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Austin Cindric crowned 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Austin Cindric has been officially named the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year following the Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 6.

The news comes as the 24-year-old Cindric from Mooresville, North Carolina, has completed his first full-time campaign in NASCAR’s premier series piloting the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Team Penske led by veteran crew chief Jeremy Bullins. Prior to this season, he had made his first seven career starts in the Cup Series in 2021 with the Penske organization, which included the 63rd running of the Daytona 500.

Cindric was named a full-time Cup Series competitor for this season, where he replaced the 2012 Cup champion, Brad Keselowski, as Keselowski became a driver and co-owner of the newly named Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. By then, Cindric had spent the previous four seasons in the Xfinity Series, where he accumulated 13 victories and the 2020 series championship, which occurred while driving for Team Penske. He also had one Truck Series career victory under his belt coming at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2017, where he went on to finish in third place in the final standings while driving for Brad Keselowski Racing.

Cindric commenced his rookie Cup campaign and his first in the No. 2 car on a high note by fending off teammate Ryan Blaney, Keselowski and Bubba Wallace during an overtime attempt to win the 64th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in February and earn his first career victory in NASCAR’s premier series. In doing so, Cindric became the ninth different competitor to win his first Cup career event in the 500, the 41st to win the event overall and the second-youngest competitor to win it at age 23 as he also recorded the third 500 victory overall for Team Penske.

Cindric backed up his Daytona 500 triumph by scoring his first Cup career pole position at Auto Club Speedway, where he went on to finish 12th. Amid an up-and-down regular-season stretch, his additional highlights included notching a strong runner-up result at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in July along with two third-place results, one of which included the regular-season finale at Daytona in August. In total, he earned five top-five results and eight top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch before entering the 2022 Cup Playoffs as one of 16 competitors battling for this year’s title. By then, he was also the lone rookie Cup competitor to make the Playoffs.

Despite achieving three consecutive top-20 results during the Round of 16, Cindric managed to transfer into the Round of 12. His first Playoff run came to an end, however, following the Round of 12 after finishing 15th, ninth and 21st, respectively. During the Round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in October, he was in position of transferring to the Round of 8 before a late spin during an overtime attempt spoiled his opportunity as he ended up outside of the top 20 in the final running order. With his title hopes for this season evaporated, Cindric went on to post four consecutive top-30 results during the final four scheduled events, including an 11th-place result during the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, before capping off the season in 12th place in the final standings.

With his accomplishment, Cindric became the first competitor to capture the Cup rookie title while representing Team Penske since veteran Ryan Newman made the last accomplishment in 2002. This also marks the third consecutive season where a Ford competitor captured a rookie title in NASCAR’s premier series after Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe claimed the title in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Cindric’s main rivals for this year’s Cup rookie title included fellow Ford competitors Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland, both of whom finished 27th and 28th, respectively, in the final standings.

With the completion of his first full-time campaign in NASCAR’s premier series, Cindric is slated to remain in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford for next season as part of a multiyear basis.

The NASCAR Cup Series competitors and teams enter an off-season period before returning to action at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash on February 5, 2023. This event will be followed by the 65th annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, which will occur on February 19, 2023, and officially commence a new season of Cup Series competition.

RCR NCS Post Race Report: Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet Team Finish 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 13th
Start: 15th
Points: 11th

“We had a solid day at Phoenix Raceway. Our Get Bioethanol Chevrolet started off tight, but throughout the day we were able to adjust on it and be in the fight at the end. There weren’t many cautions during the race today, so we had to be on top of our adjustments. Our pit crew did a great job on pit road and Justin Alexander laid out a good strategy that kept us in the top-20 all day. To leave the last race of the year finishing 13th and taking home 11th in points gives my RCR team momentum to start the 2023 season.” -Austin Dillon

Mid-Race Spin Spoils Tyler Reddick and the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Teams’ Strong Day at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 23rd
Start: 11th
Points: 14th

“I’m really proud of this whole team’s effort over the years. We have come such a long way in three years’ time. I learned a lot with this group. Anything I wanted to learn and anything I wanted to do they’ve given me the platform learn and be a better driver. I’m just really thankful for everyone’s efforts over the years from everyone at RCR and ECR Engines for the fantastic power that we’ve had. We all worked hard and were able to do a lot of great things and I will always remember that. We had high hopes for our day and we were pretty close with our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet. Unfortunately, we had a little bit of a tough day on pit road and that put us back there in the mess. We got caught four-wide going into Turn 3. That doesn’t work and we got quite a bit of damage that pretty much set us back for the rest of the day. At the very end there we were able to get it back where it needed to be but we just ran out of time.” -Tyler Reddick

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Logano Wins Second Championship

By
Official Release
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Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Recap
Track: Phoenix Raceway

Race: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

Date: November 6, 2022

No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric

Start: 14th

Race Finish: 11th

Stage 1 Finish: 10th

Stage 2 Finish: 10th

Laps Led: 0

Point Standings: 12th

Race Rundown: Austin Cindric put a bow on his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway, delivering a 10th-place result in the championship finale. Cindric launched from the 14th position in the Discount Tire Ford Mustang and muscled forward to finish the opening segment in the 10th position. The 24-year-old driver reported a small vibration and came to the attention of the No. 2 pit crew under the stage break. Cindric restarted 12th and consistently contested around the top 10 through the bulk of Stage 2, securing another 10th-place result when the flags flew to signal the stage’s end. A quick service stop on pit road from the Discount Tire crew gained the Team Penske driver three positions. Over the course of the lengthy, final stage, Cindric fought hard for a top-10 finish before heading into the offseason. He would finish one spot out in the 11th position at the checkered flag.

Cindric’s Thoughts: “What a great year it has been for this No. 2 Discount Tire Ford team. To start the season off with a win in the biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500, and to wrap up the Rookie of the Year award has been amazing. We’re just starting. We’re going to grow together as a team and I’m really looking forward to that. Big congratulations to Joey and the 22 team. They were certainly determined today.”

No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start: 2nd

Race Finish: 2nd

Stage 1 Finish: 2nd

Stage 2 Finish: 1st

Laps Led: 109

Point Standings: 8th

Race Rundown: Ryan Blaney started second and finished second in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway. The driver of the Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang lead 109 laps on the day. Blaney would ride behind teammate Joey for the entirety of the first stage, reporting the Menards Ford was a little tight on throttle. Blaney would start stage 2 from the second position and would quickly drive back up to the front, winning Stage 2. Great pit service would get the Menards Ford out front as the final stage began. Running second to Logano late in the event, Blaney was not able to get around the No. 22 and would finish runner-up to cap-off a solid 2022 season.

Blaney’s Thoughts: “My guys gave me an awesome Menards Ford. Just didn’t have enough to the get the lead. Congratulations to Joey and the 22 team. We’ll be back to ready to contend for the title in 2023.”

No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano

Start: 1st

Race Finish: 1st

Stage 1 Finish: 1st

Stage 2 Finish: 2nd

Laps Led: 187

Point Standings: 1st

Race Rundown: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang team capped off a historic season for Team Penske with their second NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) title following Logano’s fourth win of the season at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday afternoon. In taking home the hardware, Logano became the first driver to win multiple NCS titles for Team Penske. The 2022 season saw the team capture the NTT INDYCAR SERIES crown with Will Power, winning both championships for the first time in their 56-year history. With Logano’s win in the Clash at The Coliseum and Austin Cindric’s triumph in the Daytona 500, it was a special year for Team Penske. The Shell-Pennzoil crew set the tone for Sunday’s 312-lap finale by taking the pole position on Saturday afternoon. When the green flag fell, a determined Logano kept his Ford machine at the front of field consistently, spending only one lap behind any of the other Championship 4 competitors. Over the final run of the race, Ryan Blaney drove to the back bumper of his Team Penske teammate but was not able to make it past as Logano took the checkered flag.

Logano’s Thoughts: “We did it! We’re champions again, yes! Oh, my God, I’m so excited. Thank you to everybody, my team. You guys are amazing. Gave me a good race car, good pit stop there at the end, got us up in front. Boy, that was just intense there at the end. It’s all about championships. That’s what it’s all about, and we worked so hard the last couple weeks trying to put ourselves in position. And everything that happened in 2020, I knew we just wanted to have a solid run and do this today. I can’t thank Ford and Shell-Pennzoil enough for supporting me over the last 10 years, getting us a couple championships today. All our partners at Team Penske, everybody that works on these cars. It’s such a big deal to win these championships. It impacts so many people’s lives.”

Petty GMS Race Recap: Phoenix Raceway II

By
Official Release
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Ty Dillon, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 32nd
FINISH: 26th
POINTS: 29th

Ty Dillon Post-Race Thoughts: “We rebounded there at the end, our Petty GMS team was able to get the car a little bit better towards the end of the race. I’d say it was a decent end to the year. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to drive the No. 42 Chevy this season, we had a lot of memories made this season and I had a lot of fun behind the wheel. Thank you to Maury Gallagher, Richard Petty, the fans, and all of our partners. Onto what’s next for me.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 30th
FINISH: 14th
POINTS: 18th

Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: “A good day for our FOCUSfactor team in Phoenix as we closed out the 2022 season. We kept improving and were able to get a solid top-15 finish. It’s good momentum for us as we head in to the off season. We’ll get to work and be ready for next season. Was we close out the last race weekend, my thoughts and prayers are with Coach, Pat, Heather, Ty, Case, Jett, Elle and all the Gibbs family and JGR family with the tragic news of Coy’s passing.”

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. Founded in December 2021, Maury Gallagher, championship team owner of GMS Racing, purchased a majority interest of Richard Petty Motorsports. Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, known as “The King,” remains a key stakeholder of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pettygms.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

First Time and Repeat HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA Winners Crowned after Competitive and Dramatic Classic 24 Hour Race at Daytona International Speedway

By
Official Release
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Comeback Victories and Dominating Performances Combine for Close Racing and Excitement to the End in Eighth Running of the HSR Classic Daytona 24 at the “World Center of Racing”

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 6, 2022) – Close finishes and dominating performances combined for a dramatic and competitive eighth running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona presented by IMSA which came to a safe and successful conclusion Sunday after 24 hours of top-tier vintage and historic sports car racing on the 3.56-mile road course at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).

The action in the combined Run Groups C and D rounds stood out as two of the most exciting and dramatic races on the weekend. Cal Meeker turned in the comeback performance of this year’s HSR Classic 24 with a no-quit drive to take overall Group C honors in his 1987 No. 129 Spice SE87L. After falling six laps down due to an issue in Saturday afternoon’s opening session, Meeker steadily moved back up to the front in the remaining three Group C races. He made up the final two laps in the last round to move into first place with only a few minutes left on the clock to seal his first HSR Classic Daytona 24 victory.

The accompanying Group D race was equally thrilling as some quick and immaculately-prepared GT machines upset the Prototype ranks for the second-straight year. The overall victory went to the Iconic Racing 2003 No. 163 Saleen S7-R of Gérard Lopez and former Le Mans 24 Hour winner Éric Hélary. It was the first HSR Classic Daytona victory for Hélary and the Saleen team while Lopez picked his second Classic 24 win to go with his Group A victory in 2017.

The Saleen’s biggest challenger was the big-bore 1993 Chevy Camaro R&S of Kenny Bupp and Jordan Bupp. The Bupp Motorsports team restored the Camaro to the exact specifications and livery of Riley & Scott GT/Trans-Am Chassis No. 26 that was co-driven to the American GT (AGT) class win in the 2001 Rolex 24 At Daytona by Kenny Bupp and three co-drivers. The team nearly pulled off a repeat win 21 years on but ultimately crossed the finish line just over 40 seconds behind the Saleen.

Group E produced another dramatic finish tinged with huge heartbreak for the Hudson Historics 2014 No. 33 Corvette Daytona Prototype of John Reisman and Eric Curran. The overall and GT Group E victory went to the Turner Motorsport 2010 No. 96 BMW Z4 GT3 of Vincent Barletta and Robby Foley who inherited the lead and ultimate overall victory just seven minutes from the end of the fourth and final Group E round Sunday morning.

Reisman and Curran were cruising with a two-lap cushion after dominating Group E from the start but slowed with an overheating engine just a few laps from the finish to give the win to the quick BMW. Barletta and Foley won in GT for the second year in a row but the overall Group E win was the first in “HSR Classics” competition for both drivers and the Turner Motorsport team.

Reisman, Curran and the No. 33 team were still credited with the Group E Prototype class win that served as some consolation for the late-race disappointment.

Group B saw one of the most dominating drives in this year’s HSR Classic 24 by a familiar team and drivers that know how to win in HSR Classics competition. The Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 26 Chevron B26 of Gray Gregory, Ethan Shippert and Randy Buck swept all four Group B rounds and sealed a record sixth HSR Classics race win. The victory was the second for the No. 26 team and drivers in the HSR Classic 24 to go along with their 2020 win at Daytona, and they also secured four-straight HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour Group victories from 2017 to 2020.

Recently crowned IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar LMP2 Champion John Farano continued to roll in 2022 with an HSR Classic 24 victory in Group F in his 2018 No. 81 Oreca 07 4200. Farano evenly split the four Group F race wins with the GMT Racing 2007 No. 18 Pescarolo 01 Judd of reigning class winners Juan Gonzalez and Butch Leitzinger, but the No. 81 team and Farano skillfully managed the clock to stay on top of the overall standings from the opening round on. The No. 18 Pescarolo team finished first in rounds two and four but some lost time in race three that they could ultimately not make up.

Group A went to another first-time HSR Classic 24 winner with the debuting Jack Lewis Enterprises 1971/20 No. 29 Bailey Porsche 917/R tribute car of Jack Lewis and Rob Parker scoring a convincing victory. Parker and the Bailey 917/R team won an HSR Classics race for the first time while Lewis secured a second-straight HSR Classic Daytona victory after scoring the Group B GT-class win last year in his Jack Lewis Enterprises 1974 No. 9 Porsche 911 RSR.

Group G produced another first-time winner and a run that joined the No. 26 Chevron team’s trouncing in Group B as the most dominating performances of the weekend. Enrique Munizaga convincingly swept all four Group G rounds in his Apex Motorsports/Hudson Historics 2006 No. 086 Porsche 997 Carrera C2. The victory was Munizaga’s first in three HSR Classic Daytona attempts and came in a collaboration between his Apex team and the top-tier Hudson Historics operation.

All seven Run Group overall winners were presented with special-edition HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour B.R.M. Chronographes watches. Additionally, the top finishing GT entries in the majority of the Groups were awarded B.R.M. Chronographes. The GT winners included Jack Refenning and Brady Refenning in their 901 Shop 1966 No. 241 Porsche 911 (Group A), Angus Rogers and Kevin Wheeler in the KMW Motorsports 1973 No. 15 Porsche 911 RSR (Group B), Alan Benjamin and Barry Waddell (Group C) in Benjamin’s 1992 No. 21 Porsche 964 USA Cup and Foley and Barletta who doubled up on B.R.M. Chronographes this weekend by adding a Group F GT victory in the Turner Motorsport 2016 No. 96 BMW M3GT3 to their overall win in Group E.

Reisman and Curran were presented with a B.R.M. Chronographes timepiece as the highest finishing Prototype in Group E. The Group D Prototype B.R.M. Award went to Todd Sloan in his 2006 No. 39 Riley Mk XX Daytona Prototype. Sloan prevailed in a race-long battle with several other Riley prototypes and sports racers that provide a fitting on-track competition tribute to Riley Technologies that was the Official Marque of the 2022 HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA.

Next up for HSR is the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network that takes place November 30 – December 4. The weekend also includes the season-ending HSR Sebring Historics that will close the curtain on HSR’s full-season 2022 championships. Learn more at www.HSRRace.com.

About HSR: An International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Instagram at @HSR_race.

Stewart-Haas Racing: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale at Phoenix

By
Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale at Phoenix

Date: Nov. 6, 2022
Event: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale (Round 36 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
Format: 312 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/125 laps/127 laps)
Champion: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Race Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:

● Chase Briscoe (Started 3rd, Finished 4th / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)
● Kevin Harvick (Started 7th, Finished 5th / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 9th, Finished 16th / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)
● Aric Almirola (Started 13th, Finished 20th / Running, completed 312 of 312 laps)

SHR Points Final:

● Chase Briscoe (9th with 2,292 points)
● Kevin Harvick (15th with 2,126 points)
● Aric Almirola (20th with 760 points)
● Cole Custer (25th with 589 points)

Championship 4 Final:

  1. Joey Logano (5,040 points)
  2. Ross Chastain (5,034 points)
  3. Christopher Bell (5,027 points)
  4. Chase Elliott (5,009 points)

Briscoe Notes:

● Briscoe earned his sixth top-five and 10th top-10 of the season, and his second straight top-five in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix. Briscoe won in the series’ previous visit to the track in March.
● This was Briscoe’s second straight top-10. He finished ninth last Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
● Briscoe finished third in Stage 1 to earn eight bonus points and fourth in Stage 2 to earn seven additional bonus points.
● Briscoe led once for 11 laps to increase his laps-led total at Phoenix to 112.

Harvick Notes:

● In taking the green flag today at Phoenix, Harvick became just the seventh driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to start every race for 20 consecutive seasons, joining Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte.
● Harvick earned his ninth top-five and 17th top-10 of the season, and his series-leading 19th top-five and 29th top-10 in 40 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix.
● Harvick’s 19 top-fives at Phoenix are the best among all NASCAR Cup Series drivers, past and present. Next best is Denny Hamlin with 16 top-fives, who is tied for second all-time with Jimmie Johnson.
● Harvick’s 29 top-10s at Phoenix are the best among all NASCAR Cup Series drivers, past and present. Next best is Kyle Busch with 24 top-10s, who is tied for second all-time with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
● This was Harvick’s 19th straight top-10 at Phoenix – a streak that started on Nov. 10, 2013 when Harvick won the fourth of his nine NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix.
● Harvick finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points and fifth in Stage 2 to earn six more bonus points.

Custer Notes:

● Custer earned his 11th top-15 of the season and his third top-15 in six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix.
● This was Custer’s second straight top-15. He finished 14th last Sunday at Martinsville.
● Custer led once for three laps – his first laps led at Phoenix.

Almirola Notes:

● Almirola earned his 22nd top-20 of the season and his 20th top-20 in 24 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix.
● This was Almirola’s second straight top-20. He finished 15th last Sunday at Martinsville.
● Since joining SHR in 2018, Almirola has finished among the top-20 at Phoenix all but once – 22nd in November 2019.

Race Notes:

● Joey Logano won the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fourth of the year and his third at Phoenix. His margin over second-place Ryan Blaney was .301 of a second.
● Logano earned the NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix by virtue of his win. He is now a two-time champion, with his first title coming in 2018.
● Logano is the 17th different driver to win multiple championships and just the second active NASCAR Cup Series driver to win multiple championships, joining two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch (2015 and 2019).
● This was Ford’s 720th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its ninth of the season.
● There were six caution periods for a total of 39 laps.
● Twenty-one of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“I just didn’t fire off near as good. I was kind of on top of the racetrack a little bit more than I really had been all day. Truthfully, the 22 (Logano) and the 12 (Blaney) were so good on the short run every time. I just had nothing for them. On the long run, I was typically a little bit better, I just would give up so much on the short run. I just didn’t fire off very good there at the end. I don’t really know why. I don’t know if the track just changed there as the sun was going down. It wasn’t as good. I felt that was the worst run, balance-wise, we had all day. It’s unfortunate that’s when it came, but, overall, it was a good day.

“I definitely feel like we’re a top-five team week in and week out, especially these last 10 weeks. It’s just a matter of putting it all together. This was one of the best races we ran, start to finish, today, but we just came up a little bit short. We still have to get a little bit better, but we definitely got closer to where we need to be.

“Even five years ago, three years ago, or last year, we were lucky to run 20th, and now we’re disappointed with a fourth place. That says a lot about the team and how far we’ve come. You always want a lot more, but, overall, it was a good season. We just have to come back next year and be a little bit better.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

“On the restarts I kept getting on the chip and getting hung in gear and we would get passed by a couple of cars. I just needed a whole run.”– Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The 2023 season begins with the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before kicking off its 36-race slate of points-paying events with the 65th Daytona 500 on Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Both events will be broadcast live on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Joey Logano Wins Second Cup Championship with Phoenix Victory

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Cup Series Championship Race | Sunday, November 6, 2022

JOEY LOGANO WINS SECOND CUP CHAMPIONSHIP WITH PHOENIX RACE WIN

  • Joey Logano won his second Cup Series championship with his victory today at Phoenix.
  • The win is his fourth of the season and fifth overall counting the Clash at the Coliseum.
  • Logano becomes the second Ford driver to win more than one title, joining David Pearson (1968-69).
  • The win today is the 31st of his Cup Series career and 29th with Ford.
  • It also marks Logano’s 12th career playoff race win.
  • Those 29 wins put him tied with David Pearson for 5th on the all-time Ford win list.
  • Today’s win is Ford’s 720th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
  • Of Team Penske’s 89 MENCS wins with Ford, 62 have come since rejoining Ford in 2013.

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – A TWO-TIME NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? “Amazing. It felt like it took too long to get back to this point, but it’s so special to win championships. It’s what you want. It’s the only thing I race for. Race wins are nice, but championships is what it’s all about. We were in great position there. Everybody on the Team Penske team did so great. Teamwork from the get-go, working through practice together and everybody trying to put together what would be the best 22 car for us to win this championship and the goal was achieved. I can’t thank everyone enough for the opportunity. It’s so special to win these things and to get this for the guys. I know how bad Paul wanted it. I’ve never seen him stress so much the last few weeks, and I was right there with him the whole time, so it was pretty special to get it.”

HOW DID THE RACE EXECUTION GO? “It went great. Everything went perfect today.”

YOU ARE ONE OF 17 MULTIPLE CHAMPIONS IN THE CUP SERIES. HOW ABOUT THAT? “It’s special. Three would be better. Let’s go get another one.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SHARE THIS WITH HUDSON? “We’ve had so many conversations over the last couple of weeks before bedtime. Ever since Harvick gave his son a ride in the car I’ve always wanted to do that with Hudson. He’s such a little car guy, so it was a special moment to ride together. I can’t say enough about this race team. They just grind it out. They’re so amazing. Paul Wolfe, everybody that puts so much time and effort into the last few weeks and not just this 22 team. This goes so much deeper when you think about Roush Yates Engines and the motor that’s in this bad boy, and everyone at Ford. All the employees of Shell and Pennzoil and everyone who has supported me.”

YOU TOLD THE KIDS BEFORE LEAVING YOU WERE GOING TO COME HOME WITH ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. CONGRATULATIONS. “We did it! We’re champions again, yes! Oh, my God, I’m so excited. Thank you to everybody, my team. You guys are amazing. Gave me a good race car, good pit stop there at the end, got us up in front. Boy, that was just intense there at the end. It’s all about championships. That’s what it’s all about, and we worked so hard the last couple weeks trying to put ourselves in position. And everything that happened in 2020, I knew we just wanted to have a solid run and do this today. I can’t thank Ford and Shell-Pennzoil enough for supporting me over the last 10 years, getting us a couple championships today. All our partners at Team Penske, everybody that works on these cars. It’s such a big deal to win these championships. It impacts so many people’s lives. Obviously the news this morning with Coy, too, I don’t know what to think. But, obviously, my condolences go to the Gibbs family. But just an incredible day for us, and kind of mixed emotions at the moment.”

DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT WINNING A SECOND TITLE? “No, no, I knew going into this thing that we’re going to win the championship. I told the guys we were the favorite from Daytona, and we truly believed it, and that’s the difference. Man, it’s like I said, I had a good team with a bunch of confidence, and we had all the reason in the world to be confident. I’ve never been truly this ready for a championship race, and yeah, we did it, man. I can’t believe it.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE FAMILY HERE? “Oh, man, it’s so special. JayMo and Emilia are at home. Hi, guys. Daddy will be home soon, but we’re going to party a little bit first. We might be in a little rough shape when we get home, but man, this is what it’s all about, though. When you’re a kid his age, my dream was to win Cup championships, and here we are with two of them. Man, it means so much. It’s so special. I just want to celebrate!”

MARK RUSHBROOK POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE

MARK RUSHBROOK, Global Director, Ford Performance – WHAT HAS JOEY LOGANO BROUGHT TO FORD? “Having Team Penske as a partner for Ford, they are such a strong team, such a great partner and you saw the strength across their cars today and throughout most of the season. Joey, I don’t remember how many times he’s been in the Championship 4, but it seems like almost every year and he delivers. He’s a racer. He pays attention to every single detail and especially getting locked in early like he did. That’s all he’s been focused on the last three weeks – Paul Wolfe and the team and everybody. He’s just so committed and so strong and executed today every lap.”

WHAT WAS A TURNING POINT FOR FORD THIS YEAR? “It’s been a great season for the sport, I think, just with the Next Gen car coming in and it definitely mixed things up a lot. We did start out well in many ways with the win in the Daytona 500. We were fast at some of the early races. Chase Briscoe won here, but then we seemed to struggle a lot and a lot of it was just coming to grips with the new car and really optimizing. It’s different at every track and we found that we could get the setup right across our teams at some of the different tracks, but not at all of them. It’s part of learning the new car and I think definitely in the second half of the seasons, the last third of the season came on really strong. There was a lot of extra work from Doug Yates and Roush Yates Engines and some extra power that they’ve been bringing these last couple races and it all came together and really strong today.”

BRAD’S CAR CAUGHT FIRE TODAY. IS THERE ANY IDEA ABOUT A SOLUTION OR IS IT JUST A FREAK SITUATION? “I think there’s a lot in the sport we still need to figure out. NASCAR made a lot of changes part way through the season, which certainly seemed to help, but there’s just so much variability from track to track. A lot of it is due to the rubber build-up. Brad last week at Martinsville there was almost no rubber build-up in his car. This week, obviously there was a lot, so we need to take a close look at that through the off-season as a sport and as a manufacturer and see what we can do to improve for next season.”

TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FORD? “The truck race on Friday and the championship and Zane Smith and what Front Row Motorsports has done in starting that truck program, and Zane being as strong as he was and, again, a dominant race that he had as well. He’s got a really strong future in the sport and that means so much to us because the Truck Series is important to us. It’s a great place for talent and for us to develop that in all elements of the team, especially in the driver, so that was an important day for us and then to cap it off today with the Cup Series and Joey and the championship, it’s been a great weekend.”

A DAYTONA 500 WIN. A TRUCK TITLE AND A CUP TITLE. HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE YEAR? “At the end of the day and at the end of the season it’s the championship that matters, so to get the Truck championship and the Cup championship means so much, and it’s great to see our young guys excelling as well with Austin Cindric as a rookie to come in at the Daytona 500 and to win, and Chase Briscoe getting a win here in Phoenix earlier in the season. Strength across our different teams and our drivers and really happy with where our program is right now.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang (Finished 2nd) – “I wish we could have won one. We had a great car to do it and it just didn’t happen. I’m proud of the effort. We had a winning car and it just didn’t happen.”

YOU WERE TRYING TO REEL JOEY IN THERE AT THE END, BUT JUST FEEL SHORT. “You can’t pass anybody. You get behind someone and get tight and it takes your air away and that’s all you can do.”

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang (Finished 5th) – “On the restarts I kept getting on the chip and getting hung in gear and we would get passed by a couple of cars. I just needed a whole run.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang (Finished 4th) – WHAT DID YOU NEED THAT LAST RUN? “I just didn’t fire off near as good. I was kind of on top of the racetrack a little bit more than I really had been all day. Truthfully, the 22 and the 12 were so good on the short run every time. I just had nothing for them. On the long run, I was typically a little bit better I just would give up so much on the short run. I just didn’t fire off very good there at the end. I don’t really know why. I don’t know if the track just changed there as the sun was going down. It wasn’t as good. I felt that was the worst run balance-wise we had all day. It’s unfortunate that’s when it came, but, overall, it was a good day.”

YOU HAVE TO BE PROUD OF YOUR TEAM FOR THE WAY THEY FINISHED THE YEAR? “Yeah, I definitely feel like we’re a top five team week in and week out, especially these last 10 weeks. It’s just a matter of putting it all together. This was one of the best races we ran start to finish today, but we just came up a little bit short. We still have to get a little bit better, but we definitely got closer to where we need to be.”

SOMETHING TO BUILD ON FOR SURE? “Yeah. Even five years ago, three years ago or last year we were lucky to run 20th and now we’re disappointed with a fourth place. That says a lot about the team and how far we’ve come. You always want a lot more, but, overall, it was a good season. We just have to come back next year and be a little bit better.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Kohler Generators Ford Mustang (Finished 35th) – IS THIS A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE’VE SEEN WITH RUBBER BUILD UP? “Yeah, I guess. It just caught fire and the next thing I knew we were sitting there. It’s a bummer, but we’ll hopefully something from it and move on.”

YOU MADE SOME GOOD STRIDES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NEXT YEAR? “We’re making a lot of progress. It’s obviously a bummer way to end the season, but a lot of progress as a company and we need to have a big off-season of learning.”

CHEVROLET NCS AT PHOENIX: Post-Race Notes and Quotes

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
PHOENIX RACEWAY
NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
NOVEMBER 6, 2022

NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP AT PHOENIX RACEWAY

· In his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 appearance, Ross Chastain drove his No. 1 Worldwide Express / AdventHealth Camaro ZL1 to a third-place finish, ending the 2022 season second in the Driver’s Championship.

· Chevrolet drivers powered the Camaro ZL1 to two of the top six positions in NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway.

· Chase Elliott was involved in an on-track incident on lap 200, resulting in a 28th-place finish in his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1. Elliott took the fourth position in the final points standings.

· Chevrolet captured its 41st NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championship with nine drivers from four different Chevrolet teams collecting a series-leading 19 wins this season.

· With the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season complete, Chevrolet led its manufacturer competitors in NASCAR Cup Series wins (19), top-fives (83), top-10s (157), laps led (4,208) and stage wins (28) this season.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
3rd Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express / AdventHealth Camaro ZL1
6th William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1
9th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1
12th AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1
13th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Get Bioethanol Camaro ZL1
14th Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Camaro ZL1
18th Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Schluter Systems Camaro ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS
POS. DRIVER
1st Joey Logano (Ford)
2nd Ryan Blaney (Ford)
3rd Ross Chastain (Chevrolet)
4th Chase Briscoe (Ford)
5th Kevin Harvick (Ford)

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on February 5, 2023.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS / ADVENTHEALTH CAMARO ZL1 – FINISHED THIRD: “Starting better and racing up there with those guys all day (would have helped). We got our car really good there at the end. Hats off to Phil Surgen (crew chief) and everybody at Trackhouse. It’s incredible to build from 2011. To have my family push me away from the farm to chase this dream. For my mom, my dad and my brother to come out and keep pushing me, keep supporting me and keep being there for me. But today was all about winning the big trophy and we came up just a little bit short.”

MORE ON THE SEASON: “I think we did everything right there at the end. That was a heck of a drive by us. Who had the No. 1 car second in points on their bingo card on February 1? This is pretty wild. This is a continuation of a lot of people believing in me. To build everything together to come drive this car, there are so many team owners and so many crew members that have put in the work. It’s pretty wild to fight for a Cup Series championship and to have a car fast enough to chase them down to the end. It’s also a testament to everyone at Chevy and GM to make me a better racecar driver. And my family… they have stuck with me and pushed me from the farm to NASCAR. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to do at the track and on the farm. A lot of people probably weren’t sure how I’d be getting out the car. But I’m so proud of the effort and so proud of the execution on pit road of our pit crew. This is only our first shot with Trackhouse. For Justin Marks, Ty (Norris) and Pitbull to believe in me to drive this 1 car, it’s incredible.”

DID YOU THINK THE MARTINSVILLE MOVE COULD WORK HERE TO CATCH THE 22? “I didn’t think it would. I think we were going too fast here and didn’t think it would work. I thought it would at Martinsville and feel like I was very blessed and fortunate that it did. But not here.”

ON THE CONTACT WITH CHASE ELLIOTT. WAS IT A RACING INCIDENT? “Absolutely. I think I got a better start. I got to his left-rear and he tried to cover it late and I was already there. I feel like it was just hard racing and I had position. We could have raced down in the corner side-by-side if he had just kept going the way we were going.

“I had a really good run. It looked like William (Byron) didn’t get going quite as well as he wanted to. I got to the left of (Elliott) and saw an erratic move that he made to turn left to cover it but I was already there. It’s not who I want to race them or those guys. For everyone at GM, I needed other Chevys up there to fight those other guys. It’s not what I want to do, but I feel like I had position on him and he tried to cover it late. Hats off to Penske and everyone on Joey’s team. I’m happy for them and I’m genuinely happy right now for our team. I wish we had another go at it.”

CAN YOU EXHALE NOW AFTER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS? “I actually feel similar because it’s competition, and I love it and I crave it. I love that I get to feel this way about something so strongly. For our first go at it to race with the team’s we’re racing with in our first go at it as Trackhouse is a dream come true. This is our team. We’re going to keep building this thing. We’re going to be here more years than not fighting for this thing. I couldn’t be prouder to do it with anybody else.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 – FINISHED 28TH: “I’m not sure what happened (with Ross Chastain). I haven’t seen it. Unfortunately it ruined our day. Congratulations to Joey (Logano) and their team. They did a really good job all weekend. He’s a very deserving champion so that’s a positive at least. If you’re going to lose to one, lose to a deserving one.”

“I’m proud of my team for the effort they put in this weekend. I felt like we had gotten our car a lot better throughout the race. For that I think we should be very proud. It’s very nice to make the (final) round. It’s a very difficult thing to do. Obviously I’m not content with that but certainly it’s not to come out here with a shot. Hopefully we can come back stronger next year and give ourselves another chance and make it go our way next time.”

IMPRESSIONS ON THE SEASON: “I mentioned this a lot over the last few weeks, but in each of the last three seasons I felt like we had made the Round of Four in very different ways. For that, we should be very proud. The playoff points we accumulated this year in the regular season championship really is what got us here. It was kind of a rough nine weeks up until today. I actually thought today was going pretty good. We had just had our best pit stop of the day and we had just gotten our car driving pretty decent, too. That’s the way it goes. I appreciate my team. They’ve worked extremely hard and we’ve put a lot of effort into trying to be better. I felt like we were heading in the right direction today.”

TY DILLON, NO. 42 BLACK RIFLE COFFEE COMPANY CAMARO ZL1 – FINISHED 26TH: “We rebounded there at the end, our Petty GMS team was able to get the car a little bit better towards the end of the race. I’d say it was a decent end to the year. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to drive the No. 42 Chevy this season, we had a lot of memories made this season and I had a lot of fun behind the wheel. Thank you to Maury Gallagher, Richard Petty, the fans, and all of our partners. Onto what’s next for me.”

 

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Toyota Racing NCS Post-Race Recap – Phoenix 11.06.22

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Official Release
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BELL FINISHES THIRD IN FINAL POINT STANDINGS
Christopher Bell battles to a top-10 finish to earn a career-best points finish

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 6, 2022) – Christopher Bell (10th) finished third in the final point standings after coming home behind fellow Championship 4 drivers Joey Logano (race winner) and Ross Chastain (third). In his final race for Toyota, Kyle Busch led all Camry drivers with a seventh-place finish.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Phoenix Raceway
Race 36 of 36 – 312 miles, 312 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Joey Logano*
2nd, Ryan Blaney *
3rd, Ross Chastain*
4th, Chase Briscoe*
5th, Kevin Harvick*
7th, KYLE BUSCH
9th, DENNY HAMLIN
10th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
15th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
17th, DANIEL HEMRIC
22nd, BUBBA WALLACE
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 DeWalt Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

What are your emotions today after everything you went through?

“Wow, wow, wow. Just from being out and then the wins at Charlotte and Martinsville and all of a sudden you wake up this morning and you are racing for a championship, and you are happy, you are elated and then your world comes crashing down. Whenever you get news like that, it puts it in perspective that there is more to this than racing. The whole Gibbs family is in all of our prayers. I’m thinking of them. Ultimately today, the best car won the championship. He was really strong. Proud of our 20 group though. We fought hard, and at the end of the race – the last pit stop, or what we thought was going to be the last pit stop, we were right there battling for it. I’m just proud to be in this position, proud to be at Joe Gibbs Racing and race this no. 20 car. The DeWalt Camry was – we were there, and hopefully, we can come back here next year.”

What positives can you take from this year and apply them to next season?

“I feel good about where we are at for sure. I’m hopeful that my group stays the exact same, from mechanics, engineers and obviously Adam Stevens on top of the pit box because I feel like we have a good thing going. We feel like we are right there on the brink of being there every week and being a title contender, year-in and year-out. Just really thankful to be here and very, very incredibly saddened by the news today and I’m think of the Gibbs family.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Podium and World-Leading Pace Highlight Conclusion of Grand Finals for Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing in Portugal

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Official Release
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Portimão, Portugal (November 6, 2022) — The Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) stable concluded their season and the 2022 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Grand Finals in Portugal today. The teams were divided into a PRO and PRO|AM class split, and an LB Cup and AM class split for the weekend-long double header which was highlighted by an overall second-place podium in PRO and PRO|AM Race 2 by the No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing PRO car.

After a challenging outing in which they climbed from last to sixth in Race 1, Kyle Marcelli and Daniel Formal received their North America Drivers’ Championship trophies at a prize giving in Portimão on Saturday night. The pair were on-form on Sunday, pacing the field and chasing down the leader to within 1 second in the closing laps. The American champions ultimately finished in fourth place in the world standings.

Longtime WTR LST standout Ashton Harrison celebrated her final weekend in the Lamborghini spec series with a best finish of fourth in PRO|AM beside teammate and coach Tom Long in the No. 125 Harrison Contracting Company with WTR and would finish fifth in the world within their class.

No. 153 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing drivers Aidan Yoder and Jordan Missig finished a commendable seventh in a stacked PRO field in Race 1, finishing directly behind their title-winning teammates. The pair achieved a ninth-place finish in the world rankings for the weekend.

Randy Sellari made up over a dozen positions from his qualifying spots across both races, showing fantastic long-run pace in the No. 103 JG Wentworth with WTR.

Kyle Marcelli, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO)
“Another season concludes. We came into this weekend with a lot of hope and confidence and excitement. It was fun to learn a new racetrack. This is an amazing facility here in Portugal at the Algarve International Circuit. It’s a high-speed racetrack with lots of elevation change and high G-force loads and a unique track surface that changes dramatically based on track temperature and ambient temperature. Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing worked their butts off to give us a good car all weekend. We were scratching our heads a few times trying to find that sweet spot. We were happy one session and disappointed the next. For me, this weekend was a rollercoaster of emotion. We’re somewhat pleased. We’re here to win and we took a third and a second in the North American rounds and went from last to sixth in the first world race. It was a heck of a drive and a battle the entire time. Today, we qualified third and finished second on the tailpipes of the lead car. As the sun set, the car seemed to come alive. A huge thank-you goes out to Prestige Performance for this opportunity. We wouldn’t be in the car if it wasn’t for their support. Danny and I have really enjoyed working with each other. We push each other and are trading tenths every time we’re in the car. We’ve got a great team around us and there isn’t a single weak link in this program and at the end of the day, we’re pleased to bring the North America championship back to Wayne Taylor Racing. We didn’t get the World Championship, but you can bet we’ll be back to get that next year.”

Daniel Formal, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO)
“Not the weekend we hoped for after such a dominant season, but super grateful and thankful for Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing and Lamborghini Paramus for the opportunity to represent them on the world stage. Race 2 today was better than Race 1 for sure. We showed that we had very good pace—good enough to catch the leader from almost 4 seconds back. Dirty air prevented me for fighting for the win. I kept washing outside track limits so I couldn’t go for the pass without risking a penalty. That said, I’m super happy with the performance today, but disappointed that we couldn’t fight for the World Championship win because of misfortune that was out of our hands in Race 1. I’m super proud of Wayne Taylor Racing—North America Champions with five wins this season. We were on the podium 11 races out of 12 and it was a fantastic season. I hope to be back in 2023, defend our title, and go back-to-back in the championship. Thank you, and I’m grateful to be a part of this program.”

Jordan Missig, No. 153 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO)
“Another year is in the books and another Lamborghini Super Trofeo Grand Finals is done and dusted. What can I say? Aidan and I gave it all that we had over the course of the two races this weekend. We delt with a lot of bad luck, but we had to play with the hand we were delt and make the most of our opportunities in the races and we did that. We put our heads down and secured two top-10 finishes with very strong stints from Aidan and myself. We went from the back to the front and passed numerous competitors. More importantly, I can’t say enough for what the Wayne Taylor Racing crew has been able to do for us. They put the car back together multiple times on top of their efforts getting four cars ready to go out on track for so many sessions. We had one of the fastest cars in the paddock and it was a pleasure to drive. Thank you so much to all the Wayne Taylor Racing crew back at the shop to get these cars ready and shipped overseas. It was a heck of a season. Congratulations to the No. 1 car on their championship and congratulations to my teammate Aidan on a successful season all-around. Looking forward to 2023!”

Aidan Yoder, No. 153 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO)
“What an incredible way to end an incredible season. Two top-10s in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Grand Finals exceeded all my expectations going into this year. My theme has been to learn and develop as a driver and a team member as much as I can. This season was a big jump for me personally not only in terms of learning the car, but in terms of how to function in a team of this size. To see how this organization maneuvers through difficulties as well as how they keep their heads down is something I’ve cherished. I’m really thankful for the opportunity to join Wayne Taylor Racing this season and a very big thank you goes out to Jordan Missig. It takes a team effort, and everyone had to commit to this season. It takes a village and I’m super proud to be ending this way and give all the guys and girls something to celebrate heading into the offseason. This was an up-and-down year with a lot of learning. Lots to be proud of, especially with us being the first Americans, Jordan and I both, to cross the line yesterday. This couldn’t have happened without the team’s effort all week. I can’t thank everybody enough and can’t wait for next year!”

Ashton Harrison, No. 125 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM)
“This was a heck of a way to end my Super Trofeo career. I’m so proud to have been a part of Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing for these four seasons. It’s been amazing and I’m super thankful for all the opportunities they’ve provided. I’m looking forward to what the future holds. I’ll always be thankful to Lamborghini for getting me to this point in my career in GT racing and I can’t wait to see everyone again soon!”

Tom Long, No. 125 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM)
“The Grand Finals didn’t go our way this time, unfortunately. Our Harrison Contracting Company Lamborghini certainly had the pace to contend for the win thanks to the Wayne Taylor Racing team. The Grand Finals week in Portugal was one I will never forget, with plenty of special moments at a world class venue and gorgeous setting. I’m looking forward to what the future holds!”

FINAL RESULTS: WORLD ROUND, RACE 1

PRO CLASS, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Kyle Marcelli | Daniel Formal – P6 overall
Qualification by Daniel Formal – P4 overall

PRO CLASS, No. 153 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Aidan Yoder | Jordan Missig – P7 in class
Qualification by Aidan Yoder – P19 in class

PRO|AM CLASS, No. 125 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Ashton Harrison | Tom Long – P4 in class
Qualification by Tom Long – P5 in class

AM CLASS, No. 103 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Randy Sellari – P9 in class
Qualification by Randy Sellari – P19 in class

FINAL RESULTS: WORLD ROUND, RACE 2

PRO CLASS, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Kyle Marcelli | Daniel Formal – P2 overall
Qualification by Kyle Marcelli – P4 in overall

PRO CLASS, No. 153 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Aidan Yoder | Jordan Missig – P9 in class
Qualification by Jordan Missig – P17 in class

PRO|AM CLASS, No. 125 Harrison Contracting Company with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Ashton Harrison | Tom Long – P5 in class
Qualification by Ashton Harrison – P5 in class

AM CLASS, No. 103 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2
Randy Sellari – P7 in class
Qualification by Randy Sellari – P13 in class

ABOUT WTR’S LAMBORGHINI SUPER TROFEO DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. In addition to their DPi winning team, the team, under the Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing umbrella, has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of their Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the Prestige Performance with WTR team has clinched seven North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. Their Driver Development program has grown into interim classes like IMSA GTD, as it evolves to encompass a greater variety of skill and experience levels. For more information on Wayne Taylor Racing’s Driver Development Program and how to get involved, contact Travis Houge at info@waynetaylorracing.com.

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