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EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Lassos Emmy Award-Winning Brendan Hunt for Grand Marshal Role

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Official Release
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From left to right: Brendan Hunt (photo credit: Robyn Von Swank), Darius Rucker (photo credit: Jim Wright), Adrianne Palicki, Jaime Camil (photo credit: Fer Piña) and Sage Steele will all serve in various dignitary roles for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
  • Brendan Hunt, co-star in the Apple TV+ hit comedy series Ted Lasso, will give the command for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.
  • Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer Darius Rucker to serve as Honorary Starter.
  • Friday Night Lights’ Adrianne Palicki, co-star in Hulu’s upcoming Quasi movie, named Honorary Pace Car Driver.
  • Award-winning actor, producer and co-star on Apple TV+ hit musical show Schmigadoon! Jaime Camil to sing national anthem.
  • ESPN SportCenter’s Sage Steele to deliver invocation.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 22, 2023) – 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 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) and highlight the weekend’s dignitary roster.

Hunt will have the honor of providing the “Drivers, start your engines” command to the NCS field for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on the 20-turn, 3.41-mile permanent road course in Austin, Texas (2:30 p.m. CT, TV: FOX, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM).

He 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.”

The blockbuster comedy series, co-created by Hunt with Jason Sudeikis, Joe Kelly and Bill Lawrence, recently opened its third season on March 15. Hunt has appeared in a wide variety of critically acclaimed television programs and films throughout his career. Prior to Ted Lasso, he is most known for his roles in Community, Key and Peele, Parks and Recreation and Horrible Bosses 2.

Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer Darius Rucker will serve as the Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to commence the third running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Earlier that day, Rucker will treat the crowd to a pre-race concert on the frontstretch beginning at 12:45 p.m. CT.

Adrianne Palicki, known for her critically acclaimed role of “Tyra Collette” in the hit series, Friday Night Lights, will help lead the NCS field to the green flag as the Honorary Pace Car Driver.

Palicki’s current project has her starring next to the female lead with Broken Lizard in Searchlight Pictures Quasi, a satirical take on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Quasi will debut Thursday, April 20 on Hulu. Most recently, she starred in the anthology film With/In and for three seasons of Hulu’s The Orville.

Performing the national anthem will be Golden Globe Award and Critic’s Choice Award nominee actor/producer Jaime Camil. Camil is beloved by many from his roles on Jane the Virgin and Disney’s Coco and currently co-starring on the hit show Schmigadoon!, which has its second season premiere on April 5 on Apple TV+. Rounding out the list of extraordinary dignitaries will be ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele delivering the invocation.

Dignitaries for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NCS race:

  • Grand Marshal: Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, producer Brendan Hunt.
  • Honorary Starter: Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer Darius Rucker.
  • Honorary Pace Car Driver: Actress Adrianne Palicki.
  • National Anthem: Award winning actor/producer Jaime Camil.
  • Invocation: ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor Sage Steele.

Dignitaries for Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY NASCAR Xfinity Series race:

  • Grand Marshal: Dansons company-wide raffle winner.
  • Honorary Starter: Dansons Chief Executive Officer Dan Thiessen.
  • National Anthem: Christian recording artist Payton Keller.
  • Victory Lane Trophy Presenter: Dansons Chief Executive Officer Dan Thiessen.
  • Invocation: Dansons Chief Operating Officer Jordan Thiessen.

Dignitaries for Saturday’s XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race:

  • Grand Marshal: Porsche North Austin General Manager Christian Ames.
  • Honorary Starter: Authentic Details owner Brad McRae.
  • God Bless America: Christian recording artist Payton Keller.
  • Victory Lane Trophy Presenter: XPEL Vice President of Corporate Development Michael Mayall.
  • Invocation: NCS driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Tickets:

Tickets for the March 24-26 NASCAR at COTA tripleheader weekend are on sale now at NASCARatCOTA.com. Three-day weekend packages for adults including the Darius Rucker pre-race concert start at just $99 and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

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Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

JR Motorsports — NXS COTA Preview

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Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Circuit of the Americas
RACE: Pit Boss 250 (46 laps / 156.86 miles)
DATE: Saturday, March 25, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer returns to Circuit of the Americas for only his second start at the 3.41-mile road-course. In this event last season, Mayer finished fifth, which qualified him for his first career Dash 4 Cash race.
• The young driver has nine starts on road courses and has secured one top-five and five top-10 finishes on such tracks.
• Crew chief Mardy Lindley has achieved three career roadcourse wins, most recently as crew chief for Kyle Busch last season at Sonoma Raceway in the Truck Series.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet
• Josh Berry’s lone start at COTA came last year, and the Tennessee native finished 27th after being involved in an opening-lap incident.
• In seven starts on road courses in his NXS career, Berry has a pair of top-five finishes and five top 10s.
• Berry’s top-five results came in the NXS debut at Portland (fourth) and at Road America (third) last season.
• This weekend’s event is the qualifier for the opening round of the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash. Berry won the bonus in 2021 at Dover Motor Speedway.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/Char-Broil Grills Chevrolet
• Brandon Jones has made 31 career starts on road courses in the NXS and has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. His best finish of second came at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in 2020.
• Jones has a victory on a road course in his career. The 26-year-old won at Watkins Glen International during an ARCA Menards Series race last season. He started second and led the most important lap – the last one – to claim the victory.
• Jones has made two starts at the 3.41-mile Austin road course, with a best finish of 17th coming in the inaugural race in 2021.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In two previous starts at COTA in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has scored a best finish of third, coming in this event in 2021.
• In 44 career starts on road courses in the NXS, the Illinois native has earned three wins, 13 top fives and 26 top 10s.
• Two of Allgaier’s three road course victories in the NXS have come with JRM (Mid-Ohio and Road America – 2018).
• Allgaier’s No. 7 Camaro will have a different look for thisweekend. As one of two BRANDT Chevrolets on the road course at COTA, the JRM driver’s paint scheme will have a white base with the familiar bright red accents.
• For the third consecutive season, Miguel Paludo makes his return to JRM behind the wheel of the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet.
• This marks the first of three starts this season for the NovaPrata, Brazil native in the No. 88. Paludo will also be running at the inaugural street course event in Chicago and the road course at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• In six previous starts for JRM, Paludo has scored two top 10s, with a best finish of seventh coming at the Daytona Road Course in 2021.

Driver Quotes

“I am pretty excited to get back to COTA this weekend. We had a really good run there last year that qualified us for the Dash 4 Cash that we were able to win the following week. I am confident that my No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team will bring a fast car to our first road course of the year and hopefully we will be able to contend for the win.” – Sam Mayer

“This is a big weekend at COTA for us and BRANDT Professional Agriculture. To be able to welcome Miguel (Paludo) back in the No. 88 with BRANDT is really special. Hopefully we can give Rick (Brandt) a good show and come away with a one-two finish. The last couple weeks didn’t go as we had hoped, but this No. 7 group is resilient and I know that we will be strong this weekend.” – Justin Allgaier

“Road courses were very important to our team last season, points-wise. I’ve had solid runs at most of the ones we’ve run on. Last year at COTA, we got into trouble on the first lap and did some damage to the Tire Pros Chevrolet, but we rallied and earned stage points despite that. I’m looking for good things this weekend with Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the team.” – Josh Berry

“This Menards/Char-Broil Grills team has had speed all season, we just don’t have the results to show for it. These guys have built great cars in the past for COTA and we have been in the sim working hard preparing for this weekend. Hopefully we can go out and have a good run and be there when it matters.” – Brandon Jones

“I can’t thank Rick (Brandt), and everyone at JR Motorsports enough for the opportunity to come back this year and drive this No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. We were able to get a top-10 finish here last year, and I know that we can improve on that once we hit the track this weekend. I can’t wait to get out there and contend for the win, especially with our BRANDT teammate Justin (Allgaier).” – Miguel Paludo

JRM Team Updates

• JR Motorsports at COTA: JR Motorsports has competed at the 3.41-mile Circuit of the Americas a combined nine times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts, the organization has recorded three top fives and four top 10s. The best finish for JRM came during the inaugural race in 2021 with Justin Allgaier racing to a third-place finish.
• Souvenir Rig Autograph Session: All five JRM drivers will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Legacy M.C. souvenir trailer at COTA on Saturday, March 26 from 12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. local time.
• Chevy Display: JRM drivers will be appearing at the Team Chevy display located in the COTA fan zone on Saturday at the following times:
• Justin Allgaier/Miguel Paludo: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. local time
• Brandon Jones: 11:45 p.m. – 12 p.m.
• Josh Berry: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
• Sam Mayer: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
• Start No. 500 for Allgaier: This weekend in COTA marks the 500th career start for Justin Allgaier across NASCAR’s three major touring series. In totality, Allgaier has made eight starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 410 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 81 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 03.23.23

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Official Release
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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.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

About Toyota

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

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

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

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Circuit of the Americas (COTA)

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Official Release
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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.

NHRA AT PHOENIX: Team Chevy Advance

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Official Release
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2023 NHRA Arizona Nationals
Chandler, Arizona
March 24-26, 2023

ONE LAST SHOOTOUT AT WILD HORSE PASS

For the final time, the horsepower-filled field of the NHRA will take to the track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix, Arizona. As the sun sets on the Southwest staple, Team Chevy drivers and teams look to rebound after NHRA’s Gatornationals in Gainesville while also capitalizing on 2022’s victories in Pro Stock (Elite Motorsports’ Aaron Stanfield) and Stock Eliminator (Leo Glasbrenner).

Featuring Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock categories in competition this weekend, Troy Coughlin, Jr. looks to extend his streak of victory after capturing the 2023 season-opening Wally in Pro Stock in his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS. Coughlin, Jr.’s Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield heads into the race defending his 2022 NHRA Arizona Nationals Pro Stock win. Facing redemption from a Round 1 elimination in Gainesville, five-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders enters the event weekend with a clear vision of her potential 44th career victory.

With KB Titan Racing’s Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn racing to the semifinals in Gainesville, they hunt for their first Wally of the year alongside teammates Camrie Caruso, Kyle Koretsky, Deric Kramer, and Matt Hartford. With 115 Pro Stock victories – 101 career for Anderson, four Pro Stock wins notched by Glenn, four career wins by Kramer, five credited to Hartford, and one Pro Stock win to Koretsky, the team continues to seek the NHRA Winner’s Circle as Anderson looks to continue his drive for a sixth championship.

Prepared to battle for more championships and adding to their legendary winning history, the quartet at John Force Racing looks to reverse Gainesville’s results and sets sights on building momentum at Phoenix and beyond. Looking to match Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023, Brittany Force, in her Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, also seeks her 44th No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix as well as her 17th career victory. Austin Prock, in his Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, seeks his fourth career NHRA Top Fuel victory, building on his 52 round wins and one No. 1 qualifier in his 50-race career. On the Funny Car side of the nitro ladders, John Force, in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, enters his 834th NHRA race seeking to build on his 1,423 round wins, 155 victories, and 16 championships. Robert Hight, in his Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, also looks to build on 398 events with 61 victories, 77 No. 1 qualifiers, and 593 round wins.

NHRA Arizona Nationals action from Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park airs first with Friday qualifying on Friday, March 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday qualifying from Phoenix airs Sunday, March 25 at 12 p.m. ET on FS1. Sunday’s Finals also air on FS1, starting at 7 p.m. ET. Coverage streaming live throughout the weekend can be found through NHRA.tv, available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pack Chevrolet Top Fuel Dragster for John Force Racing:

“Heading into race two on the NHRA circuit this weekend in Phoenix and we plan to come out with a win. With this being the final NHRA national event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team wants to leave on a strong note,” Force said. “We plan to qualify in the top three and go four rounds on race day. We’ve set both ends of the track record with our No. 1 qualifier from 2020 but it wasn’t enough on race day. Hoping to turn things around this year and get our first win of the 2023 season.”

Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rock Mountain Chevrolet Top Fuel Dragster for John Force Racing:

“I’m ready to get back into action with my Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team at the Arizona Nationals. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is where I made my first pass in a Top Fuel Car and there’s just something about being out west early in the year that feels right,” Prock said. “We are going to come out strong this weekend and put the Gatornationals behind us. We’ve got a great team and car that can run with the best of them.”

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS

1,423: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time)

593: Round wins for Robert Hight (14th all-time)

367: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 247 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body

264: Final Round wins by John Force (the last coming in Topeka, runner-up)

165: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time)

155: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967

77: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time)

75: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body

43: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force

27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.

24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car

18: Number of Pro Stock championships

16: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA

16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force

7: Number of Funny Car driver championships

2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships

MOST RECENT WIN IN NHRA BY CHEVROLET

Gainesville, 2023: Troy Coughlin, Jr., Pro Stock

MOST RECENT DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NHRA BY CHEVROLET

2022: Brittany Force, Top Fuel

2022: Erica Enders, Pro Stock

2022: David Barton, Factory Stock Showdown

2019: Robert Hight, Funny Car

UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES

950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 914 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule.

600: Robert Hight has 593 Funny Car elimination round victories to rank 14th on the all-time NHRA list. Reaching 600 round wins would put him 13th all time.

437: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record to 437 consecutive race day appearances.

138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 121 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (165) on the list.

62: Robert Hight will move into the top 10 on the all-time NHRA victory list with his next win, tying the retired Larry Dixon (Top Fuel) with 62 wins. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is ninth on list with 65.

46: Erica Enders has 43 career Pro Stock victories (all with Chevrolet). Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) is the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.

18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 43) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead.

6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10.

3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, 2 championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 5) is the leader.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe COTA Advance

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Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
COTA Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Round 6 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 26
● Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas
● Layout: 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 68 laps/231.88 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 38 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe will make his third start at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, this Sunday in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Briscoe earned his first NASCAR Cup Series top-10 with his sixth-place in the inaugural race there in 2021. It was his first of three top-10 finishes earned in his Rookie of the Year season, all on road courses. Though the introduction of the NextGen car leveled the playing field on road courses during the 2022 season, Briscoe’s team showed speed on road courses. He’s focused this year on finding the areas where he can gain advantages over his competitors through intense prep work during the offseason.

● Beginning this weekend at COTA, teams will no longer see mandatory cautions at the conclusion of the first and second stages at road-course events. Drivers will still earn stage points based on their running position at the completion of the designated lap, but there will be no break in racing action.

● Two of Briscoe’s biggest wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series came on road courses. The first, earned on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval in 2018, has been credited as the win that saved his career. In 2020, when the Xfinity Series ran its inaugural race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway grand prix circuit, the Mitchell, Indiana, native led a race-high 30 of 62 laps en route to a dominating win in front of his hometown crowd.

● Sunday’s race is as a home event for Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America. Part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, Mahindra Ag North America is the No. 1-selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners, and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort at a great value. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

In 2021, all of your top-10 finishes came on road courses. With the introduction of the NextGen car, we saw more parity. Is it more difficult to find those areas on track where you can gain an advantage over other teams?

“I think the whole field has elevated their ability on road courses, between the teams putting in work to figure out what to do with the new car and the driver getting more comfortable. So, it’s going to be hard to have a big advantage where you would typically find it, in a braking zone or with straightaway speed, but the lower downforce will hopefully help some and allow us to find something we can work with to gain that advantage.”

You got to spend time with Jenson Button last week. Did you have any advice for the Formula One champion before his first NASCAR start?

“I don’t know that he needs any advice from me. These Formula One guys are unbelievable road-course racers. Last year, I kind of did a seat swap with Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen at the Charlotte Roval, and they only ran like five laps apiece before they were within a second of what I was running at pretty much 100 percent. So, Jenson is going to bring a lot to the table just as far as knowing what to look for as an opportunity to maximize what he’s getting from the car. I’m really excited for the opportunity to race against him and learn from him. I don’t think it will take long for him to catch on, just from talking to him and seeing how he prepares for these races.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members Driver: Chase BriscoeHometown: Mitchell, Indiana Crew Chief: John KlausmeierHometown: Perry Hall, Maryland Car Chief: J.D. FreyHometown: Ferndale, California Engineer: Mike CookHometown: Annapolis, Maryland Spotter: Joey CampbellHometown: Berlin, ConnecticutOver-The-Wall Members Front Tire Changer: Shayne PipalaHometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina Jack Man: Dylan MoserHometown: Monroe, North Carolina Fuel Man: Corey CoppolaHometown: Bluefield, West Virginia		Road Crew Members Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina Transporter Co-Driver: Rob FinkHometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Circuit Of The Americas

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Race Information

  • Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race No. 4 of 23
  • Track Location: Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) – Austin, Texas
  • Race Name: XPEL 225
  • Broadcast: Saturday, March 25th at 1:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
  • Team Entrants:

No. 23 | Grant Enfinger & Jeff Hensley – Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
No. 24 | Rajah Caruth & Chad Walter – Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet
No. 43 | Daniel Dye & Travis Sharpe – Dell Children’s Medical Center / Nyle Maxwell Supercenter Chevrolet

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

  • NCTS Starts: 2; Best start: 16th; Best finish: 4th (2021); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 2

NCTS Road Course Stats (Canada, COTA, Daytona, Mid-Ohio, Sonoma, & Watkins Glen)

  • Combined Starts: 8; Best start: 8th; Best finish: 4th (COTA, 2021); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 3, Laps led: 1

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 3; Best start: 7th; Best finish: 5th (Daytona); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 2; Laps led: 3; Current points position: 6th
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003, Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Chassis History/Info: Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 145 at the Circuit Of The Americas this weekend. This will be a brand new chassis for Enfinger, purpose built specifically for road course racing.
  • Consistency on the Road: In 2022, Grant Enfinger’s road course outings could be summed up by one word: consistent. The driver of the Champion Power Equipment Silverado RST had finishes of 10th (COTA), 11th (Sonoma), and 11th again (Mid-Ohio). This weekend will be the third time that Enfinger has competed at COTA, and if his past two races are of any indication, you might see that No. 23 Chevy up near the front on Saturday. In both races, Grant earned top-10 results, with a best showing of fourth in 2021, a race that included racing action in the rain.
  • Stage Points: In Atlanta, Enfinger continued his streak of gaining stage points in all six of the stages that have been completed this season. In total, the driver of the No. 23 Chevy has earned 28 stage points this season (four in Daytona, 13 in Las Vegas, and 11 in Atlanta). He looks to continue that streak this weekend on the road course in Austin.
  • GE Appearances: Fans attending the XPEL 225 will have an opportunity to meet Grant Enfinger on Saturday, March 25th:

Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing drivers will participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage located in the Circuit Of The Americas Fan Zone from 9:45 AM to 10:00 AM local time.
- From The Drivers Seat: Though you don’t necessarily consider yourself a road course racer at heart, your COTA track record may say otherwise. How well do you enjoy racing at this facility?

“I would say that I’ve definitely put a lot of effort into my road course racing over the last couple of years, and I think COTA is one of those tracks that has a little bit of everything – there are some technical sections, there are some slow-speed corners and high speed corners. Obviously, that back straightaway is really, really fast, and it forces you to almost have to get the truck completely stopped at the end of it. But yeah, it’s a place I really enjoy; I enjoy the challenge of it and I’ve worked really hard at learning the layout. I know [Jeff] Hensley and the rest of my guys at GMS Racing have put a lot of effort into this Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet, so hopefully we will have something to contend with.”

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet Silverado RST

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

  • Rajah Caruth will be making his first start in any series at COTA on Saturday.

ARCA Road Course Stats (Mid-Ohio & Watkins Glen)

  • Combined Starts: 2; Best start: 5th; Best finish: 9th (Mid-Ohio, 2022); Top 10s: 1

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 3; Best start: 17th; Best finish: 25th (Atlanta); Current points position: 22nd
  • About the Wendell Scott Foundation: Founded in 2011, The Wendell Scott Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization inspired by Wendell Scott, Sr. and provides services such as job-skill training, STEM education opportunities, mentoring, and other supportive services to at-risk, underserved youth between the ages of 8-18 years in Danville, Virginia and surrounding areas.

The Foundation’s mission of using educational attainment to end racial disparities in education and health is vital in addressing economic inequality and improving future success in African-American communities. For more information, please visit www.wendellscott.org.

  • Chassis History/Info: Caruth and the No. 24 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 138 in Austin on Saturday. This chassis has been raced in five prior events by Sheldon Creed in 2021 and Grant Enfinger in 2022. Overall, the truck has earned two top-fives and three top-10 finishes, with a best result of third at Watkins Glen, delivered by Creed in 2021. At COTA, the truck has finished in the top-10 on both occasions that it’s been ran, with a best finish of fifth, also earned by Creed in 2021, where it led 14 laps.
  • Sunoco Rookie Battle: Though it appeared as if Caruth was on his way to his first top-10 result of the season in Atlanta, a blown right front tire on the white flag dropped him to a disappointing result of 25th place. Heading into COTA, Rajah sits fourth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 29 points behind leader Nick Sanchez and eight points behind his teammate, Daniel Dye, who is in third.
  • RC Appearances: Fans attending the XPEL 225 will have an opportunity to meet Rajah Caruth on Saturday, March 25th:

Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing drivers will participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage located in the Circuit Of The Americas Fan Zone from 9:45 AM to 10:00 AM local time.

  • From The Driver’s Seat: You’ve never seen the racetrack at COTA before, so how big of a help has iRacing been to you in preparing for this weekend?

“So since I’ve never been to COTA before, iRacing is going to be so pivotal to me this weekend. Albeit, I’m pretty much on the service all the time for any of the tracks that we go to, but for COTA, since I’ve never raced there before, it’s going to be even more useful for me before I hop in my actual Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST. I’m excited to give it a whirl, and I think we will have a strong weekend, especially with all of the prep that Josh Wise and Scott Speed have us Chevrolet athletes doing, and I think the GMS Racing trucks should be pretty sporty across the board.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Dell Children’s Medical Center / Nyle Maxwell Supercenter Chevrolet Silverado RST

Circuit Of The Americas Stats

  • Daniel Dye will be making his first start in any series at COTA on Saturday.

ARCA Road Course Stats (Mid-Ohio & Watkins Glen)

  • Combined Starts: 2; Best start: 8th; Best finish: 4th (Watkins Glen, 2022); Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 2

ARCA West Road Course Stats (Portland)

  • Starts: 1; Poles: 1 (Portland, 2022); Best finish: 4th (Portland, 2022); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 1

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 3; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 16th (Atlanta); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 19th
  • About Dell Children’s Medical Center: Dell Children’s Medical Center at Ascension Seton is a full-service pediatric medical center dedicated to the needs of children and families. When you choose Dell Children’s, your child’s care is connected across care teams – from 24/7 pediatric emergency care and level I trauma care to primary care, mental health care and specialty care. With the most comprehensive pediatric specialty care in Central Texas, you’ll find all the care your child and family need. Only in Austin. Only at Dell Children’s.

Our doctors are delivering medical breakthroughs every day. Your child’s pediatrician, specialists and care teams are part of an integrated community of experienced doctors who work together as one team. Share your concerns and ask us your questions – big and small. We start by listening to you and your child. Then, we work with you to create a care plan that’s right for your child. For more information, visit here.

  • Dell Children’s Medical Center Visit: On Thursday, March 23rd, Daniel Dye will make a visit to Dell Children’s Medical Center to spend time with patients and their families. As a big supporter of The NASCAR Foundation, Dye will deliver the patients with “Speedy Bears” provided by the foundation, as well as tee shirts to commemorate this weekend’s race in Austin. For any media members that would like to attend the event, Daniel will be available for one-on-one interviews during his visit from 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM local time at 4900 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX.
  • Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 140 at COTA. This Silverado RST has been driven in five races over the course of the past two seasons by Zane Smith and Jack Wood. Overall, the chassis has two top-10 finishes, with a best result of sixth at Watkins Glen in 2021 driven by Smith. Specifically in Austin, this truck has been ran twice before, earning a best finish of eighth place earned by Smith in 2021.
  • Sunoco Rookie Battle: Dye overcame early mechanical gremlins in Atlanta to earn his best finish of the season with a 16th place run. Entering this weekend’s race in Austin, Dye is third in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 21 points behind leader Nick Sanchez and one point behind second place’s Jake Garcia.
  • DD Appearances: Fans attending the XPEL 225 will have an opportunity to meet Daniel Dye on Saturday, March 25th:

Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing drivers will participate in a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage located in the Circuit Of The Americas Fan Zone from 9:45 AM to 10:00 AM local time.

  • From the Driver’s Seat: COTA will be the first road course that you run with in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, can you tell us a little more about your previous road racing experiences?

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I mean, COTA is a whole different beast compared to Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, and Portland that I’ve raced at before. I loved road course racing last year in the ARCA Series. It’s going to be fun to try it out in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series; there’s a lot more trucks and competition out there, but to go to a huge place like COTA with 20 turns is going to be super cool. It’s going to be fun, we’re just going to stay on our toes and learn all day to be the best we can be by the end of it with our No. 43 Chevy.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series operating the No. 23, No. 24, and No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs for drivers Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

HaasTooling.com Racing: Ryan Preece COTA Advance

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RYAN PREECE
COTA Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Round 6 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 26
● Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas
● Layout: 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 68 laps / 231.88 mile
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 38 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The NASCAR Cup Series is going left and right this weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. This will be the series’ third visit to COTA, the 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course. Ryan Preece made his first and only start at the track on the outskirts of the Texas state capital in 2021 for JTG-Daugherty Racing. He started 36th and finished 15th, leading two laps and completing all 54 laps. Sunday will mark Preece’s first start at the track with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR).

● Preece’s road-course racing background is not extensive. In his Cup Series career, he’s made 12 road-course starts. His best road-course outing was in 2021 at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course, where he started sixth and finished ninth.

● In six NASCAR Xfinity Series road-course starts, Preece has two top-five finishes and three top 10s. He has a best finish of fourth, which occurred twice in 2018, at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, respectively.

● The Cup Series wrapped up the 2023 West Coast swing two weekends ago at Phoenix Raceway and returned to the Southeast last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Preece raced for the fifth time in his Cup Series career. He dropped a cylinder during Stage 2 and fell multiple laps off the pace. The No. 41 was credited with a 28th-place finish.

● Five races into the season, Preece is 26th in the driver standings with 63 points.

● Preece’s eighth career start at Phoenix two weekends ago ended with a 12th-place finish, his best points-paying finish of the season.

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

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

● Back again on the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Ford Musting for 2023 is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation led by SHR co-owner Gene Haas. HaasTooling.com was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You had a tough day at Atlanta last weekend and fought the whole race while the team was diagnosing the problem, what happened?

“Yeah, that was a really bad day for our No. 41 Ford Mustang in Atlanta. We had an issue from the beginning and tried to limp our way through the first stage to make some adjustments. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to fix the issue with our car. We had to visit pit road multiple times and we just kept going laps down. Sunday was just a real struggle all around, all day. Looking forward to putting that one behind us.”

What are your thoughts on racing at COTA?

“Road-course racing has always been something that, when it compares to short-track racing, there are a lot of things that can certainly translate but there are also so many differences, too. I don’t have a ton of experience at COTA but I’m definitely looking forward to getting there. I feel like I’m as prepared as ever, so I’m excited for it.”

In general, what is it like to race on a road course in a stock car?

“I believe in the old stock car, at least when I drove the old car, it was a lot different from what I feel like this will be. Basically, we used to take a Cup car and convert them to be able to race on road courses. But now, with these cars, it’s almost natural for them to race on road courses. I think aggressive racing and track position is going to be everything this weekend. Practice and qualifying will be crucial.”

The number of road-course races on the schedule has doubled in recent years. How does that change the way you condition, and your mental preparation?

“There are a lot of similarities when it comes to road racing and short-track racing. The racing discipline of it is definitely still the same. But, there are a lot of other road-course ringers, or whatever you’d like to call them, that have the upper hand on a lot of things. For instance, when it comes to braking, there are a lot of differences. From a preparation standpoint, though, we’ve been given all the tools we need to be as prepared as possible and, at this point, I just want to show up and go do it.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members Driver: Ryan Preece
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut Crew Chief: Chad JohnstonHometown: Cayuga, Indiana Car Chief: Tony CardamoneHometown: Bristol, Virginia Engineer: Lee DeeseHometown: Rockingham, North Carolina Engineer: Scott BinghamHometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia Spotter: Andy HoustonHometown: Hickory, North Carolina		Over-The-Wall Members Front Tire Changer: Devin LesterHometown: Bluefield, West Virginia Rear Tire Changer: Kevin TeafHometown: Tallahassee, Florida Tire Carrier: Chad EmmonsHometown: Tyler, Texas Jack Man: Kapil FletcherHometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Fuel Man: Dwayne MooreHometown: Griffin, GeorgiaRoad Crew Members Mechanic: Joe ZanoliniHometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania Underneath & Interior Mechanic: Clint LeatherwoodHometown: Rockmart, Georgia Shock Specialist: Aaron KuehnHometown: Kensington, Connecticut Tire Specialist: Matt RidgwayHometown: Carrollton, Georgia Engine Tuner: Jimmy FifeHometown: Orange County, California Transporter Co-Driver: David RodriguesHometown: Santa Clarita, California Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie SchleyerHometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

William Sawalich / No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry Preview

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Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway

No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry News and Notes:

SAWALICH AT FIVE FLAGS: William Sawalich will be making first ARCA Menards Series East (AMSE) start at Five Flags Speedway this weekend. The Toyota development driver is well-acquainted with the short track having three wins on his resume – a pro late model win in both 2021 and 2022 and a super late model win in 2022. This Saturday’s race will kick off the AMSE season as Sawalich competes for the 2023 AMSE championship.

LAST TIME OUT: Sawalich had an impressive ARCA Menards Series (AMS) debut at Phoenix Raceway on March 10. The 16-year-old qualified on the pole for his first race on the track and led a race-high 94 laps. On lap 55, the No. 18 spun, but did not receive any damage. Sawalich quickly charged back through the field and regained the lead. The caution flag flew near the end of the race to force a green-white-checkered finish. Sawalich restarted first in the inside lane and was spun in the dog leg coming to the white flag, resulting in a 13th-place finish.

2023 ARCA SEASON: Sawalich will run 20 races in the No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry. He will compete for the AMSE Championship and the AMS Owner’s Championship for the No. 18.

JGR AT FIVE FLAGS: Joe Gibbs Racing has one previous win at Five Flags Speedway. That win came in the 2021 AMSE race with Sammy Smith behind the wheel.

FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Sawalich’s 2023 season.
Twitter: @WilliamSawalich I Facebook: William Sawalich I Instagram: @williamsawalich

RACE INFO: The AMSE Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway is scheduled for 9:00 PM EST on Saturday, March 25. The race will be broadcast live on FloRacing.

From the Driver’s Seat:

William Sawalich: “I’m excited to go race at Five Flags Speedway this weekend. It’s a track I feel comfortable at and think we have a good chance at a win. The No. 18 was fast at Phoenix and I know that the guys will bring a good car to Pensacola too. This weekend will be a good weekend to get ARCA East points and get started on the right foot to go chase a championship the rest of the year.”

Sawalich’s 2023 ARCA Menards Series Stats:

Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish 
1 0 0 0 1 94 1.0 13.0 

About Starkey:

Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development, and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com.

About SoundGear:
Founded in 2010, SoundGear represents the latest advancements in hearing protection. SoundGear hearing protection and enhancement products are ideal for hunting, competitive shooting, law enforcement, construction, heavy industry, concerts and events, garages, motorsports, and much more. SoundGear engineers products that provide 100% digital sound enhancement to deliver superior environmental awareness, while still protecting your hearing. SoundGear products are manufactured by Starkey, a global leader in hearing technology and premier provider in hearing health care headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

About Joe Gibbs Racing:

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR with four NASCAR Cup Series teams, three NASCAR Xfinity Series teams, and a driver development program. JGR is based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Joe Gibbs, who also earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was named as one of the NFL’s top 10 coaches of all-time with a winning career that included three Super Bowl Championships as head coach of the Washington franchise. JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning five Cup Series championships and six Xfinity Series owner’s championships, along with more than 350 NASCAR races, including four Brickyard 400s and four Daytona 500s.

OpTic Gaming to Sponsor Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports at Circuit of the Americas

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CONCORD, N.C. (March 21, 2023) – OpTic Gaming will return to Spire Motorsports’ family of partners and serve as the primary sponsor of Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

OpTic is the winner of the 2022 Esports Awards Esports Organization of the Year.

“We’re thrilled to continue working with Spire Motorsports and wrap Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro with the world-renowned OpTic logo,” said Hector Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of OpTic Gaming. “OpTic is one of the few organizations bridging the gap between traditional sports and gaming. With NASCAR investing in and growing their esports community, this collaboration just makes sense. We’re excited to be along for the ride with Corey and bring co-branded merchandise to the GreenWall, with an exclusive hat and shirt available soon on the OpTic Shop.”

LaJoie turned in a career-best fourth-place performance in last Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, topping his previous series/career best by one position. He is currently 14th in the NCS point standings five races into the 2023 season.

“We’re pretty proud of how our small team has started out the year,” said LaJoie. “We’ve had some solid runs and to put together a fourth-place finish last weekend at Atlanta. That’s what it takes for a team like Spire Motorsports to be in the conversation. We need to be smart every week when we unload, and position ourselves to succeed at tracks where we know we can run well. I’m excited to carry this momentum into COTA this weekend and hopefully put on a good show for our friends at OpTic Gaming and the GreenWall.”

The Concord, N.C., veteran racer has recorded a pair of NCS starts at COTA and calls a 20th-place finish a career best at the 3.41-mile Austin, Texas circuit.

“Spire Motorsports has tremendous respect for OpTic’s legendary contributions to gaming content and culture,” said Spire Motorsports president Bill Anthony. “What’s most impressive is OpTic’s ability to continually reinvent and reimagine itself. We’re proud to be a part of the GreenWall and find creative ways to bring together the traditional sports and gaming worlds.”

The Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas will be televised live on FOX Sunday, March 26 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The sixth of 36 points races on 2023 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About OpTic Gaming …
OpTic Gaming is an entertainment, media, and gaming company based in North Texas. Founded in 2006, OpTic is one of the most winning esports organizations in the world and features content creators, competitive gamers, and esports teams with global reach. The company has produced award-winning docuseries and currently operates Esports Stadium Arlington. OpTic’s ownership group includes esports industry pioneers Hector Rodriguez and Mike Rufail as well as Gray Television, along with Texas Rangers minority owner Ken Hersh. For more information, visit OpTicGaming.com.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a full-time, two-car NASCAR Cup Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2023, Spire Motorsports will field the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for driver Corey LaJoie and No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Ty Dillon. The team also fields NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway.

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