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Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Auto Club Speedway

By
Official Release
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AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY
RACE: PALA CASINO 400 DATE: FEB. 26, 2023

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG

START: 19TH STAGE ONE: 23RD STAGE TWO: 16TH FINISH: 28TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric finished 28th in Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway after an unfortunate mishap early in Stage 3. Cindric rolled off the grid 19th after qualifying was rained out and the starting lineup was set per the NASCAR rule book. The Menards/Quaker State Mustang remained around that position in the running order through Stage 1, finishing 23rd. Under the break, the No. 2 underwent a round of adjustments and restarted 20th for the beginning of Stage 2. Multiple cautions slowed the field, and Cindric muscled forward to finish the segment 16th. The 24-year-old driver revisited the No. 2 pit crew for service and returned in the 12th position for the final sprint. Shortly after, the Team Penske Ford Mustang suffered damage early in Stage 3 after getting into the wall. A timely caution flew soon after, and the crew went to work on repairs to the right-rear side of the car. Cindric powered through the remaining laps to finish 28th.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “We kind of bounced around inside the top 20 for a lot of the day. We had some good restarts and some bad restarts. I felt like we had worked to get the car in a good direction by Stage 3 and had a good restart, but we just got fenced. I got hit again and had a little too much damage to stay competitive for the rest of the race. It’s a bit of a shame because I felt like we were trending in the right direction by the end of the race, but overall tough start to our first two races finishing outside the top 20. Hopefully we can go to Vegas and have a regular weekend and get some solid points.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 WURTH FORD MUSTANG

START: 9TH STAGE ONE: 2ND STAGE TWO: 29TH FINISH: 26TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney had a solid start to Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway, wheeling his No. 12 Würth Ford Mustang to the front of the field within the first 30 laps after starting ninth. Blaney drove up into the top-five on lap 8, then following a four-tire stop during the competition caution, he took his first lead of the day on lap 29 using the inside line. After an another four-tire stop under caution on lap 43, Blaney made his way around Daniel Suárez with four laps remaining in the stage to secure a second-place finish in Stage 1.

During the restart on lap 86, Blaney was collected in a multi-car incident on the front stretch after the outside lane stacked up, sending his Ford Mustang into the outside wall. The No. 12 team worked to repair damage to the nose and splitter over the course of several trips to pit road, ultimately resulting in a 26th-place finish. Blaney led twice for 16 laps on the day.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Certainly not the day we wanted with the Würth Ford Mustang. We had a good car early, led some laps and got Stage points. Unfortunately we lost track position, and I had nowhere to go after the big wreck on the restart. Not the way we wanted our day to go. We’ll look towards Vegas.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 AAA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FORD MUSTANG

START: 3RD STAGE ONE: 7TH STAGE TWO: 3RD FINISH: 10TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 team brought a strong AAA SoCal Ford Mustang to Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway, running in the top-10 for a majority of the afternoon. Logano took his first lead of the day on lap 27 following a four-tire stop and a round of adjustments during the competition caution. After a seventh-place finish in Stage 1, Logano regained the lead on lap 74 despite battling a tight-handling condition at the beginning of the stint. A long green-flag run ensued following a caution on lap 76 when Logano began to report a vibration in the front end of his Ford Mustang, yet he managed to secure a third-place finish to complete the stage.

Logano was the first of the leaders to make their way down pit road under green for the final round of stops and was running fourth by the time the field cycled through. Logano fought a loose-handling condition in the closing laps, resulting in a tenth-place finish. He led six times for 19 laps, marking the third-most on the afternoon.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “It looked like we were in the hunt. We weren’t the best car, and we needed to make an adjustment to get better. I was falling off hard and was hoping we’d get back on track, just couldn’t get there. It fell off at the end even more. Running top-five all day and finishing 10th doesn’t feel that great. Overall, the momentum is there, we fought hard and got some Stage points. So, it was still a decent day.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, March 5.

Joey Logano and the No. 22 team will look to defend their Fall 2022 win at Las Vegas with another standout performance at the 1.5-mile oval.

Baton 3 Pro Max- How To Use A Flashlight For Self Defense

By
SM
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A flashlight is a versatile tool that can be used for various purposes. One of the most interesting applications of a flashlight is using it as a self-defense weapon. A flashlight is a convenient tool to use for self-defense because it is easy to carry, legal to carry almost anywhere, and requires no special training. In this article, we will discuss how to use a flashlight such as the Baton 3 Pro Max for self-defense.

First, you need to choose the right flashlight for self-defense. Look for a flashlight that is durable, lightweight, and has a sturdy body that can withstand impact. It should also have a strong beam that can blind an attacker temporarily. A good flashlight for self-defense should also have a strike bezel that can cause pain and discomfort to an attacker. The Baton 3 Pro Max flashlight has these characteristics and once you have it in possession, you need to learn how to use it effectively. Here are some tips to help you use a flashlight for self-defense.

Use the flashlight to blind your attacker

The first thing you should do in a self-defense situation is to blind your attacker with your flashlight. This will give you a few seconds to escape or strike your attacker. Shine the flashlight directly into the eyes of your attacker. This will cause temporary blindness and disorientation, giving you the upper hand.

Use the flashlight to strike your attacker

If the attacker continues to advance toward you, use the flashlight to strike them. Hold the flashlight in your dominant hand and strike with the bezel end. Aim for sensitive areas such as the face, neck, or groin. Striking with the flashlight can cause pain, and disorientation, and give you an opportunity to escape.

Use the flashlight to create distance

If your attacker is close and you are unable to strike them, use the flashlight to create distance; this is because of the lightweight that comes with the Baton 3 Pro Max. Hold the flashlight with both hands, aim the beam at your attacker’s face, and push the flashlight towards them. This will create a temporary barrier between you and the attacker, giving you time to escape.

Use the flashlight to signal for help

If you are in a public place and need help, use the flashlight to signal for help. Flash the light on and off quickly to draw attention to yourself. This will alert people nearby that you need help. The Baton 3 Pro Max has an effective beam that can attract people who are not nearby.

Practice using the flashlight for self-defense

To be effective in a self-defense situation, you need to practice using the flashlight. Practice using the flashlight to blind, strike, and create distance. Practice using the flashlight in different situations such as standing, sitting, and lying down. The more you practice, the more confident you will be in a real self-defense situation.

In conclusion, the Baton 3 Pro Max flashlight is a useful tool for self-defense. To use a flashlight for self-defense, you need to choose it, learn how to use it effectively, and practice using it. Remember, the goal of self-defense is to escape safely, so always prioritize your safety and avoid confrontation if possible.

The Most Common Car Problems

By
SM
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Your car is a major investment, so it makes sense to take care of it adequately. It doesn’t matter how new the vehicle is; you always have to be keen to notice any issues with the engine, tires, braking system, or other parts of the car. This guide will look at some of the most common car problems.

Shaky or Unsteady Steering Wheel

Your steering wheel may shake for various reasons. This usually happens when you drive at high speeds or when you brake. A shaky wheel isn’t always a cause for alarm, but it is wise to get the problem sorted out as soon as possible. In fact, this is among the problems that should only be fixed by professional mechanics. A common reason why the steering wheel may shake is that your wheels are unbalanced. Failing to fix this problem can lead to the damage of shocks and other parts of the steering wheel. Your steering wheel may also shake because of wheel misalignment. Make sure you go through the car and tractor manuals to see other common causes of shaky steering wheels.

Worn Brake Pads

Brakes are an integral part of your vehicle, and we always need to be certain that they will work perfectly. Unfortunately, your brake pads will wear after some time of use. You have to inspect your vehicle regularly to determine whether the brake pads are thin. At some point, you may not be able to stop quickly when you need to. In many cases, you will be able to inspect your brake pads through the holes in the wheels.

Overconsumption of Oil

If you notice that your vehicle is consuming too much oil, you should get it checked as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may end up damaging the car’s engine. Some parts that may need to be checked or replaced include the valve stems and piston rings. When these parts get damaged, oil can end up seeping into the combustion chamber, and this will result in quick consumption of the oil. If too much oil gets into the combustion chamber, blue smoke will appear in the exhaust.

Defective Cooling System

The cooling system is essential to the functioning of the vehicle. If it isn’t functioning properly, the car may not even run. Trying to drive a car with a faulty cooling system can easily lead to damage to the engine. This is because the engine might get too hot. You should always check the temperature gauge to see whether the engine is overheating. Smoke may also come out from under your hood to show that the cooling system is faulty.

Conclusion

Keeping your vehicle in good condition is very important. It is important to look out for some common car problems as you drive around. This can prevent serious inconveniences and will also minimize repair costs. Some car problems you may experience include a shaky steering wheel, defective engine coolant systems, worn brake pads, and overconsumption of oil. It is prudent to talk to a professional when you experience such issues.

Things to Know When You Have a Car Without Insurance

By
SM
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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Introduction

If you’re looking for the best way to get your car repaired following an accident, you might be wondering whether or not it’s necessary to have insurance. You might also be wondering what types of problems you can expect if your car doesn’t have insurance.

The truth is that there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to getting your car fixed after an accident. For example, some people may be able to get their car fixed without insurance, but others will need to purchase car insurance to ensure that they don’t end up paying more than they can afford. This article will go over some of the most important things you should know if your car doesn’t have insurance and how you can easily overcome these challenges!

1. If you’re an uninsured driver, you have to pay for all damages that result from an accident or collision

This means that if you’re in a car crash and there are no injuries, but your car is damaged, you’ll be responsible for paying for repairs. If there are injuries and your car is damaged, the injured party can sue you in court to recover compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. This can be a big financial burden, especially if you don’t have the money in savings to pay for repairs out of pocket.

If you don’t have enough money to pay for damages out of pocket (or even if you do), you will probably want to find a lawyer who can help you negotiate with the other parties involved in the accident so they can agree on a payment plan that works for everyone.

2. If you have an accident, the other driver’s insurance company will probably sue you for damages

If you have an accident, the other driver’s insurance company will probably sue you for damages. If you don’t have automobile insurance and are sued by another driver’s insurance company, you may have to pay for their injuries out of your pocket. You’ll also have to pay court fees and attorney fees, which could be very expensive. If you have car insurance, however, your insurer will cover these costs on your behalf so that they don’t end up coming out of your pocket.

If you’re planning on buying a new car, consider purchasing an extended warranty or taking out an extended auto loan so that you can afford to buy insurance at the same time. This way, you won’t have to worry about paying for coverage later when it’s too late!

3. If your car doesn’t have insurance, make sure you understand the legal implications of driving without it

In some states, you cannot drive without car insurance; in others, there are only penalties for driving without car insurance. You should also know that some states require drivers to have liability coverage only; others require comprehensive and collision coverage. If your car doesn’t have insurance, it is important that you understand the legal implications of driving without it. You may be able to take out a loan from the bank to get a new car and then use the insurance payments from that loan to pay for your current vehicle until it is paid off. However, if this is not an option for you, you may want to consider selling your car and getting another one that has insurance on it.

Many states require drivers to purchase some type of liability coverage in order to drive legally. If a driver doesn’t have liability insurance and causes an accident, then he or she will be personally responsible for paying compensation to anyone who is injured as a result of that accident. If you’ve decided to drive without insurance, it’s important to understand the legal implications of your decision. In most states, driving without insurance is a crime. If you are caught driving without insurance, your driver’s license can be suspended or revoked. In addition, if you cause an accident while driving without insurance, your liability could be unlimited—meaning that any damages you cause would have to be paid by you personally.

It’s important to remember that even if you don’t own a car, or if the car belongs to someone else who doesn’t want them using it for insurance purposes, it doesn’t matter: if you operate a vehicle on public roads without proper documentation and licensing, you’re breaking the law and could face significant consequences.

4. You need to make sure that your car has all of its regular maintenance done

You should make sure that your car is regularly maintained to keep it in good running condition. However, if your car doesn’t have insurance, you need to be particularly careful about the maintenance you do. If you have a car that does not have insurance and are considering adding it to your policy, it’s important to understand what that means. It means that if something happens to your car—such as a collision or an accident—that wasn’t caused by another driver (like hitting an animal or a pothole), then you are responsible for paying for those damages yourself. You’ll need to find out how much it will cost before deciding whether or not you want to add your car.

If your car doesn’t have insurance, you need to make sure that its regular maintenance is up to date.

  • First, make sure that you have the right type of insurance for your car—if it’s not insured, then it’s likely not a good idea to keep driving it until you can get new coverage. If you do decide to drive the car anyway, try not to take any risks with it. Avoid situations where there might be an accident or other incident that could compromise the safety of yourself or others (like when driving near a construction site).
  • Second, check out how much the damage would cost if something did happen. This will help you figure out if it’s worth getting repairs done now or waiting until you can afford them better later on.

5. You could be liable for injuries sustained by other drivers and passengers in the accident

If you’re in an accident and your car doesn’t have insurance, you could be liable for injuries sustained by other drivers and passengers in the accident. You could also be liable for damage to the cars of other people involved in the accident. If someone else was injured or their car was damaged because of your decision to drive without insurance, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for medical bills, property damage, and other costs related to the accident.

If your car doesn’t have insurance and you don’t have the money to pay for damages out of pocket, then you might be able to get a loan to pay for it. You’ll need to prove that you have good credit so that the bank will lend you money. If your credit isn’t good enough, then look into getting a credit card with no annual fee or low-interest rate so that you can make payments on time each month while still paying off your debt at a reasonable rate of speed.

Car insurance is a must-have for any car owner, but if your car doesn’t have insurance, you might be wondering what happens if you get into an accident. Without insurance, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to pay for the damages that happen to your car in an accident. And if there are injuries involved, it will be even harder to cover the medical bills. Plus, if your uninsured car causes a crash and kills someone else (or even yourself), the family of that person could sue you for millions. 

Conclusion

If you don’t have car insurance, there are a lot of things that might happen to your car. You might get in an accident and have to pay out of pocket for medical bills, or you might get sued by the other driver. If you’re not insured, then these costs will fall on you and your family. If you’re driving a car that doesn’t have insurance, be wary of the risks involved. By not having insurance, you are putting yourself, your passengers, and other drivers on the road at risk of injury or even death. It’s also illegal in many states to drive without insurance. All of these things can happen if you aren’t insured—which is why it’s so important to make sure that you’re covered!

John Hunter Nemechek nabs the Xfinity Series Production Alliance Group 300

By
Michelle Lippold
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Auto Club Speedway was run Sunday evening after being postponed due to rain on Saturday after several attempts to get the race in failed. All qualifying and practice had to be canceled and the drivers lined up according to NASCAR metrics.

One driver who didn’t mind waiting a day would be the winner John Hunter Nemechek who wheeled his Joe Gibbs No. 20 Toyota into Victory Lane, after battling hard with several other drivers for the top spot. Nemechek earned the third victory of his career with his win tonight.

Happily, Nemechek commented, ” Ben and the whole No. 20 team gave me one heck of a race car!” He added, ”A huge shout out to the guys who work on the No. 20 team. I’ve worked with most of them over the last couple of years and the pit crew, they got it done when it counted.”

Coming in second and third were two JR Motorsports Chevrolets, the No. 1 of Sam Mayer and the No. 7 of Justin Allgaier.

Mayer stated, “I’m super proud of my team. We struggled early on, that’s for sure. We had our work cut out for us, but we threw the kitchen sink at it, and we ended up second. All things considered, I’m really happy and really proud of these guys.”

Stage 1 only had two cautions in. There was a competition caution at Lap 15 due to the lack of practice and the second one occurred when Gray Gaulding spun and crashed into the wall, but, thankfully he was not injured. The lead was swapped several times but once Cole Custer got it, he pulled away to win the stage.

Stage 2 would be much the same as Stage 1. There were two cautions, one when Josh Berry and Sheldon Creed would tangle up together. Berry also brought out the other caution when he had mechanical problems. Custer was strong again in this round and would go on to win the stage.

The final stage saw a lot more beating and banging than the beginning did. Some drivers had different pit strategies than the rest of the pack, so it was interesting to see which strategy would work best. But once Nemechek was in the lead, that was all there was to it and he would go on to cross the finish line first.

Chandler Smith and Josh Berry would round out the top-5. Austin Hill, Riley Herbst, Austin Dillon, Brett Moffitt, and Parker Kligerman finished sixth through 10, respectively.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads next to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 4.

Xfinity-Auto-Club22302_UNOFFRES

Kyle Busch claims first win for Richard Childress Racing at Fontana

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In only his second NASCAR Cup Series race for Richard Childress Racing, Kyle Busch earned his 61st career win in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet. It was his fifth triumph at Auto Club Speedway and the 19th consecutive season that Bush has been to victory lane in the series.

The win advanced Busch to first all-time over Richard Petty, who had wins in 18 consecutive seasons.  Kyle and Kurt Busch also broke a record for the most victories brothers with a combined Cup Series win total of 95 races, overtaking Bobby and Donnie Allison with the most wins among brothers.

Busch was ecstatic after the race.

“I think it’s just phenomenal,” he said post-race. “I can’t thank Richard and Judy (Childress) enough. I can’t thank Austin (Dillon) for calling me and getting me talking and getting me this opportunity to be able to come over here to RCR and be a part of Chevrolet and be able to race this Lucas Oil Camaro today. To be able to put it up front like that, man.

“The guys did a great job, Randall (Burnett, crew chief), everybody that has worked so hard during the off-season. We’ve done a lot of sim stuff; we’ve done a lot of testing in general just with trying to get up to speed, systems and all that sort of stuff. But man, there’s nothing more rewarding than being able to go to Victory Lane.”

Chase Elliott finished second in his No. 8 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, rebounding from a disappointing 38th-place finish in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

“Just really proud of our team,” he said after the race. “We obviously didn’t run very good there toward the end of the year last year, and everybody really went to work hard over the winter to try and get better.

“Appreciate everybody on our NAPA team for just sticking with it and sticking with each other. Obviously, I think we still have some work to do, but it was really nice to just see a lot of that hard work pay off and have the car driving like we were wanting it to do. So that’s always a good thing. Appreciate everybody’s effort; everybody at Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.”

Elliott also acknowledged Busch’s win while looking ahead to the next race.

“Congratulations to Kyle (Busch). For him to leave and then to go get the job done like that is pretty cool. He’s always been really good to me, so happy for them.

“Looking forward to getting to Vegas and hopefully competing for some more wins.”

Chevrolet was dominant with Ross Chastain finishing in third after leading a race-high 91 laps and winning the first two stages followed by Daniel Suárez in fourth, giving Chevrolet four of the top five spots. Kevin Harvick completed the top five in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.  

Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Several cars were taken out of contention after a multi-car accident during a restart on Lap 86, including pole-sitter Christopher Bell, Aric Almirola, Ryan Blaney, Ryan Preece and Tyler Reddick.

There were 8 cautions for 38 laps during the race and 28 lead changes among 13 drivers.

Auto-Club-Speedway-Cup-Series-results12302_UNOFFRES

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch won the Pala Casino 400 in Fontana in only his second start for Richard Childress Racing.

“I knew I could win with RCR,” Busch said. “I’m a confident driver and I know I have the talent to win on any track. My skill set is unlimited. There may be more weapons in my skill set than in my luggage.”

2. Ross Chastain: Chastain won Stage 1 at Fontana and led 91 laps, but failed to capitalize with a win, settling for third.

“It looks like Kyle Busch is still ‘Rowdy,'” Chastain said. “But is Kyle a true ‘outlaw?’ He’s not. I am. Because NASCAR outlawed my ‘around-the-outside’wall’ move at Martinsville. But NASCAR didn’t say anything about outlawing an ‘around-the-inside-wall’ move. I’ve got a feeling the physics will work a little differently on that one.”

3. Joey Logano: Logano followed up his runner-up finish at Daytona with a 10th at California.

“Sure I’m disappointed that I haven’t won this season,” Logano said. “But it’s nice to know I have two Cup championships under my belt. And let me tell you, that’s a really uncomfortable place to keep them. I can only imagine the discomfort that Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson must endure.”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 11 laps and finished sixth at California.

“That was the last race in California under its current two-mile configuration,” Hamlin said. “Once the reconfiguration is complete, it will be a ½-mile track. So, just like that, one and a half miles of Fontana will be gone. Most drivers and fans wish that all two miles of the track would disappear.”

5. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished eighth in the Pala Casino 400.

“Kyle Busch just had too much car for the rest of us at the end,” Bowman said. “Kudos to Richard Childress Racing, for giving Kyle a car with the firepower under the hood and not in the trunk.”

6. Daniel Suarez: Suarez joined Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain in the top 10 with a fourth at California.

“It’s always cool to have Tony Stewart in the Fox Sports booth calling the race,” Suarez said. “You can tell by Tony’s voice that he really misses racing and would love to be out there. I think what I’m trying to say is that Tony sounded ‘hungry.'”

7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Daytona 500 winner Stenhouse finished 12th at California.

“When you win the first race of the season,” Stenhouse said, “it’s hard to improve upon that. After the initial euphoria, I would expect things to steadily go downhill, much like my relationship with Danica Patrick.”

8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth in the Pala Casino 400.

“That was my 750th consecutive Cup start,” Harvick said. “That’s a long time. And Busch beer has been with me for most of it. Hunt Brothers Pizza has been with me for a long time too because that stuff is just so damn hard to digest.”

9. Chris Buescher: Buescher finished 12th at California after starting the season with a strong fourth in the Daytona 500.

“I like how we’re running so far,” Buescher said. “I know it’s early, but it’s never too late for another Kyle Busch gun incident joke. So here goes. ‘What did Kyle Busch say when his vacation ended in Mexico in January?’ ‘It’s time to bail.'”

10. Chase Elliott: Elliott rebounded from a poor showing at Daytona with a solid runner-up finish in the Pala Casino 400.

“It’s all about overcoming adversity,” Elliott said. “I’m not talking about my bad result at Daytona, I’m talking about having Kyle Larson as a teammate.”

Burton Finishes 15th at Fontana

By
Official Release
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With a strong surge in the third and final Stage of Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team came away with a solid 15th-place finish.

Burton started Sunday’s 400-miler, likely the final Cup Series race on the Fontana track’s two-mile layout, from 24th place after practice and qualifying were cancelled due to adverse weather.

He was running 27th when the Competition Caution flag was displayed at Lap 15 and ended the first 65-lap Stage in 28th place.

Burton and the DEX Imaging team began to pick up speed in the second Stage and ended that 65-lap segment in 20th place.

The sophomore Cup driver and his No. 21 team really stepped up their performance in the closing segment, moving into the top 15 for the first time with 52 of 200 laps left to run.

When the race’s final round of green flag pit stops began with a little over 30 laps left to run, crew chief Brian Wilson elected to wait and be among the later teams to make their stop.

Burton had cycled up to the front by the time Wilson called him to pit road with 27 laps left to run.

With relatively fresher tires on the DEX Imaging Mustang, Burton returned to the track in 19th place and drove up to 15th, taking that spot as the race came to a close.

Eddie Wood said he was proud of the team’s progress throughout the race.

“The speed wasn’t there early on, but by the end of the race, Brian had made some great adjustments on our Mustang, and Harrison really drove it up through there at the end,” Wood said. “That last third of the race was impressive. I’m looking forward to seeing what this team can do going forward.”

Burton and the No. 21 team now turn their focus to next week’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which in recent seasons has been one of the Wood Brothers’ better tracks.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Pala Casino 400 from Fontana

By
Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Pala Casino 400

Date: Feb. 26, 2023
Event: Pala Casino 400 (Round 2 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California (2-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)
Race Winner: Kyle Busch of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Kevin Harvick (Started 10th, Finished 5th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 31st, Finished 20th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 27th, Finished 33rd / Accident, completed 87 of 200 laps)
● Aric Almirola (Started 17th, Finished 35th / Accident, completed 86 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:

● Kevin Harvick (4th with 79 points, 13 out of first)
● Aric Almirola (25th with 31 points, 61 out of first)
● Chase Briscoe (33rd with 19 points, 73 out of first)
● Ryan Preece (34th with 15 points, 77 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● The Pala Casino 400 marked Harvick’s 29th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Fontana, the most among all NASCAR drivers, past and present.
● This was Harvick’s 750th consecutive NASCAR Cup Series start. He is just the third driver in series history to reach the milestone, joining Jeff Gordon (797 consecutive starts) and Ricky Rudd (788 consecutive starts). The last time Harvick was not in a Cup Series race was April 2, 2002 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, a span of 7,623 days between race dates.
● Harvick earned his first top-five of the season and his eighth top-five at Fontana. This was also Harvick’s 15th top-10 at the 2-mile oval.
● This was Harvick’s fourth straight top-10 at Fontana. He finished seventh last year, ninth in in 2020 and fourth in 2019. (The NASCAR Cup Series did not race at Fontana in 2021.)
● Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only two finishes outside the top-15 at Fontana.
● Harvick finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points and fourth in Stage 2 to earn seven more bonus points.
● Harvick led twice for five laps to increase his laps-led total at Fontana to 243.
● Harvick has now led 11,492 laps since joining SHR in 2014. He has led 15,907 laps in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career.
● In two career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Fontana, Briscoe has never finished outside the top-20. He finished 16th in his first start at the track last year.
● This was the first time Almirola finished outside the top-12 at Fontana since he joined SHR in 2018.

Race Notes:

● Kyle Busch won the Pala Casino 400 to score his 61st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his fifth at Fontana. His margin over second-place Chase Elliott was 2.998 seconds.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 38 laps.
● Only 20 of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Ross Chastain leaves Fontana as the championship leader by a single point over second-place Joey Logano.

Sound Bites:

“Our GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang was really good on the long runs. I just really struggled on the restarts with the front end. In the end, we had a chance, but I couldn’t put us in the right position on the restarts to guard our track position like we needed to. It was still a great day for our GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang. The guys did a great job on pit road all day and kept us up in the front.”– Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang

“We definitely had high hopes coming in here. This is one of my better racetracks and we just completely struggled all day long from a lot of different issues. That’s not how we wanted to run, obviously. We’ve got a lot of work to do going into next week, but I feel like we can learn from it and move on.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac Ford Mustang

“It’s kind of stupid, to be honest with you, on a professional level and we all wreck on a restart. I don’t know what happened, but just a victim of circumstances. It sucks. I was racing around Aric (Almirola) and we were just trying to be smart and get to the end of the race. Something like that, you’re not expecting everyone to wreck coming to the restart line. It’s unfortunate. That adjustment could’ve gotten us a lot better, and we could’ve kept on making little gains. That was our goal, not to beat ourselves and just be there in the last 50 or 60 (laps). That’s why we stayed out that run – to see what our car would do in clean air and if we needed to work on it, which we did, and I felt like we just kept on making it better and better. It’s really a bad ending for this HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang, and even Aric, so we just have to go to Vegas and be on offense and start digging out of this hole we’re in right now.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“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.” – Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Las Vegas 400 on Sunday, March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Ford Performance – Fontana Post-Race Quotes

By
Official Release
-

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Pala Casino 400 | Sunday, February 26, 2023

Ford Finishing Results:
5th – Kevin Harvick
7th – Brad Keselowski
10th – Joey Logano
13th – Chris Buescher
15th – Harrison Burton
17th – Todd Gilliland
18th – Michael McDowell
20th – Chase Briscoe
23rd – JJ Yeley
26th – Ryan Blaney
27th – Cody Ware
28th – Austin Cindric
33rd – Ryan Preece
35th – Aric Almirola

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang – “Our GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang was really good on the long runs, I just really struggled on the restarts with the front end. In the end, we had a chance, but I couldn’t put us in the right position on the restarts to guard our track position like we needed to. It was still a great day for our GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang. The guys did a great job on pit road all day and kept us up in the front.”

A LOT WAS MADE ABOUT WEEPERS AND THE TRACK FOR THE FINAL RACE HERE, SO HOW WERE THE TRACK CONDITIONS OVERALL? “The track conditions were fine. I didn’t really see any weepers and it was just really dirty every run. The second half of the race it cleaned up, but it was hard on the windshields. In the end, they did a great job preparing the track and we were able to put on a good race.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Castrol Edge Ford Mustang – “We didn’t have a great start to the race… wasn’t driving really good, and I wasn’t really happy with it. 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.”

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Pala Casino Ford Mustang – “We started off really bad. It took us a good amount of time and some big adjustments to get dialed in. I’m proud of this Pela Casino Mustang. 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.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 AAA Southern California Ford Mustang – “It looks like we were in the hunt. We weren’t the best car, and we needed to make an adjustment to get better. I was falling off hard and was hoping we’d get back on track… just couldn’t. It fell off at the end even more. Running top-five all day, finishing 10th, doesn’t feel that great. Overall, the momentum is there, we fought hard and got some stage points. So, it was still a decent day.”

LEADING THE RACE DURING THAT RESTART, SOME GUYS MAY HAVE FELT YOU STOPPED AND STARTED IN THE RESTART ZONE OR MAYBE HAD SOME ISSUES. “Go back and look at the data. I didn’t do anything. I just rolled it and went like everyone was anticipating it. It’s part of the new restart zone – it’s bigger. So, you can’t anticipate as much as you used to without getting into trouble. I went late in the zone because the car to the inside of me was laying back, so I was waiting for him to get up next to me before I went. I didn’t brake check anyone. It might look like it but you can go back and look at it and see it’s not there.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang – “We definitely had high hopes going into here. This is one of my better racetracks and we just completely struggled all day long from a lot of different issues. That’s not how we wanted to run, obviously. We’ve got a lot of work to do going into next week, but I feel like we can learn from it and move on.”

TODD GILLILAND, No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang – “This is something for us to build on. It was the best mile-and-a-half car we’ve had. There’s still work to do, but that was something to definitely work from. I’m proud of the effort by all my guys.”

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang – “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 they stopped in the middle of the restart zone was right about where they should have 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 have known better.”

RYAN PREECE, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang – “It’s kind of stupid, to be honest with you on a professional level and we all wreck on a restart. I don’t know what happened, but just a victim of circumstances. It sucks. I was racing around Aric and we were just trying to be smart and get to the end of the race. Something like that, you’re not expecting everyone to wreck coming to the restart line. It’s unfortunate. That adjustment could have gotten us a lot better and we could have kept on making little gains. That was our goal, not to beat ourselves and just be there in the last 50 or 60. That’s why we stayed out that run, to see what our car would do in clean air and if we needed to work on it, which we did, and I felt like we just kept on making it better and better. It’s really a bad ending for this HaasTooling Ford Mustang, and even Aric, so we just have to go to Vegas and be on offense and start digging out of this hole we’re in right now.”

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