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Thomas Wins Mazda MX-5 Cup Race Two in One Lap Dash to the Finish

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 27, 2022) – Defending Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires Champion Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) timed the final lap of Friday’s race perfectly and beat Thursday’s race winner, Tyler Gonzalez (No. 51 Copeland Motorsports) to the finish line.

A full-course yellow with 15 minutes left in the race set up a one lap dash to the checkered flag. Gonzalez led the field to the white flag restart, but Thomas got the better of him exiting the Le Mans Chicane. The pair continued nose-to-tail around the final high-banked corners of Daytona International Speedway, and Gonzalez waited until the last moment to jump out of the draft, but it wasn’t enough as Thomas took the win by 0.078-second.

Thomas takes home a generous $8,000 check from Mazda for the win but knowing that his 2022 championship season started with a Race Two win at Daytona was the best part for the JTR team leader.

“Since we got our first win of 2022 in Race 2 at Daytona last year, I am extremely excited to start this season off with a bang again,” Thomas said. “I thought it was a great race, although there was a chance we weren’t going to go back green, but I knew with the two Hixon cars right behind me I had to stay on the 51 (Tyler Gonzalez). They kind of got shuffled up behind us and it was just a two-car race and I played my run in just the right time to be able to get Tyler [Gonzalez] blind so that was super exciting.

“The money is nice, but to be honest I was not thinking about the cash, I just wanted to win no matter what. It is nice to win here; this is a place I grew up as a little kid watching the 24 and it was kind of the race I always idolized. The feeling of being on victory lane here now twice is very special.”

Unlike Thursday evening’s race that ran under green from flag-to-flag, Friday’s Round Two event saw the field slowed for two full-course caution periods. The second of which lasted five laps with Gonzalez up front. Drivers were swerving aggressively behind the safety car to keep heat in their tires, but it was engine temperatures that occupied Gonzalez’s mind.

“For sure, it’s really cold here and you actually have to worry about your engine getting too cold since your water temps drop so fast,” Gonzalez said. “So when two laps were to go under that yellow, I just kept everything warm.”

Traditionally, leading at Daytona on the final lap is not where you want to be to get the win, so Gonzalez knew his fate was probably sealed, but being able to break free from the rest of the pack at least guaranteed a podium finish.

“Honestly, I was just happy that it was Jared [Thomas] because then it is a guaranteed one, two not one through fifteen,” Gonzalez said. “Unfortunately, there is not too much you can do when you are that lead car, but I am happy for Jared, I am happy for Copeland bringing home a first and second place finish this weekend. I think that is pretty good.”

The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup series champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) benefitted tremendously from the late full-course yellow. A poor start saw Wagner drop all the way to 20th before he started his climb to the podium. On the final restart he went from 10th to third.

“The beginning drop back was just cold tires and cold brakes and I guess you could also say over ambitious moves,” Wagner said. “I just carried a little too much speed and the car wasn’t up for it, which is why I caught a slide there and for a second I thought I was about to go around, it was that bad. Once I got back on the oval though everybody had momentum and just shuffled me back.

“I am just glad we were able to get that last lap in sitting P10 coming to the white flag,” Wagner added. “I knew I was finally up there where I could make something happen. Somehow, I always manage to get it done here at Daytona. I did not have the best race here yesterday finishing fifth and I really wanted to get on the podium here, which is always the goal. After that race I am pretty excited for a third, that is like a win.”

Wagner lead a pack of 10 cars to the finish line. He was just 0.036-second ahead of Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) in fourth place who narrowly beat out Max Opalski (No. 2 Copeland Motorsports).

Opalski had what could be considered the save of the race when he and polesitter Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) made contact and both went through Turn One sideways together right in the thick of the five-car lead pack. Luckily the pair were able to control their cars and not collect anyone else in the process.

The latest Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship Winner, Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) was the highest finishing rookie in eighth place.

Mazda MX-5 Cup is back in action March 3 – 5, at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Both races from Daytona International Raceway are available to re-watch on the IMSA YouTube Channel.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

CHEVROLET REVEALS CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R FOR 2024 COMPETITION

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Official Release
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High-performance GT3 racecar focused on customer teams

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Chevrolet today debuted the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar, a year before it makes its competition debut at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Making its public debut at Daytona International Speedway ahead of Saturday’s Rolex 24, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet’s first racecar that fully meets FIA technical regulations for GT3 cars.

Design and development of the mid-engine Z06 GT3.R is a collaboration between GM’s Competition Motorsports Engineering and Pratt Miller Engineering. With an eye specifically toward customer racing, the Z06 GT3.R will be eligible for multiple championships in North America and around the world with a high level of parts and technical support available for its customers.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R will race for the first time as part of the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona to open next year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“The Corvette Z06 GT3.R breaks new ground for Chevrolet and the Corvette Racing program,” said Mark Stielow, director, GM Motorsports Engineering Competition. “This customer-focused racecar leverages learnings from throughout Corvette Racing’s lengthy and successful history, plus the expertise of our Corvette production design, engineering and powertrain teams.”

Track and street

The Z06 GT3.R is a landmark racing vehicle for Chevrolet. Based on the highly acclaimed mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Z06 supercar, this new race car takes the level of technology transfer between racing and production to a new level with more shared components and features than ever before.

“Corvette Racing has been an important influence on the design of Corvette production cars for 25 years,” said Tadge Juechter, executive chief engineer, Corvette. “Corvette production and racing teams worked together closely in development to maximize the benefits of a mid-engine design, sharing lessons learned that set both programs up for all-out performance on the track.”

The Z06 GT3.R begins its life as an aluminum chassis frame from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky[i]. The frame provides a lightweight yet strong and durable underpinning for both Z06 and Z06 GT3.R. Once in Michigan at Pratt Miller, a purpose-built steel roll cage is welded onto a base plate, which is secured to the chassis.

A double-wishbone suspension at the front and rear promotes a higher level of adjustability and fitment of racing-specific tire sizes. This is the same front and rear suspension configuration as on the Z06 production vehicle.

The motorsports engineering team added race springs and dampers, competition-specific rotors, calipers and pads. The Z06 GT3.R rides on 18-inch front and rear wheels — the same as on the C8.R.

Advanced aerodynamic strategies also link the road-going Corvette and its GT3 counterpart. Motorsports engineers worked with the GM Design Studio to develop an aero package specific to the Z06 GT3.R to optimize levels of downforce, stability, drag reduction and cooling.

The goal was to design a GT3-spec Corvette that is suitable across different tire specifications, balance-of-performance settings and other customer preferences while not sacrificing performance or drivability on a variety of tracks and racing surfaces.

In order to enhance performance of the Z06 and Z06 GT3.R, each uses similar carbon fiber splitters which provide optimal downforce at the front of the vehicles. On the underside of the Z06 GT3.R, a new and purpose-designed carbon fiber diffuser routes air from the front the car toward the rear in order to create an optimal level of overall car stability.

The underbody aerodynamic devices work together in complementing the functionality of a new-for-2024 wing that aids in airflow at the rear of the Z06 GT3.R and the creation of downforce for enhanced cornering ability.

Aggressive and efficient ducting will move air to cool internal components. Intakes at the front of the Z06 GT3.R draw in air to cool the front brakes. A single, large opening on the hood — a new design philosophy from the C8.R — extracts out air after it moves over the radiator.

From the top of the windshield to the rear of the car, the surface elements of the Z06 stayed intact for the Z06 GT3.R, accentuating the tie between production and racing. Most notable are side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes.

Corvette production power for Z06 GT3.R

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R will feature a 5.5-liter, flat-plane crankshaft DOHC V-8 engine derived from the production Z06. This engine began on-track development in 2019 with the initial testing of the C8.R, ahead of its use in the production Z06.

The LT6 engine for the GT3.R originates from the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, the same line on which all production Corvette Z06 engines are built.

The 5.5-liter powerplant shares more than 70 percent of its parts with the production Z06 engine, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors.

“Racing continues to play a key role in the development of our production engines,” said Russ O’Blenes, director, Performance and Racing Propulsion Team. “There were valuable lessons learned during the C5-R through C7.R programs that aided in the development of our V-8 engines for production and racing — many dealing with efficiency, materials and light-weighting. The flow of information from Corvette Racing to production engineering and back has helped us build race and street-car engines that are fast, reliable and efficient.”

Safety Structure

Chevrolet and Pratt Miller have worked together to incorporate a number of features into the GT3.R, building on safety construction from the C8.R. The Z06 GT3 features a side-impact crash structure between the driver’s side door and roll cage. Pioneered in the C7.R, the box features an outer casing of carbon fiber and Kevlar, and is filled with an aluminum honeycomb construction.

The GT3 Corvette’s integrated steel roll cage is slightly modified from the current racing Corvette to provide easier ingress and egress.

Testing

The reveal of the Z06 GT3.R follows a two-year testing program. Virtual simulation through Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop simulator began in early 2021.

The first on-track test of the Z06 GT3.R took place in September 2022 — which means the Z06 GT3.R will have a full year of on-track development when it gets into the hands of customers in the third quarter of 2023.

“We’re all very pleased with the results from the track testing program so far,” said Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM sports car racing program manager. “What’s even more encouraging is the correlation between simulator sessions and what we’re finding in the real-world track testing. It’s another level of validation that gives us confidence in the development process.”

Driven by success

The Z06 GT3.R is the latest in a line of championship-winning Corvette racecars that date back to the late 1990s and the introduction of Corvette Racing and the Corvette C5-R. Entering its 25th season, the program has scored 122 race victories around the world, including 113 in IMSA competition.

Those wins have led to 14 Manufacturer’s and Driver’s championships and 15 Team titles. No team in IMSA history has won more races or championships than Corvette Racing in that span.

The mid-engine C8.R — the predecessor of the Z06 GT3.R — has won 15 times around the world since its on-track debut in 2020. The 2023 season will be its second and last with a dual program in both the WeatherTech Championship and the FIA WEC. The latter will move from the current GTE regulations to the global GT3 platform beginning in 2024.

Customer support and options

Chevrolet and Corvette Racing is establishing a complete customer support program that will be available to teams running the Z06 GT3.R in North America and elsewhere around the world.

An at-track parts truck will be a fixture at North American race events starting in 2024 with expansion to overseas support ramping up in the first two years of the Z06 GT3.R program.

Corvette Racing will carry full spares packages of bodywork and internal components for its customer teams in supported championships. On the technical side, engineers will assist teams with items such as pre-race documentation, including chassis setup and data sharing plus post-event documentation, data analysis, and relative comparisons.

Full engineering, race strategy and other items also are incremental support options for Corvette Z06 GT3.R customer teams.

Customer integration doesn’t stop at the racetrack. Corvette Racing and GM Motorsports engineers will be available for remote engineering and operations support.

“Supporting our customers is an area where we are putting in a lot of time and effort,” said Christie Bagne, GM assistant sports car racing program manager. “With this being our first customer GT3 offering, we have had meetings with many prospective customers to learn from their previous experiences, find what is important to them from a support standpoint and come up with a program that meets their expectations.”

The 2024 championships

For 2024, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing will continue targeting key sports car racing championships with North American and global entries.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will see up to four Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries with a mix of GTD PRO and GTD teams starting with the 2024 Rolex 24.

Two Corvette chassis will be bound for FIA WEC in hopes of a double entry in the yet-to-be-named GT category, which would include the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Chevrolet Motorsports will also be evaluating opportunities to be represented in SRO Motorsports including SRO America and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

Specific team announcements including drivers will be announced at a later date.

“This has been an intense but very rewarding process,” Klauser said. “From the time we announced a Corvette GT3 car, I’ve received more inquiries than I can count. It’s a testament to a known product like Corvette, the minds behind design, development and build, and the quarter-century success of Corvette Racing.”

[i] Assembled from US and globally sourced parts.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. 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.

Rajah Caruth returns to Alpha Prime Racing in 2023

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C (Jan 27, 2023): Alpha Prime Racing is proud to announce that Rajah Caruth will be returning to the team for select races during the 2023 NASCAR XFINITY Series season.

“Rajah is a special young racecar driver who is exactly the type of person we want in our building,” said APR Vice President David Schildhouse. “Keeping him here at Alpha Prime Racing for his Xfinity starts was a top priority for us this offseason. We look at Rajah as a vital part of our future and look forward to giving him the best tools possible to continue his growth in this sport.”

Caruth made 7 starts in the Xfinity Series in 2022, all with APR, and experienced the highs and lows of competing at the second highest level in NASCAR. Despite 2 DNFs in his first 4 starts, Rajah finished his campaign with 3 straight top-20 finishes including a 12th place run at Martinsville last October. For Rajah, his desire to return to APR was not only fueled by the performance of the team but also the people within it.

“I’m so enthused to bolster my NASCAR schedule this year by returning to Alpha Prime Racing for some Xfinity races,” said Caruth. “Tommy and his family took a chance on me before I had even ran an ARCA race, and to represent them as well as Caesar (Bacarella), his family and every man and woman in the APR fold is a blessing. I can’t wait to build on the finishes we put together late last year and continue to show what both myself and this team is capable of.”

Details regarding sponsorship and Rajah’s scheduled events will come at a future date.

ABT CUPRA XE confirms Klara Andersson and Nasser Al-Attiyah for Extreme E Season 3

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SM
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27 January 2023, London: ABT CUPRA XE have confirmed that Klara Andersson will be continuing alongside five-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah for the team in Extreme E Season 3.

The young Swede secures her spot after two impressive performances at the end of last season whilst deputising for Jutta Kleinschmidt. A podium finish on debut at the penultimate round in Chile, and the team’s maiden victory at the season finale in Uruguay, saw Andersson and ABT CUPRA XE finish the year as they mean to go on.

Having completed its second season, which culminated in sixth-place in the championship standings, the ABT CUPRA XE team is focused on achieving more podiums in its third Extreme E campaign in 2023.

Klara Andersson, ABT CUPRA XE, said: “I am super excited to join ABT CUPRA XE for the full Extreme E season in 2023.

“It is an amazing team – I have done two races already for ABT CUPRA XE stepping in for Jutta, and those went very well. I am extremely excited to join full-time and race alongside Nasser again. He’s an amazing driver and person overall, and so I am really happy to continue the momentum that we got last year in Chile and Uruguay.

“We want to fight for the Extreme E title. That’s what every team wants and we will do our best to perform as well as we can.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah, ABT CUPRA XE, said: “We are ready for the 2023 season and I am really happy that Klara is joining me behind the wheel at ABT CUPRA XE.

“I am very excited and really looking forward to fighting for the championship this year. We have updated the livery – which looks amazing – and we are ready to drive, get out there on track and take some wins for the team.”

The Swedish-Qatari duo will be looking to make an impact, and a new livery for their ODYSSEY 21 will certainly be turning heads. A multi-layered and chameleonic body colour, combining a deep purple and neon yellow, will take to the Extreme E grid for Season 3.

This season, the team’s car features an updated livery to match the UrbanRebel, the ABT CUPRA GEN3 Formula E car and the CUPRA e-Racer. This is testament to how Extreme E is enhancing CUPRA’s electrification research while promoting electrification, sustainability, environmental awareness, and gender equality.

The Tavascan XE hints at CUPRA’s design for the future series production CUPRA Tavascan, the brand’s second 100% electric model, which will hit European and overseas markets in 2024.

Xavi Serra, Head of CUPRA Racing, said: “Our second season saw us make serious progress in terms of understanding how we work best as a team. We ended the season with a run of strong results, and we’re keen to build on that. Our goals are clear: We are here to fight for the titles. Adding Klara to the team provides race win experience, and I can’t wait to see both her and Nasser out competing once more.”

Now in his second season for ABT CUPRA XE, five-time Dakar winner Al-Attiyah continues alongside World RX rising star Andersson.

Al-Attiyah has seen great success during his time in motorsport, becoming the 2006 Production World Rally Champion, WRC-2 Champion in 2014 and 2015, a 16-time Middle East Rally Champion, five times winner of the FIA World Cup for Cross-County Rallies, and winner of the Dakar in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and this year’s 2023 edition.

Getting behind the wheel at the Antofagasta Minerals Copper X Prix marked a long-awaited series debut for the Swedish protégé, having made her first appearance at the Season 1 Rookie Test with ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team.

As well as competing in Extreme E last year, Andersson enjoyed a strong 2022 season. The 22-year-old currently competes in World RX as the first permanent female competitor in WRX history with Construction Equipment Dealer Team.

Andersson recorded her best WRX result to date by finishing third in Portugal – becoming the first-ever female driver to step on the podium in the championship’s history.

The Tavascan XE complete with new livery will be showcased with Andersson behind the wheel during the Race of Champions this weekend (28-29 January) in Pite Havsbad, Sweden.

To learn more about Extreme E, visit – www.Extreme-E.com

GRANT SEXTON LAUNCHES USAC/CRA ROOKIE CAMPAIGN THIS WEEK AT THE COCOPAH SPEEDWAY

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(Lakeside, CA, January 26, 2023) 2021 POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series champion Grant Sexton has his eyes set on another title in 2023. The teenage racer will open his first full season of 410 sprint car racing and his campaign for “Rookie of the Year” when the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series visits Arizona’s Cocopah Speedway this Friday and Saturday, January 27th and 28th. It will be his first ever time racing at the track known as the “Diamond in the Desert.”

Sexton, who lives in Lakeside, California, did have a few runs in full-size sprint cars in 2022. They included four events with USAC/CRA, three shows at Ventura including the Turkey Night Grand Prix, and an open comp show at the Imperial Valley Raceway. The talkative teen won his first-ever start in a full-size sprinter at Ventura on April 16th. His second-best finish was when he made the podium with a third at Imperial Valley in October.

The well-spoken teen’s initial efforts in a full-size sprinter came in an older car. He then switched to another car that was a little more modern than what he started in. However, things are going to change from the dark ages as soon as he arrives at Cocopah.

“I ran an older Ellis (first) and then a newer Ellis,” the 18-year-old said with a laugh earlier this week. “Well, it was new for us but it was pretty much the same car.”

Last year his father, Brent Sexton, decided it was time for a big-time upgrade. A three-time lightning sprint car titlist (including last year’s POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint championship), the family patriarch realized his youngest offspring was ready to move up and he purchased a brand new Triple X chassis. He hid the new chassis in the rafters until he figured Grant was ready. That time is now and the youngster will make his debut in the car on Friday at Cocopah. The team was headed to Perris to shake down the car for the first time on Thursday and would head straight to the Arizona speed plant after.

It will be a new car on a new track for Sexton’s first run of 2023. While he has seen races at Cocopah, he has never raced there, but he knows what to expect.

“I have not had any practice in our new Triple X car, but we are going to test at Perris Auto Speedway tomorrow,” the teen said on Wednesday. “I know it (Cocopah) has really long straightaways and a lot wider turns. So, it should be a little bit more forgiving if I do make a mistake. Hopefully, I do not find that wall because I know it will hurt.

“I watch a boatload of films,” the young racer continued. “I mean, I sit there on YouTube for hours and go back to the old Flo events. I try to gather anything I can by watching the leaders and others on all the tracks. How they enter the corners and how they exit the corners. Sadly, Iracing does not have any California tracks, but I do hop on the simulator as much as I can. Mainly I just want to make every main event we go to and hopefully bring a car home in one piece. Try to use patience to learn the car itself before I try and get a little more ballsy.”

In addition to some new venues, Sexton will be competing on several tracks where he has raced lightning sprints over the past few years. Those tracks include Perris, the Bakersfield Speedway, Mohave Valley Raceway, the Ventura Raceway, and the Santa Maria Raceway. When asked which track he was looking forward to going to, he quickly named Bakersfield because it is a quarter mile and very racy. Another part of that answer may have had to do with his thrilling victory at the “Okie Bowl” when the CLS competed on the same card as the World of Outlaws on March 24th, 2022. The teen stole the show by rim-riding through the cushion in a daring display of bravery that saw him take the lead and win with less than a foot to go in the race.

Like many young drivers, Sexton had some challenges early in his lightning sprint car career. Some nights he was fast, and some nights he was not quite as fast. He did tear up some equipment along the way. Through it all, there were flashes of brilliance that were shining through. But things changed halfway through the 2019 season. The then 15-year-old only finished better than 14th one time in the first seven races of the year. Near the end of June, he began to turn things around. In six starts between June 29th and August 24th, he placed in the top 10 four times. Included was a second-place finish in the CLS race at Santa Maria on July 27th. However, the best was yet to come.

On August 24, 2019, he won an open comp race at the Barona Speedway. While not surprising, it was still not expected. What happened next was shocking and totally unexpected to everyone. That is, everyone but himself. Two weeks after the Barona triumph, the family team journeyed to Missouri and the Lake Ozark Speedway for the POWRi Lightning Sprint Car Nationals. There, they met up with top drivers and cars from several states. On the first night of the two-day show, Sexton sent shockwaves through the lightning sprint car world by handily winning the main event. For a teen upstart to come to a track he had never raced on before and compete against veteran drivers, many of whom were on their home turf, and beat them, ended up being popular with fans. Surely the triumph had to be a fluke. No way could a teen repeat that performance. He then stunned everyone again by leading 23-laps before finishing second. In less than 24 hours, he went from being an unknown to being the hottest lightning sprint car driver in North America.

Like everyone else, Covid pretty much ruined the 2020 season for Sexton. He came back in 2021 with a vengeance. He proved his adaptability by winning four of the last seven main events, including three in a row, in the POWRi Southwest Series. Two of his victories came while running with a wing and the other two were wingless. When the checkered flag fell at the end of the final series race, he won the championship by a comfortable 122-points. In addition to his prowess in the SWLS, he went back to Missouri and finished third in the finale. The team also journeyed to the upper Midwest for the “Minkota Nationals.” Once again competing on four new tracks against veteran drivers from several states and Canada, Sexton won the opening night and placed in the top eight in all four races.

2022 was not the normal season for Sexton. Perhaps more importantly than racing, he was graduating from high school. So, that took a little away from racing with all the festivities you only get to participate in once in your life. Also, of instead running a lightning sprint car-only schedule, he was moving up to full-size sprint cars. All told, he visited victory circle four times during the year.

Sexton sends out big thanks to his crew chief, 2011 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year David Bezio, Tava Lopez, Cody Griggs, Nita “Nanna” Gatlin, and his father Brent. They have all been busting their tails to get the Triple X Chassis, Johnny Motorhead 410 ready for this week’s openers at Cocopah.

SGR has been busy all winter getting ready for another successful year in 2023. If you or your company is interested in becoming a partner with this front-running team, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail mailto:sextonfire@cox.net or mailto:sextonfire@gmail.com

Sexton/Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2022 season possible. Keys Brothers, East County Electric Works, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Johnny Motorhead, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, and Swift Powdercoat.

Gonzalez Narrowly Wins Electrifying Mazda MX-5 Cup Opener at Daytona

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Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla (January 26, 2023) – After 45 minutes of frantic, all-green flag running with nearly 30 identically prepared Mazda MX-5 Cup machines fighting for position on the high banks at Daytona International Speedway, it was all of 0.015 of a second that separated winner Tyler Gonzalez (No. 51 Copeland Motorsports) and runner up Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports) as the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires delivered another thriller. The margin of victory is the fourth closest in series history.

Gonzalez was the victor in last year’s season opener at Daytona as well, but thanks to Mazda’s new per-race payouts, the Floridian came away with $8,000 in addition to a trophy.

Earlier in the day, qualifying was cut short to retrieve damaged cars and prevented Gonzalez from turning a representative lap time. As a result, he started 19th on the grid. His years of experience paid off, however, as he managed to charge to 11th after a single lap.

It wasn’t long before he was with the lead pack, but actually taking the lead at Daytona is a tricky prospect. Time it wrong, and you’ll go from first to 10th before you get to the start/finish line.

Gonzalez wasn’t sure he had timed it right until the checkered flag.

“Daytona is a draft track and you really have to have the experience to run up here at the front, especially like that last lap scenario,” Gonzalez said. “I mean, I’ve had so much practice over the years through this and Spec Miata, it shows it really does pay off, the experience. You definitely have to set it up. You want to stay upfront throughout the race and then just figure out where you want to be those final two laps. I had my spotter helping me, and I really knew I didn’t want to be up front where I was. I saw that train coming around the outside, but I am glad how it played out!”

The way it played out was with Gonzalez taking his fifth-career win in Mazda MX-5 Cup.

Polesitter Zilisch took control of the race early, leading a three-car train that eventually became eight in the closing laps of the race.

“Leading doesn’t guarantee anything on the last lap, here especially,” Zilisch said. “The first 44 minutes of the race are almost meaningless, as long as you can stay in that front pack. I just wanted to stay in the front pack. I like having control of the race and I was clearly trying to stay out front.”

After leading the first third of the 45-minute race, the 2022 Rookie of the Year bounced around within the lead group and on the penultimate lap he found himself clawing to stay in the top five.

What the draft took from Zilisch, it paid back in the final moments as he made a slingshot move into second at the line.

“My Hixon Motor Sports car was super-fast through the infield, so obviously we had to play the games on the straightaway,” said Zilisch. “On that last lap I think we got pushed back to sixth and had to bring it back up to the front. I think I was second by like 15th thousandths of a second. I guess I just love second place. There’s something about me and second place, but there’s always tomorrow. Hopefully we can one up and get on the top step tomorrow.”

In addition to being the 2022 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year, Zilisch was also second-place in the overall championship. He is provisionally slated to start Friday’s race from pole.

No one was more surprised by Zilisch’s runner-up finish than third-place finisher Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing). Paley, who started ninth, had a plan for the final laps of the race, but couldn’t make it play out as he intended.

“It is a weird track with this car because it’s just back and forth,” Paley said. “No matter how fast you are you cannot get away, so it is a lot about strategy and how you position yourself. I got up to the lead and then I fell all the way back to sixth and then I think I went like sixth to second and I didn’t really want to be second on the last lap, but I didn’t think Bruno [Smielveski] was going to go all the way high and when I was in second all I wanted was the bottom lane and I was just hoping someone would shove me. Nobody ended up shoving me so that is why I am third, but one day. We will take the $4k and third place, not bad.”

Mazda’s new per-race prize package pays out to all finishers in the top 10 plus $2,000 for the highest finishing female driver. In the season opener, that was Heather Hadley (No. 54 Spark Performance), a Mazda Women in Motorsports Initiative Scholarship winner. She finished 23rd.

Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 JTR Motorsports Engineering), a former Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship winner, kicked off his 2023 season with a strong performance at Daytona. Jeansonne was with the lead group for the entire race and made his way to the lead in some of the final laps but ended up fourth at the checkered flag.

The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup Champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) completed the top five after a strong charge from 11th on the grid.

The highest finishing rookie was Bruno Smielevski (No. 85 Hixon Motor Sports), who was the race leader as the pack exited the Le Mans Chicane, but the draft was too strong and he dropped to sixth at the finish.

Round Two of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup takes place Friday, January 27 at 10:15am ET. The race will be streamed live on RACER.com and IMSA.com/tvlive.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Winward Racing Statement

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Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 26, 2023) – Lucas Auer, driver of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, has been admitted to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. According to attending medical personnel, Auer has sustained significant fractured lumbar injuries in an incident earlier Thursday near the end of the first official IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice session of the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona. Auer has been awake and alert since the incident and has been communicating with family back home in Europe and his Winward Racing teammates here in Daytona Beach.

Everyone at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport and Winward Racing wishes Lucas a full and rapid recovery.

Winward Racing will compete in this weekend’s race and a replacement tub is presently on its way to Daytona International Speedway from the team race shop in Texas. A replacement driver for Auer is currently being finalized.

Skills Required to Win at Poker Game

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SM
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Poker is a popular casino game offered in most online casinos. You will find on the internet that requires both luck and skill to be successful.

To secure a huge win at any poker game, players must possess a combination of discipline, perseverance, sharp focus, and confidence. Additionally, the best players have several other traits that help them succeed. Below are several factors that will ensure your next poker game is a success.

Always be patient

Ø One of the most important skills for poker players is patience. Players who lack patience tend to play too many hands and bet too high or out of position.

Ø This can lead to bad decisions and losing more money than necessary. To develop patience, players can practice meditation and proper breathing techniques, as well as maintain healthy eating and exercise habits.

Learn how to read other players’ reactions

Ø Another important skill for poker players is the ability to read other players. This includes paying attention to facial expressions, body language, and other tells.

Ø By keeping an eye on hand movements, chip handling, and decision-making habits, players can gain valuable insight into their opponents’ strategies and tendencies.

Always be adaptable

Ø In addition to patience and reading, adaptability is also crucial for poker players. Not every game will be ideal, and players must learn to adapt to different types of opponents and situations to succeed.

Ø This can involve changing their playing style or finding ways to take advantage of unconventional play at the table.

Ensure to have a working strategy at all times

Ø Having a strategy is also crucial for poker players. While there are many books and resources available on poker strategies, players need to develop their unique approach based on their strengths and weaknesses.

Ø This can involve taking notes, reviewing results, and discussing hands and playing styles with other players. Also, try out the free offered poker games by different gaming sites like tmtplay net to help you sharpen your gaming skills.

Choosing the perfect games

Ø Always commit to choosing a game selection that is smart and easy for you as a gamer. For gamers to win at poker, they need to have the perfect game variations and choose limits that are proper and applicable to their existing bankroll.

Ø It is critical for gamers to find and ensure active participation in games that attract the most profits of all time. There are gamers with the notion that fun games attract the highest wins. However, this is not necessarily true.

Ø Therefore, poker game variations offer the highest winning chances and learning opportunities.

Conclusion

Winning at poker requires a combination of luck and skill. The best players possess discipline, perseverance, sharp focus, and confidence, as well as patience, the ability to read people, adaptability, and a solid strategy. By working on these skills and making use of training tools like books and online resources, players can improve their chances of success at the poker table.

Can Anyone Stop Verstappen in 2023?

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SM
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Photo by Davor Denkovski on Unsplash

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated Formula One last season. The Belgian-Dutch ace has won two world titles in a row and is the bookies’ favorite to retain his championship in 2023. With an exciting year of wheel-to-wheel racing on the horizon, can anyone stop Verstappen in 2023?

F1 Growing in Popularity

The UK sports streaming market is dominated by soccer, with the big clubs in the Premier League drawing huge streaming interest. However, the recent Drive to Survive Netflix series helped grow the F1 brand. This ExpressVPN infographic demonstrates how UK streaming figures rocketed alongside searches for Drive to Survive. With a new season expected to drop on Netflix in 2024, those streaming figures are likely to increase again.

Even the most casual of sports fans are aware that football dominates the UK sports streaming market, with golf being next on the list. Apart from football, Formula One makes up 10% of the other UK streaming searches. When Drive to Survive was peaking on Netflix, there was a spike in the Formula One UK streaming figures.

Formula One has always been a popular sport in the UK, and the annual British Grand Prix draws huge crowds and remains a big spectacle on the UK sporting calendar. The success of British driver Lewis Hamilton over the past 15 years or so has also driven the sport forward.

Verstappen Looking for Three World Titles

Verstappen has taken Formula One by storm in recent seasons. The Red Bull driver edged out Hamilton in one of the most thrilling title races ever to get his hands on the trophy in 2021. As reported on the official F1 website, it went to the wire, with Verstappen nicking the title on the final lap.

Instead of resting on his laurels, the No. 33 kicked on and dominated the sport in 2022. Verstappen had a disappointing opening round alongside teammate Sergio Perez, as both had to retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix due to car issues.

He won the next race in Saudi Arabia before another retirement in Australia. Things were sorted and it was plain sailing for Red Bull and Verstappen after that, as the world champion went on to win a staggering 14 of the 19 rounds to win the World Drivers’ Championship with ease.

Looking at the final standings on Motorsport, Verstappen ended with a whopping 454 points to his name, finishing 146 points above runner-up Charles Leclerc. Verstappen won the title and Perez finished third, meaning Red Bull Racing won the World Constructors’ Championship with 759 points.

Verstappen heads into the new season as the clear favorite to add another world title to his name. Going by the latest odds, Verstappen is available at -138.

Will Hamilton Get Back to His Best?

Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing 2022 season by his high standards. The seven-time world champion was well off the pace in the title battle, finishing down in sixth on 240 points.

The Stevenage-born ace is entering the final stages of his incredible career, but he heads into the 2023 season as the second favorite (+300) to win the world title. Hamilton is currently level on seven championships with the great Michael Schumacher. He is the record Grand Prix winner and still has a lot to offer before calling it a day.

The Formula One title race could be a thrilling one this year, with the likes of Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, and George Russell set to battle it out for the biggest prize on offer.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Chase Briscoe Extension Media Transcript

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Official Release
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March 13 , 2022: at the Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix , AZ. , . . . (HHP/Andrew Coppley)

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Chase Briscoe Extension | Thursday, January 26, 2023

Stewart-Haas Racing announced earlier today that Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang, has signed a multi-year extension with the organization. Briscoe participated in a Ford media call earlier today to discuss the news.

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang – HOW IS IT KNOWING YOU HAVE A LONG TERM DEAL AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEXT GEN ENHANCEMENTS? “It’s really nice to have stability, especially being a young father now. I think that’s the biggest thing for my family. That’s the nicest thing is just having that comfortability, knowing that for the next few years I’m gonna have a job. That’s really important, especially when you’re raising a little one. I think that’s the biggest thing for me. That’s most important about the whole thing is how it affects my family versus how it affects me, so that’s really nice. I’ve never had that my entire career, so that’s gonna be something new for me to navigate, but I’m looking forward to showing my worth, hopefully, to the organization. Outside of that, I’m really excited for the Ford Mustang. I haven’t honestly seen it yet. I know there’s not a ton of huge changes, but I feel like last year we were pretty good, but you could always be better and I know that whenever we came out with something new it’s gonna be better than what we had before. I’m excited to finally get it on the racetrack. I know testing is one thing, but when you go and finally race against the other competitors, you see where you stack up and we should be in a really good spot. It’s just a matter of getting out there and see where we finally stack up to everybody and go from there.”

DID YOU PUSH TO GET THIS EXTENSION DONE OR DO YOU FEEL SHR, KNOWING THERE COULD BE SOME DRIVER MOVEMENT, DIDN’T WANT YOU TO START LOOKING? “I felt like it was definitely Stewart-Haas took the initiative. I mean, we mutually wanted to do something, for sure, but I think Stewart-Haas took a little bit more of the initiative, just knowing the situation I was gonna be in coming up and then the situation with Kevin, obviously, and Aric, not knowing when he’s gonna be gone. It felt like we all obviously wanted to get something done. I’ve said it for a really long time that I’ve wanted to be at Stewart-Haas, the personal tie for me to the 14 is important, so I felt like we were both kind of pushing to get something done, but at the same time it was probably a little bit more them than me. At the same time, it was definitely me wanting to get it done, too. I would say all-around it was 50-50.”

WHAT DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM TESTING AT PHOENIX WITH THE MUFFLERS AND SMALLER SPOILER? “I think every race car driver would agree that we always want more power and less downforce. I feel like that’s always our answer because we’d feel like it puts more of the control in our hands versus the car, the team or things like that, and I feel like it just makes the racing better a lot of the time as far as being able to pass other guys. I felt like that was kind of the same thing I heard from one of the other drivers when they took downforce away. It seemed like it got better. I think they went from, I don’t know what the normal spoiler is, but they went to 2-½ and it didn’t really change a lot, and then they went to 2 and changed some underbody stuff, and it sounded like that changed a lot of things as far as for the better, so I don’t know where they’re gonna go with it. Testing is just kind of one thing and then applying it to everybody is another. I think anytime you can get less downforce, especially on the short tracks, it typically makes it better, and I feel like this car everywhere we went when it’s 60 laps into a run and the tires are finally starting to get worn out and we’re slipping and sliding around a little bit more, at least on the short tracks, we race a lot better and I feel like less downforce and more power – just even less downforce – is gonna make it easier to get to that point. Instead of 60 laps into a run, maybe 30 laps into a run, so I think less downforce is definitely the answer for the short tracks and road courses. I don’t think we need to change anything on the mile-and-a-halves, but it sounded like all the drivers were in agreement on that from who I’ve read texts from.”

WHEN DOES A DRIVER START TO FOCUS ON THE CLASH? “I think it all depends on how you ended the season. For us, I felt like we were on such a run of momentum and just strong runs that I was instantly thinking of The Clash and wanting to go there next week, but I think you definitely take a couple of weeks off. This offseason, I probably had two or three weeks where I didn’t have anything I really had to do. Outside of that, it was a pretty busy offseason, but I would say, for me, when I got back from Chili Bowl – a week or two weeks ago – I started thinking about The Clash. I went and sat inside the car yesterday, so you start thinking about it pretty quickly – kind of mid-January that you’re gonna be going racing in two or three weeks. I think, for me, leading up to next week I’ve got a busy week-and-a-half. I’ve got to go to Ohio this weekend for an appearance. I’ve got to go to Raleigh next week. I’ve got some stuff at the shop I’ve got to do still. Outside of that, I’ll just try to spend as much time as I can with my family, just trying to spend that quality time before we kind of get busy and on the road.”

WHAT ATTRIBUTES OF THE SHR TEAM DO YOU BELIEVE HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO FIND SUCCESS IN NASCAR? “I haven’t been with a ton of teams. I think I’ve been at three or four organizations my entire career, but Stewart-Haas has definitely been the one that I’ve been at the longest. I think the biggest thing is just the amount of resources you have from just an experience level. Everybody at Stewart-Haas and the marketing team and everybody always talks about how we’re just a bunch of racers and it’s the truth. Everybody there from literally the top guy to the bottom guy they all have just raced their whole life. They race on their off weekend. They go racing in the middle of the week at Millbridge and places like that, where other organizations you have groups of those guys, but not the whole organization. For me, being a relatively young guy in the sport and inexperienced, I had so many different guys I could go to, whether it was Tony Stewart or Zippy or Kevin Harvick and all these guys for perspective. They’ve seen the same scenario, but they all have a different outlook on it or a viewpoint on it, so, for me, to be able to go and ask questions, whether it’s on or off the racetrack stuff, and just get different opinions on it, different perspectives on it was one of the biggest things that made Stewart-Haas feel so much like home. We just all have the same kind of background and things like that, and I feel like that just makes a huge difference.”

WILL THIS EXTENSION CHANGE YOUR APPROACH TO THE SEASON? “I don’t think so. I feel like I always race with this mentality of every lap is making a difference, even if you’re 10 laps down because you have a mechanical issue. I always feel like I’m running 100 percent just to try to show my team that I’m not giving up. I don’t think my mentality changes now that I’m secured for years to come, so I don’t think it really changes anything for me. It maybe makes you a little less stressed at home, but, outside of that, I feel like you’re going to the racetrack every weekend to win and try to set the fastest lap every single lap, every single session and things like that. I don’t think it will really change my outlook on anything as far as that goes.”

YOU WERE COUCH SURFING NOT THAT LONG AGO AND NOW YOU’RE WITH ONE OF THE TOP TEAM IN NASCAR FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE? “For sure. In 2013, 2014, 2015 and part of 2016, part of 2016, but those three years prior I was sleeping on a couch and volunteering at different places. Now, to be where I’m at is pretty crazy. One of my buddies, we had this group chat of all of our friends and we race online together. We’ve had it for 10 years and I remember when I was going through that couch to couch thing and they were giving me a hard time telling me how I was wasting my time and things like that. One of my buddies texted me today and said, ‘I’m glad you didn’t listen to me.’ It was six or seven years ago. It’s pretty crazy to see what it’s turned into, so it’s crazy to look back on and think about it. I still, honestly, every day find myself just thinking how crazy it is and how it’s all worked out, how not only to make it to the Cup Series but then to make it to the Cup Series and drive the car that you dreamed of driving. That was your favorite car growing up. Things like that. It’s crazy the amount of doors that have opened up for me. I’ve definitely been extremely blessed to be able to be in the spot I’m in, so I definitely find myself every day questioning how I got here because it was not that long ago where I was ready to give up. It’s crazy to be sitting here today talking about a contract extension and driving for this company that I feel like is a powerhouse company in the sport. It’s pretty unbelievable, for sure.”

IT MUST BE SOMEWHAT LIBERATING AND RELIEVING TO KNOW YOU HAVE A STAFF THAT WORKS ON SPONSORSHIP FOR YOU AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN LIKE YEARS AGO? “I remember when I was couch to couch I would sit at least an hour almost every single day and would type in CEO, COO, anything I could think of and type it on LinkedIn and every name I could find I would send an email. I mean, I bet I got who knows how many thousands of no’s, but even to this day – I don’t get on LinkedIn – but I’m still trying to sell myself to new people and things like that, but I think the biggest thing for me is I’ve always tried to be my true self. I don’t put on an act for anybody. What you see is kind of what you get and I was trying to treat everybody with respect and I feel like that goes such a long way. I try to make sure that all of my partners always feel appreciated, even if it’s a new partner or whether it’s somebody that has no chance of ever sponsoring me ever, I still try to treat them with respect and treat them how I feel they should be treated. I feel that has gone a really long way with all of my partners and even ones that have seen me from afar doing that goes a long way for them. It’s always kind of been who I am and if it’s enough, it’s enough. If it’s not enough, it’s not enough, but I feel like it’s worked to this point and hopefully it will continue to.”

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOUR VOICE HAS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION? “I feel like, for me, I look back, especially on my rookie year, we’d go into our competition meeting on Tuesday and, truthfully, I wouldn’t really talk much. I mean, I would say kind of what we thought for the weekend, but outside of that I would just kind of sit there and listen. Then this past year, I definitely talked a lot more and I’d bring up ideas and kind of say things I wanted to get off my chest, where in the past I wouldn’t have done that. So, I feel like as I’ve gotten more confident in myself and my position I’ve gotten to the point where I speak my mind a little bit more and I guess be a little bit more of a leader. But where we’re at as a company, for me still, Kevin Harvick is the guy. He’s who steers our ship. He’s the guy that when he talks people listen and, for me, I’ve just tried to watch as much as I can knowing the Kevin’s not gonna be there one day and especially with Aric leaving in the next few years or whenever he does, I’m gonna be the guy that’s been there the longest, so, naturally, the leadership kind of falls on you to a certain extent, so I think how Kevin gets his points across and how I get my points across is probably two different ways, but you can still learn things from Kevin in just how he approaches certain situations. He’s seen so many different scenarios, but I feel like I talk to Kevin a lot about it and even just watching how he handles certain things and how he always can circle back around to get his point proven is something I’ve definitely been taking notes on, just knowing that one day that potentially could be me that has to have more of a leadership role. Yeah, it’s a role that is crazy, truthfully, to think about because that could be me in the next year or two, being I wouldn’t say that flagship guy, but being a leader as far as the drivers go in an organization, but, truthfully, I feel like that’s something I want to be. I’ve always enjoyed that kind of leader, team building type of stuff, so, yeah, if that role is kind of placed on me naturally, then that’s one that I would love to have and try to do it to the best of my ability, but I feel like that’s a role that you don’t choose, it kind of chooses you. We have to see how we run and things like that, and let the cards fall where they fall. In a couple of years, we might be in a totally different situation. We don’t know, but I’ll definitely try and take as many notes as I possibly can and just watch and learn as much as I can to kind of how to be that leader in our company.”

CAN YOU ALSO EXPLAIN WHAT IT’S LIKE GOING INTO THE CLASH THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR? “Truthfully, I would say I’ve been really motivated about The Clash and wanting redemption. Last year, I felt like that was a race that if I wasn’t gonna win, I was for sure gonna run second. I felt like me and Reddick were the two best cars. I went from eighth or ninth to third or fourth in a matter of like 20 laps and I just felt like my car was really, really good, and then we had the mechanical issue, so that’s one that I feel like kind of got away from us and one that I definitely want to go and try to win. I’m excited from that side of things. My outlook on the race is definitely different because last year it was such an unknown. Nobody knew what to expect. Nobody knew what the car was gonna drive like, what it was gonna race like. I feel like this year it’s gonna be way more competitive. Everybody is gonna have an understanding of what they need to do to their cars – the teams are and the drivers. Last year, I was probably the only guy in the field that was shifting every single lap, every single corner and this year probably everybody is gonna do it just because they’re way more comfortable with it, where last year nobody even really knew that was a possibility. All of those things have me a little bit, not nervous but it’s a big question mark as far as what it’s gonna look like this year. The field is gonna be way tighter, so it’ll be a lot harder to separate yourself from the pack, but hopefully we can go there and have a good car and do that.”

HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THE CONTRACT EXTENSION WHEN TEAMS DON’T KNOW WHAT THE TV MONEY IS GOING TO BE STARTING IN 2025? ARE THERE A LOT OF PROVISIONS INCLUDED? “I should probably know what I’m allowed to say and what I’m not allowed to say so if I get myself in trouble that’s probably not good for me. I remember when the contract first started getting talked about, I talked to all of my teammates. I leaned on Kevin a lot and even Aric a lot and they both were adamant, don’t sign anything past ‘24 and things like that, but with the opportunity that was there, we just had to put a lot of provisions in it if it gets re-structured. It’s not fair to the team and it’s not fair to me, obviously, either if the whole structure of the money going into the sport changes. We just had to have a lot of wording in there to where if it does get changed and when it gets figured out we’ll obviously come back and sit down and try to figure out what’s fair for both of us.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS SEASON? “There are for sure a lot of unknowns and to your first question, I would say the biggest thing for me is I just want to be way more consistent. It’s no secret that last year we started the season strong and over the course of the summer was non-existent with the exception of two or three races, and then the playoffs was right back to where we were at the beginning of the year. So, I feel like 99.9 percent of that was me and just not putting good races together. If I had a 15th-place car that given day, I was trying to win the race with a 15th-place car and at this level you’re not gonna do that. In the playoffs, if I had a 15th-place car, I just tried to run 10th or 11th with it and just try to be a couple spots better than what my car was, and when I did that I felt like you’d find yourself in that 10th or 11th spot. You’d have a restart at the end of the race, well now you’re up to seventh. You have another restart or on pit road you might pick up one or two spots and you’d find yourself in the top five at the end of the day. I feel like it’s kind of similar to Kevin. I tried to mirror him as much as I could, where he just doesn’t eliminate himself from races. A lot of the time at the beginning of the race he might not be the best car, but at the end he’s always up there and he gives himself an opportunity and a chance if a restart comes out. I felt like in the playoffs when I let the race just come to me, instead of forcing stuff, I became way more consistent. The top 10s became way easier to get and if I can take that same mentality and approach and just keep reminding myself of what I did different in the playoffs versus the rest of the season, then hopefully our consistency will be a lot better throughout the season. And then going to your second question, there are definitely a lot of unknowns still. The car is still changed. Things have happened where there’s new racetracks, there’s just new structures. The teams are constantly trying to find things on the car to make it better, so the setups that you ran last year probably won’t work this year, but you just have to go to the racetrack and react and just do the best you can. Like I was just saying, do the best you can on that given weekend and if it’s enough, it’s enough. If not, just try to make the most of it and I feel like if we can do that, then the unknowns will be what they are, but you’ve got to adapt and you’ve got to adapt quickly, obviously, but you still have to adapt and just figure it out. Whoever figures it out the best that weekend will probably win those races at the places that are new for us.”

DOES THE 14 FEEL LIKE YOUR CAR NOW? HAVE YOU PUT YOUR STAMP ON IT? “Yeah, for sure. I tweeted about it a little bit ago. The first two years I definitely felt like I was always getting in Clint’s car or getting in Tony’s car and it was just kind of my name on it, but I was just filling in. Like that wasn’t me. I wasn’t the long-term guy for it, where now I feel like it is mine to a certain extent. It’s still Tony’s, obviously, but I feel like it’s my car now. When people think of the 14, I want them to think about me because that’s how I feel, where before I was thinking it was Clint’s car or Tony’s car. So, yeah, I definitely want to add a lot of history to the 14. It’s known for being this car that is always battling for championships and battling for wins and the driver is just this down-to-earth, just normal dirt racer and I feel like I want to add my history to the 14. So, I definitely feel like it’s mine now, which is nice. It definitely feels a lot better going into it, my third year, and even if I didn’t have the contract extension I would say it probably would feel a little bit more like mine, but now it definitely does just knowing it’s gonna have my name on it for years to come now. I’m looking forward to that side of it, for sure.”

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