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Team effort makes for a positive finish for the Stoner Car Care team

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Official Release
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The Stoner/Automatic Racing team makes a fast change of a major component to take the checkered flag in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season finale

BRASELTON, Ga. (30 September 2022) – Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing put together a true team effort over the past 24 hours, fixing a major cam shaft issue to put the car on the Fox Factory 120 grid and to take the final IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge checkered flag of the season.

Braselton native Casey Carden joined team veteran Ramin Abdolvahabi behind the wheel of the No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4. The Grand Sport class qualified late on Thursday afternoon, and Abdolvahabi put the car in 20th position on the starting grid despite a red flag that ruined his fast lap and left him with just one dash to set a quick time.

But when the team returned to the garage, they discovered a cam shaft failure that necessitated a complete change out of the part – which is easier said than done, as the cam shaft is deeply buried in the engine compartment. The team’s mechanics methodically took apart the front of the car, changed the part in record time, and hustled the Aston Martin to the grid.

Taking the green flag in the 39-car field, Abdolvahabi settled into a solid race pace quickly, battling for position and laying down consistent laps. Setting the team’s quick race lap of 1:29.118 on lap nine, he avoided multiple cars going off course or making contact, though the race ran caution-free his entire stint.

Making solid passes and taking advantage of issues with cars ahead, Abdolvahabi worked his way up to seventh position before coming to pit lane and handing the car to Carden.

“The car felt good; more than a little traffic to deal with, but it felt good,” said Abdolvahabi. “Surprisingly the whole stint went without a yellow which is kind of crazy for Road Atlanta, but I was doing my time so all in all, a good stint. Despite the cam shaft problem, it’s been a good weekend. Casey knows the place, it was great working with him. The team always comes together and gives a car to us that we can drive, and that’s all we can ask for.”

Carden figures he has “tens of thousands of miles” at Road Atlanta, having grown up in Braselton and raced at the track most of his life. He came out of pit lane P22, but unfortunately mired in the TCR field. But more unfortunately, Carden was hit from behind late in the race, going up through the Esses, nearly putting him off track and out of the race. He recovered quickly, though with a damaged car. With an outstanding effort, he brought the car home P23.

“When I came out of the pits, I didn’t find my rhythm as fast as I would have liked and when you get caught up in a situation you shouldn’t be in, things happen,” said Carden. “We got dealt a pretty cruel card with some contact and were just fortunate enough to bring it to the finish, because we don’t quit and certainly at least wanted to deliver a finish for the team. It was a wonderful experience with a wonderful team. They brought a good car and did everything to provide a really good weekend for everybody involved. Everyone is super professional and I hope this isn’t the last time.”

Carden and Automatic Racing team manager David Russell have known each other for the better part of a decade, and while disappointed with the result, Russell was pleased with the effort from both team and drivers.

“A large part of the race for us was getting the car to the grid because we learned last night that one of the cam shafts had gone awry, so we had to fix that,” said Russell. “It’s a fair amount of expose because we had to take the whole front of the car off to do that. I was really proud of the guys because they got that done in time and they got it done properly. Big thanks to Aston Martin with (Aston Martin motorsports partner/distributor) CSJ Motorsports and their guys, they were super helpful in that process. It was a good weekend all in all, a joy and pleasure to have Ramin and Casey with us.”

The Stoner Car Care team continues to support End Alzheimer’s Racing, carrying decals on the car to help their efforts to raise funds and awareness.

The Stoner Car Care Racing team will start the 2023 Michelin Pilot Challenge season at the Roar Before the Rolex 24, January 20-22.

About Stoner Car Care

Stoner Car Care produces high-performance car washes, waxes, polishes, and dressings for auto enthusiasts and car care professionals. The Stoner Car Care line-up includes Invisible Glass, America’s #1 Automotive Glass Cleaner, along with many other appearance products. Whether driving, washing or waxing, Performance Matters! Stoner car care proudly formulates all of our product since 1942. www.stonercarcare.com

About Invisible Glass

Automatic Racing sees their way to victory with Invisible Glass, the top-selling automotive glass cleaner in the United States. The Invisible Glass product line includes aerosol and spray bottle cleaner, Invisible Glass with rain repellent for windshields and wiper blades. Find more online at https://www.invisibleglass.com

About Automatic Racing

Based in Orlando, Automatic Racing is one of the longest-running teams in the paddock, forming in 2001 and competing in all but one of the 11 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge races at Daytona. The team has been developing, preparing and racing the prestigious Aston Martin Vantage GT4 since 2012. Automatic Racing won the 2017 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge title. https://automaticracing.com

About End Alzheimer’s Racing

End Alzheimer’s Racing began in 2019, as father and son duo Bill and Alex Slupski – both experienced kart racers who also work in sports car racing – chose racing as the “vehicle” for their program to promote awareness and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. Through End Alzheimer’s Racing, they want to be an integral part of the support network for families dealing with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and be part of the cure that ends Alzheimer’s disease. http://act.alz.org/goto/endalzheimersracing

No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Earn Hard-Fought Third Place Starting Position for the MOTUL Petit Le Mans

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Official Release
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Braselton, GA. (September 30, 2022) — The final qualifying of the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and of the DPi era, took place Friday, setting the grid for the famed MOTUL Petit Le Mans. Ricky Taylor piloted the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 around the 12-turn road course to post a lap time of 01:08.802 (132.902 mph) and will start Saturday’s season finale in third position after a very close qualifying session amongst competitors. Utilizing every inch of the track in hopes of earning a pole position, Taylor slid off into the Turn 5 gravel in the closing minutes but recovered with no damage to the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05, securing a second row starting position.

With the result, the blue and black squad’s season points total increases to 3,096, and they enter tomorrow’s enduro 14 points ahead of their rivals in the sister Acura team. With pole position for the other Acura today, the marque is guaranteed to secure the drivers’, teams’ and manufacturers’ championships in the race. All that is left to be seen is which Acura squad will take the crown.

“Qualifying was important for points,” said Ricky Taylor. “Going into it, if we outqualified the No. 60 Meyer Shank Acura, they had a lot to lose in terms of championship points. So, we were trying to increase the gap over 20 points which would’ve made a big difference for tomorrow. We would have loved to get the pole and qualify ahead of the No. 60, but in the scheme of the points it didn’t change a whole lot. I’m feeling good since it’s such a long race and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura team does such a good job strategizing and putting us in a good position. I’m very confident in our lineup and our team compared to them over the course of 10 hours. I’d put my two teammates up against those guys any day. I think we are all feeling optimistic and strong for tomorrow.”

Green flag for the 25th Anniversary of MOTUL Petit Le Mans waves at 12:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 1 with full 10-hour coverage streaming on Peacock, and partial television coverage on NBC from 12:00-3:00 p.m. ET. The night stints will be covered on USA Network between 7:00-10:30 p.m. ET.
DPi STARTING GRID:

1.) Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian (No. 60 Acura ARX-05) Oliver Jarvis, Tom Blomqvist & Helio Castroneves (133.381 mph)

2.) Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing (No. 02 Cadillac DPi) Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn & Ryan Hunter-Reay (132.929 mph)

3.) Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 (No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05) Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque & Brendon Hartley (132.902 mph)

4.) JDC Miller Motorsports (No. 5 Cadillac DPi) Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook & Loic Duval (132.804 mph)

5.) Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing (No. 01 Cadillac DPi) Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais & Scott Dixon (132.704 mph)

ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports, Hammer Nutrition and CIT.

Cadillac grabs front-row start for Motul Petit Le Mans

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Official Release
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Bamber drives No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R to second in quals for 10-hour race

BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 30, 2022) – Earl Bamber recorded a lap of 1 minute, 8.788 seconds in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories DPi-V.R on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta course in the 15-minute qualifying session to earn a front-row start in the 25th Motul Petit Le Mans.

Bamber, co-driving with Alex Lynn and Ryan Hunter-Reay in the 10-hour race, was 0.233 of a second off securing the fifth Motul Pole Award of the season for Cadillac Racing.

The No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R topped the time sheet in two of the three practice sessions a day earlier. The sister No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R paced the field in the afternoon session.

Bamber and Lynn teamed with Neel Jani to win the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.

The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Tristan Vautier behind the wheel, qualified fourth. Sebastien Bourdais, who claimed four pole positions in the 10 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races, qualified fifth in the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R.

Kamui Kobayashi qualified sixth in the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R, while reigning DPi champion Pipo Derani will start seventh in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R.

The field, competing in the final race of the DPi era, is separated by a half-second.

Peacock will have flag-to-flag streaming coverage of the race starting at noon ET Saturday, Oct. 1. NBC will telecast the race from noon-3 p.m. ET, while USA will pick up coverage from 7-10:30 p.m.

Cadillac Racing lineup, starting position and quotes

No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R (Chip Ganassi Racing)

Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Ryan Hunter-Reay

Bamber drove in the qualifying session (start second, 1:08.788): “We had a really good car all weekend and something to challenge for the pole but there was a yellow and some traffic on a key lap. I think we have a really good race car, Alex and Ryan are really strong and we definitely have the potential to win this one. Now we just need to execute tomorrow.”

No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (JDC-Miller MotorSports)

Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, Loic Duval

Westbrook drove in the qualifying session (start fourth, 1:08.853): “I’m just upset because we had a front-row car today and I got tangled up with a car coming out of the pits and debating whether he was going to let me by or slip in behind me and that kind of disturbed me a little bit on those two laps where the tires were at their best. I have a would have, could have, should have feeling. I feel like I got the most out of the car. It is a little upsetting because it was the last qualy of the year and last of the DPi era. We’ve been struggling the last few races so I would have loved to put it on the front row. I’m proud of what the team has done coming in here with no testing and giving us such a good car. There are 10 hours to go tomorrow.”

No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R (Chip Ganassi Racing)

Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon

Bourdais drove in the qualifying session (start fifth, 1:08.905): “I’m obviously disappointed because we’ve had a lot of speed this year and some great cars, which allowed us to put the car on pole four times. It’s not the way I wanted to finish qualifying in the DPi era, but we’ll see if we can make the car a little better for tomorrow and go at it for 10 hours.”

No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)

Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Rockenfeller

Kobayashi drove in the qualifying session (start sixth, 1:08.984): “We tried our best but the race is not only the qualy. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I’m happy for the work everyone has done. We have to put together a smooth race to come out on top in the last race of the DPi era. I definitely enjoyed this car and will miss driving it in the future.”

No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)

Pipo Derani, Olivier Pla, Mike Conway

Derani drove in the qualifying session (start seventh, 1:09.075): “The field is very tight, so it could have been either way. Not ideal to qualifying seventh, but in general the car looks like it’s better than when it started the weekend. It’s going to be a fantastic race. Very interesting for the fans having all those cars really close on pace. It’s a 10-hour race, so qualifying is not the most important thing with the field so close, which means everyone is really competitive.”

About Cadillac

A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com.

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Getting Closer to the Front

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Official Release
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Garcia takes fifth in GTD PRO ahead of 10-hour Petit Le Mans finale

BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 30, 2022) – Antonio Garcia and Corvette Racing will start on the third row of the GT Daytona (GTD) category and fifth in GTD PRO on Saturday for the 10-hour Petit Le Mans – the final race of this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Garcia set a best lap of 1:19.444 (115.099 mph) around Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. He will team with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg as the race goes green at 12:10 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock, XM 207).

Garcia was 0.609 seconds off Jack Hawksworth’s pole-winning time in GTD PRO. However, there is only a 0.165-second margin from third to fifth.

As has been the case at every IMSA round this season, it’s the first event for Corvette Racing at Road Atlanta in the GTD category after eight years in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class. Compared to previous years, the GTD-spec Corvette runs with more weight, less power, an anti-lock braking system and a spec Michelin tire.

This year’s Petit Le Mans is the 25th running of the endurance classic with Corvette Racing looking for its ninth class victory since its first race there in 1999… but first since 2010. That long-awaited victory would help Garcia and Taylor secure second place in the GTD PRO Drivers Championship and also go a long way toward winning the Michelin Endurance Cup – a collection of the four premier long-distance races for the WeatherTech Championship.

The season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and Petit Le Mans bookend the Endurance Cup, which sees Chevrolet second in the Manufacturers standings entering Road Atlanta. Garcia, Taylor and Catsburg won the Endurance Cup’s second round – the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – in March to move into contention.

The 10-hour Petit Le Mans is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 1. The race will air live on NBC from noon-3 p.m. ET and from 7-10:30 p.m. ET on USA. Peacock will have live flag-to-flag streaming from noon-10:30 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio will provide live audio coverage Saturday on IMSA.com, XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – QUALIFIED FIFTH IN GTD PRO: “I wouldn’t consider that decent. My lap was probably decent but I feel like I had a tiny bit more. It was difficult to put together with how the car behaved and how bad traffic was. Traffic interaction wasn’t great, and that killed a little momentum. That’s the same for everyone.

“When you come to these kind of races where the car count is big and Road Atlanta is only an 80-second lap, your chances of getting in the way of someone or someone getting in your way are higher. It’s difficult to really gauge when you have to push and when do you have your time to go and try for a quick one. When I decided to go, it wasn’t a great moment. I had two cars coming out of the pits and because of that it snowballs into bigger problems. It’s never easy and never easy here. We’re up there (in the GTD order). It’s still a 10-hour race, which is a long way so qualifying doesn’t mean a lot. For sure we have some extra feedback on how the car behaves and I’m sure we’ll have a better Corvette tomorrow.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 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.

Bangladesh Premier League bets in Parimatch – bet on BPL matches with the best odds

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SM
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The Bangladesh Premier League betting is a great opportunity for all cricket fans to use their knowledge about this sport to put it to good use. Especially since via the Parimatch official website there is available a wide betting line and high odds. To know more about all the actual offers and to make the first bets on the BPL matches you will need to open the https://parimatch.in/en/cricket-bpl and choose one or a few markets. But remember that profitable cricket betting is impossible without deep knowledge about this sport and quality preparation. That’s why learn the cricket rules and terms of the Bangladesh Premier League before making the first bets in a chosen format (prematch/live).

Bangladesh Premier League teams – main features of the BPL matches 

So the main thing to say about the Bangladesh Premier League is that this is an important T20 tournament, much like the IPL in India. Mainly the competition starts in November each year. According to the championship rules, each team here will play twice with others, and the two of the TOP places in the BPL table will get a direct invitation in the final part. The total number of teams which will take a part in this competition is always 6. The winner of the Bangladesh Premier League season will be picked in a final match. Here is the actual list of the BPL teams:

  • Chattogram Challengers;
  • Comilla Victorians;
  • Fortune Barsihal;
  • Khulna Tigers;
  • Minister Dhaka;
  • Sylhet Sunrisers!

All of these teams you will see during the next season, so now you could start to prepare the forecast to understand the real chances of the clubs for winning. When the forecast will be ready you could choose the best markets to bet on. For all the BPL matches in the betting line via the Parimatch website you will find main and additional outcomes. Mostly cricket bets are made on the match/championship winner, series winner, the man of the match, top bowler, top batsman, etc.

The Bangladesh Premier League betting tips – learn how to prepare the forecast for the BPL match

The Bangladesh Premier League is a huge event in professional cricket, so it can be the best choice for profitable betting and experience getting. But to become really successful here it’s important to learn how to analyze the statistics of the teams and players. Learn as much as you can about the chosen teams to understand if they have a real chance to win the match. Here you need to check the current players’ shape, their motivation, and a list of the injured and disqualified sportsmen. You could find that information via the Pariatch official website on the page with statistics.  

Also, spend some time learning the table of the Bangladesh Premier League for the last few seasons and the forecast of the more experienced bettors. If even after such preparation for you still will be difficult to start betting then try your luck in the LIVE format where bets will be made during the match.

Thaze Competition Announces Plans to Enter the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge GS Class in 2023

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Official Release
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Mercedes-AMG Motorsports Customer Racing Team Targets 2023 Daytona Opener to Debut Pair of Mercedes-AMG GT4s

DETROIT (September 30, 2022) – Thaze Competition, a racing team based in the metropolitan Detroit area, has announced its plans to enter the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series as a Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team with a pair of Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries in the top-tier Grand Sport (GS) class.

The team’s driver lineup is being finalized with Thaze in final negotiations with a driver pairing for one of the two cars.

“Based on my past experience, we want our drivers to have access to the tools typically reserved for factory professionals,” Team Principal Faisal Ahmad said. “What’s been missing for me is that holistic approach to sports car racing where drivers are supported with ongoing mental and physical fitness, nutrition and even media training. Essentially, we want to give our drivers and crew members all of the tools they need to perform at their best and give them a competitive edge.”

Thaze Competition is enlisting the expertise of best-selling author, celebrity fitness and nutrition expert Drew Logan from NBC’s “STRONG,” and is implementing an advanced strength and conditioning program to maximize the performance of its drivers and team members.

“We were inspired by the impressive debut that Trackhouse Racing and Justin Marks have made in the NASCAR Cup series,” Team Principal Brian Makse said. “What Justin and his team were able to achieve in such a short time was astonishing. At the same time, I saw many similarities between what Trackhouse has done and the way we can do things in IMSA. What Trackhouse immediately recognized was that the integration of entertainment with the business of professional sports is essential to their success.”

Thaze Competition is developing an ongoing unscripted series about the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, the goal of which is to introduce new fans to sports car racing in the United States. The series takes a wide-angle view of the championship, looking at the personalities and inner workings of both experienced teams and a freshman outfit like Thaze Competition.

“While our passion for motorsport is at the heart of this project, we have a keen focus on sound business practices and commercial opportunities that will allow the team to be financially sustainable for the long term,” Ahmad said. “This will allow us to expand our offerings with drivers and team members who share in our vision.”

The team is scheduled to take delivery of a new Mercedes-AMG GT4 in mid-December in addition to acquiring a race-proven car that has already been used in North American competition.

“In the short term, we’re already planning beyond IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and are putting together a ladder for driver development and competition opportunities that run from club racing through to entry-level professional series,” Makse said. “One of the great things about sports car racing today is that drivers can choose from several different championships to suit their level of development and we’ll be here to encourage that.”

Thomas Wins 2022 Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship in Drama-Filled Finale

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Official Release
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Gonzalez caps off season with a race win

BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 30, 2022) – The final race to determine the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires Champion was a game of numbers. Only 30 points separated Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) and Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports) at the top of the points coming into the race and only 10 points was the difference that earned Thomas the title. While the championship battle waged in the closing moments of the race, Tyler Gonzalez (No. 51 Copeland Motorsports) charged through the field to win his fourth race of the year.

Mazda MX-5 Cup races are known for being intense, but Friday’s finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta took it to a whole new level.

Rookie Zilisch, starting on pole, trailed Thomas by 30 points in the championship. If the pair ended the race tied, Zilisch would win the tiebreaker having won four races to Thomas’ three.

When the green flag waved, Thomas was on the attack and into third by lap four, right behind Zilisch. The two were in a shark tank of drivers hungry for nothing less than a win, including defending champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance), as well as Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Joey Atanasio (No. 43 Formidable Racing Development) who both were hungry for their first-ever MX-5 Cup wins.

The drama came to a head when Thomas made contact with another car in Turn Two and nearly slid into the tires. He rejoined the race in 17th and with Zilisch then leading, it looked as though his championship hopes were dashed.

Over the next 13 minutes, Thomas was able to crawl back to ninth without the assistance of any full-course yellows. Zilisch played it conservative after Thomas’ incident and finished sixth. It should have been enough of a point difference for Zilisch to claim the championship, but a penalty applied to Alex Bachoura (No. 33 Spark Performance) after the race moved Thomas up to eighth, giving him a 10-point advantage over Zilisch.

“I literally didn’t know that I had won the championship until I found out right there on pit lane after the race,” Thomas said. “But, what other fashion would it happen in Mazda MX-5 Cup? I mean that’s how it’s been all year long, so competitive. Congrats to Connor [Zilisch], he’s had a hell of a year. I’m really stoked for my JTR guys. There have been a lot of long days we’ve put in to build the team and build this program. This is just a dream come true. The big thing for me is all the other great race car drivers that have been in this series and put their mark on it and now I finally get to do that. I think it is one of the premier sports car championships in North America, just the best sports car racing you can experience and to win the championship is just an amazing feeling!”

Zilisch was heartbroken, believing he had done the right thing in the closing laps by being conservative.

“I can only see what’s there in front of me and they (team) were telling me on the radio that Jared [Thomas] was out of the race, and to just bring it home and I would win the championship. So I did that, and on the last lap I pointed another driver by as they were going for the win and I didn’t want to get wrecked. I gave the spot up and Jared ended up getting enough spots to jump me on the last lap. Super unfortunate.

“This Mazda series is so competitive-when there are 14 races in the championship, and it comes down to the last one and the last lap it just shows you that. Me, Jared [Thomas], Gresham [Wagner], Selin [Rollan], were all battling hard all year. Just to come out second place, we have to be proud of that after coming in as a rookie. Still, 75 percent of me just can’t be satisfied with that! So, we’ll learn from it and move on.”

Zilisch still walks away with $80,000 from Mazda for his Rookie of the Year title.

As the championship drama was unfolding, Gonzalez was quietly picking his way through the field and in the final 10 minutes of the race he was challenging for the lead. He took it with two laps to go and held on to the finish.

“We were lurking for that first half of the race, trying to play it safe so we could be there at the end,” Gonzalez said. “We stayed in the lead pack and then I saw an opportunity, took it, and worked my way up and then worked with Gresham [Wagner] on the last lap and really didn’t want to lead but that’s how it ended up and I’m glad we made the best of it.”

Gonzalez started the race from ninth and his run to the top spot also earned him the Hard Charger Award.

Wagner was gunning for a win Friday after falling out of championship contention in Thursday’s race. He led more laps than anyone else but finished 0.198-second behind Gonzalez.

“It’s hard to go out there when you aren’t fighting for the championship anymore, but it meant that there was a lot less pressure and maybe that helped me have a better race,” Wagner said. “Everyone raced hard and fair today, but no one wanted to work together. I guess everyone wanted to be up front just like I did!”

Atanasio was in the mix for a win the entire race but took the checkered flag in third. It is the rookie’s third podium of the season.

“It felt like it was a win, just fighting to be on the podium like that,” Atanasio said. “When Sam [Paley] and I were side-by-side going down the hill, I was like ‘no way I am giving this up!’ At one point my race was going backwards a bit, but then I just let everything cool back down a bit and things started to come back to us. The race was so fun, one of the most fun of the season. I’m really happy and I hope to see myself back here next year!”

Paley, who started from pole in Thursday’s race, finished fourth. Justin Piscitell (No. 89 McCumbee McAleer Racing) completed the top five.

Thomas will receive his championship trophy and $250,000 check from Mazda Friday evening at the MX-5 Cup year-end awards banquet. He is the 18th different MX-5 Cup Champion, a former MX-5 Cup Shootout winner and the 2020 Rookie of the Year.

Preparation begins now for the 2023 MX-5 Cup season, where drivers will compete for more than $1 million in prize money.

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 champion is awarded $250,000 as the top rookie nets $80,000.

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

Joe Graf Jr. | SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt Talladega Superspeedway October Event Preview

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Official Release
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SS Greenlight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway | Sparks 300

Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): G-Coin
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams
Spotter: Frankie Kimmel
2022 Driver Points Position: 27th | 2022 Owner Points Position: 21st
Engine: Roush Yates Engines (RYE)

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Back: This weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt and Joe Graf Jr. welcome back G-Coin as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Ford Mustang for Saturday afternoon’s Sparks 300.

Talladega marks the 28th race of the 2022 Xfinity Series season and 14th race overall between 2021 and 2022 where G-Coin, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility will be the primary partner.

Download the G-Coin app on iTunes or Google Play and use referral code FHY 6D3 AHT and Joe Graf Jr. will send you $5 worth of G-Coin.

About G-Coin: Unlike cryptocurrencies, G-Coin is a digital title to a real asset: 1 G-Coin token equals 1 gram of Responsible GoldTM.

G-Coin combines the best qualities of traditional gold – stability, security, value, confidence, and social status – with the benefits of digital innovation, allowing users to easily save, send, and spend gold.

Tech-savvy investors keen to avoid cryptocurrency volatility, or physical storage burden and costs, are now able to purchase G-Coin digital gold tokens. G-Coin tokens can be purchased in increments of 0.01gram, giving individual investors better access to the gold market and the ability to use gold for day-to-day purchases.

G-Coin Wallets give users the freedom to send and receive value instantly, securely, and at no cost from the convenience of your mobile phone.

G-Coin Tip of the Week: Responsible Gold is institutional grade 99.99% pure gold that has been responsibly sourced.

Responsible Gold can be traced back to its origin giving the owner or G-Coin token holder knowledge that it has been responsibly mined and sourced throughout the supply chain.

Same Day Settlements With MoneyGram: G-Coin customers with Tier 3 access can use cash to buy or sell G-Coin tokens at participating MoneyGram locations.

To place a buy or sell order using cash, Tier 3 customers need to select the ‘MoneyGram’ option from ‘Pay With’ that appears on the buy | sell screen. Once the order is placed, customers will receive an email with detailed instructions to follow at participating MoneyGram locations.

For buy orders, customers will have 24 hours to make the payment in cash, which is when the balance on the G-Coin wallet is updated. Buy orders expire after 24 hours so customers will need to place a new order after that time.

For sell orders, customers are responsible for collecting the proceeds of the sale in cash at participating MoneyGram locations. The G-Coin balance will be updated when the sell order has been placed, which is irreversible.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 81 percent of the 2022 Xfinity Series season complete, Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt would like to thank their associate marketing partners: AVOID, Bass Reaper Bait Company, Bucked Up Energy, CoverSeal, EAT SLEEP RACE Apparel, fgrACCEL, Gtechniq, HazHeart, Model Electronics and ShopRite for their continued support.

Catch Him On The Dial: Before Joe Graf Jr. straps into his No. 07 G-Coin Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon, the SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Pat Patterson LIVE on Saturday morning, October 1, 2022 at approximately 10:00 a.m. ET.

Graf will also spotlight G-Coin in several commercial spots throughout the weekend, including the full four-hour program on Sunday, October 2, 2022.

Carolina Connection: Beginning this week and throughout the month of October, Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt have partnered with Carolina Breast Friends to help spread breast cancer awareness during the month of October.

The vision of Carolina Breast Friends is to support, encourage, and empower those in our community who are affected by breast cancer.

The mission of Carolina Breast Friends is to embrace the breast cancer community in a positive environment. We provide resources and education through fellowship and mentoring during any stage of the journey.

From now until October 5, 2022 – you can donate a minimum of $25.00 and honor a breast cancer hero with their name on Graf’s racecar for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 250 race at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.

Please consider Donating Here.

Get Bucked Up at Homestead-Miami Speedway: With their traditional stop at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway later this year, Joe Graf Jr. and partner Bucked Up Energy Drink are giving a lucky fan and a guest an ALL-EXPENSES paid trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway in October, along with $1,000 in spending cash!

To enter, spend at least $10 at buckedup.com from now until Friday, September 30, 2022. Every $10 spent earns another entry.

Visit buckedup.com for additional information.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Talladega Superspeedway Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his sixth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway on Saturday afternoon.

In his previous five starts, Graf has delivered a track-best of eighth earned earlier this year in the Ag-Pro 300 after starting 24th.

He also earned his first career top-10 Xfinity finish at Talladega last October with a top-10 finish in last October’s Sparks 300.

He is hunting for his third consecutive top-10 finish at Talladega this weekend.

While carrying an average finish of 23.2, he has also completed 491 of the 579 available laps available for an 89.8 percent lap completion.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Superspeedway Nuggets: In 10 career NASCAR Xfinity Series Superspeedway races, he has completed 1,029 of the 1,327 laps available. He holds an average starting position of 23.8 and an average result of 27.0 with a best finish of eighth at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April 2022.

Joe Graf Jr. ARCA Menards Series Career Superspeedway Nuggets: In three career ARCA superspeedway track races, Graf Jr. has two top-10 finishes. He has been running at the finish of all three races. He holds an average starting position of 15.3 and an average result of 11th with three (3) laps led.

In 2018, Graf Jr. was involved in the closest finish in ARCA Menards Series history at Talladega Superspeedway in a photo finish.

The margin was so narrow in the 69-year history of the series, it was a statistical dead heat, the margin of victory on the computerized scoring monitors showing 0.00 seconds.

Only a video replay and the photo finish camera were able to determine Graf finished second by a matter of millimeters.

Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 Race Recap: In his most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Graf and the SSGLRwJL team showcased the No. 07 Bucked Up Rocket Pop Energy Drink Ford Mustang for their second trip to “No Limits Texas” this season.

A strong 13th place practice position was backed up with a respectable 19th place qualifying effort with Graf maintaining his solid pace throughout the early running of the race.

Just past the halfway mark in the race, Graf was collected in a backstretch accident when several cars ahead of him collided.

Resilient work by the SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt team kept Graf who suffered heavy front-end damage from the incident on the track and in contention for a solid finish.

When the checkered flag waved, Graf finished 18th earning his first top-20 finish at the 1.5-mile speedway and a solid period to a strong weekend from the No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt team.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will crew chief his 93rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his sixth at the breathtaking 2.66-mile superspeedway.

In his previous 92 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), seven top-five and 21 top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt. Veteran David Starr will drive the No. 08 Five Network Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon for his 17th start of the 2022 season.

Starr is set to make his 251st career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and 11th at Talladega. His best Xfinity track finish occurred in the 2014 Aaron’s 312, where he finished ninth after starting 16th for TriStar Motorsports.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on TikTok (@JoeGrafJr), Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Instagram (@ssgreenlightracing) and Twitter (@SSGLR0708).

Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Talladega Superspeedway: “I am so ready for Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Our SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt team is going for three straight top-10 finishes at the track on Saturday afternoon and I think we can better our prior finishes with a top-five run with our No. 07 G-Coin Ford Mustang.

“The team is very excited about the car that we are bringing which is a sister car to the one that we raced at Daytona in August before getting caught up in a mid-race accident.

“We are starting with a setup that we feel that will put us in a good place for the race and hopefully capture our second top-10 finish of the year at one of my favorite places.”

On Goals For Remainder of 2022: “There are about six weeks of racing left and we certainly want to make the best of it for everyone that supports our SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt team.

“Without question, I think it cannot be denied that our team has showcased speed throughout the season but we haven’t been able to execute on getting the finishes we think we deserved for a variety of reasons.

“The bigger picture is that we have continued to grow as a team and we have several race tracks over the next seven weeks that allow us to have the opportunity to put our best foot forward.

“From now until the end of the season at Phoenix, I am determined to nail the execution so we can carry some momentum into the off-season and to the 2023 season.”

Race Information:

The Sparks 300 (113 laps | 300.58 miles) is the 28th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Single-car qualifying is set for Friday, September 30, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. CT. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, October 1 shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About SS Green Light Racing with Jeff Lefcourt:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter and new partner Jeff Lefcourt has been a mainstay entry in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022.

RCR Event Preview – Talladega Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in the inaugural Talladega 500 in 1969. Childress has won 12 NASCAR Cup Series victories as an owner at Talladega. Dale Earnhardt earned nine Talladega wins under the RCR banner, his first coming in 1984. Earnhardt scored his 76th and final Cup win in the 2000 fall race at Talladega which earned the team and a lucky fan each a $1 million bonus from the series sponsor. Other victories by Earnhardt include a sweep of both races in 1990 and 1999 plus 1991 (July), 1993 (July) and 1994 (spring). Clint Bowyer won twice for RCR (fall races in 2010 and 2011) while Kevin Harvick won the 2010 spring event.

RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress Racing has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with one win, 11 top-five, and 20 top-10 finishes at Talladega Superspeedway. Two-time Xfinity Series Champion Tyler Reddick drove his No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in April 2019. Earlier this year, Jeffrey Earnhardt won the pole position and scored a second-place finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race Talladega.

Introducing the Carolina Cowboys … Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the PBR Team Series, an elite new league featuring the world’s top bull riders in games that began in July 2022. The team is operated by Richard Childress Racing with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager.

Catch the Action … The NASCAR Xfinity Series Sparks 300 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Saturday, October 1, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Texas … The NASCAR Cup Series Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on Sunday, October 2, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway … Austin Dillion heads to Talladega Superspeedway for this weekend’s YellaWood 500 with momentum on his side, as he finished second at the track in April (2022). Dillion has 18 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 2.66-mile tri-oval with one pole (2019) and five top-10 finishes. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has four Xfinity Series starts at Talladega with one pole (2015) and a career-best finish of third. In two NASCAR Truck Series races at Talladega, Dillion has finished eighth (2010) and seventh (2011).

TRACKER Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

How much more confidence do you have going into Talladega coming off a strong finish there in the Spring, and a recent win at Daytona International Speedway?

“I always feel like you’ve got something when you win on a certain type of track. Obviously, there’s a lot of luck involved as well, but the important thing is that there are opportunities to make your own luck. We’re going to work hard. We’ve just got to stay focused and see if we can play the same kind of chess match that we did earlier this year. Anything can happen at Talladega Superspeedway, but we’re going to do what we can to use momentum at the very end of the race to take advantage of positions.

This Week’s Realtree Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Talladega Superspeedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The best finish by the driver of the Realtree Chevrolet is a pair of seventh place finishes (2020 and 2021). Reddick’s best finish on a speedway is second at Daytona International Speedway in August 2022. He also has one NASCAR Xfinity Series victory with Richard Childress Racing at Talladega in 2019. Reddick enters Talladega 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings.

Welcome, Realtree … Realtree is the world’s leading designer of photorealistic camouflage, marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree patterns and brand. Thousands of outdoor and lifestyle products are available in Realtree camouflage patterns. In addition, Realtree is committed to supporting individuals and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, veterans and military affairs, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there.

From Pothole Mallards to Rice Field Sprigs to Spring Snow Geese, MAX-7 Will Keep You Hidden While on the X … Realtree will be the primary sponsor for Reddick and the No. 8 team this weekend at Talladega, featuring the company’s MAX-7 waterfowl Pattern. Realtree MAX-7 features imagery of common elements found in open waterfowl habitats and combines them in the foreground of the pattern with a detailed layer of cracked mud and moss in the background. It’s a purpose-built pattern designed to be used in more open areas that duck and geese haunt across the country.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:

Are you looking forward to this weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway?

“I’m looking forward to this weekend at Talladega. Every year we do a race with Realtree, Tyler Jordan and the crew, and we’re going to have them on the car this weekend with their new Max 7 pattern. I’m really excited to get to Talladega and see those guys. Every time we’ve had Realtree on the car we’ve been really fast but it hasn’t come together but we’re going to find a way to get it done on Sunday.”

What was the most special part of winning at Texas Motor Speedway?

It brought back some memories from the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol in 2019 when we came back to win that crazy race. It was really cool to overcome the amount of problems that we had, the incidents and issues that we had throughout our day. I think we had eight or nine and All year long I’ve been saying we can’t have one single mistake. The thing I loved the most was we fought back from it, stuck to our strategy, and we kept adjusting on the fly as our issues presented themselves. We never gave up and kept fighting all night long. Nothing was going to stop us. We were determined to push through it all and for us as group, that’s what made it so sweet.”

How did this team stay together through all the adversity this year?

“Every spot matters in the NASCAR Playoffs. We just had two tough races. We brought a really fast car at Darlington Raceway. We were leading at Kansas Speedway when we broke and fell out early. It’s tough; I mean, two points. The win at Texas will makes the pain of not making it through a little bit easier. We’re winning races and that’s what we’ll keep trying to do.”

This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway … Sheldon Creed heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the second time this season and the second time of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career. Creed’s debut at the Alabama superspeedway earlier this season didn’t end the way he wanted after he was involved in a crash that took him out on Lap 113. However, Creed did start from fourth and had positive momentum going if it weren’t for the wreck. He made three starts at the track during his time in the NASCAR Truck Series, with a best finish of ninth in 2019. Coming off a solid finish last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Creed is looking to continue his top-10 streak.

Texas Rewind … In a chaotic race at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend, Creed and the No. 2 Whelen team salvaged a respectable seventh-place finish. In 27 starts so far this season, Creed has led 135 laps and has tallied three top-five finishes, 11 top 10’s, an average start of 10.6 and an average finish of 18.0. Although he’s not competing in the Playoffs, Creed is sitting in 14th in the driver standings.

Whelen Celebrates 70 Years … From a small garage workshop in Connecticut in 1952 to a worldwide leader in emergency warning equipment today, Whelen Engineering continues to push the boundaries of innovation. As we mark our 70th anniversary, we’re proud to continue our founder’s mission of making it safer for those who serve and protect. Whelen has been manufacturing in America for 70 years—we never left, and we’re here to stay.

About Whelen … Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

SHELDON CREED QUOTE:

You earned a solid seventh-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend and now we head to Talladega Superspeedway. How are you feeling?

“Yeah, finishing seventh last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway was definitely nice after we were eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs the weekend before at Bristol. I guess it makes that sting a little less, but we still have one thing on our mind and that’s winning. These guys on my team and back at the shop deserve better and a top-10 finish at Texas is hopefully just the start of a positive trend for me and my team. Talladega Superspeedway is always a beast of its own so I’m doing my homework to prepare. Our team has been solid on superspeedways, my teammate Austin Hill has been really strong at the superspeedways. He won at Daytona International Speedway and we’re in the same equipment so I’m ready to get out there, make smart decisions, and get this team to Victory Lane. I know what this team and myself are capable of and that’s where my head is at right now. Winning.”

This Week’s Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway … Austin Hill will make his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend and his second of the 2022 season. Hill, the 2022 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, hasn’t had the best results at the Alabama superspeedway in the Xfinity Series but looks to rebound this weekend for the second race of the Xfinity Series Playoffs. Earlier this season, Hill fell victim to a crash at the track and completed only 110 laps of 124. However, the No. 21 team and all of Richard Childress Racing have been extremely strong on superspeedways this season if it weren’t for bad luck. Hill made five NASCAR Truck Series starts in his career with a best finish of sixth in 2019.

Texas Rewind … Last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Hill made it through a handful of wrecks and chaos on the track and finished runner-up to Noah Gragson. Hill gained two spots in the standings and is now fourth, 30 points above the cutline.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year … Austin Hill has officially clinched NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Hill joins a long list of prestigious winners including drivers Kevin Harvick (2000) and Austin Dillon (2012), who also won the award under the RCR banner.

Women Drive Bennett … Bennett Transportation & Logistics is proud to have the “Women in the Driver’s Seat” (WIDS) paint scheme on Austin Hill’s No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro SS at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday. Bennett has been a woman-owned company since 1974. Founder and CEO, Marcia G. Taylor, has established her role as a champion for women in the male-dominated transportation industry. She started the WIDS program to advance women in trucking and logistics careers with four pillars: Be Resilient, Be Steadfast, Be Courageous, Be Fierce. There are currently 679 female truck owner operators, contractors and drivers within the Bennett Family of Companies. Bennett offers expansive driving opportunities for women. Visit womendrivebennett.com to apply today.

About Bennett Family of Companies … McDonough, Ga.-based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 12 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. The company will use race experiences to recruit and retain hundreds of truck drivers for their organization in 2022. For more information, visit www.Drive4Bennett.com.

Come Hangout with Austin Hill and the Bennett Crew … On Saturday, before the start of the Xfinity Series race at Talladega, come out and visit the Bennett Recruitment Van in the FanZone. Hill will be at the display signing autographs from 12:15 p.m. CT to 12:30 p.m. CT. Bennett will have No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics swag for fans!

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

You had a strong runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway to kick off the Playoffs and now the series heads to a superspeedway. Where’s your head at after the last week as you get ready to race on a track like Talladega Superspeedway?

“It definitely stung to finish second at Texas Motor Speedway because I felt like if we had more laps, I could have caught up to Noah Gragson. We just ran out of laps at the end. Our car was fast, and my pit crew and team were absolutely on it all day. It was definitely nice to start off the NASCAR Playoffs with a second-place finish, especially with us heading to Talladega this weekend. Anything can happen there so a points cushion is nice but definitely not enough when it comes to that track. It was certainly the momentum our team needed to kick things off. Our superspeedway program has been really good all season long. I mean, RCR as a whole has been great on superspeedways, so I’m looking forward to Talladega. I’ve been doing work in the simulator and I’m going to do exactly what I’ve done at all the superspeedway races this season and hopefully we park it in Victory Lane, just like we did in Daytona. I know I’ve got to be smart and stay out of the craziness so I can be right up there at the end. I have a good feeling about it and I know my guys are ready.”

Cadillac Racing notebook: Putting in the prep miles

By
Official Release
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Cadillac DPi-V.R tops time chart in all three sessions in advance of qualifying

BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Five Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R entries combined for 758 laps on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta course in three practice sessions in advance of qualifications for the 25th Motul Petit Le Mans.

Qualifying for the DPi class is scheduled for 4:30p.m. ET Friday. The 10-hour race is scheduled to take the green flag at 12:10 p.m. ET Saturday.

Sebastien Bourdais, who is co-driving the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R with Renger van der Zande and six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon, registered the quickest lap on the day of 1 minute, 9.040 seconds (132.444 mph) in the 90-minute afternoon session.

“It was a solid lap; the balance is pretty good and very consistent. The boys at Cadillac Racing have done a good job. We’ll keep working on it and see where we stand. Hopefully, we can put the Cadillac on pole for the last event of the DPi era and go and win the race,” said Bourdais, who has recorded four Motul Pole Awards in the nine races.

Earl Bamber, co-driving the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R with Alex Lynn and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, recorded a lap of 1:09.583 to top the 90-minute morning session in which drivers battled wind gusts of 35 mph.

“That was a great start to the weekend,” Bamber said. “We came down here and did a test three weeks ago. I think we did our homework and the 02 Cadillac rolled off the truck great.”

Bamber was also behind the wheel to set the pace in the 90-minute evening session with a lap of 1:09.880.

In March, Bamber teamed with Lynn and Neel Janie to win the Twelve Hours of Sebring to lead a Cadillac sweep of the podium finishers.

“We want to try to win another of the big endurance races,” Bamber said.

“We definitely have the car speed to do it, we’ve got the team to do it and we’ve got the engine to do it, so we just have to execute.”

Tight at the top

Cadillac is aiming for its fifth IMSA Michelin Manufacturer Endurance Championship in the DPi era, while the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R is in the running to deliver the third team and fifth endurance championships for Cadillac Racing.

“We are in the chase for the Endurance Cup, and to get it we’ll have to replicate the performance we had in Daytona and Sebring, which I know we can achieve as a team,” said Tristan Vautier, co-driver with Richard Westbrook and Loic Duval in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R.

“Petit Le Mans is one of our toughest races on the calendar. The track is really fast, tight and the lap is short, which altogether makes things really tough with traffic. We need to survive the first 7-8 hours and to have a car that is at its best at night but is good enough to stay in contention throughout the day.”

The JDC-Miller MotorSports team started the season with a third place in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, recorded a runner-up finish to the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R in the Twelve Hours of Sebring and placed seventh at Watkins Glen International.

How the Manufacturer Endurance Championship shapes up:

Total points through three races: Acura 41, Cadillac 40

Points in race: 5 for running first, 4 for next highest manufacturer. Awarded at 4 hours, 8 hours and finish

How the team and driver Endurance Cup shapes up:

Total points through three races: No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing (30), No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing (29), No. 5 JDC-Miller MotorSports (28)

Points in race: 5, 4, 3, 2 points for running order awarded at 4 hours, 8 hours and finish

Cadillac has earned the manufacturer endurance title in 2020, 2019, 2018 and the inaugural DPi season in 2017). Cadillac Racing teams have won endurance titles in 2018 and ’17 and endurance driver titles in 2020, 2019, 2018 and ’17.

Johnson impressed with Cadillac DPi-V.R

Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Rockenfeller will wrap up their two-year endurance race schedule co-driving the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R.

“In last year’s race I was really impressed with how the Ally Cadillac handled and raced,” said Johnson, who co-drove to fourth place. “It was a very exciting and compelling race on the track, and I was happy to see our teammates in the 31 Cadillac win the championship with their second-place finish.”

For the fans

Spectators can view the latest Cadillac road vehicles, including the Escalade-V and CT5-V Blackwing, at the Cadillac display in the fan zone. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday.

A Cadillac V-LMDh, which will participate in an IMSA-sanctioned test at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta next week, will be on display at the rear of the grid during the fan walk prior to the start of the race. The all-new hybrid race car will contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023.

Peacock will have flag-to-flag streaming coverage of the race starting at noon ET Saturday, Oct. 1. NBC will telecast the race from noon-3 p.m. ET, while USA will pick up coverage from 7-10:30 p.m.

About Cadillac

A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com.

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