s a superspeedway, so things like that happen. But, I think we can take what we had speed-wise and use that to learn at the upcoming races.”
Alan at Circuit of the Americas: In two starts at Circuit of the Americas, Alan has an average finish of 17th, including his best finish to-date in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, an 11th-place finish in this event last season.
Alan on Saturday’s Race at COTA: “My road racing experience, combined with our speed at Atlanta gives us a lot of confidence going into COTA. I know what I’m capable of on road courses and I know what our trucks are capable of, so I’m looking forward to improving upon my career-best finish.”
On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will carry an assortment of sponsors including PlainsCapital Bank, MG Machinery LLC, and TXAPA.
PlainsCapital was founded in 1988 by former Hilltop Holdings Vice Chairman and Co-CEO Alan White and a group of investors who raised the capital to acquire Plains National Bank, a Lubbock financial institution with one branch and $198.8 million in assets.
Thirty years later, PlainsCapital Bank is the fourth-largest bank in Texas based on deposit market share. PlainsCapital has a statewide presence with more than 60 locations in markets such as Austin, the Coastal Bend, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley.
PlainsCapital has a diverse range of services, including commercial banking, treasury management, private banking, and wealth management, as well as consumer banking.
MG Machinery offers construction, heavy equipment, and mining equipment. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, MG Machinery is more than a heavy equipment dealer. We go beyond the sale to make sure all clients are 100% satisfied with the service.
Texas Asphalt Pavement Association is a full-service Association for the asphalt industry. It serves the needs of asphalt producers, contractors, liquid asphalt suppliers, and interested firms dedicated to improving and growing the asphalt industry. The Association is committed and dedicated to providing the services and information that keeps its member firms and the industry on the competitive edge.
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.
About AUTOChargit: AUTOChargit designs, manufactures and installs EV charging systems for automated and conventional parking applications. AUTOChargit can decrease capital expenditures by up to 75 percent by providing automated coupling and decoupling of EV charging stalls from the power source. For conventional parking applications, a single 40-AMP circuit coupled with a single AUTOChargit System can be multiplexed to four, eight, or 12 stalls. Each charging stall is individually metered for the exact tracking of electricity usage. The AUTOParkit Mobile APP provides a touchless experience for the user.
About AUTOParkit: -AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time.
-AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.
XPEL 225 | Circuit of the Americas (42 Laps / 143.22 Miles) Saturday, March 24 | Austin, Texas | 1:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Atlanta Recap: From his fifth-place starting position, Carson Hocevar would run inside the top-ten for a majority of Saturday’s 135-lap race. But, an accident on lap 123 involving himself as well as a few others would ultimately end his day in 31st.
Hocevar on Atlanta: “We were able to show lots of speed on Saturday, just weren’t able to get the finish this Worldwide Express team deserves. So far this season, we’ve shown our pace and I’m excited to show how good our Niece Motorsports team can be in COTA.”
Hocevar at COTA: Hocevar is just one of five active Truck Series competitors to finish inside the top-ten at COTA in both trips to the road course. His average starting position at the track is 11.5 with an average finish of 7.5.
Hocevar on Saturday’s Race at COTA: “Both times we’ve ran at COTA, we’ve been able to finish inside the top-ten which is great for my confidence going into the race. The field is going to have some Cup Series drivers and I’m looking forward to learning from them and hopefully driving past them when it counts.”
On the Truck: Hocevar’s No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz.
About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.
The WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S. , with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. The WWEX Racing initiative was borne of a desire to address the complex but underserved logistic needs of the performance motorsports industry, using the unique combination of capabilities offered by the three brands’ combined 80+ years of insight. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.
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.
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.
