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Allgaier to make 400th Xfinity career start at Talladega

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Competing in his 12th full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Justin Allgaier is primed to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Playoff event at Talladega Superspeedway, the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro will be making his 400th career start in the Xfinity circuit. 

A native of Riverton, Illinois, Allgaier was a full-time ARCA Menards Series competitor for his family owned team, Allgaier Motorsports, led by his father, Mike, when he made his inaugural presence in the Xfinity Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2008. Driving the No. 12 Dodge for Team Penske, Allgaier, who started 14th, finished 34th in his series debut after being involved in a multi-car wreck in the second half of the event. He returned for the final three races of the season, where his best on-track result during the stretch was an 11th-place run at Phoenix Raceway in November.

After winning the 2008 ARCA championship, Allgaier was promoted to a full-time racing role in the No. 12 Penske Dodge for the 2009 Xfinity season. Throughout the 35-race schedule, he recorded his first career pole at Memphis Motorsports Park in October. He also recorded a total of three top-five results (all fifth-place finishes), 12 top-10 results and an average result of 16.5 before settling in sixth place in the final standings. At the conclusion of the season, Allgaier was named the 2009 Xfinity Rookie of the Year.

Remaining with the Penske organization in 2010, Allgaier commenced the season on a strong note by finishing in fourth place in the season-opening event at Daytona. Three races later, he achieved his first Xfinity career win at Bristol Motor Speedway in March after fending off teammate Brad Keselowski and leading the final 27 laps. Allgaier went on to earn a total of two poles, eight top-five results, 20 top-10 results and an average result of 11.5 before finishing in fourth place in the final standings. His result made him the highest-finishing Xfinity regular competitor in the standings behind teammate Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.

At the conclusion of the 2010 season, the No. 12 Penske team ceased operations due to sponsorship issues. In spite of losing his ride at Penske, Allgaier found a new team to call home for the 2011 season as he joined Turner Motorsports to drive the No. 31 Chevrolet Impala. After finishing as high as second place through the first 13 scheduled events, he claimed his first victory of the season at Chicagoland Speedway in June. The victory occurred in a thriller after he overtook Carl Edwards, who had run out of fuel, on the final lap before he too ran out of fuel, but had enough to coast and beat Edwards to the finish line by nearly two seconds. To go along with a total of six top-five results, 17 top-10 results and an average result of 11.8, Allgaier achieved a career-best third-place result in the final championship standings after spending nearly the entire season in the top five while contending for the title. At the conclusion of the 2011 season, Allgaier surpassed 100 career starts in the Xfinity circuit.

In 2012, Allgaier’s achieved his first and only victory of the season at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in in August after he overtook Jacques Villeneuve, who was sputtering on fuel, on the final lap. Despite claiming his third Xfinity career win along with a total of six top-five results, 19 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.0, Allgaier, settled in sixth place in the final standings behind Michael Annett. The following season marked Allgaier’s first winless season since his rookie campaign in 2009, but he finished one spot better in the championship standings than the previous season in fifth place in a season. During his fifth full-time campaign in the Xfinity circuit, he earned a pole, six top-five results, 16 top-10 results and an 11.2 average-finishing result.

Following the 2013 season, Allgaier moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series to drive for HScott Motorsports. Two years later, however, he returned to the Xfinity Series and teamed up with JR Motorsports to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro on a full-time basis. In his return to the series, the Illinois native was consistent on the strength of three runner-up results, 11 top-five results and 21 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch to qualify for the inaugural Xfinity Playoffs. After finishing no lower than 14th throughout the Playoffs, Allgaier was able to transfer all the way to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway and stand as one of four competitors to contend for the 2016 Xfinity title. During the finale, however, Allgaier finished sixth on the track and in third place in the final standings. Despite concluding the season winless and without the title, he recorded career-high stats in top fives (13) and top 10s (27) along with a personal-best 9.1 average-finishing result. By then, Allgaier surpassed 200 Xfinity career starts.

After finishing 30th during the first two scheduled Xfinity events of the 2017 season followed by a fourth-place run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, Allgaier returned to Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series for the first time in five seasons after beating Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones to win at Phoenix Raceway in March. He went on to earn his second victory of the season at Chicagoland in September before entering in his second consecutive appearance in the Playoffs as a title contender. With four top-10 results throughout the Playoffs, Allgaier also transferred to the Championship Round at Homestead for a second consecutive season despite losing his crew chief Jason Burdett for the finale due to a L1-level penalty that was handed to Allgaier’s team for failing the post-race inspection process the week prior at Phoenix. By finishing in 12th place during the finale while having veterans Billy Wilburn and Chad Knaus calling the shots, he ended up in third place in the final standings for a second consecutive season. Overall, he recorded two victories, one pole, 10 top-five results, 17 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 13.0 throughout the 33-race schedule.

The 2018 season was a career year for Allgaier, who achieved a career-high five wins (Dover International Speedway in May, Iowa Speedway in June, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America in August and Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September) and emerged as the 2018 Xfinity Series regular-season championship. He also earned a career-high 17 top-five results, 24 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.6. Despite the momentum throughout the regular-season stretch and the 2018 Playoffs, respective finishes of 38th, fifth and 24th during the Round of 8 were not enough for the driver of the No. 7 team to transfer to the Championship Round finale at Homestead as he went on to finish in seventh place in the final standings.

The momentum from the previous season carried forth in the 2019 Xfinity opener at Daytona for Allgaier, who finished in the runner-up spot behind teammate Michael Annett and went on to record 16 results in the top 10 before qualifying for the Xfinity Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. It was not until the penultimate event of the season at Phoenix in November where he won for the first time during the season. The Phoenix victory, however, was enough for Allgaier and the No. 7 team to secure a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead and receive another opportunity to contend for his first title. During the finale, Allgaier cut a tire late in the event and settled in 14th place on the track and in fourth place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 300 Xfinity career starts in a season where he achieved a new personal-best average-finishing result of 9.0 along with 16 top-five results and 24 top-10 results throughout the 33-race schedule.

In 2020, Allgaier’s first victory of the season occurred during the first of a Dover Motor Speedway doubleheader feature in August. A month later, he swept both Richmond Raceway events in a doubleheader weekend to solidify his spot in the 2020 Xfinity Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. Despite sustaining two DNFs and three results outside of the top 20 throughout the Playoffs, Allgaier accumulated enough points to transfer all the way to the Championship Round at Phoenix in November. During the finale, Allgaier was in prime position of achieving his first NASCAR Xfinity championship before being overtaken by Austin Cindric on the final lap and during an overtime attempt. He ended up in fifth place on the track and in a career-best runner-up result in the final standings after losing ground to Cindric on the final lap. While he fell one spot short of winning the title, he concluded the season with a career-high 1,008 laps led along with three victories, 11 top-five results, 19 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 13.4.

This past season, Allgaier scratched two venues off of his bucket list after winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March followed by Darlington Raceway in May. The pair of victories along with a total of 10 top-five results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch were enough for Allgaier to secure a spot in the Xfinity Playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. He then managed to finish no lower than ninth throughout the Playoffs, but he missed the top-four cutline to qualify for the Championship Round by a mere margin as he went on to finish in fifth place in the final standings.

Allgaier commenced the 2022 season with five results in the top 10 through the first 10-scheduled events before collecting his first victory of the season at Darlington in May. Throughout the summer stretch, he achieved his first victories at Nashville Superspeedway in June and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. His three regular-season victories to go along with 18 top-10 results during the 26-race regular-season stretch were enough for him to qualify for his seventh consecutive appearance in the Playoffs. Despite recording a 29th-place result in his latest event at Texas Motor Speedway, which marked the first event of the 2022 Xfinity Playoffs, he is currently ranked in sixth place in the Playoff standings and is 20 points above the top-eight cutline to transfer to the Round of 8 while he continues his pursuit to win his first NASCAR national touring series championship.

Through 399 previous Xfinity starts, Allgaier has achieved 19 victories, seven poles, 124 top-five results, 237 top-10 results, 4,696 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.7.

Allgaier is set to make his 400th career start in the Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, October 1, with the event’s coverage to occur at 4 p.m. ET on USA Network. 

Ten Things that First Time Drivers Need to Know About Tires

By
SM
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From 2015 to 2020 there were 15.4 million new drivers on the road, a rate of around 3.08m new drivers per year. In 2022 there are now 238.2 million drivers in the USA, which includes around 89% of adults.

For many new drivers the process of buying your first car, whilst exciting, can be a tricky road to navigate. Even more so, buying new tires for your car can be even more daunting of a prospect.

If you are one of those new drivers, then look no further. Here are ten things that first-time drivers need to know about tires.

Don’t buy used tires

After potentially parting with a significant sum for your first car, you are likely to try and be thrifty when purchasing tires. However, your safety is of the utmost importance when driving, and buying second-hand tires in a bid to save money could risk that.

They are likely to be worn meaning less traction and sidewall blowout is likely. That does not mean however that you cannot save money, so instead looks for the best deals on tires.

Check your tire pressure

After you have purchased both your car and your tires it is important you keep your vehicle safe to operate. One of the most important things to do is to check the inflation on your tires.

The recommendation is that you check your tire pressure once a month. Most cars recommend 32 to 35 psi in the tires; however, it depends on the kind of car you drive so be sure to read your manual.

Check the valve stems

Sticking with tire pressure, valve stems are integral to keeping that pressure at a good level. These caps help keep moisture and dirt out and provide an additional seal to the valve core holding the air in tires.

Know the weather

The temperature can affect the performance of your tire pressure. On average, the tire pressure decreases by about 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit drop in the temperature.

Wet weather can also be dangerous to drive in if your tires are particularly worn.

Check the treads

Your tire tread depth is important for traction and the more you drive the more those treads become worn. The tire tread must be more than 2/32 of an inch deep which can be measured with a tread depth measurer.

Know the limits of your tires

Every tire is designed for a specific performance which depends on the material used. For example, high-performance tires have better grip to make for improved braking distance and handling, mainly used for faster cars, especially on racetracks.

“All season” does not necessarily mean what you think

You see “all season” and automatically think that means you can use them year-round whatever the weather. However, these tires are actually made year-round in moderate weather. It is far safer to install winter tires in icy conditions for example.

Tires have an expiry date

A simple way to check if you need a tire change is to look at the expiry date. Many drivers don’t know that this actually exists, but manufacturers include a born-on date on their tires.

They are usually good for around six years after manufacturing, any longer and it may be time to replace them.

Know when to patch and when to chuck

Nails or screws used to be a death sentence for tires, but thankfully rubber is stronger than it used to be so there are plenty of occasions where this can be patched. A puncture in the middle of the tire is likely able to be repaired but the sidewall or shoulder means it is time to replace it.

Remember your spare tire

Many of us can drive around knowing we have our trusty spare in the trunk. However, just like the tires you are already using, these also have expiry dates.

If it has sat in your trunk for years untouched check for signs of dry rot or cracking before using it and be sure to read your manual as spare tires often differ from the ones, you are using.

Byron, Ty Gibbs penalized following Cup Playoff event at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jeff Clemons for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR announced penalties that were handed down to William Byron and Ty Gibbs following the recent Cup Series Playoff event at Texas Motor Speedway that occurred this past Sunday, September 25. 

Byron was fined $50,000 and docked 25 driver points for spinning Playoff rival Denny Hamlin under caution during the event. His No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team was also docked 25 owner points.

The incident occurred with 66 laps remaining when Hamlin’s teammate Martin Truex Jr. drew a caution after wrecking while leading the event. Once after the caution was displayed, Byron, who was irritated from making contact with Hamlin and towards the backstretch wall while battling him for a top-five earlier, bumped and sent Hamlin spinning sideways across the frontstretch, an incident Byron stated as intentional without any means of spinning Hamlin. The spin, however, prompted Hamlin to pull his car alongside Byron’s to express his displeasure, though he was not permitted to retain his spot towards the front. Byron went on to finish seventh while Hamlin rallied to end up 10th.

As a result of the penalty, Byron, who left Texas in third place in the Playoff standings and 17 points above the top-eight cutline to transfer to the Round of 8, has dropped to 10th place in the standings as he trails the cutline by eight points. He now has the upcoming two Round of 12 events at Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in early October to make up for the deficit before the round concludes and proceeds to the Round of 8. Hamlin, however, is now scored in fifth place in the standings and is 15 points above the cutline.

Meanwhile, Gibbs, a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing who is coming off his 10th Cup Series event as an interim competitor for 23XI Racing, was fined $75,000 after slamming into the side of the No. 42 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 piloted by Ty Dillon on pit road as a retaliatory act after getting hit by Dillon. The contact came within close proximity towards Chris Buescher’s pit crew personnel and NASCAR officials whom were working in nearby pit stalls, though no members were hit. 

In addition to the driver being fined, the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota TRD Camry entry that was piloted by Gibbs, which finished 20th at Texas, was docked 25 owner points.

This marks Gibbs’ second fine of the 2022 campaign. At Martinsville Speedway in April, he was fined $15,000 for a behavioral violation after ramming into the rear of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro entry piloted by Sam Mayer during the cooldown lap at the conclusion of the Xfinity Series event. The incident, which stemmed from Gibbs being shuffled out towards the lead during an overtime attempt before getting hit by Mayer and falling back to eighth place on the final lap and final corner, resulted with both competitors confronting one another and fighting on pit road before being separated by their respective teams and officials.

Photo by Jim Barnes for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Along with the two drivers’ penalties, NASCAR revealed that Patrick Briody, a mechanic for Our Motorsports’ No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro entry that was piloted by Patrick Retzlaff at Texas, has been suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR’s Substance Abuse Policy.

With the Cup Series competitors and teams coming off an eventful event at Texas, the next event on the schedule and towards the Playoff’s Round of 12 is Talladega Superspeedway. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, October 2, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

Howie DiSavino III Partners with the Travis Mills Foundation for Talladega Xfinity Debut

By
Official Release
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TALLADEGA, Ala.: Returning to the NASCAR Xfinity Series scene for the first time since Kansas Speedway last month, Howie DiSavino III returns to Alpha Prime Racing for his third Xfinity start of the season in Saturday afternoon’s Sparks 300 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

For his debut at the breathtaking 2.66-mile superspeedway, the Chesterfield, Va. native has partnered with the Travis Mills Foundation which will adorn its logos on the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for the final superspeedway race of the 2022 season.

The Travis Mills Foundation supports recalibrated veterans and their families through various programs that help these heroic men and women overcome physical and emotional obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation.

The Foundation was established by U.S. Army SSG (Ret.) Travis Mills.

“I am incredibly humbled at the opportunity to represent the Travis Mills Foundation this weekend at Talladega,” said DiSavino.

“Growing up in a military family, I understand all the trials and tribulations that families face in the Armed Forces.

“The Travis Mills Foundation represents the pinnacle of helping those that have served our country so they can adjust to living with a positive mindset knowing they are surrounded by an enormous support system.”

With his penultimate Xfinity Series race of the season on deck Saturday afternoon, DiSavino knows he wants to make the best of the opportunity to showcase his ability, especially at a racetrack like Talladega, where often upset storylines are made and David can beat Goliath.

For the rising 21-year-old driver, he knows his Alpha Prime Racing team can deliver back-to-back top-five finishes on a superspeedway. Last month, DiSavino’s teammate Sage Karam delivered the Mooresville, N.C.-team a fifth-place effort in the Wawa 250 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

“I’m very focused on my Talladega Xfinity debut this weekend,” said DiSavino. “Since Kansas, I have put a lot of my time and effort into making sure that I am prepared as possible, so I can go out there and deliver an eye-catching finish with our No. 44 Travis Mills Foundation Chevrolet Camaro.”

While new to superspeedway racing at the NASCAR Xfinity Series level, DiSavino does have experience in the draft circling back to his impressive tenure in the ARCA Menards Series driving for AM Racing during the 2021 season-opener where he delivered a respectable 13th place finish in the Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire.

“I am very thankful for that opportunity to race on a superspeedway in 2021 and I hope I can apply some of that experience to Talladega this weekend. I know the cars are a little different and the competition and experience level vary significantly, but I believe with my team and the confidence I have in myself, we can go out there on Saturday and impress some people.”

With no practice on deck and qualifying at risk of potentially being canceled because of the reminiscences of Hurricane Ivan, DiSavino knows wherever he starts this weekend, he’ll have a plan in place to get to the front.

“We’ll finalize our strategy as we get closer to the race and we know where we are starting, but I think we have a good plan,” he said.

“If qualifying is canceled because of inclement weather, then we’ll take our starting position in stride and just make the best of it.

“This race is going to be a lot more mentally draining than physically, but I have surrounded myself with great coaching and a trainer who is preparing for everything that I know will come into play. No matter what situation we are in, the result remains the same; be in contention when it matters the most!”

During any given week, DiSavino can be found nestled in Mooresville, N.C.- either working thoroughly through his fitness program, his race preparation guideline or on the telephone with current and potential partners trying to increase his presence in the Xfinity Series during the remainder of the 2022 season and looking ahead to 2023.

His discipline to be able to multitask has given him the optimistic vibe that his hard work and relentless efforts will be rewarded not only this weekend but down the road.

“This is what I want to do and I’m going to do everything I can to stay here for years and years to come,” added DiSavino. “I am a very focused and detailed person and even though I’m multitasking a lot throughout the day, my race preparation has never been more prominent.

“This week, it’s hands on deck for Talladega. Next week, it’s focusing on Martinsville and the 2023 season!”

Veteran Cup spotter Clayton Hughes will guide DiSavino from above this weekend as his spotter.

Following Talladega, DiSavino will return to Alpha Prime Racing for the penultimate Xfinity Series race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Oct. 29, 2022.

For more on Howie DiSavino III, please visit howiedisavino.com, like him on Facebook (Howie DiSavino III Racing), follow him on Instagram (@howiedisavino), TikTok (@howiedisavino) and Twitter (@howiedisavino).

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

About The Travis Mills Foundation:

The Travis Mills Foundation supports recalibrated veterans and their families through various programs that help these heroic men and women overcome physical and emotional obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation.

We support these veterans through our nationally recognized retreat located in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Maine. Veteran families who have been injured in active duty or as a result of their service to our nation receive an all-inclusive, all-expenses-paid, barrier-free experience in Maine where they participate in adaptive activities, bond with other veteran families, and enjoy much-needed rest and relaxation in Maine’s outdoors.

The Travis Mills Foundation has serviced 882 families from 44 states (including Washington, D.C. and Canada).

About Alpha Prime Racing:

Alpha Prime Racing is a NASCAR Xfinity Series team owned by Craig and Tommy Joe Martins as well as Alpha Prime Sports Founder and CEO Caesar Bacarella. The team was originally founded in 2009 under the name Martins Racing.

The team announced in 2022 that they will run the No. 44 and No. 45 Camaro’s full-time, with multiple drivers splitting driving duties including Martins, Bacarella, Josh Bilicki, Rajah Caruth, Howie DiSavino III, Ryan Ellis, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, Andy Lally, Julia Landauer and others.

Magical Vacation Planner Racing: Chase Briscoe Talladega Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Talladega Advance
No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)

● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 2

● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway

● Layout: 2.66-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 188 laps / 500.8 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps

● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Fresh off a top-five finish a in the Round of 12 opener of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Chase Briscoe returns to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway ninth in the standings, just four points below the cutline to advance to the Round of 8. The driver of the Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) finished 37th in this year’s April race at Talladega after an accident on lap 56 ended his bid.

● In three Cup Series starts at Talladega, Briscoe has a best finish of 11th, earned on April 25, 2021. He has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts (best finish of fourth in April 2019), one Camping World Truck Series start (22nd-place result in October 2017), and one ARCA Menards Series start (third-place finish in April 2016) at the 2.66-mile oval.

● Briscoe has earned four top-five finishes and five top-10s in 30 races this season, and he’s led 238 laps thus far compared to just 18 during his 2021 Rookie of the Year campaign. The 27-year-old driver earned his first Cup Series victory in his 40th career start March 13 at Phoenix Raceway. He scored his first Cup Series pole award June 5 at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.

● Riding along with Briscoe and the No. 14 SHR Ford Mustang this weekend is Magical Vacation Planners (MVP), which was founded by Jamie Ane Eubanks alongside her husband JJ, a former professional basketball player, as a storefront travel agency in 2006. Today, it is a company that provides one of the best vacation planning services in the industry. It operates through three branches: MVP Parks, MVP Cruising and MVP Getaways. The company provides its exclusive and personalized, stress-free planning service at no additional expense to its clients, making the extensive array of Disney options and add-ons easy to understand and navigate. MVP actively seeks savings for its clients, monitoring early-morning releases of discounted room or vacation packages while also scouring existing reservations for price drops to where they can modify an existing reservation at the newfound lower price. MVP will also plan a family’s itinerary, expertly navigating Disney’s Genie+ and Lighting Lane systems to maximize resort and park times by avoiding long lines while also securing those premium Disney dining experiences that include coveted character meetings.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You’re in a good position within the playoffs headed to Talladega. Does it help to know you are only four points below the cutline?

“Thankfully, we aren’t in a massive points deficit going into this weekend. We made the best out of a tough situation to start in Texas and came out just outside of the top-eight in points. If we can keep doing that and just running the best race for us, I think we can continue in the playoffs. I don’t think anyone expected Texas to go the way that it did, but it was a nice primer for the chaos of Talladega.”

You’ve done well on superspeedways this year, even if you don’t have the results to show for it. Is there a confidence that comes with knowing you are capable of being up front and potentially winning on these types of tracks?

“I’m not sure. I’d like to say that I feel good about it, but there are so many unknowns. You never really know what you’re going to be up against. This weekend will be pretty similar to what we faced last weekend, just in terms of trying to avoid all of those things happening around us. I feel like I’ve gotten better at superspeedway racing over the years and we kind of saw that in the Daytona 500, but there’s not much you can control in these races, which we also saw at Daytona in August. Talladega is a different track. This car handles a little different there, but the concept of superspeedway racing is the same. Things happen so fast and it’s easy to end up in someone else’s mess, so I can’t make mistakes that are going to take us out of a chance to win and lock in or just have a good finish. I think our strategy is the same for the next few races, just run our best race and don’t do anything that can take us out of it. If it ends in a win, that’s great, but we really just can’t have a bad day.”

No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

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

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser
Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

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

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

HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Talladega Advance

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
Talladega Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)

● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 2

● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway

● Layout: 2.66-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 188 laps / 500.8 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps

● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are set to tackle the season’s sixth and final superspeedway-style race during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Custer’s best finish on a superspeedway-style track this season was his ninth-place run July 10 on the newly repaved and reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway oval. It was his first of three top-10 finishes this season.

● Sunday’s 500-mile race around the mammoth 2.66-mile oval will be Custer’s 106th career Cup Series start. The 2020 Cup Series Rookie of the Year’s 10th-place finish there in April 2021 is the best of his first five Cup Series visits to Talladega and was the first of his two top-10 finishes earned last season. Custer led seven laps and finished 13th in last October’s rain-shortened race at Talladega, and saw his day there end prematurely this past April with engine issues.

● The 24-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, had promising runs in both of his Talladega outings during his 2020 rookie season. In the spring race, he was set to restart fifth for the green-white-checkered finish, but his Mustang began to stumble from a lack of fuel, sending him to pit road for a splash-and-go. He finished 22nd. In the fall race, he was able to drive to the front on multiple occasions, but while running fifth just past the race’s halfway point, he was collected in a multicar incident that ended his day.

● Custer has three Talladega appearances in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition in the No. 00 SHR Ford with a best finish of ninth in the 2018 race, and best starts of 12th in the 2018 and 2019 races.

● Custer qualified the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry on the pole for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega, but saw that bid come to an early end after an accident just past the halfway point.

● Riding along with Custer on his SHR Mustang this weekend is team co-owner Gene Haas’ Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

What kind of impact has the NextGen car had on superspeedway-style racing this season?

“I think the biggest thing about the superspeedway racing this year in this new car is really all about getting the pit stops good and making sure you stay with the lead draft. If you’re the last car in line, it’s really easy to lose the draft. So I think that’s been the biggest thing. At the end of the day, it’s been really similar to what we’ve seen in the past. You’re still able to push really hard, you’re still able to draft and run three-wide, and four-wide at times, so it puts on good racing. You just want to make sure you can stay with the lead draft.”

You’ve had some solid finishes on the larger tracks the past three years, including a top-10 at Talladega last year, a near top-10 in last year’s Daytona 500, and your ninth-place run in your last visit to Atlanta. How do you feel that bodes for your chances this weekend?

“We’ve had some solid races that we needed at the time, and I think if a thing or two would’ve gone our way at the end of those races, we would’ve ended up with even better finishes. I’m confident our HaasTooling.com Ford guys are bringing us a fast Mustang for this race. These are races where you can’t control a whole lot and you have to hope for the best, especially during the playoffs when guys are going all out for stage points, and then the potential there always seems to be for calamity at the end of these races. You have to race your race the best you can to put yourself in a good position. It can be pretty stressful, but I guess all of the races can be stressful if you let them.”

You seemed to take to Talladega from the get-go, running well in both races during your 2020 Rookie of the Year season before potential top-five finishes slipped away. Safe to say you enjoy racing there?

“We had strong runs and we did it without any practice or qualifying, so that was definitely an adventure. Having no practice was definitely a concern because you want as much practice as you can get to just feel things out and see what’s working and what’s not working. But we figured it out pretty quickly in the races, as it turned out. We had fast Ford Mustangs both times there that year. I think we had top-five cars at both races, and we were able to race our way to the front both times. But we ran out of fuel at the end of the June race, and ended up getting caught up in a big wreck a little past halfway in the October race. I’m optimistic we’ll bring a fast HaasTooling.com Mustang again this weekend.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Stan Doolittle
Hometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Makes Final Championship Bid at Petit Le Mans

By
Official Release
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BRASELTON, Ga., (September 27, 2022) – After beginning the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Wright Motorsports heads to the season finale at Petit Le Mans for a final bid at the GTD class title. The No. 16 1st Phorm Porsche, with drivers Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, and Zacharie Robichon, will compete in the 10-hour endurance event will all eyes focused on adding another championship title to the team’s remarkable history.

“Once again, we’re entering Petit Le Mans in contention for the championship,” said Team Owner John Wright. “We’ve come very close these last couple of years, and that’s a huge testament to the drivers and crew we have here at Wright Motorsports. We’ve been working hard for this one and are ready to get started. We have some strong competition, but a lot can happen in ten hours. We’ll focus on what we can control and see how it all plays out.”

As the endurance addition, Zacharie Robichon returns to the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R for the final race, after previously running with the team in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, and the Six Hours of the Glen. The Canadian driver closed out the 2021 season with the GTD class title and will be a strong asset to the team as they make their final push for the championship.

Following the team’s win at Daytona International Speedway, the blue and white Porsche returned to victory circle once again at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The group’s additional top-five finishes at the Long Beach Grand Prix and VIRginia International Raceway have kept the team in the championship hunt, despite a character-building season.

With 385 points remaining to be assigned, 57 points separate the No. 16 Porsche effort from the points leaders in both the team and driver standings. While the maximum of 35 points awarded during qualifying may not seem like a large pull, every point will be vital in the final hours of Saturday’s race. The group at Wright Motorsports is all too familiar with entering a season finale as contenders in the championship fight. Last season, the team clinched the Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup during the Petit Le Mans weekend, and in 2020, drivers Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long finished just two points shy of the IMSA WeatherTech GTD title after a commanding season. Four GTD entries remain in contention, and the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche sits third in both the team and driver standings. The Ohio-based operation will not only need to execute flawlessly on track and in pit lane as usual, but also finish ahead of the Heart of Racing team and Team Korthoff Motorsports with sufficient room to have a points advantage.

Pending no interruptions from Hurricane Ian, the first practice will begin on Thursday morning, September 29. The 28-car, five-class field will have two more practice sessions that day before qualifying on Friday afternoon. The 25th Annual Motul Petit Le Mans will begin at 12:10 PM ET on Saturday, October 1, and the first three hours will air live on NBC. The entire race can be streamed flag-to-flag on Peacock.

DRIVER QUOTES

Ryan Hardwick

It all comes down to this! As a competitor, these are the situations that you dream about. Our team has a chance to win one of the most prestigious championships in the sports car racing world, at the final race of the season, which is also my hometown race, the Petit Le Mans. Our team was in a similar situation last year in the Michelin Pilot Challenge championship where it all came down to the final race, and Jan and I were able to come out on top. We are squarely focused on achieving that same result this season and will give it everything we have to fight for the championship down to the very last lap.

Jan Heylen

You start every season hoping you’re in a position to go for the championship when you come to the last race, and we’re right there. So, I’m thrilled that we can go to Petit Le Mans knowing there’s a chance to win. It’s one of my favorite events of the year. To go there with a shot at winning is awesome. I’m looking forward to it. The whole team is really excited and it’s going to be a tough and exciting race. I can’t wait to get started.

Zacharie Robichon

Road Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks and to have the chance to jump back into the car with Wright Motorsports and push to help Ryan and Jan in their bid for the overall championship is one I am truly looking forward to.

They have had a number of solid races and we know that we have everything in place to continue the results. Petit is often times one of the most hardcore endurance races due to the short track and the “winner take all” aspect of being the end of the season. This makes for some of the best racing as a driver and we will be ready for it

Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands

The trio of Wright Motorsports-prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars conclude their season in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands this weekend, and John Goetz enters the event second in the championship fight. With 16 points separating Goetz from points leader Mark Kvamme, the distribution of the 50 available points this weekend will decide this year’s winners. Following a strong performance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last month, Atlanta local Varun Choksey will race the No. 13 Porsche on his home turf, looking to add a successful finish to these two top-five results earned so far this season. After missing the Porsche Sports Car Together Fest at Indianapolis, Hutton McKenna and the No. 88 Porsche return to finish out the season, aiming to close the year out on a high note.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

9:45 am – 10:25 am Practice #1 Porsche Carrera Cup

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Practice #2 Porsche Carrera Cup

Thursday, September 29, 2022

9:00 am – 9:30 am Qualifying – Porsche Carrera Cup

9:50 am – 11:20 am Practice #1 – WeatherTech Championship

2:55 pm – 4:25 pm Practice #2 – WeatherTech Championship

5:00 pm – 5:40 pm Race #1 – Porsche Carrera Cup (imsa.tv)

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Practice #3 – WeatherTech Championship

Friday, September 30, 2022

10:55 am – 11:35 am Race #2 – Porsche Carrera Cup (imsa.tv)

11:00 am – 12:00 pm Driver Autograph Session

3:40 pm – 3:55 pm GTD Qualifying

4:30 pm – 4:45 pm LMP2

Saturday, October 1, 2022

9:15 am – 9:35 am Warm Up – WeatherTech

10:50 am – 11:50 am WeatherTech – Open Grid / Fan Walk

12:10 pm – 10:10 pm 25th Annual Motul Petit Le Mans

1st Phorm
1st Phorm is a sports nutrition company based in St. Louis, MO. In 2009, CEO Andy Frisella and his business partner Chris Klein started the brand, and since then, it has become the fastest growing supplement company in the world. 1st Phorm has set the standards in the industry for quality and helping people reach their goals. This new racing partnership is not their first time in the exotic car scene either. 1st Phorm has been the title sponsor for the Gold Rush Rally for six years running. With over a million followers across social media, 1st Phorm has amassed a huge cult-like following known as, “The Legion of Boom.” They stand for a movement in the fitness world. To turn it back to what it was meant to be. Helping others improve their lives, to be a good human… and to drop the excuses and do the work. 1st Phorm is a winning brand and they don’t expect anything less when it comes to their race team. For additional info: www.1stphorm.com

Mountain Motorsports
Mountain Motorsports is a group of motorcycle and powersports dealerships with multiple locations in the southeastern United States. The company was founded by lifelong friends Ryan Hardwick and Justin Price when they opened their first location as a single-line Honda dealership in Sevierville, Tennessee in 1999. The company has since grown into one of the largest retailers of motorcycle and powersports vehicles in the nation, spanning nine dealership locations representing eleven of the industry’s most well-known brands. For additional info: www.mountainmotorsports.com

Una Vida Tequila
Una Vida translates to One Life. That is how this brand started. By people who want to live their “One Life” to the absolute fullest and to their highest potential. A group of guys from the Midwest who love great quality tequila, and want their One Life to have meaning and impact others.

One Life, One Tequila is our CORE BELIEF. We’re building the only tequila brand you will ever need to drink. Una Vida is bigger than just tequila we’re also building a culture of people who want to live their life to their utmost potential.

Our story begins and continues to grow bottle by bottle. It’s a life mission for us to create a community of people who all raise a glass knowing they’re living their ONE LIFE! For more information, visit unavidatequila.com

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Chris Buescher – Talladega II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 500 miles, 188 laps, Stages: 60-60-68

NASCAR Cup Race at Talladega – Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

Single-car qualifying is on the schedule for the weekend in Alabama with no practice session – a format used this season at Superspeedway events (Talladega & Daytona).

Buescher at Talladega

  • Buescher makes his 15th Cup start at Talladega this weekend where he has two top-10s and a 20.7 average finish. He’s coming off one of his best finishes to date – sixth – in this race last fall, which ties his best finish all time (sixth, 2020 spring race).
  • Buescher has an average starting position of 26.9 with a career-best 15th starting spot in the 2020 fall race.
  • Buescher also made a pair of NXS starts at Talladega with finishes of second (2014) and sixth (2015) in the No. 60.

Scott Graves at Talladega

  • Talladega stands as one of Graves’ best tracks statistically with a 14.3 average finish and five top-10s in 12 starts.
  • He’ll be atop the box for his 13th Cup race on Sunday, and has a best finish of second with Ryan Newman in the 2019 fall race. He and Newman had three top-10s together in two seasons.
  • He carries an average starting position of 19.2 into the weekend with a career-best qualifying result of seventh (2017 – spring).

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Talladega:
“This is such a fun trip and always an exciting race. Those fans down there know how to have a good time, and it’s always an exciting few days. We know the name of the game in these races is simply to be there at the end, and we’ve done that in past races there, just have to get lucky and put the whole package together come Sunday in our Fastenal Ford.”

Last Time Out
Buescher had the fastest lap of the race Sunday at Texas and had at least a top-10 in his sights, before he fell victim to a blown right rear tire, which ultimately caused too much damage forcing him to retire early.

On the Car

Fastenal, in its 12th season with RFK in 2022, makes its 17th appearance with the No. 17 this weekend. In its early days with RFK, Fastenal originally was a partner with the No. 99 team before moving over to the No. 17 team since. They were also the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity Series entry that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Fastenal will feature top supplier Body Guard on Buescher’s No. 17 this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalCompany.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

Brad Keselowski – Talladega II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Kohler Generators Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall

Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski

Race Format: 500 miles, 188 laps, Stages: 60-60-68

NASCAR Cup Race at Talladega – Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

Single-car qualifying is on the schedule for the weekend in Alabama with no practice session – a format used this season at Superspeedway events (Talladega & Daytona).

Keselowski at Talladega

  • Keselowski enters the weekend as the winningest active driver at Talladega with six Cup wins, tied for second on the all-time list with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon.
  • Since 2014 Keselowski has four wins – two each in the spring race (2016, 2021) and two each in the fall race (2014, 2017). He’s coming off a runner-up finish in this race a season ago, one of his 13 top-10s at the track in 27 starts.
  • Keselowski’s other wins include a 2009 spring race victory – his first ever Cup race at the 2.66-mile Speedway – and a win in the 2012 spring event.
  • He carries an average 11.9 starting position with 13 starts inside the top-10.
  • Keselowski also made five NXS starts at Talladega with one win (2010) in the No. 22 car.

Matt McCall at Talladega

McCall will be atop the box for his 16th Cup race from Talladega where he has five top-10s and a 20.8 average finish.
His best finish came in 2017 with Jamie McMurray finishing second. He’s also run fourth twice – once with McMurray in 2016 and again with Kurt Busch last fall.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Talladega:
“I’m proud of the changes our company and team have continued to make in recent weeks to get our cars pretty competitive. We’re still not where we want to be, but we’re well on the right track. Talladega is always a great opportunity for us, and it’s been a great place to me through the years. We all know what it comes down to and that’s survival, that’s about all you can hope for in these races these days. We’re looking forward to it and getting the Kohler Generators Ford out on track.”

Last Time Out
Keselowski led the field to green, finished top-10 in both stages and crossed the stripe eighth at Texas this past weekend.

On the Car

Kohler returns for its 12th primary race this season. Kohler is the anchor partner for the No. 6 team throughout the 2022 campaign, and will be the primary in 14 races after initially joining the RFK partner family in 2021 with eight events on the No. 6 team.

About Kohler Co.
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies comprised of more than 40,000 associates. Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products; engines and power systems; premier cabinetry, tile and lighting; and owner/operator of two of the world’s finest five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland.

A global force in power solutions since 1920, Kohler manufactures engines and complete power systems, including generators (portable, marine, residential, commercial and industrial), automatic transfer switches, switchgear, monitoring controls, and accessories for emergency, prime power and energy-management applications all around the world. The business is committed to reliable, leading edge power-generation products, clean energy solutions, as well as comprehensive after-sale support. Visit KohlerGenerators.com, facebook.com/KOHLERPower, and on Twitter at @KOHLERPower.

M&M’S Racing: Kyle Busch Talladega Advance

By
Official Release
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KYLE BUSCH
Nothing to Lose

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Sept. 27, 2022) – As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Sunday’s YellaWood 500, Kyle Busch finds himself in an unfamiliar position.

The driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) enters the 31st race of the season not among the remaining Round of 12 championship contenders for the first time in his career, as multiple engine issues during the Round of 16 have kept him from advancing.

While the premature end to his playoff run is disappointing, it brings a new dynamic to Busch and his M&M’S team this weekend as they’ll be less concerned about the unpredictability of superspeedway racing than the 12 remaining playoff drivers and teams who must protect or improve their points positions. Simply put, Busch and the No. 18 team are focused on one thing only – bringing home the win.

Doing that for the M&M’S team is always a tricky proposition at the mammoth 2.66-mile Talladega oval, where Busch has found fortune both good and bad. With lessons learned during his 18 seasons on the tour, the two-time Cup Series champion knows anything can happen at Talladega, where one lap, or even one corner, could change a driver’s fortunes quickly.

He has conquered Talladega just once in his career, his lone win coming in April 2008. The Las Vegas native knows the winner of Sunday’s 500-mile race will need to have a strong car and some good fortune at the longest track on the schedule, where the potential for huge, multicar accidents is always just around the corner.

So as the season heads into the homestretch, another unpredictable trip to Talladega looms, but Busch and his M&M’S team know they have nothing to lose as he aims for one thing and one thing only, to add to the win column on Sunday afternoon.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

What is the key to pulling off a victory at Talladega?

“The key there is to somehow stay out of trouble, and hope we can do that with our M&M’S Toyota Camry. You stay where the pack is, generally, and we get up single file on the wall at times until it’s time to go, and you can pretty much run wide open every single lap. Everyone can run up on top of each other. When you get single file at the bottom, sometimes it’s hard to get a lane on the outside with enough good cars to get something going. It can be frustrating at times because of that. It also seems to still put on a good race each time we go there. If you can be a contender and stay in line on the bottom, you can make it a pretty easy and safe race. Normally, guys are not content doing that, so that’s when it starts to get crazy.”

Is it an advantage being a former winner at Talladega?

“It doesn’t matter at all. It’s such a crapshoot there in the last 20, 30 or 40 laps that you never really know who is going to win, what’s going to happen, and where the wreck is going to come from.”

Do you try and duplicate what worked at Talladega before?

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, there are obviously times when you feel like you want to push hard and go get a win or go get a better finish than where you’re currently running. But, you know you’ve just got to do what you can in order to let these races kind of fall into place, and sometimes it’s just worth taking the finish that’s coming to you and moving on and going to the next one. It doesn’t always help to push too hard, either, at times. There’s a balance there, for sure. It can also help to just sit back, relax and finish where you can, so we’ll see how it plays out for us. You just hope you have enough Toyotas running up front at the end to get any help. That’s what it comes down to a lot at Talladega, getting the help from your teammates, since it’s hard to do that on your own.”

Event Overview:

● Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)

● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 2

● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway

● Layout: 2.66-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/ 500.08 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps

● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Meet the No. 18 M&M’S / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Kyle Busch
Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Ben Beshore
Hometown: York, Pennsylvania

Car Chief: Nate Bellows
Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont

Spotter: Tony Hirschman
Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Seth Chavka
Hometown: Soldotna, Alaska

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy
Hometown: Blockville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members:

Gas Man: Justin White
Hometown: Lynnville, Tennessee

Front Tire Changer: Blake Houston
Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Jackman: Derrell Edwards
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

Tire Carrier: Jake Holmes
Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island

Road Crew Members:

Engine Tuner: Dan Bajek
Hometown: Camden, New York

Truck Driver: Chris Miko
Hometown: Bronx, New York

Truck Driver: Eloy Trevino
Hometown: Adrian, Michigan

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Justin Peiffer
Hometown: Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Mechanic: Scott Eldridge
Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Mechanic: Tony Hamm
Hometown: Walla, Walla, Washington

Notes of Interest:

● All in the Stats: Busch has one win, seven top-five finishes, nine top-10s and has led a total of 263 laps in 34 career Cup Series starts at Talladega. Busch’s average Talladega finish is 20.4.

● 224 and Counting: Busch will be aiming to add to his record 224 overall wins among NASCAR’s top three series this weekend at Talladega. In addition to his 60 Cup Series wins and 102 in the Xfinity Series, Busch has 62 wins in the Camping World Truck Series.

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