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No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Las Vegas Advance

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ARIC ALMIROLA
Vegas Race Advance
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Las Vegas 400 (Round 3 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 5
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Aric Almirola at Las Vegas: In 19 starts on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway desert oval, Almirola has four top-10s, all coming since he joined SHR in 2018. Almirola’s sixth-place finish at Las Vegas last March was the No. 10 team’s third straight top-10 finish to start the season and fifth in a row dating back to the 2021’s penultimate race Oct. 31 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

● Almirola had a strong start to this season by winning his heat race and starting on the pole during the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles. Then, at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the 38-year-old veteran won his Duel qualifying race and led 16 laps of the points-paying season-opening Daytona 500 – the most laps he’s led at Daytona in 23 starts.

● Last weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Almirola started 17th after qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather. Almirola ran in and around the top-15 until he was caught in a multicar accident not of his doing. It was his 200th consecutive NASCAR Cup Series start.

● Driver Points: Almirola arrives at Las Vegas 25th in the driver standings with 31 points.

● Almirola’s career: In 427 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 91 top-10s, three poles, and has led 990 laps.

● Smithfield Foods rejoins Almirola and the No. 10 Ford team as the anchor sponsor for the 2023 NASCAR season. Fans will see the iconic white, black, and gold scheme adorn Almirola’s Ford Mustang. Smithfield has been a sponsor of Almirola’s for the entirety of his fulltime NASCAR Cup Series career – making it one of the longest-lasting partnerships in NASCAR. Smithfield is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Its 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” Smithfield is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including its industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across its entire U.S. value chain by 2030. Smithfield believes in the power of protein to end food insecurity and has donated hundreds of millions of food servings to local communities.

● Back for More: Last year, Almirola announced that he would step down from fulltime racing following the 2022 season.Through the course of the year, he discovered a new balance between his passion for racing and dedication to his family. His wife Janice, and kids Alex and Abby, joined him on most race weekends, oftentimes enjoying once-in-a-lifetime experiences together as they traveled the country. His rapport with crew chief Drew Blickensderfer flourished, and the intense pressure he had put on himself was replaced with the joy of simply being present. Not only did Almirola see the sport from a new perspective, so did anchor partner Smithfield Foods, who broached the subject of Almirola returning to fulltime racing in 2023. On Aug. 26 in the media center of Daytona, Almirola, SHR and Smithfield Foods announced his return with a multiyear agreement and Smithfield’s largest allotment of races since joining the team in 2018.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2023, Almirola will continue to share his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season five of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

When you arrived at Las Vegas last year, you were the only driver to secure three consecutive top-10 finishes. What led to that success?

“I think last year we were all just trying to figure out the setup of the cars and I felt really good to start the season. I thought it was going to be my last, so I just soaked it all in and enjoyed the ride. I’m still doing that, but I feel even more prepared and more determined than ever to have a successful team. Last year, that was just a testament to Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and the team’s hard work back at the shop and they gave me a good car capable of running top-10. We struggled a bit in October, but we also were not in the playoffs at the time, so that plays a role in it.”

What do you like about racing at Las Vegas?

“I really like Vegas, but it is such a tricky track to get dialed in at, but we learned a lot last year about the car. We’re continuing to see growth with this team from last year – just having notes to go off and making the right decisions for the car. We have adapted all year with what we know and you’ll continue to see that all year with this 10 team.”

You were caught in an accident last weekend at Fontana with nowhere to go. What happened?

“I took off on the restart and went from second to third gear and, all of a sudden, everybody in front of us just stopped. I think the leader was just playing games, trying to prevent the runs coming from behind, and where they stopped in the middle of the restart zone was right about where they should’ve been accelerating. It was just a huge accordion effect. We were back in 16th, so everybody just started stacking up, and you can’t stop on a dime. It’s disappointing to get wrecked out of the race like that on a silly Mickey Mouse restart, but I should’ve known better.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder
Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener
Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Jacob Cooksey
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson
Hometown: Medford, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper
Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Kenny Wallace and former Speed Channel Co-Host John Roberts will headline the BMS Race Day Revival on Easter Sunday prior to the historic Food City Dirt Race

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BRISTOL, Tenn. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Kenny Wallace, who competed at NASCAR’s highest levels on the racetrack and continues to be one of the most prolific dirt racing experts in the country, is bringing his high-energy brand of entertainment back to the big stage at Bristol Motor Speedway this April to enact a reprise of his very popular early 2000s NASCAR RaceDay Live show prior to the green flag for the Food City Dirt Race.

With a nod to NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary, BMS Officials will hand the mic over to the versatile Wallace, who will be joined by his old pal John Roberts, to provide some fun pre-race entertainment for fans during the BMS Race Day Revival starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, April 9 at the Food City Fan Zone Stage near BMS Entrance 1 (North Lot). The two famed racing personalities will get fans up to speed on all the at-track happenings with driver and special guest interviews during an hour-long show that promises all sorts of antics and high jinks.

“When we were thinking about ways to celebrate NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary we thought having the BMS Race Day Revival would be the perfect way to add a spark to the weekend, by inviting our great friends Kenny Wallace and John Roberts back to their home-away-from-home – the pre-race Trackside Live stage – so they can bring joy to all of the fans who will be joining us on Sunday for the Food City Dirt Race,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “Kenny has an outgoing and engaging personality and always makes sure the fans have a wonderful time so we are sure our guests are going to be in for one heck of a thrill ride during this pre-race show. It will be wonderful to have Kenny and John back at Bristol to relive the old RaceDay Live shows.”

Fans are encouraged to show up early for the BMS Race Day Revival to grab a good spot for the show and bring plenty of wacky homemade signs to show their support for the show. One sign will be picked during the show as the best and will win a prize. Wallace and Roberts will be available for a brief fan autograph session following the show.

“We are so amped to be able to bring RaceDay Live back to Bristol Motor Speedway to help kick off the Food City Dirt Race on Easter Sunday,” Wallace said. “Everyone knows how much I love dirt and I can’t wait to give my perspective and analysis to everything that’s going on that weekend at Bristol. We’re going to bring some legends and current drivers out for interviews, and just have a whole lot of fun. We hope you will come out and join us for the BMS Race Day Revival!”

Wallace competed as a driver in all three of NASCAR’s top touring series and continues to hold the NASCAR record for most starts in the Xfinity Series with 547. The versatile racer also found that he was good with a microphone and joined the team at FOX NASCAR, where he served as a pit reporter and race analyst. Wallace, a hard-core dirt-racing aficionado, continues to race his Modifieds at local dirt tracks all across the country each year.

Wallace and veteran broadcaster Roberts were the original hosts of SPEED Channel’s RaceDay Live show, which became extremely popular with fans at every track on the circuit. Roberts, who retired from FOX Sports in 2018, is currently the host of Tradin’ Paint, which airs each week day on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio from 1-3 p.m. with his co-host Chocolate Myers.

The Bristol race weekend is highlighted by the NASCAR Cup Series returning to its roots with the Food City Dirt Race on Sunday evening, April 9 (FOX and PRN Radio). The WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race on Dirt will see the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series take to the clay-covered track on Saturday (FS1 and MRN Radio) and will be preceded by Bush’s Beans Qualifying, which offers four heat races to set the starting lineups in each series. On Friday, teams in both the Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series will be able to fine-tune their machines during Bush’s Beans Practice Day.

To purchase tickets for the Food City Dirt Race weekend, please visit the BMS website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and in 2021 began converting to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

Meyer Shank Racing Looks for Fast Start to 2023 INDYCAR Season at St. Petersburg

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#06: Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Pataskala, Ohio (27 February 2023) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will kick off the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season this weekend for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg returning with its two-car, full-season lineup of Helio Castroneves – No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda – and Simon Pagenaud – No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda.

Sunday’s 100 lap opening IndyCar round (NBC, Noon ET, SiriusXM Ch. 160) will mark MSR’s sixth straight season competing on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course.

Building on last year’s initial season of running two full-time IndyCar programs, MSR will look to improve on a 2022 season that featured 10 top-ten finishes, highlighted by a runner-up finish by Pagenaud at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

Castroneves is one of the most decorated drivers in the series with the popular Brazilian being one of four drivers to win four Indianapolis 500 victories – including the ’21 race with MSR. Castroneves also has 31 wins and 50 poles to his credit. Castroneves is looking to add a fourth St. Pete victory to his resume, having won in 2006, 2007 and 2012.

Pagenaud, himself a 13-time IndyCar race winner, returns to the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda after leading the team with seven top-10 finishes last season. This weekend will mark Pagenaud’s 12th entry into the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Pete, having scored back-to-back second place finishes in 2016 and 2017 as well as a third place finish in 2021.

MSR made its team debut in St. Petersburg in 2018 and has qualified in the top 10 four times including a front row start in 2021 which yielded MSR’s best finish of fourth.

The 100-lap Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will air on NBC on Sunday starting at Noon ET. Saturday’s qualifying will be shown live on Peacock beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 160.

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Auto Club Speedway

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Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Auto Club Speedway
Pala Casino 400
 

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Per the rulebook, Justin Haley started the Pala Casino 400 29th, after practice and qualifying were canceled due to inclement weather.
  • Haley made up seven spots before the competition caution fell on lap 15 of the opening stage, telling his team his No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro had good speed. The team made a positive adjustments that helped Haley finish the first stage in 21st with improved ride quality.
  • On a restart following a caution in stage two, Haley was involved in a multi-car pileup on lap 86, resulting in nose damage to the No. 31 Camaro ZL1. The team assessed the damage and made repairs while on the damage vehicle clock. Haley nursed the car to the end of the stage while still managing to make up spots, finishing 23rd
  • The team continued to make repairs and adjustments throughout the final stage, resulting in a 21st-place finish for Haley and the No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

“Our No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1 was so fast. We ran free in comparison to my teammate, AJ (Allmendinger), but we knew we had so much speed and potential. Trent (Owens) made some great calls to help the ride quality of the car, and we knew if we could get some track position we would be in a good spot. Unfortunately, we got caught in a pileup on a restart and sustained heavy nose damage. P21 was a decent finish for the day we had.” – Justin Haley

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

  • Per the rulebook, AJ Allmendinger started the Pala Casino 400 sixth, after practice and qualifying were canceled due to inclement weather.
  • Allmendinger lacked lateral grip all throughout the opening stage. The team continued to make adjustments to the rear of the car in effort to tighten up the No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions FARMSMART Camaro ZL1, and Allmendinger finished 19th in the first stage.
  • On lap 75, Allmendinger’s day ended early after a hit in the right-side door resulted in contact with the inside wall and damage the team was not able to repair on pit road.
  • Allmendinger and the No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions FARM SMART Camaro ZL1 were scored 36th.

“Disappointing day at Auto Club for sure. We were battling handling all day. We just lacked grip and struggled over the bumps in turns three and four. The team worked to make adjustments to try to give me more grip and confidence in the car, but ultimately our day ended early after contact with the inside wall. Not the day we hoped for by any means, but we’re focused forward on Las Vegas next week.” – AJ Allmendinger  

Production Alliance Group 300

Austin Dillon, No. 10 LA Golf Chevrolet

  • Per the rulebook, Austin Dillon started the Production Alliance Group 300 15th, after practice and qualifying were canceled due to inclement weather.
  • Dillon struggled with right-rear grip in the opening stage. The team made adjustments early on to help, and he went on to finish the opening stage eighth.
  • Dillon improved during the second stage, finishing fourth in the No. 10 LA Golf Chevrolet
  • In the final stage, Dillon received right front damage from an incident he could not avoid. The No.10 team was able to make repairs, helping Dillon to an eighth-place finish.

“Man, what a fast Kaulig Chevrolet. Thanks to Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice for the opportunity. Our Chevy was great until it got out into clean air. Then, it was plowing. Just had a little bit of damage that affected the handling of our LA Golf Chevrolet. I love racing at Auto Club Speedway.” – Austin Dillon

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Chevrolet

  • Per the rulebook, Chandler Smith started the Production Alliance Group 300 fifth, after practice and qualifying were canceled due to inclement weather.
  • Smith showed impressive speed in the opening stage and made massive strides throughout the field early on. Smith restarted 16th and worked his way up to third after the competition caution restart where he finished the opening stage.
  • During Stage 2, Smith raced in the top ten of the pack, battling his teammates for the sixth position before finishing the stage in 10th.
  • In the Final Stage, the team made positive adjustments during the pit stops, and Smith closed in on the top five again before leading his first laps with Kaulig Racing, Smith went on to finish fourth, earning his first top five with Kaulig Racing.

“Overall we had a really solid day and earned our first top five of the season. I’m looking forward to hopefully building off this as we head to Las Vegas and hopefully working towards that first win. We had a really fast Quick Tie Chevrolet, and I’m really proud of the effort for the first race of the West Coast Swing and everybody at Kaulig Racing.” – Chandler Smith

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Poppy Bank Chevrolet

  • Per the rulebook, Daniel Hemric started the Production Alliance Group 300 35th, after practice and qualifying were canceled due to inclement weather.
  • Hemric showed impressive speed, making up sixteen spots early on. The team battled the handling of the car all stage long, making minor adjustments each pit stop to try to help the balance of the car, and Hemric ultimately finished Stage one in fourth.
  • In stage two, the team continued to make adjustments each pit stop to help with long-run speed. Hemric reported the balance had improved, and he finished the second stage in the 17th position.
  • Hemric continued a strong run in the final stage and went on to finish 12th in the No. 11 Poppy Bank Chevrolet.

“Sad to think we just ran our last race here at the incredible two-mile racetrack of Auto Club Speedway. We had wanted to go out and have a better finish in our No.11 Poppy Bank Chevrolet, but we could just not figure out how to move forward when we needed to the most there at the end of the race. Although a disappointing finish, the car is in one piece, which is something to build off. Heading to Vegas we will regroup and be better.” – Daniel Hemric  
 
 
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.

Zane Smith and No. 38 Speedco Ford Team Las Vegas 200 Competition Notes

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Zane Smith and No. 38 Speedco Ford Team

Las Vegas 200 Competition Notes

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedco Ford team head back to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway ready to seek vengeance. The team remembers finishing second last year in the race, but later disqualified after a lugnut penalty.

It was a lone blemish on their 2022 season and one they want to correct Friday night.

Friday’s action begins with practice at 1:35 p.m. PT with qualifying following at 2:05 p.m. PT. The race will take place live on FS1 at 6:00 p.m. PT.

COMPETITION NOTES:

After starting off the season with a season-opening checkered at the Daytona International Speedway, Smith and the No. 38 Speedco team want to continue the year with another win as they trek towards a second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

The team is fourth in regular season points and leads the playoff standings.

CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON:

“The energy around the shop after Daytona has been great. It is not just the truck team, but everyone at Front Row Motorsports has felt the success of another Daytona victory.

“Now we look ahead to Las Vegas. We’ve been working hard to get this truck ready for Friday night. Zane, myself, and this crew really want this one after last year. We want to execute and give Zane the opportunity to be aggressive. We do not want to have any mistakes.

“Our expectation every race is to win. We have a great driver and crew. We know how to get it done. Daytona was the start we wanted and now we have to keep it going.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

“It’s a long season, but we’re off to a great start. Just like last season, it feels good. The team worked hard during the offseason and it was rewarded at Daytona.

“But Vegas, we have some unfinished business there. It was frustrating leaving there with a penalty last year. Everyone on the team wants to get this win. We were fast last year and I hope we can make up for last year.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Todd Coleman Racing to Pull Double Duty in SRO America

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DENVER, CO. (February 27, 2023) – This weekend, the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida come alive with the sounds of race cars for the annual professional auto racing event, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Todd Coleman Racing, supported by Archangel Motorsports will make its team debut, racing the No. 69 Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Team principal Todd Coleman will race the car in both the GT America Powered by AWS, and in the Pirelli GT4 America with Billy Johnson. Johnson will also act as the team’s coach as Coleman contests the single-driver GT America series.

“I couldn’t be more excited to partner up with Billy for the SRO America championships,” said Coleman. “He is an incredible talent that I am confident to learn a lot from over the course of the season. We have put together a dream of a season with our partners at Archangel Motorsports and Aston Martin, with more events to be added. We are looking forward to getting back on the track starting with St. Petersburg this weekend.”

Coleman earned three podiums last year in the GT America series, laying the groundwork for what should be a strong 2023 season. Running as a 40-minute sprint series, the GT America series provides the perfect proving ground for bronze-rated drivers, with two races each race weekend, in which only one driver per car can compete. In the Pirelli GT 4 America championship, Coleman and Johnson will split the driving duties in the No. 69 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in each weekend’s pair of races, both needing to complete a minimum amount of drive-time per race.

Johnson, a professional race car driver with experience in the American Le Mans Series, Rolex Sports Car Series, and NASCAR will be a strong addition to the team. He started racing in go karts at 13 years old, going on to become the 2016 IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion and development driver for Multimatic Motorsports and Ford Performance. Coleman and Johnson will compete together in the GT4 America Pro/Am class, against other two-driver lineups. The GT4 America season will begin March 30th at Sonoma Raceway.

“I’m really looking forward to racing with Todd in the GT4 America series this year,” said Johnson. “The whole Todd Coleman Racing team with Mike Johnson and Archangel running the Aston Martin GT4, I feel like we have the team, car, and driver lineup that is capable of challenging for wins.”

The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will ring in the 2023 race season on March 3-5 by closing down the city streets to create a 2.897, 14-turn temporary race course. GT America will be one of five series racing on the course throughout the weekend, running in support of the NTT INDYCAR Series. The GT America competitors will have limited track time, participating in two practices, one qualifying session, and race one all on Friday, March 3. Race two will be the following afternoon on Saturday, March 4. The tight, unforgiving concrete walls of the temporary street course offer little margin of error for the drivers, fighting the excitement over the several-day race weekend.

Fans unable to attend the event can watch race one and race two live on YouTube.com/GTWorld on Friday, March 3 at 5:55 PM ET, and Saturday, March 4 at 12:15 PM, respectively. For more information, visit gtamerica.us.

About Todd Coleman Racing

Todd Coleman Racing was founded in 2022, the passion product from entrepreneur Todd Coleman. He began his racing career in 2020, racing at an entry-level before working his way up to the professional ranks. He continued to learn the ropes of the business of motorsport, partnering with championship-winning sports car teams and professional coach/drivers. He founded Todd Coleman Racing as the next step in racing toward his dream; to create his own championship-winning race team.

About eStruxture Data Centers

eStruxture is the largest Canadian data center provider with locations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Headquartered in Montreal, eStruxture provides access to an ecosystem of almost 1,200 customers that trust and depend on our infrastructure and customer support, including carriers, cloud providers, media content, financial services, and enterprise customers. eStruxture offers colocation, bandwidth, security and support services to customers across Canada in its carrier and cloud-neutral facilities.

Cadillac returns to the 24 Hours of Le Mans

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Three Cadillac V-Series.R cars to compete in Hypercar class for overall victory

DETROIT (Feb. 27, 2023) – Cadillac will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with three of the newly named Cadillac V-Series.R race cars to compete in the Hypercar class for the overall win.

“We are thrilled to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the full Cadillac Racing team,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “Over the last 20 years Cadillac Racing has built a legacy of winning on the track and we feel very privileged to return to Le Mans during this exciting new electrified era in racing.”

The Cadillac Racing lineup

• The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R received an automatic entry based on its 2023 full-season participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook are the drivers.

• The No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R is a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrant in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, where it races as the No. 01. Sébastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon will be the drivers.

• The No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R is a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrant in the GTP class, where it races as the No. 31. Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken will be the drivers.

“Cadillac is excited to build on its racing legacy by competing against the very best internationally and at one of the world’s toughest races,” said GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser. “We’re proud to be representing the United States and the Cadillac V-Series.R is a great continuation of our racing heritage.”

The three hybrid Cadillac V-Series.R cars made their competition debut Jan. 28-29 in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona, with the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R earning a podium finish. The No. 02 Cadillac V-Series.R placed fourth and the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R finished fifth.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R will make its WEC debut in the Hypercar class March 17 in the 1000 Miles of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.

“We are all looking forward to Cadillac returning to Le Mans and challenging for the overall victory. It has been decades since an American manufacturer has achieved this and we will be strongly pushing to achieve our goal,” said Bamber, overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015 and 2017.

All-new race car for global competition

The guiding principles for convergence of the top categories of endurance racing in IMSA and the WEC were announced in 2020. Design and development of the new Cadillac race car began immediately.

The Cadillac V-Series.R design — codeveloped by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara — was informed by the Project GTP Hypercar that was unveiled in June 2022. The race car incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements, such as vertical lighting and floating blades.

The Cadillac V-Series.R features an all-new Cadillac 5.5L DOHC V-8 engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing Propulsion team based in Pontiac, Michigan. The spec energy recovery system was developed by Bosch, Williams Advanced Engineering (now WAE) and Xtrac.

The Cadillac V-Series.R began on-track development in July 2022 and logged more than 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers) on racetracks in the U.S. leading into the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“It’s been special to be a part of this from the beginning,” Bamber added. “We started this journey nearly two years ago testing in the simulator. It’s been an awesome journey and the adventure is only just beginning. It’s going to be incredible all the way up to Le Mans.”

Cadillac history at Le Mans

The first Cadillacs raced at Le Mans were entered by privateers Briggs Cunningham and Miles and Sam Collier in 1950. Both Series 61 coupes cars were powered by the Cadillac 5.4-liter OHV V-8 engine.

Miles and Sam Collier co-drove the No. 3 “Petit Pataud” to a 10th-place overall finish. Briggs Cunningham shared the wheel of the No. 2 “Le Monstre” with Phil Walters and finished 11th overall despite an early off-course incident.

That same year, Sydney Allard and Tom Cole Jr. finished third overall in the Cadillac-powered Allard J2.

Most recently, Cadillac competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with its 4.0-liter turbocharged V8-powered Northstar LMP.

In 2000, Franck Lagorce, Butch Leitzinger and Andy Wallace drove the Team Cadillac No. 1 Cadillac Northstar LMP to a 21st-place overall finish, while Wayne Taylor, Max Angelelli and Eric van de Poele finished 22nd in the No. 2 sister car.

In 2001, Taylor, Angelelli and Christophe Tinseau co-drove the Cadillac Northstar LMP01 to a 15th-place finish. A second LMP01, co-driven by Eric Bernard, Emmanuel Collard and Marc Goossens, retired from the race with a mechanical issue.

In 2002, two Cadillac LMP02 cars were entered. Angelelli, Tinseau and Taylor co-drove to a ninth-place overall finish. A second Cadillac LMP02, co-driven by Bernard, Collard and JJ Lehto, finished 12th.

Rough Contact Costs Pacey Sheehan After Early Gains at Sebring

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Official Release
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Sebring, FLORIDA – February 27, 2023 – The 2023 Trans Am TA2 season got underway at Sebring International Raceway on Saturday, February 25 with the first race of the Championship now billed as the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series. Tom Sheehan and the team behind the No. 97 LTK Insulation Technologies Damon Racing Ford Mustang were due a change of luck at the famously bumpy circuit. The experienced New Hampshire pilot looked like he was making his own as a first lap charge saw him gain an extraordinary nine places. However, that put him right in the middle of the notorious barrel of the line-up, the very crowded mid-section of the field where contact is not just likely, but can sometimes be unavoidable.

It proved for Tom who through no fault of his own was shunted twice, causing damage to the car and costing him several places. Despite showing pace to match the Top Ten, Tom had to settle for P22, still a gain on his starting position. It could have been so much more as Damon Racing Technical Manager Matt Romanowski explained to our reporter post race.

“The team came together really well. We put a great car together for Tom for the weekend. We had had a little challenge in qualifying but the race started out great. Tom gained nine positions on the opening lap and we were poised for a really great performance but unfortunately there was car contact.”

He went on, “Mike Cope is doing a great job. The guys are heading over there now to get the car tuned up and we’ll hit NOLA with the same start we had here.” Of the incidents that cost the team he added, “It’s a tough situation. It happened twice. On Lap 2 and then in the middle of the race. Tom was doing a great job battling back from the first one when he got bumped again and it put us off our pace but we’ll get back at it.”

Tom saw plenty of traffic in the qualifying session, which meant he had to settle for P31 on the grid with a time of 2:10:511. His best lap time in the race of 2:11:186 was comfortably quicker than the cars around him and Tom will be looking to build on that in the next event at New Orleans NOLA Motorsports Park (with New Orleans SpeedTour) March 9 to 12.

Trans Am races are being live streamed in full on Trans Am and SpeedTour’s YouTube channels with full playbacks available immediately after the race. They are also being edited into 60-minute features and broadcast to MAVTV’s 22 million North American linear households and 175 million connected devices. MAVTV will also be streaming the races through their FAST Channels, which reaches 25 different countries. The Thursday-night primetime slot will include a two-hour block of racing, with the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series airing at 8:00 p.m. ET and the TA/XGT/SGT/GT class race airing at 9:00 p.m. ET. The block will be capped off by the 30-minute Showtime Motorsports docuseries, Road to Glory.

Keep up with Trans Am driver Tom Sheehan on social media – Facebook page is Damon Racing; Instagram is TomSheehanTA97 and @TomTA2_97.

For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies please visit the website online at https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com/

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For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies please visit the website online: https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com/

Keselowski Rebounds for Top-10 in Castrol Edge Ford at Fontana

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No. 6 Earns Stage Two Points, Mixes It Up Late in Top-Five for P7 Finish

FONTANA, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2023) – Brad Keselowski overcame an early setback Sunday afternoon at Auto Club Speedway to finish seventh in the Castrol Edge Ford.

“We didn’t have a great start to the race … wasn’t driving really well, and I wasn’t really happy with it,” Keselowski said. “Matt [McCall] and the crew just kept working on it. We had a couple of good adjustments there, got spun out and then recovered it. It was good to be able to recover. Just need a little more speed. Not quite where we need to be, but we weren’t terribly far off.”

Weather dominated the headlines throughout the weekend in Fontana with rain washing out all of Saturday’s on-track activity. With snow in the mountainous background of the 2-mile track, rain fortunately stayed away throughout the day Sunday allowing for the full 400-mile race to be completed.

Keselowski lined up 16th on the grid based off NASCAR’s metric to determine the starting lineup. With no on-track activity prior to Sunday NASCAR also mandated a competition caution to fly at lap 15.

Following the yellow and the team’s first pit stop of the afternoon, Keselowski was the reason for the next yellow at lap 41 as he was tagged by the No. 7 resulting in a spin. Fortunately he didn’t sustain any severe damage but lost a lap to the leaders.

He was the lucky dog recipient when a caution flew at lap 74, putting him back on the lead lap able to charge through the field. He narrowly avoided incident when the field wrecked on a restart just after lap 80, but again suffered no damage. He fired back off 25th on the ensuing restart, and from there worked his way through the field to finish ninth in stage two picking up two stage points.

The Castrol pit crew picked off a few spots on pit road under the stage break putting Keselowski seventh for the start of the third and final stage, setting him up with top-10 position for the final 70-lap run. The race’s final caution flew just three laps into the stage with Keselowski rolling back eighth as he mixed it up inside the top five for a few laps with the leaders. From there, a green flag stop separated the field from the checkered flag with the No. 6 eventually pitting from the second position at lap 170.

Keselowski went on to pick his way through the top-10 in the closing laps peeking at a top five finish before ultimately crossing the line seventh.

The No. 6 team returns to action next week as the West Coast swing rolls on in Las Vegas. Race coverage next Sunday is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Buescher Rebounds for 13th in Pala Casino Ford in Fontana

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No. 17 Team Bounces Back Late, Maintains Top-10 Points Standings

FONTANA, Calif. (Feb. 26, 2023) – Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team rebounded in a big way Sunday afternoon in the Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway to finish 13th after an unwelcomed opening stage.

“We started off really bad,” Buescher said. “It took us a good amount of time and some big adjustments to get dialed in. I’m proud of this Pala Casino Mustang and team, we really got a lot closer toward the end there. We’re not where we want to be – still. But, we’re much, much closer.

“It’s nice to see that gain throughout the day. I think we would’ve discovered some of that if we would have had practice, but obviously nobody did. We’ll just keep working on it – getting a little bit closer, so we can be in the hunt towards the end.”

Buescher was the beneficiary of a solid starting position – fifth – after weather dominated the headlines throughout the weekend, ultimately cancelling qualifying on Saturday with the NASCAR metric putting Buescher fifth on the grid.

Because of the inclement weather, NASCAR opted for a competition caution at lap 15 giving teams their first chance to assess the handling of their machines early on in Sunday’s action. Buescher ran 18th at the time and went on to finish the opening 65-lap stage in 25th.

His rebound began in stage two as he worked his way from past 20th to 12th to end the second stage, narrowly missing out on a top-10 position and stage points. He and teammate Brad Keselowski both began the final segment in the top-10 with Buescher maintaining the position throughout the final laps.

He hit pit road for the final time at lap 170 from the fourth spot, and from there held on to the top-15 for the 13th-place result in the Pala Casino Ford.

The No. 17 team returns to action next week as the West Coast swing rolls on in Las Vegas. Race coverage next Sunday is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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