Home Blog Page 1600

Burton Finishes Ninth in Daytona Duel Qualifying Race

By
Official Release
-
#22: Joey Logano, Team Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang, #21: Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Ford Mustang

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Mustang rode a Ford train to a ninth-place finish in the first of two Bluegreen Vacation Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday’s night.

Burton’s finish earned him the 19th-place starting spot for Sunday’s 65th-annual Daytona 500.

Burton, in the Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Mustang, lined up fifth for the start of the 60-lap, 150-mile Duel after posting the ninth-best time in pole qualifying on Wednesday night.

He dropped back a bit in the opening laps but was back among the top five by Lap 13 and ran in the top five until the Ford drivers headed to pit road at the race’s midpoint.

Burton settled in sixth place after returning to the track as the Ford pack played their strategy just right and held the lead through the pit stop cycle.

Burton ran in sixth place until the final two laps, where he dropped three positions to ninth but emerged with a Mustang with no damage heading into the two practice sessions and then the Daytona 500.

The caution-free race was won by Ford’s Joey Logano while Burton was one of seven Mustang drivers in the top nine at the finish.

“We were playing the conservative game all day,” Burton told reporters after the race. “We wanted to keep our 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imagining Ford Mustang in one piece.

“That was the biggest thing, really. The risk versus the reward for this race isn’t there unless you’re going to win it…. I tried to be smart and tried not to flip on the backstretch this year.

“I’m trying to learn from mistakes, but it was a decent day.”

Burton said the true indicator of the speed and handling of his Motorcraft/DEX Imaging Mustang won’t show until the upcoming practice sessions, when the No. 21 team will tune their car for the Daytona 500.

“We had a pretty ill-handling car just from qualifying,” he said. “We tried to go for a fast qualifying lap and did that, but that kind of hurts you in this race.”

No adjustments were allowed between qualifying and the Duels.

“We’ll get the car driving better,” Burton said. “I’ll be more aggressive on Sunday and hopefully be up front at the end of that thing.”

The first Cup practice session is scheduled to start at 5:35 p.m. on Friday, with the second and final practice getting the green flag at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The 65th-annual Daytona 500 is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, with Stage breaks at Laps 65 and 130.

FOX Sports 1 will carry the TV coverage of the practice sessions, with FOX broadcasting the Daytona 500.

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.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Omnicraft®
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.

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 WoodBrothers 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.

Mitsubishi Motors Begins Production of Minicab-MiEV, a Kei-Car Class Commercial EV, in Indonesia in 2024, the First Local Production of the Vehicle Outside Japan

By
Official Release
-
Minicab-MiEV (Indonesia International Motor Show 2023)

TOKYO, Feb 17, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announced today that in 2024, it will begin production of the Minicab-MiEV, a onebox kei-car* class commercial electric vehicle (EV), at PT Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia (hereafter, MMKI), MMC’s factory in Indonesia.

The Minicab-MiEV, which will be produced overseas for the first time, is equipped with an EV system proven in the world’s first mass-produced EV, the i-MiEV. The system includes a drive battery and a compact, lightweight, highly-efficient motor. In addition, by placing the drive battery under the center of the floor, the EV components are installed without sacrificing capacity, thus ensuring a large cargo space. Furthermore, this battery placement gives the vehicle a lower center of gravity, resulting in steering stability and ride comfort.

“Automakers are now being required to respond to the rapid, global movement toward a decarbonized society,” said Takao Kato, president and chief executive officer, Mitsubishi Motors. “We believe that Kei-car class commercial EVs are the optimal solution to the ‘last one mile problem’ in logistics. In order to meet the growing demand for EVs in the ASEAN region, we have made the decision to produce this vehicle locally outside of Japan for the first time. As well as continuing to support the development of Indonesia’s automotive industry, we hope to contribute to the country’s environmental initiatives.”

In December 2011, Mitsubishi Motors domestically launched the Minicab-MiEV, the only Kei-car class commercial EV produced by a Japanese automaker, mainly for use in the delivery industry. Although the company once decided to end its production, sales resumed in November 2022 in response to growing demand for such commercial EVs, particularly from logistics companies and local governments that are engaged in sustainable business activities. Such activities are rapidly increasing also in various fields aimed at achieving a carbon-neutral society.

*Kei-car is a vehicle category in Japan for microcars.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) –a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan–, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Russia. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification – launched the i-MiEV -the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV – the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. The company announced a three-year business plan in July 2020 to introduce more competitive and cutting-edge models, including the Eclipse Cross (PHEV model), the all-new Outlander and the all-new Triton/L200.

For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/.

Waiting for Ages For Your Driving Test? Get An Earlier Date Now

By
SM
-
Photo by Alex Chernenko on Unsplash

Right now, people of all ages are waiting to take their driving test in the UK that will let them get their full driving licences. Unfortunately, waiting lists are so long that many people end up having to cancel as plans interfere with their test dates. Others just sit patiently waiting for the day to roll around.

During the 2019 – 2020 period, there were 1.6 million practical driving tests completed in the UK. Less than 50% of these resulted in a pass. This is more than just disappointing to the learner driver, it also represents a new long wait to sit the re-test.

And the problem with long waits to take driving tests is determining what to do in the meantime. Do you carry on with expensive lessons, or just wait and hope you don’t get too rusty? Or, do you simply rely on practicing with a family member’s supervision?

Or, is there a way to get your driving test date moved forward?

What is the waiting time for a UK driving test now?

Currently waiting times for most of the country are around 6 months, this was true as of February 2023. Now, when you consider that the average cost of a driving lesson is between £25 and £35, it could be off-putting for someone to continue with lessons for 6 months.

The alternative is to apply for a driving test fairly soon after starting your driving lessons. In the past, it wouldn’t be unusual to have 20 driving lessons or less to pass the test, but things have changed in the last few decades. Theory and practical driving tests are harder to complete, and on average a learner will need 40 to 45 hours of driving lessons, plus more time behind the wheel as practice.

If you find yourself waiting for months then you could find yourself hoping for driving test cancellations, as people get impatient or find other events force them to call off their test date.

Why are driving lessons backlogged?

In a word; Covid. The pandemic meant that driving tests weren’t able to go ahead as they usually did. This led to a huge backlog. During the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of driving tests got canceled due to lockdowns and social restriction rules.

During 2020, and 2021, almost 500,000 driving tests were canceled, and this led to the current waiting times of up to 24 weeks. This has led to other concerns for learner drivers too, including inflated pricing.

Driving instructors can bulk book driving tests, and this has led to some taking advantage of the delays to push the prices up. And potential students are struggling to find driving instructors as the demand is so high now.

Can you get an earlier driving test date?

A driving licence is a necessity in many cases. Especially for those whose career depends on it, or those who live in more remote areas. People who care for elderly parents or have children will find life easier with a vehicle, but the backlog and shortage of driving instructors are making it hard for people to get a licence.

There are plenty of reasons to get a driving licence, such as getting a better job, switching a foreign licence to a UK one, and being able to drive when on holiday overseas. Therefore, the long wait can be frustrating for many learners.

Fortunately, this is possible and could be the difference between you spending a fortune on refresher lessons or being able to get your licence earlier.

How can you get your date moved up?

Due to the backlog of driving tests, a market has sprung up to help learners get early dates and hopefully pass. The simplest way is through automated apps and booking services.

This method involves an app that you download to your mobile device. Once you have registered the app will start searching for earlier driving test dates. You can then choose to select a date that appears or reject it.

Another option is to input your preferred test dates and times and select automatic booking. If a cancellation occurs on those dates, one slot will be booked for you automatically.

The catch is that there will be a fee for booking a canceled driving test, but compared to the price gouging that some instructors are involved in, this may seem like small peanuts.

Summary

You should be confident on the roads before you tackle your driving test, and there are many tips to become a better driver. No one should take on a driving test until they are actually ready for it, especially with the high failure rate.

However, you also don’t want to be waiting months on end until your test date comes around. So, if you cannot wait that long, you can benefit from other learners’ cancellations through certain mobile apps.

Five Signs You’ve Found a Great Online Casino

By
SM
-
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Unless you’ve played for a while and at several different online casinos, you may not be familiar with the criteria for finding the best internet betting sites. Don’t worry, though. We’re here to help with our guide to top online casinos. If you’re eager to find five of the best internet betting sites out there on the net, follow this guide for more information.

Thousands of Games to Play

We could just take a shortcut and simply recommend a top casino to you, like Rollers.io. However, it is better to guide you through the steps to finding a top casino. One of the most important of these is to check the array of games a casino has to offer. All the very best sites will carry not a dozen, not even a few hundred, but thousands of casino games. These will come from dozens of developers and support all sorts of genres, such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, table poker, live dealer games, instant win titles and, of course, online slots.

Licensed, Secure, and Regulated

There’s no point playing at any internet casino that isn’t licensed, secure, and regulated. Any site you might consider joining should have a gambling license issued by a relevant body and be regulated by a reputable authority to boot. They should support responsible gambling and have an array of tools that back that up.

Certified as Fair

One of the highlights we like to see is a certification. RNG certification is immensely important at internet casinos. These certificates state that your online casino has had its games regulated to ensure that they are fair. They ensure that each spin or draw is random and cannot be predicted. Publishing RTP rates is another clear step a casino can take to prove that it offers fair games.

Your Language, Currency, and Ideal Payment Options

We would also ensure that any casino you wish to play at has certain amenities that appeal to you. For instance, you should be able to bet in your language of choice. You should also be able to wager using any currency you prefer to use (so you can avoid conversion fees), and there should be ideal payment methods. This means that transaction times should be fair, no added fees should be applied, and deposit/withdrawal limits should be reasonable.

Fair Ts and Cs

Finally, fair terms and conditions should be present throughout the casino. We want to see bonuses and promos that come with fair wagering requirements. These should not be excessive. However, we would also want to see fair Ts and Cs when it comes to withdrawal caps. Moreover, there shouldn’t be caps on how progressive jackpots are paid out; there should be good game eligibility when it comes to bonuses and more. Whenever rules and regulations are concerning, fairness should be a priority.

Almirola wins second Bluegreen Vacations Duel in a wild finish; Daly rallies to make Daytona 500 field

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

After spending a majority of the night engaged in side-by-side battles for the lead, Aric Almirola managed to pull away and beat the field of 21 to win the second of two Bluegreen Vacation Duels at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 16.

The 38-year-old Almirola from Tampa, Florida, led five times for 17 of 60-scheduled laps and managed to fend off late charges coming from Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric and Todd Gilliland in the closing laps to capture his second checkered flag in a Daytona Duel event and commence the 2023 campaign on a strong note after going winless during the previous NASCAR Cup Series season.

The second Duel victory awarded Almirola a handful of championship points and a starting spot on the second row in fourth place for this year’s Daytona 500 as he will contend for his first victory in his 13th career start in the Great American Race.

Prior to the event, Kyle Larson, who claimed a front row starting spot for the 65th running of the Daytona 500 on Wednesday night, started on the pole and was joined on the front row with Aric Almirola. Meanwhile, BJ McLeod dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his entry.

When the green flag waved and the first Duel event commenced, Larson and Almirola dueled for the lead until Larson received a draft from Chase Briscoe to break away from the pack and have both lanes to his control through the backstretch. As Briscoe moved up to second, Almirola was left to battle Kyle Busch for third place on the outside lane as Larson proceeded to lead the first lap.

During the second lap, the outside lane led by Almirola’s No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang gained ground on Larson entering the frontstretch as Almirola led the following lap by a hair. While Almirola was leading the competition, he could not control both lanes as a pack of competitors led by Larson on the inside lane fought back.

With the event reaching its first five-lap distance, Larson reassumed the lead ahead of a hard-charging Almirola followed by Briscoe, Cindric and Busch while Daniel Suarez, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. were in the top 10.

A lap later and as Larson and Almirola continued to duke for the lead, the first caution of the event and between the two Duels flew when a side window from Justin Haley’s No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 came off and laid on the backstretch. During the first caution period, nearly the entire field led by Almirola and Larson pitted amid mixed strategies while Haley and BJ McLeod remained on the track. Haley and McLeod would eventually pit prior to the restart and give the top-two spots back to Almirola and Larson. During the caution period, Briscoe and Tyler Reddick, who stalled his car while trying to exit his pit stall, returned to pit road to top off on fuel.

When the race proceeded under green on Lap 10, Larson and Almirola dueled for the lead once again until Larson managed to break away far from the pack after receiving a push from Kyle Busch exiting the backstretch. Shortly after, however, Busch launched his challenge for the lead on Larson as the competitors towards the front battled in a tight pack within two lanes.

Through the first 20 scheduled laps, Busch, who engaged in a series of side-by-side battles against Larson for the lead earlier, was out in front by a hair over Suarez followed by Larson, Almirola and Cindric while Chase Elliott, Corey LaJoie, Todd Gilliland, Truex and rookie Noah Gragson were in the top 10. By then, 19 of 21 starters were separated by two seconds. In addition, Austin Hill was running in a transfer spot to make the Daytona 500 in 16th place while Conor Day, another competitor who was trying to make the 500, was in 20th behind Travis Pastrana, who holds a guaranteed spot to make the main event based on Wednesday’s qualifying speed.

At the halfway mark on Lap 30, Busch continued to lead ahead of Suarez, Larson, Almirola and Cindric while Elliott, LaJoie, Gilliland, Truex and Gragson remained in the top 10. Meanwhile, Haley was in 11th followed by Ryan Preece, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Reddick while Hill, Riley Herbst, Pastrana, Briscoe, Daly and McLeod rounded out the 21-car field.

With less than 25 laps remaining, Busch retained the lead ahead of a bevy of competitors that included Suarez, Larson, Almirola and Cindric while Elliott, LaJoie, Gilliland, Truex and Gragson were running in the top 10. Meanwhile, Hill remained in position to make the Daytona 500 in 15th in between Preece and Reddick while Daly, who lost the draft earlier, was mired back at the rear of the field in 21st place and a lap down.

Then with 20 laps remaining, the caution flew when Suarez bumped and turned Kyle Busch’s No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which was leading, into the outside wall on the backstretch and with heavy damage. Busch’s wreck ignited a multi-car crash that also collected Haley, Preece, Herbst, Pastrana and Hill, who limped his No. 62 Bennett Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 back to pit road but was unable to continue as his hopes of making the Daytona 500 came to an end. With Hill out, Daly, who was a lap down, now found himself in prime position to make the 500.

During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Suarez pitted mainly for fuel while Briscoe remained on the track, though he eventually pitted after the field did. During the pit stops, Suarez slid through his pit stall as Larson reassumed the lead followed by Almirola and Brad Keselowski.

Down to the final 14 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Larson and Almirola battled for the lead with Keselowski, Cindric and the rest of the field keeping the two leaders within reach amid a tight two-lane pack.

With 10 laps remaining, Almirola was leading by a hair over Larson followed by Keselowski, Cindric and Truex while Gilliland, LaJoie, Gragson, Elliott and Hamlin were in the top 10. Soon after, Cindric ignited his bid for the win as he contested against Almirola and Larson for the lead along with Gilliland.

Down to the final five laps of the event and with the competitors towards the front beginning to jostle through two tight-packed lanes, Cindric was out in front by a hair over Almirola followed by Gilliland, Larson and LaJoie as 14 of 21 starters were separated by more than two seconds. By then, Daly was back in 17th place, a lap down but in position of making the Daytona 500.

Then with three laps remaining, Gilliland moved into the lead followed by Almirola, Larson and Cindric as the intensity towards the front crescendoed.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Almirola, who gained a run to the outside of Gilliland, was leading by a nose over Gilliland as both competitors battled dead even in front of the pack. Then in Turn 1, Gilliland, whose car was shaking and getting loose, slipped sideways towards the apron following a bump from Larson. Miraculously, Gilliland kept his car straight and continued. He, however, lost his momentum as Almirola pulled away through the backstretch followed by Cindric and LaJoie. While the front-runners formed a long single file line behind Almirola through Turns 3 and 4, they could not gain a draft nor a final lap charge on Almirola as the Floridian managed to cycle back to the finish line and beat Cindric by 0.122 seconds to win and cap off the Duels on a high note.

The second Duel victory marked Almirola’s second career Duel win, his first since 2021 and the fourth Duel victory overall for Stewart-Haas Racing. It also marked his first checkered flag in NASCAR’s premier series since winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July 2021 as he aims to rebound following a disappointing 2022 campaign where he missed the Playoffs.

“I did have my hands full,” Almirola said on FS1. “[Crew chief] Drew [Blickensderfer] said this Smithfield Ford Mustang was going to be fast, but he said I’d probably have my hands full. We kind of went for it from qualifying, put all the speed in the car and kind of sacrificed some handling. As you could see tonight, it was a handful, but man, this is so cool. Daytona’s such a special place to me. I want that [Daytona 500 win] on Sunday. I know Sunday’s the big one. We’re gonna keep focused on that one. The job’s not finished.”

Cindric, the reigning Daytona 500 champion, settled in second behind Almirola in the final running order while Chase Elliott, Keselowski, Corey LaJoie, Larson, Gilliland, Truex, Denny Hamlin and Preece earned top-10 finishes on the track.

Meanwhile, Conor Daly, who came into the Duels with a “one in a million shot” of making the Daytona 500 after failing to post a qualifying lap on Wednesday, crossed the finish line in 17th place, a lap down, and raced his way into the main event. Daly’s accomplishment will enable him to make his second career start in the Cup circuit on Sunday and his first in the Great American Race as the Money Racing Team will compete in the Daytona 500 for a second consecutive season.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“We were inherently lucky for the last 36 hours, but we got luck,” Daly said. “I wished I could’ve said that I drove [the car] in on pure pace, but it was crazy. When we went out there, the car was bouncing around. I had no idea what was going on. I thought the drive train was broken and [crew chief] Tony [Eury Jr.] just made it better every time we got lucky with the yellows [flags] to try to get some experience. It is pretty crazy. This race, I’ve watched it for so many years and so much crazy stuff can happen. Thankfully, we were on the right side of the craziness.”

With Austin Hill and Beard Motorsports failing to qualify for the 500, Travis Pastrana, who was eliminated late in the event due to the multi-car wreck that involved Kyle Busch, will implement his qualifying speed set on Wednesday to make the main event.

There were 15 lead changes for six different leaders. The event featured two cautions for nine laps.

Results.

1. Aric Almirola, 17 laps led

2. Austin Cindric, three laps led

3. Chase Elliott

4. Brad Keselowski

5. Corey LaJoie

6. Kyle Larson, nine laps led

7. Todd Gilliland, one lap led

8. Martin Truex Jr.

9. Denny Hamlin

10. Ryan Preece

11. Noah Gragson

12. Daniel Suarez, two laps led

13. Tyler Reddick

14. Justin Haley

15. Chase Briscoe

16. BJ McLeod

17. Conor Daly, one lap down

18. Austin Hill – OUT, Accident

19. Kyle Busch – OUT, Accident, 28 laps led

20. Riley Herbst – OUT, Accident

21. Travis Pastrana – OUT, Accident

With the starting lineup for the 65th annual running of the Daytona 500 set, the main event is set to commence on Sunday, February 20, which will also mark the start of NASCAR’s 75th season of premier series competition. The coverage for the event is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Bluegreen Vacations Duel from Daytona — ALMIROLA WINS!

By
Official Release
-

STEWART-HAAS RACING
Bluegreen Vacations Duel
Date: Feb. 16, 2023
Event: Bluegreen Vacations Duel
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: Twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500

Duel No. 1 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Duel No. 2 Winner: Aric Almirola of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

SHR Finish:

● Aric Almirola (Started 2nd, Finished 1st / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)
● Kevin Harvick (Started 9th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)
● Ryan Preece (Started 8th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 3rd, Finished 15th / Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)

Notes:

● Drivers earning odd-numbered positions from Wednesday’s pole qualifying session were assigned to the first Duel race. Drivers earning even-numbered positions from pole qualifying competed in the second Duel race. The starting positions for each Duel race were based on qualifying times.

● This was Almirola’s second career Duel win. His earned his first Duel victory in 2021.

● Almirola led five times for 17 laps in his Duel race.
● Almirola scored 10 regular-season points, Harvick garnered five points and Preece picked up one point. Only the top-10 finishers in each Duel were awarded regular-season points.

● Almirola will start fourth in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish is fourth, earned in 2017.
● Harvick will start 13th in the Daytona 500. He won the 2007 Daytona 500.
● Preece will start 20th in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish is sixth, earned in 2021.
● Briscoe will start 30th in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish is third, earned last year.

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang:

“Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) said this Smithfield Ford Mustang was going to be fast, but he said I would probably have my hands full. We kind of went for it in qualifying and put speed in the car and sacrificed some handling, and as you could see tonight it was a handful, but, man, this is so cool. Daytona is such a special place to me. I grew up sitting in those grandstands dreaming about racing here. I want that one on Sunday, though. We’re going to keep focused on that one. The job is not finished.”

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light #Busch401K Ford Mustang:

“Our Busch Light Ford Mustang seemed to do all the things that I needed it to do. The handling is fine. The Toyotas were able to do a couple things speed-wise that I really couldn’t do. I was more defensive than I was offensive, so I was kind of stuck with what I had there and then I got out by myself and I was really stuck. They did a good job. You never know how those races are gonna shake out at the end, but it was a good start.”

Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang:

“It was all track position tonight. It’s too hard to make moves and move forward out there, so it’s all about track position. We can’t give up track position on Sunday. We’ve got to make up a few spots, get that track position with our HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang, and keep it. When you get it, protect it. It’s as simple as that. That’s what it’s going to take when we go out there to race.”

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang:

“I told my wife at the end of the first Duel, ‘Well, that one was calm, so ours is going to be chaos.’ I feel like that’s just always how these go. For us, we had a really good starting spot in third. We were just really loose. I felt like I was going to crash at any point. We got a caution early and decided to try to work on it, and then we got on the other side. We were pretty committed to try to qualify on the front row, and when you do that, your handling suffers big. Balance wise, we’re way off. It sucks that we qualified sixth and now we’re going to start 30th in the 500 but, fortunately, we can change our Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang overnight and get it to where it drives pretty good.”

Next Up:

The 65th running of the Daytona 500 takes place at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Logano edges Bell for first Bluegreen Vacations Duel win; Zane Smith transfers to Daytona 500

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The reigning two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano prevailed in a final lap duel against Christopher Bell to win the first of two Bluegreen Vacation Duels at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, February 16.

The first Duel victory for Logano occurred as he led the final 29 of 60 scheduled laps, with his first opportunity of leading occurring following the first and only cycle of green flag pit stops just past the halfway mark. Then on the final lap, he fended off a brief challenge from teammate Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick entering the backstretch before he came under fire from Bell entering the frontstretch. Locked in a side-by-side battle with Bell coming to the finish line, Logano was able to pull ahead and edge him by 0.018 seconds to win a Daytona Duel event for the third time in his career.

The Duel victory also awarded Logano a handful of championship points and the third-place starting spot for this year’s 65th annual running of the Daytona 500 as he will contend for his second victory in the Great American Race.

Prior to the event, Alex Bowman, who claimed the pole position for the 65th running of the Daytona 500 on Wednesday night, started on the pole for the first Duel event and was joined on the front row by teammate William Byron. Meanwhile, newcomer Chandler Smith dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his Kaulig Racing entry.

When the green flag waved and the first Duel event commenced, teammates Bowman and Byron dueled for the lead early through the first two turns. As Byron peeked ahead on the inside lane, Bowman fought back on the outside lane through the backstretch as he had drafting help from Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace. Shortly after, Blaney ducked his No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang below Bowman’s No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through Turns 3 and 4 as he assumed the lead followed by Wallace’s No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota TRD Camry. As the field returned to the frontstretch, Blaney led the first lap followed by Wallace, Bowman, Ross Chastain and Byron as the field started to fan out to three lanes. Shortly after, Bowman dropped to the rear of the field to preserve his pole-winning car as Chastain launched his early bid for the lead against Blaney.

Through the first five scheduled laps, Blaney and Chastain were engaged in a side-by-side battle for the lead while rookie Ty Gibbs, Wallace, Christopher Bell, Byron, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Erik Jones and Harrison Burton were in the top 10 amid the field being stacked up and competing through two lanes. By then, all but one of 21 starters were separated by nine-tenths of a second while Bowman was mired all the way at the rear of the field in 21st place.

At the Lap 10 mark and with the front-runners settling in a single-file line, Blaney was leading ahead of Wallace, Byron, Logano and Burton while Chris Buescher, Kevin Harvick, Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chastain were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Zane Smith and Chandler Smith, who were battling for a transfer spot for Sunday’s Daytona 500, were in 11th and 14th, respectively.

By Lap 20, Blaney continued to lead ahead of Wallace, Byron, Logano, Burton, Buescher, Harvick, McDowell, Stenhouse and Zane Smith while Bell, Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Chastain, Chandler Smith, Cody Ware, Johnson, Ty Dillon and Bowman rounded out the 21-car field.

A lap later, green flag pit stops ensued as all the Chevrolet competitors pitted. Following the pit stops, however, Stenhouse and Chandler Smith were penalized for speeding on pit road as they were forced to serve a drive-through penalty through pit road under green.

At the halfway mark on Lap 30, Blaney retained the lead ahead of Wallace, Logano, Burton, Buescher, Harvick, Bell, McDowell, Zane Smith and Gibbs, with the top-nine competitors being separated by a second while the Chevrolet competitors led by Byron in 12th were trailing the leaders by more than 45 seconds. By then, Zane Smith occupied a transfer spot in 10th while Chandler Smith was mired back in 20th.

Shortly after, a host of competitors led by Blaney pitted under green. Following the pit stops, Gibbs was penalized with a pass-through penalty for speeding on pit road. When the field returned to the track under green, Logano cycled his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang into the lead followed by Harvick and Blaney.

Down to the final 20 laps of the event, Logano was leading a nine-car breakaway that included Harvick, Blaney, Buescher and Bell while Burton, Wallace, McDowell and Zane Smith while Byron was mired back in 10th. By then, the top-nine competitors who pitted on Lap 31 were leading 10th-place Byron and a host of Chevrolet competitors who pitted on Lap 22 by more than nine seconds. In addition, Zane Smith, who opted only for fuel during his green flag pit stop, was running in a transfer spot in ninth while Chandler Smith was mired towards the rear of the field in 21st place and a lap down.

With 10 laps remaining, Logano continued to lead ahead of Harvick, Blaney, Buescher and Bell while Burton, Wallace, McDowell, Zane Smith and Byron remained in the top 10. Logano would also retain the lead ahead of Harvick and a bevy of competitors with five laps remaining.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Logano remained as the leader ahead of Harvick as Blaney, Bell and Wallace moved to the outside lane in their bids to challenge Logano for the win. Just past the frontstretch, Harvick pulled up to block Blaney’s momentum, but Blaney ducked to the inside lane as he tried to challenge Harvick for second place. Harvick, however, fought back on the outside lane with drafting help from Bell and Wallace while Blaney was slowly losing ground and the draft.

Then through the backstretch, Bell pulled his No. 20 DeWalt/Rheem Toyota TRD Camry below Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Ford Mustang as he moved into second place. Shortly after, he made his move to the outside of Logano through Turns 3 and 4. Entering the frontstretch, Bell and Logano remained dead even for the lead until Logano, who had teammate Blaney gaining ground on him in the draft, managed to pull his Ford on the inside lane and edge Bell by 0.018 seconds to win the first Duel event.

Logano’s Duel victory was his first since 2020 and also the seventh overall for Team Penske as the Ford nameplate has achieved at least one Duel victory for a seventh consecutive victory.

“Just a great job by the Shell/Pennzoil team,” Logano said on FS1. “The execution of this race is everything. You know most likely there won’t be a caution, so you got to do a good job on pit road, cycle yourself to the front, but then, I’m sitting there as the leader. I’m thinking, ‘Man, I am a sitting duck. This is not where I want to be.’ I was hoping they started racing back there, which they did, which ended up kind of working out for me. When [Bell] got to me, I saw Blaney was behind me and I was like, ‘There’s my buddy. I gotta stick with him.’ I knew [Bell] would make the run to the outside [lane] and I probably wasn’t going be able to defend that. [I] Waited for [Blaney] to push me through there, so good Penske effort there to get a Duel win. Much better than what happened last year. I’m glad to have a nice start over here to this season.”

Bell settled in second place followed by Blaney, Buescher and McDowell while Harvick, Bubba Wallace, Zane Smith, Harrison Burton and Byron finished in the top 10 on the track.

Meanwhile, Zane Smith was also left smiling on pit road after finishing in eighth place and racing his way into the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career. The 500 event will mark his second career start in NASCAR’s premier series and the first of select Cup starts for the Californian as he is set to compete in this year’s Craftsman Truck Series season to defend his series title.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“Once we got to about 10 [laps] to go, I’m like, ‘Man, please, please, no caution,” Smith said. “Just a huge shoutout to my whole [Front Row Motorsports] team. Our Wellcare Mustang was good enough to get in, which there was a lot of really good open cars. Just so proud of everyone. Just unbelievable to be in the Great American Race.”

As a result, Chandler Smith, who could not recover from his early pit road speeding penalty, finished 21st and failed to qualify for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Nonetheless, he is set to compete on a full-time basis for Kaulig Racing in this year’s Xfinity Series season along with select Cup events throughout the year.

“Before [the race], I said I’m fine if I don’t make it, but it’d be awesome if I made it,” Smith said. “I’m a believer. I had a lot of fun right there. Even from that one Duel, I just learned so, so much, which was awesome taking that in. We weren’t able to get it this year, but hopefully, we can come back next year, make another attempt and get in on time.”

Amid the battles between the two Smiths, Jimmie Johnson, who finished 14th, claimed his starting spot for the 500 based on his qualifying speed from Wednesday night.

There were four lead changes for three different leaders. The event featured no cautions.

Results.

1. Joey Logano, 29 laps led

2. Christopher Bell

3. Ryan Blaney, 30 laps led

4. Chris Buescher

5. Michael McDowell

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Bubba Wallace

8. Zane Smith

9. Harrison Burton

10. William Byron

11. Ross Chastain, one lap led

12. Erik Jones

13. Austin Dillon

14. Jimmie Johnson

15. AJ Allmendinger

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., one lap down

17. Alex Bowman, one lap down

18. Chandler Smith, one lap down

19. Ty Gibbs, one lap down

20. Cody Ware, one lap down

21. Ty Dillon, one lap down

The second Bluegreen Vacations Duel is underway at Daytona International Speedway, which will complete the starting lineup for the 65th running of the Daytona 500 scheduled for Sunday, February 19.

NCS AT DAYTONA – Team Chevy Duels Post-Race Report

By
Official Release
-

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
BLUEGREEN VACATIONS DUELS AT DAYTONA
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES
FEBRUARY 16, 2023

 TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL DUEL 1 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
10th William Byron, No. 24 RaptorTough.com Camaro ZL1
11th Ross Chastain, No. 1 AdventHealth Camaro ZL1
12th Erik Jones, No. 43 Guns N’ Roses Camaro ZL1
13th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Camaro ZL1
14th Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Carvana Camaro ZL1
15th AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1
16th Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Cottonelle Camaro ZL1
17th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
18th Chandler Smith, No. 13 Quick Tie Inc. Camaro ZL1
21st Ty Dillon, No. 77 Ferris Camaro ZL1

 TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL DUEL 2 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
3rd Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
5th Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Celsius Camaro ZL1
6th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1
8th Austin Hill, No. 62 Bennett Transportation/Beard Camaro ZL1
9th Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL1
11th Noah Gragson, No. 42 Wendy’s Camaro ZL1
12th Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Camaro ZL1
14th Justin Haley, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1
16th BJ McLeod, No. 78 Power Slap Rumble Camaro ZL1
17th Conor Daly, No. 50 BitNile.com Camaro ZL1

The NASCAR Cup Series will take the green flag for the 65th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 19, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Carvana Camaro ZL1 – Finished 14th in Duel 1; Qualified on speed for the Daytona 500

“My first race in the Next Gen car is done and we finished 14th in the Duel. Wish that we finished a little bit better, but we got a ton of great reps for the No. 84 Carvana Chevy team. I have new over-the-wall guys, a new spotter, new crew chief, a new team – to have this behind us is really good and I think it was a really successful day. I wish that our strategy was a bit better for the cars we were running with, but we have 500 miles on Sunday to figure that out.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 – Finished 3rd

“I had a pretty good run going; Austin (Hill) blocked that and then that kind of stalled the top. Then from there, we got really lucky because whoever got loose made a great save up there because I thought we were all wrecked. It was good to get back to third there and get a good start for Sunday. We will try and make our No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy drive a little better; keep the same pace and I think we will be alright.”

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Wendy’s Camaro ZL1 – Finished 11th

“I feel really good about our No. 42 Wendy’s Chevy Camaro. We just tried to stay out of trouble; didn’t want to go to a backup car. Just really tried learning about different positioning I could have behind the wheel in the draft and in different scenarios. We got in a couple pit stops, which was good to learn how these guys do their pit stops and what I could do better.

Overall, it was just a solid race, solid preparation for the Daytona 500.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Camaro ZL1 – Finished 12th

Suarez on the contact with Kyle Busch:

“It was unfortunate. You never want that to happen. I felt like a few laps before that, they told me on the radio that we needed to start making time. The No. 5 (Kyle Larson) was being more aggressive to me, pushing me. I thought the No. 8 (Kyle Busch) was actually dragging his brakes because I could push him so easily. I guess he wasn’t, but I was getting so much energy from the No. 5 that I was just pushing too hard. I felt like the No. 5 was pushing pretty hard to me, and I was just pushing the No. 8 too hard. When they gave me the message to take it easy on the corners, I was going to do that. But I spun him out on the straightaway, so I was not expecting that.

It’s unfortunate. It’s definitely not the way we had that planned.”

Conor Daly, No. 50 BitNile.com Camaro ZL1 – Finished 17th; Locked-in a spot for the Daytona 500

Conor Daly, you said it was a one in a million shot that you would make the Daytona 500. You’re in. I saw you sit there, look out. What were you thinking at that moment when you got out of the car just now?

“Well, we were inherently unlucky for the last 36 hours, but we got lucky. I wish I could have said that I drove it in on pure pace, but it was just crazy.

When we went out there, the car was bouncing around. I had no idea what was going on. I thought the drivetrain was broken, and Tony just made it better every time. We got lucky with the yellows to try to get some experience, but it is pretty crazy.

This race, I’ve watched it for so many years and so much crazy stuff can happen, and thankfully we were on the right side of the craziness. It’s pretty amazing.”

Austin Hill, No. 62 Bennett Transportation/Beard Camaro ZL1 – Finished 18th

“I was on the top and saw someone about lost it, can’t remember who, but I knew it was getting dicey. Going down the backstretch I actually rolled out of the throttle a little bit, but I had guys behind me and it wasn’t like I could jump out of the throttle. I saw the wreck started happening and dirt started coming across the race track. When the dirt was going across the track I kind of lost sight of where the cars were that were wrecked and the next thing I knew was I was trying to get on the brakes pretty hard and I don’t know if I got in the dirt and it got me loose or the 15 tagged me, I have no idea. Either way I started going toward the outside wall and I got a lot of damage. I think the right front blower was broke and there was no way to fix it and it just ended our night. It’s a bummer because we knew where the 50 was and we knew that he was multiple laps down and all we had to do was beat him. When we were single file, we were like, ‘hey, we are just going to run here’. We were going to try and get some experience and learn the draft and see what the Cup cars do differently from the Xfinity cars. As soon as they got two wide through the tri-oval, I should have just bailed completely and lost the draft and not worried about it. I didn’t react fast enough and then the wreck started and we ended up in it. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be in the 500 from where the 50 was running and really it was just being dumb on my part and there is just no reason for that. I was the one holding the steering wheel and I should have just seen what was happening and just let those guys do their thing and we just fall back. Even if we fall laps down, it doesn’t matter as long as we stay in front of the 50. It stings, but we get to race on Saturday in the Xfinity car and I am really excited about that with RCR and hope we can go win that race.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL1 – Finished 19th

What did you feel inside the race car?

“Just a lot of pushing and shoving for a few laps straight. Doing everything you can to try and hang on, and do the best you can to make sure that you keep it straight. Just finally overloaded the left-rear and hooked it to the right.

Hate it for all my guys. They built a fast N.8 3CHI Chevy Camaro. It was really fun to drive. It drove great the whole time. Everything was super easy, super simple. But we have a long ways to go. I don’t understand, but it is what it is.

Thanks to 3CHI, BetMGM, Lenovo, Chevy. The guys have a lot of work to do, unfortunately. I hate it for them, but we’ll be back on Sunday.”

Do you feel like you have to have a conversation with any other drivers?

“No.. I just don’t understand why, but it is what it is. There’s no changing it.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and 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.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Report: DAYTONA 500 Duels

By
Official Release
-

Noah Gragson, No. 42 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 14th

FINISH: 11th

POINTS: —-

*Noah Gragson competed in the second duel to determine his starting position for the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500. With his 11th-place finish, Gragson will start Sunday’s race from the 22nd position.

Noah Gragson Post-Race Thoughts: “The guys up front were getting really ‘squirrley’ and I didn’t want to chance it, but I have a really good idea of what we need for Sunday’s race. Good job by every one on our No. 42 Wendy’s Chevrolet to get us here.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Guns N’ Roses Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 14TH

FINISH: 12TH

POINTS: —-

*Erik Jones competed in the first duel to determine his starting position for the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500. With his 12th-place finish, Jones will start Sunday’s race from the 25th position.

Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: “A good night for our No. 43 Guns N’ Roses Chevy. We have good speed, just need to get our Camaro driving a little better. The biggest thing for us tonight was to keep it clean and have this car in one piece so that we can now work on adjusting things for Sunday. We did that and now we’ll spend tomorrow’s practice dialing in our No. 43 Chevy and be ready for 500 miles on Sunday.”

Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Carvana Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 12TH

FINISH: 14TH

POINTS: —-

*Jimmie Johnson competed in the first duel to determine his starting position for the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500. With his 14th-place finish, Johnson will start Sunday’s race from the 29th position.

Jimmie Johnson Post-Race Thoughts: “My first race in the Next Gen car is done and we finished 14th in the Duel. Wish that we finished a little bit better, but we got a ton of great reps for the No. 84 Carvana Chevy team. I have new over-the-wall guys, a new spotter, new crew chief, a new team – to have this behind us is really good and I think it was a really successful day. I wish that our strategy was a bit better for the cars we were running with, but we have 500 miles on Sunday to figure that out.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, owned by Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson. LEGACY M.C. operates two full-time entries, the No. 42 Chevrolet of Noah Gragson and the No. 43 Chevrolet of Erik Jones. The team also fields a third part-time entry, the No. 84 Chevrolet, for Johnson’s limited racing schedule.

For the last 75 years, the iconic Petty family name has been synonymous in NASCAR, spanning four generations. Over the course of his driving career, Team Ambassador Richard Petty forever enshrined himself as “The King”, earning 200 wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships alongside NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman. GMS Racing entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021, later acquiring Richard Petty Motorsports to form Petty GMS.

The team was rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in 2023 with the addition of Johnson, another seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, to the ownership structure. As a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for the automobile racing enthusiast, fostering a team environment that will breed success for years to come. LEGACY M.C.’s vision is to honor the rich history of its past and acknowledge the future of the sport with some of today’s most iconic drivers.

LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing, which fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS Racing in 2012, Gallagher, along with one of the NASCAR garage’s most accomplished figures, Team President, Mike Beam, built a victorious organization, capturing the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Toyota Racing NCS Post-Race Duel Two Recap — Daytona 2.16.23

By
Official Release
-

TRUEX AND HAMLIN SCORE TOP-10 FINISHES IN SECOND DUEL
Pastrana Sustains Minor Damage But Will Use Learnings for Inaugural Daytona 500 Start

DAYTONA BEACH (February 16, 2023) – Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Denny Hamlin (ninth) scored top-10 finishes in Thursday night’s second Duel qualifying race to set the second-half of the field for Sunday’s running of the 65th Daytona 500.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Duel 2 – Daytona International Speedway
150 miles, 60 laps
Thursday, February 16, 2023

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Aric Almirola*
2nd, Austin Cindric*
3rd, Chase Elliott*
4th, Brad Keselowski*
5th, Corey Lajoie*
8th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
9th, DENNY HAMLIN
13th, TYLER REDDICK
21st, TRAVIS PASTRANA
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

What was your perspective on that wild final lap and what did you learn for Sunday?

“It’s good to get some race practice in – with no practice. I felt like the Bass Pro Camry TRD was decent – just never really had anywhere to go. I was mired at the bottom most of the race, but was able to get to the guy in front of me and push him really well as long as I had a car somewhere close to me, so that is good sign. I thought it handled pretty good, and we were sitting in a pretty decent spot there on that last lap, I thought, and then the 38 (Todd Gilliland) got turned, and we lost all of our momentum. I just kind of rode it out from there. Overall, it was a good learning experience and not a terrible starting spot, I guess. We will take it and go from there.”

TRAVIS PASTRANA, No. 67 Black Rifle Coffee Toyota Camry TRD, 23XI Racing

Finishing Position: 21st

What happened in the accident and what were you able to learn in the Duel to prepare for the Daytona 500?

“Learned a lot actually and we have a great car. Hopefully we can get it repaired and not have to go to a backup. It didn’t take much of an impact, just couldn’t get it slowed down quite in time. Everything was kind of happening in front of me and I couldn’t make it through that. It was intense those first couple laps running two-by-two. You don’t realize on TV what you can’t see in these vehicles. You’re following the car in front of you, but you don’t know where you are on the race track. Those two Sunoco signs are your turning points. I did learn where my car works best in the draft. Honestly, the whole race was intense. It was fun and it was exciting and even had a good time sliding across the grass. Hope to never do that again, at least this weekend.”

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 20 electrified options, with more in showrooms later this year.

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.

1...1,5991,6001,601...6,645Page 1,600 of 6,645