LEXINGTON, N.C. (Jan. 31, 2023) – Kaulig Racing announces the renewal of its partnership with Nutrien Ag Solutions, extending into a multi-race sponsorship for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season. Nutrien Ag Solutions will serve as a primary partner on AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 Camaro ZL1 throughout the 2023 NCS season.

The partnership between Nutrien Ag Solutions and Kaulig Racing began in 2019 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), in which the Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet made the first of 59 total starts as a primary partner.

Allmendinger earned Nutrien Ag Solutions its first NASCAR win at Circuit of the Americas during the 2022 NXS season. Allmendinger went on to win three more races in the Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet, including his fourth-consecutive win at the Charlotte ROVAL during the NXS playoffs.

“We are excited to continue building our partnership with Nutrien Ag Solutions and have them be a part of our Cup program this season,” said Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing. “AJ is passionate about racing, so to have him on track representing growers who share that same passion is truly special.”

Allmendinger, who announced his return to full-time NCS competition for the 2023 season after a four-year hiatus, said, “I couldn’t be happier to have Nutrien Ag Solutions along for the ride for my return to full-time Cup racing in 2023. We proved this partnership is all about celebrating the hard work of farmers and growers across the nation. I’m excited to continue this partnership and represent them on track.”

“We are thrilled to continue leading the field the 2023 season with AJ and Kaulig Racing.” said David Elser, Senior Vice President of North American Retail for Nutrien Ag Solutions. “The drive and determination that fuels our growers across North America also fuels AJ and the team. We can’t wait to root him on to continued success.”

The No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1 will make its debut in the NCS for the 65th running of the Daytona 500.

About Nutrien Ag Solutions:

Nutrien Ag Solutions® is the retail division of Nutrien® Ltd., the world’s largest crop inputs company, providing full-acre solutions through a network of trusted crop consultants at more than 1,700 global locations. Nutrien Ag Solutions helps growers achieve the highest yields with the most sustainable solutions possible, offering a wide selection of products, including proprietary brands: Loveland Products, Inc.®, Proven® Seed and Dyna-Gro® Seed.

About Kaulig Racing:

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup that will be announced at a later date, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith.

To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

CHASE BRISCOE
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
● Time/Date: 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 5
● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
● Layout: Quarter-mile oval
● Format: 150-lap Feature with a 27-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
● Note: Heats and LCQ are broadcast live from 5-7 p.m. EST. Feature airs live at 8 p.m. EST.

Notes of Interest

● The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season begins on the West Coast for the second year in a row with the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. Last year’s race on the purpose-built, quarter-mile, asphalt oval inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the debut of the new NextGen car, the seventh variation of the NASCAR stock car first introduced in 1949. Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) showed up ready to impress as Briscoe was third-fastest in practice and finished second in his heat race after starting seventh. He lined up sixth for the 150-lap feature and was running fourth on lap 53 before a mechanical issue ended his race.

● Last year’s Clash was the first look at a more comfortable and confident Briscoe as he entered his sophomore season in NASCAR’s premier series. Two weeks later, the young driver competed in his second Daytona 500, ultimately finishing third following a three-way battle for the lead on the final lap.

● Briscoe struggled to find success on the short tracks in NASCAR prior to last season, but the inaugural edition of The Clash with the NextGen car was an opportunity for the former dirt racer to find a new path to success. Just four races into the season, the Mitchell, Indiana, native earned his first career Cup Series win on the Phoenix Raceway mile oval.

● Briscoe went on to earn career-best finishes at two of the most historic short tracks on the NASCAR schedule – Richmond (Va.) Raceway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway – but his standout performance didn’t stop there. He made his first appearance in the playoffs by way of his win at Phoenix and advanced to the Round of 8. Gritty performances in the cutoff races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval and Martinsville showed the rest of the Cup Series that the No. 14 team wasn’t one that gives up.

● That never-give-up-attitude is what landed Briscoe a multiyear contract extension during the offseason. Now going into his third fulltime Cup Series season with SHR, the 28-year-old racer can compete for a championship with the peace of mind that is still unfamiliar for a driver who fought for the smallest of opportunities en route to fulfilling a dream. When his contract extension was announced, Briscoe said, “It’s the place I’ve known longer than anywhere else in my NASCAR career. I remember getting signed by Ford in 2017 and I told people, ‘You know, if I could pick one place to be, it would be Stewart-Haas Racing. And if I could drive one car, it would be the 14 car. That would be the ultimate dream.’ And now, here I am.”

● Mahindra Tractors returns for its second year as primary sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team at The Clash. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America joined SHR prior to the 2022 season with Mahindra Tractors as the anchor sponsor on the No. 14 Ford Mustang. Briscoe’s strong start to the season and perseverance through the playoffs made Briscoe the perfect fit for the Official Tractor of Tough. As a tribute to those who don’t back down, Mahindra Tractors and the No. 14 team will be hosting several customers at The Clash who were impacted by the storms that overwhelmed California in January. Families were selected by the local, independent Mahindra dealerships in recognition of their courage and toughness.

● When the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the L.A. Coliseum Saturday, drivers will take to the track for practice prior to single-car qualifying to determine the starting order for four heat races. Sunday, on-track action will begin with four, 25-lap heat races consisting of 10 cars each. Below is a breakdown on how the heat races will be filled out:

• The top-four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single-car qualifying session will be on the pole for each heat race, while cars that qualified fifth through eighth will make up the other half of the front row in each heat.
• The remainder of each field will be filled using this methodology: Heat one will be made up of cars with qualifying positions of one, five, nine, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37.
• The top-five finishers (20 total cars) from each heat race automatically advance to the Busch Light Clash, with the winner of heat one winning the pole and the winner of heat two earning the outside pole.
• The winners of heats three and four will fill out the second row, with the remaining order being determined in the same manner.
• The remaining finishing positions from each heat that did not advance will continue to one of two 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying (LCQ) races. Below is a breakdown on how the LCQ will be filled out:
• The starting order for these two events will be determined based on finishing positions in the heat races.
• Those who did not advance from heats one and three will make up the first LCQ race. The second race will be made up of those from heats two and four.
• The sixth-place finishers from heats one and two will be on the pole in their respective LCQ races. The sixth-place finishers from heats three and four will be on the outside pole.
• This pattern will continue to fill out the remaining cars in each LCQ.
• The top-three finishers (six total cars) from both LCQ races will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 21-26 of the 27 available positions.
• The final spot in the Busch Light Clash will be reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2022 points standings who does not transfer on finishing position in his heat race or in his LCQ race.
• All other drivers will be eliminated from competition for the remainder of the event weekend.

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

When the 2022 season ended, you said you felt like you had underachieved. Do you still feel that way, or have you had a chance to reevaluate during the offseason?

“My feelings have changed a little. You always want more, but the more I look back on it, I realize it was a good season. The more I think about the things we accomplished, the more proud I am of everything we went through to get there. You want to win more races and to just perform better in general, but now I feel like I’ve realized what a big deal it was to do those things with these guys – to win a race early on, to come back stronger in the playoffs and overcome those moments when it looked like our playoff run was done to almost make it to the Championship 4. As a driver, I want more, and I know as a team we want more, so yes, I’m happy with what we did and I feel more now that it was a success, but we are ready to do more this season.”

Success is measured in many different areas, but is there one overall goal that you’ve set for this year?

“Winning multiple races. I’d be good with two, three, four – one won’t be enough his year. But I’d like to start that off with The Clash, then we can take that momentum into the points-paying races and earn our spot in the playoffs.”

Do you remember how you felt going into last year’s event in L.A., and how does it compare to your outlook going into this weekend?

“I remember going into last year excited for what The Clash was going to be like and not really knowing. It was a new car, new track, new venue, and I think there was little bit of hesitation on what to expect, but I was really excited for that first time. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the NextGen drove at the Coliseum and how the track raced. We had a lot of fun in 2022, so I’m definitely excited to get back there. It’s a great way to kick off the season, and it felt like we had one get away last year, so hopefully this year we can come out with a win.”

You performed well in practice, the heat race and the early part of the feature race, and it was really the first time you looked comfortable racing on a short track in the Cup Series. Did racing on a track that small and having some kind of success to start the season help with confidence on some of the other short tracks on the schedule?

“Yeah, it definitely helps with confidence, but I think the NextGen car is really what helped me out with short tracks. I had a really hard time in the old car on short tracks, and the NextGen just seemed to fit my driving style and how I like to race a short track a little better. I still have a lot I need to work on, but I think The Clash was probably the first time feeling like I could be successful and had finally found what I needed, and from there I was just more comfortable going into races like Martinsville and Richmond.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser
Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink
Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

ARIC ALMIROLA
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
● Time/Date: 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 5
● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
● Layout: Quarter-mile oval
● Format: 150-lap Feature with a 27-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
● Note: Heats and LCQ are broadcast live from 5-7 p.m. EST. Feature airs live at 8 p.m. EST.

Notes of Interest

● NASCAR returns to the track this weekend to unofficially kick off the 2023 season with the second running of the Busch Light Clash at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The weekend’s 150-lap Feature race will showcase 27 world-class drivers battling on a temporary, quarter-mile, paved oval, built on top of the playing field that is home to the University of Southern California Trojans football team. It makes for one of the most unique sporting events in America. Last year’s inaugural event proved to be a success with 4.3 million viewers tuning in to the live broadcast on FOX. That rating was 168 percent higher than the previous year’s Busch Light Clash held at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and broadcast on FS1, and it was the best rating since 2016 for The Clash, when it was broadcast on FOX. On Twitter, NASCAR was the No. 1 trending topic in the United States during the race, besting the NFL’s Pro Bowl, which was held the same day.

● Saturday, NASCAR Cup Series competitors will take to the track for practice prior to single-car qualifying to determine the starting order for Sunday’s four, 25-lap heat races, which will consist of 10 cars each. Below is a breakdown of how the heat races will be filled out:

1. The top-four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single-car qualifying session will be on the pole for each heat race, while cars that qualified fifth through eighth will make up the other half of the front row in each heat.
2. The remainder of each field will be filled using this methodology: Heat one will be made up of cars with qualifying positions of one, five, nine, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37.
3. The top-five finishers (20 total cars) from each heat race automatically advance to the Busch Light Clash, with the winner of heat one winning the pole and the winner of heat two earning the outside pole.
4. The winners of heats three and four will fill out the second row, with the remaining order being determined in the same manner.
5. The remaining finishing positions from each heat that did not advance will continue to one of two 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying (LCQ) races. Below is a breakdown on how the LCQ will be filled out:
6. The starting order for these two events will be determined based on finishing positions in the heat races.
7. Those who did not advance from heats one and three will make up the first LCQ race. The second race will be made up of those from heats two and four.
8. The sixth-place finishers from heats one and two will be on the pole in their respective LCQ races. The sixth-place finishers from heats three and four will be on the outside pole.
9. This pattern will continue to fill out the remaining cars in each LCQ.
10. The top-three finishers (six total cars) from both LCQ races will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 21-26 of the 27 available positions.
11. The final spot in the Busch Light Clash will be reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2022 points standings who did not transfer on finishing position in his heat race or LCQ race.
12. All other drivers will be eliminated from competition for the remainder of the event weekend.

● Busch Light Clash History: In Aric Almirola’s seven previous Clash appearances, he has finished in the top-10 three times with a best finish of sixth. In his heat race during last year’s inaugural Clash, Almirola was involved in an accident not of his doing that eliminated his chance to race in the Feature.

● The quarter-mile oval at the L.A. Coliseum is the shortest of short tracks. Almirola thrives at shorter flat tracks with his most recent NASCAR Cup Series win coming on the 1.058-mile oval at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

● Appearances: Almirola will make an appearance on Sunday at 11:45 a.m. local time at the NASCAR Fan Fest for a Q&A session alongside his Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammates.

● Almirola’s career: In 424 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 91 top-10s, four poles, and has led 974 laps.

● 2022 Recap: Almirola earned one pole, two top-five finishes, seven top-10s and led 81 laps. He started the season as the only NASCAR Cup Series driver with three consecutive top-10 finishes – fifth in the season-opening Daytona 500, sixth at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and sixth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He earned his fourth Cup Series pole at the Sept, 17 race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

● Smithfield Foods rejoins Almirola and the No. 10 Ford team as the anchor sponsor for the 2023 NASCAR season. Smithfield has been a sponsor of Almirola’s for the entirety of his fulltime NASCAR Cup Series career – making it one of the longest-lasting partnerships in NASCAR.

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

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

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

What is your mentality for 2023?

“My mentality for 2023 is really to be better this year than I’ve ever been before, each and every day. For me, as I look throughout my career, I have had a lot of inconsistencies. And once I got to Stewart-Haas Racing, I really honed in on being a lot more consistent and running up front, but last year was not the case. I want to consistently be up front and be the best that I can be. Hopefully we can get our cars faster, but for me personally, it’s just about being the best me every single week.”

What are your thoughts on racing at the L.A. Coliseum again?

“I think it’s incredible what NASCAR is doing to grow our sport. I remember the energy being so electric in that stadium last year. When we walked down for driver intros, the cheering was so loud it reminded me of a Martinsville playoff race. There was a huge section of college students, too, so it was great to see that younger crowd excited about our sport. L.A. is a huge market, too, and we’re generating a ton of buzz before the Daytona 500. This race is like a teaser for our Super Bowl to kick off the year. I mean, what a month for sports. You have The Clash, then the Super Bowl, then the Daytona 500 all in three weeks. You can’t beat that.”

What was the racing like last year, and what do you expect this year?

“There were just so many unknowns last year. There really wasn’t an expectation because we had a brand new car on a brand new track that no one had ever raced before. You saw a lot of mechanical issues take cars out last year, so I think you’re going to see different racing just because of the experience we now have with the car and the track. Hopefully we’ll see cleaner racing so we have a shot at it this year.”

As an organization, how do you feel you are prepared for the 2023 season?

“It’s always hard in the offseason to predict what the season is going to give you. You never really know. Even though you’re working to get better, so is every other race team. You never know really how you stack up until the beginning part of the season gets going, and then you find out if you’re on top or if you’re playing catch-up. Last year, we found ourselves playing catch-up. We certainly didn’t start out the year like we wanted to and we worked really hard throughout the season playing catch-up. Whereas this year, at least we have some notes and some benchmarks going into the season to know, OK, well, we’re certainly better in this area than we were last year. So aerodynamics, car setups, engineering, and even drivers being able to go back and look at data and comparing ourselves to the guys who beat us, and being able to make those changes and those tweaks so that when we get ready for this season, we feel like we’re where we need to be.”

How was your offseason, and are you ready for the season?

“Every year in November after that championship race, we’re all ready to finally get a break. Thirty-eight weeks with one off weekend wears on you, but every year January comes around and I feel reinvigorated and ready to go. Maybe that means we do our offseason right. We took a few trips. I took Alex to see Lambeau Field and watch the Packers play. We took Abby to New York to watch the Rockettes before her theatre performance back home. Then we went to Utah as a family for a ski trip. It was a fun and relaxing offseason, but I’m ready to get back to it.”

Last year, you started the season planning to retire, but plans changed. Walk us through getting to the 2023 season for you.

“I was fully committed to being done. I did not envision a 2023 fulltime season. I went through the first half of last year and was soaking it all in, taking it one race at a time and enjoying what I thought to be my last season. As we got closer to summer, the race team asked if I had interest in staying, Smithfield asked if I had interest in returning, and a lot of it was hinging on whether or not I would continue racing. With that, I felt humbled that the race team and sponsor wanted me to come back because, all of your career, you’re clawing and grinding to get a ride and a sponsor. It felt really nice to have that feeling of being wanted. On top of that, our lives changed. I was choosing to retire because I didn’t want to keep chasing my dream at the expense of my kids searching out for what their dream was. We have found such a wonderful balance with our family now, me being the husband I want to be, the dad I want to be, and their activities changed. We were able to find Alex a baseball league that just so happened to play when I was home, and I was able to spend that time as the assistant coach on his team. Abby is really into theatre and her performances happened to be on weeknights, as well. All the stars aligned and I have to really thank God for providing for us and aligning all of the stars to find balance.”

How much did traveling with your family and experiencing things most families don’t get to on the road impact your decision?

“Yeah, that was one thing that really impacted our decision. They were able to come to 26 races. The experience they get to have traveling the country is remarkable. Before the pandemic, the schedules didn’t really work as well. We used to leave on Thursdays and that didn’t really work with school and their activities, but now we leave on Friday evening and we’re done by 1 or 2 o’clock and we really took advantage of that last year as a family. In the past, I would fly in, get to the racetrack, and be completely focused because the schedule demanded that of me. We would have a Friday-morning practice and qualifying, then Saturday we would have another hour or two of practice, then Sunday was the race, and it was an exhausting weekend that didn’t leave room to enjoy with your family. Now with this new schedule, it has allowed me to both stay extremely focused for the race and make memories with my family.”

BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM
Sunday, February 5 – NASCAR Cup Series Clash at the Coliseum, 8 p.m. ET (FOX)

After a successful debut last season, the NASCAR Cup Series opens its 2023 campaign with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum for a second straight time. Ford driver Joey Logano kicked off the NASCAR Next Gen era with a victory in his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Mustang to become the first driver to win the Clash at a facility other than Daytona International Speedway.

Austin Cindric
No. 2 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)

Kevin Harvick
No. 4 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)

Brad Keselowski
No. 6 Ford Mustang (RFK Racing)

Aric Almirola
No. 10 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)

Ryan Blaney
No. 12 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)

Chase Briscoe
No. 14 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)

JJ Yeley
No. 15 Ford Mustang (Rick Ware Racing)

Chris Buescher
No. 17 Ford Mustang (RFK Racing)

Harrison Burton
No. 21 Ford Mustang (Wood Brothers Racing)

Joey Logano
No. 22 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)

Michael McDowell
No. 34 Ford Mustang (Front Row Motorsports)

Todd Gilliland
No. 38 Ford Mustang (Front Row Motorsports)

Ryan Preece
No. 41 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)

Cody Ware
No. 51 Ford Mustang (Rick Ware Racing)

A LOOK BACK

FORD CLASH HISTORY

The Clash has been held in some form since 1979 and Ford has won it 10 times by seven different drivers. The best stretch in the event for Ford undoubtedly came during a three-year winning streak in which Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett all reached victory lane from 1998-2000. Jarrett owns three of Ford’s 10 victories (1996, 2000, 2004) in the event and on two of those occasions (1996 and 2000) he went on to win the Daytona 500.

LOOKING BACK AT 2022

For the first time in NASCAR history, the Clash was held at a place other than the Daytona International Speedway as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosted the event on February 6, 2022. The specially-made quarter-mile asphalt track delivered in the main event as Logano, who won his heat race, passed Kyle Busch on lap 116 and led the final 35 to become only the second Ford driver to win the Clash more than once. Logano, who also captured the event in 2017, joined Dale Jarrett (three-time winner) with multiple Ford victories.

 ELLIOTT CLAIMS FORD’S FIRST CLASH VICTORY AT DAYTONA

Bill Elliott became the first Ford driver to win a non-points event in the NASCAR Cup Series on February 8, 1987 when he captured the Busch Clash. The format that year was a single 20-lap run (50 miles) with no pit stop required. Elliott, who started on the pole in his No. 9 Coors Thunderbird after a blind draw, fell back to sixth on the start after Terry Labone and Ricky Rudd were involved in an accident on the first lap. On the ensuing restart, Elliott steadily reeled in leader Darrell Waltrip and passed him on lap eight. Elliott led the final 13 laps and won with an average speed of 197.802 mph, a record that still stands for the event. A week later, Elliott won his second Daytona 500.

 TAURUS WINS DEBUT AS RUSTY TAKES INAUGURAL BUD SHOOTOUT

Taurus made NASCAR history as the first four-door sedan and it wasted no time in opening eyes as Rusty Wallace drove it to victory in its debut race – the 1998 Bud Shootout. The win was Wallace’s first at Daytona International Speedway and it came with a little help from his younger brother, Kenny, who pushed him across the finish line on the final lap. Bill Elliott and Jimmy Spencer finished third and fourth, respectively, to give Ford a sweep of the top four positions.

DJ HOLDS OFF JR FOR SHOOTOUT TRIUMPH

Dale Jarrett won his third Budweiser Shootout on February 7, 2004 in his No. 88 UPS Taurus. The race was broken up into two segments – an initial 20-lap run followed by a 50-lapper to the finish – and marked the beginning of Nextel as series sponsor. Jarrett and Kevin Harvick were side-by-side at the white flag, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Jarrett the push he needed to complete the pass on the outside going through turn one. Even though Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray got into an accident on the backstretch, the race finished under green with Jarrett holding off Earnhardt Jr. to win.

LOGANO BREAKS CLASH DROUGHT

Joey Logano snapped a 13-year Ford winless drought when he won The Clash in 2017, making him the manufacturer’s first victor since Dale Jarrett in 2004. Logano found himself in the right place at the right time, taking the lead after Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski made contact on the final lap. Keselowski had a run and was trying to pass Hamlin, whose attempt at blocking came too late and resulted in both cars colliding. That enabled Logano to get through and win the Clash for the first time in his career. Four Ford drivers finished in the top six spots as Danica Patrick was fourth, Kevin Harvick fifth and Keselowski sixth.

KESELOWSKI SETS THE TONE

In a foreshadowing of what the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series would look like, Brad Keselowski took Ford to victory lane in the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. Keselowski led a Ford sweep of the top four finishing positions as he took the lead on lap 39 of the 75-lap feature and never looked back, holding off Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Ryan Blaney, respectively. It marked the second straight Clash win for Ford and served as a springboard that saw the Blue Oval lead the series with 19 wins and capture the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.

PAST WINNERS

1987 – Bill Elliott
1992 – Geoffrey Bodine
1996 – Dale Jarrett
1998 – Rusty Wallace
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Dale Jarrett
2004 – Dale Jarrett
2017 – Joey Logano
2018 – Brad Keselowski
2022 – Joey Logano

KELLEY BLUE BOOK CONTINUES SUPPORT OF CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 TEAM

CONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 31, 2023) – Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company and your one-stop resource for researching new and used cars, has extended its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and champion driver Chase Elliott with a two-year contract renewal.

In 2023 and 2024, Kelley Blue Book will be featured as a two-race primary sponsor and full-season associate sponsor of Elliott’s No. 9 NASCAR Cup Series team. The company’s association with Hendrick Motorsports began with a one-race primary sponsorship in 2014 and expanded to two races in 2016 when Kelley Blue Book joined Elliott for his rookie year.

This season, the 27-year-old Elliott will drive the No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on March 12 at Phoenix Raceway and in the Cup Series playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 24.

“We were just getting started when we first teamed up with Chase Elliott back in 2016, and now Kelley Blue Book eagerly anticipates two more thrilling seasons in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports,” said Ken Kraft, chief marketing officer for Cox Automotive. “With Kelley Blue Book’s support, we hope Chase feels just as confident on the track as car shoppers feel off the track when using Kelley Blue Book to research new and used cars. Continuing to connect with fellow race fans this season via the Chase Elliott sponsorship is a natural extension for Kelley Blue Book, the one-stop resource for car shoppers.”

In 2020, Elliott became the third-youngest driver in history to win a Cup Series title. At NASCAR’s top level, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native already has won 18 points-paying races and was voted by fans as the sport’s Most Popular Driver five consecutive times (2018-2022). Last year, he secured a series-best five victories, won the regular season championship and made his seventh playoff appearance in as many full years on the circuit.

“Kelley Blue Book has been such a big part of my Cup Series career dating back to my very first season, and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together so far,” Elliott said. “Not only have they been an outstanding partner for our No. 9 program, but for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick’s entire organization. I look forward to continuing to build our relationship and celebrating more victories with Kelley Blue Book in the years to come.”

In addition to individual consumers, Kelley Blue Book’s variety of products and services are available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Partners include Hendrick Automotive Group, which utilizes Kelley Blue Book in each of its 132 automotive retail franchises across the United States.

“We’re proud to continue our relationship with Kelley Blue Book,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “It’s been a tremendous collaboration across many levels, from winning races and championships on the track to working together to meet business objectives. In 2023, we look forward to celebrating our 10th season of partnership and continuing to raise the bar.”

ABOUT KELLEY BLUE BOOK:
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry for nearly a century. As the industry standard for generations, Kelley Blue Book provides transparent, objective information and data-driven, innovative tools for consumers, automotive dealers and manufacturers. The company publishes millions of market-reflective values weekly on its top-rated website KBB.com, from its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values to the Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor tool, which offers a range for what consumers reasonably can expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. KBB.com editors rate and review hundreds of new vehicles each year to help consumers understand the Best Cars and Best SUVs to meet their needs. Kelley Blue BookSM Instant Cash Offer provides a redeemable trade-in offer to transaction-ready consumers and conveniently connects them to local participating dealers. Kelley Blue Book’s Service Advisor provides guidance on how much to pay for service and repairs, allowing consumers to schedule service with local dealers on KBB.com. The company also provides vehicle values to finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand.

ABOUT COX AUTOMOTIVE:
Cox Automotive is the world’s largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, automakers, dealers, retailers, lenders and fleet owners. The company has 25,000+ employees on five continents and a family of trusted brands that includes Autotrader®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital™ and vAuto®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with $21 billion in revenue. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on Twitter, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn.

ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (291) and laps led (more than 77,000). It has earned at least one race win in a record 38 different seasons, including an active streak of 37 in a row (1986-2022). The team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Martin Truex Jr.
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
● Time/Date: 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 5
● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
● Layout: Quarter-mile oval
● Format: 150-lap Feature with a 27-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
● Note: Heats and LCQ are broadcast live from 5-7 p.m. EST. Feature airs live at 8 p.m. EST.

Notes of Interest

● Entering his fifth season under the JGR banner, Truex has become quite the short-track ace during his first four seasons with JGR’s No. 19 team. Prior to his time with JGR, Truex had never won on a short track. However, since joining JGR, he’s brought home six of his 12 total victories on short tracks, which includes with three wins each on the Virginia shorts track at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. In fact, nine of Truex’s wins since joining JGR at the start of 2019 have been on tracks 1.33 miles in length or shorter, which bodes well for the New Jersey native at this weekend’s race on the quarter-mile oval at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

● Truex will participate in the Clash for the 12th time in his career this weekend. His best finish of second came in the 2015 edition at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the traditional home for the non-points event before last year’s inaugural race at the Coliseum. Truex started 23rd and brought home a 15th-place finish at the event in 2022.

● History was made last February when the NASCAR Cup Series competed for the first time at the Coliseum. The Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum was a bold way to unofficially kick off the start of the NASCAR season. On a temporary, quarter-mile paved oval built on top of what is typically the running track around the football field the Trojans of the University of Southern California call home, NASCAR thundered into America’s second-largest media market. The location was strategic, as was the event’s timing – held on the off weekend between the NFL division championship games and the almighty Super Bowl. For all the unknowns coming into the event, it proved to be an absolute success. The buzz was palpable throughout the weekend, and more than 70 percent of ticket buyers were first-time NASCAR attendees. And with 4.3 million viewers tuned into the live TV broadcast on FOX, its ratings were 168 percent higher than the previous year’s Busch Light Clash, which was held at Daytona and broadcast on FS1. It was the Clash’s best rating since 2016, when it was broadcast on FOX. On Twitter, NASCAR was the No. 1 trending topic in the United States during the race, besting the NFL’s Pro Bowl, which was held the same day.

● While NASCAR certainly made history last year at the L.A. Coliseum, it’s appropriate to say auto racing history was remade. As World War II wound down, racing open-wheel midget cars around the Coliseum cranked up. Beginning in 1945, the United Racing Association (URA) ran on a quarter-mile track that was paved right over the top of the athletic track. Racing continued through 1948, but under the auspices of the Automobile Association of America (AAA). As more permanent racetracks began populating Southern California, racing at the Coliseum fell by the wayside. That is, until 1979 when Mickey Thompson packaged off-road racing into his innovative stadium series, with the Coliseum serving as his first event of many across the country. Broadcast on ESPN and TNN, it was where an up-and-coming off-road racer with NASCAR ambitions first started making a name for himself – none other than seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

● NASCAR celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023, and for most of those years the sanctioning body began its annual campaign at Daytona. Starting the year in California isn’t a break from tradition, necessarily. In fact, it could be argued that it’s a return to a previous tradition. Last year’s Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum marked the first time since 1981 that NASCAR didn’t start its season at Daytona. But starting the year in California was not new. In 1965, and again from 1970 to 1981, the NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening race took place at Riverside International Raceway, a road course that was approximately 50 miles east of Los Angeles. Riverside is long gone, the site now home to the Moreno Valley Mall, but the L.A. Coliseum was at 311 Figueroa Street 34 years before Riverside opened its doors in 1957, and it’s still there today. It’s a juxtaposition of old and new, a microcosm of NASCAR’s brave new world.

● In true L.A. fashion, almost any NASCAR Cup Series team can show up at the Coliseum, but not everyone is getting past the velvet ropes to participate in the 150-lap main event. Because the track at the Coliseum is only a quarter-mile in length – the shortest track the NASCAR Cup Series will compete on in 2023 – only 27 cars can compete in the feature. Getting to the main event is much more arduous than walking the red carpet and slipping the bouncer a $100 bill.

Here’s how it works:

● Saturday, NASCAR Cup Series competitors will take to the track for practice prior to single-car qualifying to determine the starting order for Sunday’s four 25-lap heat races consisting of 10 cars each. Below is a breakdown on how the heat races will be filled out:

● The top-four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single-car qualifying session will be on the pole for each heat race, while cars that qualified fifth through eighth will make up the other half of the front row in each heat.

● The remainder of each field will be filled using this methodology: Heat one will be made up of cars with qualifying positions of one, five, nine, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37.

● The top-five finishers (20 total cars) from each heat race automatically advance to the Busch Light Clash, with the winner of heat one winning the pole and the winner of heat two earning the outside pole.

● The winners of heats three and four will fill out the second row, with the remaining order being determined in the same manner.

● The remaining finishers from each heat that did not advance will continue to one of two 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying (LCQ) races. Below is a breakdown on how the LCQ will be filled out:

● The starting order for these two events will be determined based on finishing positions in the heat races.

● Those who did not advance from heats one and three will make up the first LCQ race. The second race will be made up of those from heats two and four.

● The sixth-place finishers from heats one and two will be on the pole in their respective LCQ races. The sixth-place finishers from heats three and four will be on the outside pole.

●This pattern will continue to fill out the remaining cars in each LCQ.

● The top-three finishers (six total cars) from each LCQ race will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 21-26 of the 27 available positions.

● The final spot in the Busch Light Clash will be reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2022 points standings who does not transfer on finishing position in their heat race or in their LCQ race.

● All other drivers will be eliminated from competition for the remainder of the event weekend.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD

What are you expecting from the NextGen car this year that will be different than last year? Do you think your team will make some gains, especially since some changes had to be made to the back of the car in particular?

“I think so, especially on short tracks and road courses, where we had some of our issues. What we’ve seen so far in all of our wind-tunnel testing and everything else I think we’ll be able to make some gains on what we needed last year and what we were lacking. Feeling good about that, but until we go test and also get on the track for real, there’s no guarantee, but it seems like things are lining up that are going to be able to help with what we thought we needed help with last year.”

With the experience you gained there last year, what do you expect at this year’s Clash at The Coliseum?

“I think the Clash will be a better race overall this year. Last year, there were just so many unknowns. You even had a new car and just, setup-wise, it was all a big guess. We all just got thrown out there, and whoever guessed right was the fastest there last year. I think we’ll see more of a competitive race even though they’ve put down new asphalt. Will the asphalt be any different or will it be exactly the same? It will be interesting to see. I expect a more competitive race and it will be hard to make the show if you are not locked in, for sure.”

How did the NextGen cars change your approach to short tracks last year?

“Short tracks were a challenge last year for us. It was a lot harder to pass than the previous car at short tracks. With the increased shifting and the way the brakes were on this car, it’s just so much different. I think the shifting has made the biggest difference. But with the braking going along with that, independent rear suspension, and differential and all of those things going on with the bigger brakes that we have now, we almost have more brakes than the tires can even take. So it’s been a challenge not to modulate that and try not to lock up the rear tires, which has been a big issue for us as a team.”

What are your expectations for this season as you work to get back in the playoffs and focus on getting into championship contention again?

“We are looking forward to the season and we have some pretty high expectations. Winning races and going for another championship is really the only reason why I’m still here, so anything short of that is going to be a disappointment. We’ve got a great team and really no changes other than hopefully the fastest over-the-wall pit crew in the sport. We are pretty excited about that group and what they can get done on pit road for us. It’s going to be all about taking advantage of our opportunities. We had a good season last year, but we didn’t get a win. We had a lot of opportunities to do that but we weren’t able to put one of those away. That’s what we are focused on – how do we not make mistakes and how do we get our cars more competitive more consistently. But I think with the changes NASCAR has made to the cars, I think it’s going to help us. We are fired up and ready to go and I think we are going to make some big problems for a lot of people this year with our Bass Pro Shops Toyota.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones
Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Engineer: Nick Burton
Hometown: Arvada, California

Engineer: Jeff Curtis
Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring
Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael
Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Gregg Huls
Hometown: Beatrice, Nebraska

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell
Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot
Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

LOS ANGELES (January 31, 2023) – – The season-opening NASCAR Cup Series exhibition race, the Busch Light Clash, returns to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this weekend. To celebrate, Food 4 Less® has a car entered in the 150-Lap race with the JTG Daugherty Racing team.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will race the No. 47 Food 4 Less/Velveeta® Camaro, and prior to that, he will be making an appearance at store location 1299 W. Artesia Blvd. in Gardena, CA on Friday, February 3rd from 4-5 PM Pacific to sign autographs for our consumers.

“Food 4 Less is excited to host Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at our Gardena location this week, and we invite the community to join us for a fun opportunity to meet Ricky, as well as connect with other fans from Los Angeles and all around the nation,” said Bryan Kaltenbach, President, Food 4 Less/Foods Co.

“It’s important to us to get into the community and meet our fans, and Food 4 Less is providing that opportunity along with our CPG (consumer packaged goods) partners,” Stenhouse Jr. said.

“Last year, The Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum was totally new for everybody, and no one knew what to expect,” Stenhouse Jr. continued. “Coming through the tunnel was one of the coolest things ever for me. We made the race, and it was nice to be able to do that because not everybody made it. We know it will be more intense this year especially since everyone knows what to expect. It’s a great venue, and the crowd’s electric. We’re excited to be back in market for The Clash.”

On Sunday, February 5th qualifying heat races being at 2 PM Pacific (5 PM ET) on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90). The 150-Lap Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum begins at 5 PM Pacific (8 PM ET) on the same networks.

About Food 4 Less:

We are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. Food 4 Less/Foods Co is more than 9,000 associates serving customers in 121 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co in Central and Northern California. From the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles County, Food 4 Less is a recognized leader in community service and giving. The company supports Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative aimed at ending hunger in our communities and eliminating waste within our company by the year 2025. Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the world’s largest retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Food 4 Less/Foods Co, please visit our websites at www.food4less.com and www.foodsco.com.