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SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY UNVEILS 2023 SEASON SCHEDULE; OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER

Photo Courtesy Victor Newman/South Boston Speedway

By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, VA…..South Boston Speedway has unveiled its 2023 season schedule of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series events, a slate that features 12 event dates for its four regular NASCAR racing divisions and includes three special events.

South Boston Speedway General Manager Chase Brashears said additional special events and promotions will be announced after details are finalized.

“The 2022 season was outstanding as we celebrated the track’s 65th anniversary, returned the speedway to primetime TV, hosted the SRX series, had an epic July Fourth race to kick off the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown and much more,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Chase Brashears. “We look forward to continuing that momentum into the 2023 season and we cannot thank our fans, race teams, sponsors, and other stakeholders enough for making the 2022 season a huge success. The 2023 season will be another stellar year of racing and we are providing the bulk of our 2023 schedule now. We still have several other special events and promotions that we are working on for the upcoming season, and those will be announced throughout the off-season.”

The speedway will open its 2023 NASCAR racing season on Saturday afternoon, March 18, one week after the track’s annual Open Practice/Media Day event, which is set for Saturday, March 11.

South Boston Speedway’s March 18 season-opener will feature the speedway’s four regular NASCAR racing divisions, the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division, the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, and the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division.

The second event on South Boston Speedway’s 2023 schedule is the first of three special events listed on the schedule. That event is scheduled for April Fool’s Day, Saturday afternoon, April 1, and features the powerful, open-wheel cars of the SMART Modified Tour. The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division is also featured on that date, which will be the last of the track’s early-season afternoon racing events.  Other divisions participating in that event will be announced later.

South Boston Speedway’s crown jewel pre-Fourth of July Late Model Stock Car Division event, the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200, the kickoff race for the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown series, is set for Saturday night, July 1.

The track’s Limited Sportsman, Pure Stock and Hornets divisions will also be in action that night. A practice day and fan fest are slated for the day before on Friday, June 30.

“This year’s event featured one of the most exciting and dramatic finishes fans have seen at South Boston Speedway in many years and we are expecting the 2023 event to be just as exciting,” Brashears said. “We also had a lot of fun with the Fan Fest that followed the practice day, and are looking forward to hosting that again in 2023.”

The third special event shown on the schedule is the South Boston 270 on Saturday night, August 19. Details surrounding that event which will include the Late Model Stock Car and Limited Sportsman Divisions will be announced at a later date.

South Boston Speedway’s first night race of the 2023 season is scheduled for Saturday night, April 22. All four of the track’s regular NASCAR racing divisions will be in action that night.

The track will close out its 2023 season of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points races with Championship Night on Saturday night, September 2, with an event featuring the track’s four NASCAR racing divisions.

The latest news and updates for fans and competitors can be found on the speedway’s website, southbostonspeedway.com, and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.

SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY TENTATIVE 2023 SCHEDULE
                        (Start Times In Parenthesis):

  • Saturday, March 11 – Open Practice/Media Day (10 A.M.-5 P.M.)
  • Saturday, March 18 – Season Opener – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (2 P.M.)
  • Saturday, April 1 – Fool’s Rush 291 – SMART Open-Wheel Modifieds, Late Model Stock Car, Other Divisions (Start Time TBA)
  • Saturday, April 22– NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, May 6 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, May 13 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, June 3 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, June 17 – Prelude To The 200 – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Friday, June 30 – Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 Practice Day & Fan Fest
  • Saturday, July 1 – Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200/ Virginia Late Model Triple Crown Kickoff – Late Model Stock Car 200, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets PLUS Fireworks (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, July 15 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, Aug. 5 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, Aug. 19 – South Boston 270 – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, other divisions TBA (7 P.M.)
  • Saturday, Sept. 2 – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Championship Night – Late Model Stock Car, Budweiser Limited Sportsman, Southside Disposal Pure Stock, Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets (7 P.M.)

### NOTE – Special Events In Boldface

OTHER 2023 EVENTS ARE TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Looks Forward to Another Returning Classic

2022 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID

TOKYO, Sept 23, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team makes its first trip to Rally New Zealand determined to compete for the top positions when the event’s popular gravel roads return to the world stage for round 11 of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship on September 29-October 2.

Keen to look forward after a disappointing weekend on the rough and rocky roads of Acropolis Rally Greece, the team heads to New Zealand with a lead of 63 points in the manufacturers’ championship while Kalle Rovanpera leads the drivers’ championship by 53 points and has his best opportunity yet to clinch his first title if he can add eight more points to his advantage.

Joining Rovanpera and Elfyn Evans – who make their Rally New Zealand debuts – will be reigning world champion Sebastien Ogier, who finished a close second on his previous visit to New Zealand in 2010 and returns to the team’s line-up for the final three rounds of the season. Takamoto Katsuta will be another New Zealand first-timer in his TGR WRT Next Generation entry.

Back on the WRC calendar after 10 years away, Rally New Zealand is famed for fast and flowing stages that wind their way through the stunning scenery of the country’s North Island. The smooth gravel roads are characterised by their pronounced camber which drivers can use to carry more speed through corners.

The rally is based in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland, with the service park located on its waterfront and the opening stage to take place in the Pukekawa Auckland Domain park on Thursday evening. Friday then features more than half of the rally’s competitive distance with 158.56 kilometres to be driven across two loops of classic stages to the south around Raglan, starting with the iconic Whaanga Coast which is followed by two stages around Te Akau. A tyre fitting zone in Raglan separates the two loops, rather than a full service. Saturday takes place to the north of Auckland with two more loops of three stages run either side of service, while Sunday is made up of two repeated stages on the city’s eastern side, with the second pass of the purpose-built Jack’s Ridge as the rally-ending Power Stage.

Quotes:

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“Personally I am really looking forward to going back to New Zealand and I think it’s a rally that our team can look forward to as well. Greece was of course disappointing for us and there are lessons we can take from there to be stronger on similar rallies in the future. But Rally New Zealand is a very different gravel rally. The surface is smoother, the roads are fast and flowing, and the camber makes it feel like you are dancing with the car. The roads are amazing and you don’t find them anywhere else in the WRC. I had the pleasure to win there myself in 2010, actually in a very close finish with Sebastien. For the rest of our drivers it will be a new challenge but I think they will all enjoy those roads and I’m confident we can be fighting for the victory once again.”

Sebastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“After a nice break it’s exciting to be getting back in my GR YARIS for these three events to end the season. Rally New Zealand is one of the rallies I really wanted to do this year. I was there once before in 2010 and I have mostly good memories; it was a very close fight until the final corners when a spin handed the win to Jari-Matti. At the time it was hard to take but thankfully I could score my first WRC win just a few weeks later. The rally itself is beautiful with some of the best roads in the world. After this break it won’t be easy to get back in the rhythm right away, but like always I will try to compete for the victory and help the team to the best possible result.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s going to be exciting to finally have the chance to compete in New Zealand for the first time. I’ve heard many great things about the event and especially about the roads and how rewarding they are to drive. So if what everybody says is true then I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of fun there and hopefully we can have a good rally. It’s never easy to prepare for a new event like this, particularly because we’re not able to test outside of Europe, but within the team we do at least have some previous experience from New Zealand, not least from Jari-Matti and Seb. We’ve also been having a look through the archives for old videos of the stages just to get an idea of what we’re likely to face.”

Kalle Rovanpera (Driver car 69)
“It will be really interesting to go to Rally New Zealand. I have only heard good things about the country and the rally and how nice the roads are. To prepare we have been watching whatever videos we can to get an overview of how the stages are and to understand what we might need from the car before we get there. Recent rallies have not been ideal for us but we know what we need to improve and we are working hard to have more pace and be more comfortable. Again we will be opening the road in New Zealand but hopefully we can have good speed, enjoy the event and finish with a good result.”

Please visit www.wrc.com for the latest.

How to market your car business on TikTok

Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash

Are you looking for ways to market your car business on TikTok? If so, then this article is for you! TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to share short videos. It is one of the fastest-growing platforms with over 800 million active users worldwide.

Here are 10 tips on how to market your car business on TikTok:

1. Use trending hashtags – Hashtags are a great way to get your videos seen by more people. When you use popular hashtags, your videos are more likely to appear in the search results. For example, if you’re targeting car enthusiasts, you can use hashtags such as #cars, #carsofinstagram, or #carstagram.

2. Collaborate with other creators – Collaborating with other TikTok users is a great way to grow your audience. You can reach out to other car-related businesses or influencers and offer to collaborate on a video. This will help you reach their followers and grow your own following.

3. Use engaging visuals – People are more likely to watch a video if it is visually appealing. When creating your videos, use high-quality visuals and make sure they are attention-grabbing.

4. Tell a story – A great way to engage your audience is to tell a story with your videos. Share your passion for cars and why you started your business. This will help people connect with you and your brand.

5. Offer discounts – Everyone loves a good deal! Offer discounts or coupons to TikTok users who follow your account or use your hashtag. This is a great way to generate leads and sales.

6. Host a contest – Contests are a great way to engage your audience and get people talking about your brand. You can host a contest on TikTok and offer prizes such as car accessories or a free service.

7. Go live – Live videos are a great way to connect with your audience in real-time. You can use live videos to answer questions, give car tips, or show off your latest products.

8. Use calls to action – Calls to action are a great way to encourage your viewers to take action. You can use calls to action in your videos to encourage people to follow your account, use your hashtag, or visit your website

9. Give away free stuff – Who doesn’t love free stuff? You can give away car-related products or services as prizes for contest winners or to people who use your hashtag. This is a great way to generate leads and sales.

10. Be creative – Be creative with your videos and don’t be afraid to try new things. TikTok is all about having fun and being creative. Experiment with different types of videos and see what works best for your brand. These are just a few tips on how to market your car business on TikTok. If you’re looking for more ways to grow your business, be sure to check out our other marketing articles or check this service. By following these tips, you can market your car business effectively on TikTok. With a little effort, you can reach a large audience and grow your business. Try out these tips and see for yourself!

The history of C60 and how it’s helping people today

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

In 1985, a team of chemists working for Shell Oil Company made an incredible discovery. While studying buckminsterfullerene, or “buckyballs,” they found that 60 carbon atoms bonded together in a perfect sphere created a molecule with some amazing properties. This new molecule was dubbed C60, and scientists soon realized that it had the potential to revolutionize many industries. But what is C60, and why is it suddenly making such a big comeback? In this blog post, we will explore the history of c60 supplement and how it is helping people today!

The history of C60 and how scientists discovered its benefits

C60 is a molecule consisting of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a hollow sphere. It was first discovered in 1985 by Harold Kroto, Richard Smalley, and Robert Curl, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work.

C60 has been shown to have a variety of benefits for human health, including reducing inflammation, protecting cells from damage, and even killing cancer cells. In recent years, scientists have begun to explore the potential of using C60 as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions.

While more research is needed to confirm the efficacy of C60 in humans, the results so far are promising. If you’re looking for an alternative treatment option that has the potential to improve your health, C60 might be worth considering.

How is C60 helping people today with a variety of health issues?

C60 is a form of carbon that was first discovered in the 1960s. The molecule is made up of 60 atoms of carbon arranged in a sphere. C60 has been shown to have a variety of benefits for human health, including the ability to improve cognitive function, fight inflammation, and protect against oxidative stress.

Recent studies have shown that C60 can help improve cognitive function in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The compound may also help fight inflammation and protect against oxidative stress. These properties make C60 a promising treatment for a variety of health conditions.

Some of the potential risks associated with taking C60 supplements

While there have been no reports of serious side effects in humans, more research is needed to determine the long-term safety of C60 supplementation.

Despite the potential risks, many people are using C60 supplements for a variety of health benefits. Some people use C60 to improve their cognitive function, while others use it for anti-aging purposes. There is also some evidence that C60 can help protect against certain diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

If you’re considering taking C60 supplements, it’s important to talk to your doctor first. They can help you weigh the risks and benefits of supplementation and make sure it’s right for you.

C60 is a promising supplement with a variety of potential health benefits. However, more research is needed to determine its safety and effectiveness. If you’re considering taking C60 supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor first.

The best way to take C60 for maximum benefit?

There is some debate on the best way to take C60. Some say that taking it orally in olive oil is the most effective method, while others believe that inhaling it or applying it topically may be more beneficial. The truth is, there is no definitive answer and everyone will respond differently to different methods of administration. Ultimately, it’s up to you to experiment and find what works best for you.

C60 has a wide variety of potential benefits, from anti-aging properties to improved cognitive function. It’s even being studied as a possible treatment for cancer. If you’re looking for a way to improve your health and well-being, C60 is definitely worth considering. Give it a try and see for yourself!

How has C60 been used throughout history?

C60 has been used throughout history for a variety of purposes. The earliest recorded use of C60 was in the ninth century when the Arabic alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān used it to make a “black elixir.” This elixir was said to have many magical properties, including the ability to cure diseases and extend life. In the 13th century, the Italian physician and scientist Roger Bacon wrote about using C60 to make a “universal panacea” that could cure all diseases. In the 19th century, scientists began investigating C60’s properties as an industrial lubricant. They found that it had superior lubricating properties to other materials at high temperatures and pressures. This made the C60 ideal for use in steam engines and other high-pressure applications. Today, C60 is still used as an industrial lubricant, as well as in a variety of other applications.

What are some of the benefits of C60?

C60 has a variety of benefits that make it useful for both industrial and medical applications. One of the most important benefits of C60 is its ability to resist high temperatures and pressures. This makes it an ideal material for use in steam engines and other high-pressure applications. Additionally, C60 has excellent electrical insulation properties, making it useful for electrical components and devices. Finally, C60 is also biocompatible, meaning it does not interact with living tissue or cells in an adverse way. This makes C60 ideal for use in medical implants and other medical devices.

What are some of the potential applications of C60?

The potential applications of C60 are vast and varied. In addition to its traditional uses as an industrial lubricant and electrical insulator, C60 has the potential to be used in a wide range of medical applications. For example, C60 can be used in medical implants and devices, due to its biocompatibility. Additionally, recent research has shown that C60 has potent antioxidant properties, which could make it useful in the treatment of various diseases. Finally, C60 also has the potential to be used in nanotechnology applications due to its small size and unique chemical structure.

In the end

So there you have it, a brief history of C60 and how this amazing molecule is helping people today. If you’re looking for an all-natural way to improve your health and well-being, C60 may be worth considering. As always, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement regimen.

Petty GMS Race Preview: Texas Motor Speedway II

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

  • Dillon at Texas Motor Speedway: Over the course of his NASCAR Cup Series career, Ty Dillon has started in nine points paying races at Texas Motor Speedway. In 2018, Dillon earned his best finish at the track, mustering a 13th place result.

No stranger to TMS, Dillon has also made 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track, earning one Top-five and three Top-10 finishes with a series/track best of fifth position. In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, Dillon’s rep sheet at the track is very stout. In 2013, he led 130 laps en route to his second-career victory in the series. In five truck starts, the veteran has never finished worse than seventh, posting four Top-fives and five Top-10 finishes.

  • Back In Black (Rifle): Dillon’s No. 42 Chevrolet will see some familiar colors grace the quarter panels at Texas, as Black Rifle Coffee Company returns as his primary partner this weekend. Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive 500 will mark the seventh time that the coffee giant has sponsored Dillon’s Camaro this year, with the most recent outing coming at Nashville Superspeedway back in June.
  • About Black Rifle Coffee Company: Black Rifle Coffee Company is a Veteran-founded coffee company serving premium coffee to people who love America. Founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer, Black Rifle develops their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they learned while serving in the military. BRCC is committed to supporting Veterans, active-duty military, first responders and the American way of life. With every purchase made, they give back.

To learn more about BRCC, visit www.blackriflecoffee.com, follow BRCC on social media, or subscribe to Coffee or Die Magazine’s daily newsletter at https://coffeeordie.com/presscheck-signup.

  • Cancer Heroes: At Texas Motor Speedway, Ty Dillon will be partnering with the Martin Truex, Jr. Foundation in their “Honor a Cancer Hero” initiative. Above the door of Ty’s No. 42 Chevrolet will feature the name of Natalie Lyda, who was nominated as part of the program. Mrs. Lyda put up a long fight for her cancer battle, but unfortunately passed away from the terrible disease. She was heavily involved in her hometown of Atlanta, GA community for many years, and her impact continues to shine through many contributions. Her family specifically chose Ty to honor her name, because he was her favorite Fantasy NASCAR driver, who “never let her down”.
  • From the Drivers Seat: Dillon’s thoughts on racing at Texas Motor Speedway:

“I’m looking forward to heading to Texas this weekend with my No. 42 Petty GMS team. We have been working on our intermediate package and I believe this weekend should be fun to see how some of these changes play out on track. Ever since the surface was reconfigured a few years ago, it has presented us drivers with such a challenging course to attack. Hopefully, the use of the resin will help promote some good passing opportunities, because the speeds are up and clean air is always king at this place. I’m excited to welcome our friends at Black Rifle Coffee Company back onboard our Camaro, and hope to give everyone a good run for 500 miles in the Lone Star state.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Jones at Texas Motor Speedway: With seven races remaining in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, teams now head west to Texas Motor Speedway.

When teams unload this weekend, Erik Jones will make his 11th Cup Series start at the Fort Worth track. In his previous 10 starts at the track, Jones has three top-five finishes, six top-10 finishes and has led 112 laps. Jones has scored a best finish of fourth on three occasions (Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019).

In the Xfinity Series, Jones has six starts with three wins and all six finishes in the top four. In 2015, in just his ninth-career start in the series, Jones scored his first Xfinity Series win by starting from the pole and leading 79 of 200 laps to score the victory. In 2017 Jones again started from the pole and led 142 of 200 laps to earn his second Xfinity Series win at the track.

With three starts in the Truck Series, Jones has one win and three top-15 finishes. Jones found victory lane in 2015 when he started the Truck Series race from the fifth position and led 117 of 147 laps.

  • Honoring Heroes: This weekend, Erik Jones will carry two heroes on his No. 43 Chevy as part of the Martin Truex Jr Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation’s ‘Honor A Cancer Hero’ program.

On the driver side of the No. 43 Chevy, Cancer Survivor Larry Leonard will ride along with Jones. Leonard was nominated by his son John Leonard, and he chose Jones because the family is from Montrose, Michigan and Jones is their hometown, local NASCAR driver.
On the passenger side of the No. 43 Chevy, Mary Hankins will ride along with Jones. Hankins passed away from cancer and was nominated by her son Brain Hankins. Jones was chosen because the Hankins family, especially Mary, are long time fans of the Petty family and what they symbolize. Brain named Mary as his hero for many reasons, but most importantly because while her cancer fight was short and brief, she faced it with class, dignity, and humor. She showed her son how to live life to the fullest, even in the hardest of times. One quote Brian said Mary often reminded him of was one Richard Petty had repeated, “Don’t put a question mark where God has put a period.”

  • Focused on Winning: FOCUSfactor will serve as the primary partner on Jones’s Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • About FOCUSfactor: FOCUSfactor is sold at America’s leading retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon.com. FOCUSfactor, America’s leading brain health supplement, is a nutritional supplement that includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients. In December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function”. The issuance of the patent marked one of the few times a patent has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement. FOCUSfactor is clinically tested with results demonstrating improvements in focus, concentration and memory in healthy adults.
  • From the Driver’s Seat: “Texas was a tough race for us during the All-Star race. We got voted in by the fan vote and just really struggled all night. We were on a path that I feel like wasn’t working with our mile-and-a-half program at that point. I think we’ve gotten it quite a bit better and know what we need to do better for that race coming back. Hopefully those things will play out for us. I like Texas a lot. I’ve been able to win a hand full of races there in the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, so I want to get strong there in the Cup car and contend for a win with our FOCUSfactor Chevy.”

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

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

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Tokenproof added to RaceDayNFT.com ahead of Texas Motor Speedway’s NASCAR Playoff Weekend Sept. 24-25

  • More than a dozen Texas fans can receive experience upgrades Sunday by using Tokenproof.
  • Tokenproof provides verifiable ownership credentials for NFT purchasers.
  • Visit RaceDayNFT.com for more details.

FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 22, 2022) – Speedway Motorsports and Gigantik have introduced an exciting component to its digital marketplace for race fans in time for the upcoming NASCAR Playoff Weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Tokenproof, which facilitates the verification of ownership for NFT holders, is now integrated with RaceDayNFT.com, Speedway Motorsports’ digital marketplace for race fans. An NFT (non-fungible token) is a digital collectible (such as a video or image) that is officially licensed and recorded on the blockchain to demonstrate proof of ownership.

Users prove ownership of tokens via authentication facilitated through the use of the Tokenproof Mobile App and it is usable with any virtual wallet on the Flow Blockchain, including RaceDay NFT’s Dapper Wallet offering.

Texas Motor Speedway’s latest NFT collectibles dropped on Monday (Speed-Danger-Fun Token) and Thursday (Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Virtual Die-cast Pack).

More than a dozen Texas Motor Speedway fans who authenticate ownership of one of this week’s Texas NFTs via the Tokenproof app, can receive an upgraded experience on Sunday, Sept. 25, in the following way:

  • Visit the ticket booth between Sections 107 and 108.
  • The first three authenticated guests will receive two suite passes apiece for the Autotrader Echopark Automotive 500 NASCAR Cup Series race.
  • The next 10 authenticated guests will receive two passes each to the Daughtry pre-race concert as well as other pre-race experiences.

“This is an awesome opportunity for some fortunate fans to receive a significant upgrade to their Texas Motor Speedway experience,” said Texas Motor Speedway Vice President of Marketing Ellen Stallcup. “We have received a tremendous response to all of our NFT offerings this year and we look forward to more fans taking advantage of Tokenproof on RaceDayNFT.com this weekend.”

Similar upgrade programs are scheduled to take place during NASCAR Playoff Weekends at other Speedway Motorsports facilities, including Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course and Sunday, Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

RaceDayNFT.com is built on the environmentally friendly Flow Blockchain, home of other leading sports NFT projects including NBA Top Shot and NFL ALL DAY.

Speedway Motorsports and RaceDay NFT is the first major sports organization on the Flow Blockchain to use Tokenproof as a critical NFT enhancement.

“RaceDayNFT is an innovative platform that gives NFT owners tremendous value and utility,” said Mike Burch, Speedway Motorsports’ executive vice president and chief operating officer. “This integration with Gigantik, Flow and Tokenproof will give us the ability to take RaceDayNFT to the next level.”

In partnership with Gigantik, Speedway Motorsports created RaceDayNFT.com, the original motorsports NFT marketplace for race fans, in 2021.

RaceDay NFT is also linked with Dapper Wallet, which allows customers to conduct NFT business with credit cards as well as multiple currencies including popular cryptocurrency options such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Speedway Motorsports leverages the proprietary platform Gigantik to create and operate its

NFT marketplace. Gigantik helps brands remove the complexity of smart contracts, blockchain integration, NFT design and management of event services.

Visit RaceDayNFT.com for more details.

Texas Motor Speedway will play host to the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs this weekend. The NASCAR Playoffs doubleheader will be highlighted by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, and PRN), and the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday (2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, PRN, and 95.9 The Ranch).
TICKETS:

Tickets for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 are on sale at https://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/events/autotrader-echopark-automotive-500/

Season tickets and camping for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 major event season are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus buying individual tickets, take advantage of interest-free monthly payments, get the best seat selection and more. All-new reduced rates are available for the GEICO Infield, GEICO VIP and WinStar World Casino & Resort Lone Star Circle camping areas. Click HERE for more information and to purchase season tickets.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Texas NXS Advance

RILEY HERBST
Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 27 of 33)

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 24

• Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth

• Layout: 1.5-mile oval

• Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst kicks off his playoff drive this Saturday in the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang locked himself into the postseason two weekends ago at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, marking his third straight playoff appearance since his rookie year in 2020. Herbst is seeded 11th in the 12-driver playoff field, three points below the top-eight cutoff to advance to the Round of 8, which begins Oct. 15 at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. To get there, Herbst must successfully navigate Texas and then the next two playoff races Oct. 1 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Oct. 8 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. Winning is the surefire way to advance to the next round of the playoffs, but consistency, the ability to avoid trouble, and accumulating valuable stage points are all important aspects of advancing throughout the playoffs and to the ultimate goal of being a part of the Championship 4 Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway.

• Herbst proved solid during the 26-race regular season. The 23-year-old racer from Las Vegas began the year with a fourth-place finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and capped the regular season with a fifth-place run at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway last Friday night. Herbst earned six top-fives and 16 top-10s in the regular season to finish ninth in the standings. With seven races still remaining, his six top-fives have already exceeded his previous season-best of five top-fives, earned last year. He is also just one top-10 away from equaling his single-season career best of 17 top-10s, secured in 2020.

• The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will be Herbst’s sixth career Xfinity Series start at Texas. Since joining Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2021, Herbst has not finished outside the top-12 at the 1.5-mile oval, including a career-best run of eighth earned in May.

• SHR has one Xfinity Series win at Texas. Cole Custer delivered the victory in November 2018, beating Tyler Reddick by .162 of a second.

• As part of the annual “Honor a Cancer Hero” program championed by the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and the NASCAR Foundation, the name of Laura Walter will ride along with Herbst above the driver’s side door of his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for the second year in a row this weekend at Texas. In recognition of Childhood and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, the signature panels of Herbst’s racing machine and that of dozens of other drivers in NASCAR’s top-three national touring series were auctioned to the highest bidder. Mark Walter Jr., nominated his mother Laura, who battled breast cancer, to appear on Herbst’s car once again this year. Proceeds from this program have raised more than $106,000 in support of The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Emergency Children’s Department in Huntersville, North Carolina, as well as integrative therapies for women and children undergoing cancer treatments and child life services across the racing community.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Texas marks the start of the seven-race Xfinity Series Playoffs. Does your mindset change now that you’re in the playoffs, or do you go about these next seven races the same way you did the previous 26 races?

“Nothing changes. We obviously have to be smart in the playoffs. It’s about surviving each race and getting the best results. I think we’re smart about coming to races and being prepared to race for wins, but also being cautious and staying out of trouble. We’re always going to try to execute to the best of our abilities and try to get the best results. That won’t change in the playoffs.”

You’ve earned a career-best six top-fives along with 16 top-10s so far this season. What’s been the key to your growth this season?

“Communication has been key this year. Last year we were just getting to know each other and it was a weird year with no practice or qualifying. Those sessions are essential to learning a brand-new team. Really, communication with my crew chief, Richard Boswell, and my spotter, Tim Fedewa, has been key. You have to build a trust in that trio and we’ve done that this year. The results are showing and people are taking notice.”

How do you approach Texas and what have you learned since your first start at the track in 2020?

“Texas is a beast on its own. It’s a super-fast, 1.5-mile track in the Texas heat, so you know it’s going to be a challenge. With that said, it should be a lot of fun and I’m excited to go back for the second time this year. I performed well there in May, so hoping to continue that trend. The key is having a fast Monster Energy Ford Mustang, which we always bring, and staying out of trouble. It’s your typical intermediate track, but it’s crazy how fast it is. We just have to keep our focus on earning stage points and getting a good finish.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Davis Sampere
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Stan Doolittle
Hometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Texas Motor Speedway

AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)

Sunday, September 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA

In the 2022 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two top fives, eight top-10 finishes and has led 33 laps

Noah Gragson, No. 16 Ed Morse Automotive Group Camaro ZL1

The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 will mark Noah Gragson’s first start at Texas in the NCS
Gragson has one top five and four top-20 finishes in the 2022 NCS season

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on track in the Cup car at Texas with Kaulig Racing this weekend, along with Ed Morse Automotive Group. This will be my first time racing at Texas in this NextGen car, and it should be both fun and challenging with how different Texas is compared to other intermediate tracks. We keep learning more as a team each week, which makes us optimistic and excited to go to Texas.” – Noah Gragson on Texas

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

Justin Haley has made one start at Texas in the NCS
He has earned one top five, two top 10s and and 10 top-15 finishes in 2022
Haley has led 28 laps in the 2022 season

“This No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection team has really been getting into our groove lately and showing so much speed and potential. I have always really enjoyed racing at Texas in every series and have won there in the truck series in the past. We definitely have some momentum heading into this weekend.” – Justin Haley on Texas  

Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)

Saturday, September 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA

For the second year in-a-row, AJ Allmendinger and Kaulig Racing have won the NXS regular season championship
Kaulig Racing has earned three wins, 17 top five and 39 top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
The team has led 349 laps in the 2022 NXS season so far
Allmendinger: 278 laps
Hemric: 54 laps
Cassill: 17 Laps

Landon Cassill, No. 10 Usio Chevrolet

Landon Cassill has made 11 starts, earned one top 10 and has led one lap at at Texas in the NXS
Cassill has earned three top five and nine top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
He has led 17 laps so far in the 2022 NXS season

“Texas is a really fast and challenging track. Our No.10 team showed really great speed in the spring, and I felt like we had a top-five car until the end of the race. I think we have some good notes to build on and will hopefully have minimal mistakes in order to be there at the end.” – Landon Cassill on Texas

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 DaaBIN Store Chevrolet

Daniel Hemric has earned three top fives and four top-10 finishes at Texas in the NXS
Hemric has an average finish of 8.8 and has led 149 laps led at Texas across seven starts

Hemric has earned two top fives, nine top-10 finishes and has led 54 laps in the 2022 NXS season

“I feel optimistic heading into Texas. With the way the playoff format is, we are able to start with a clean slate. Texas has always been a great track for me in the past, and I’ve had some really good racecars there. Both ends of the racetrack are so different, which is part of what makes this track so challenging, yet so fun. Our mile-and-a-half program has not been our strongest, but we also know this is a place where we can make the most gains as we head into the first race of the Playoffs.” – Daniel Hemric on Texas

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet

AJ Allmendinger has earned three top-10 finishes and has led 21 laps at Texas across three starts in the NXS
Allmendinger has earned the NXS regular season championship for Kaulig Racing for the second year in-a-row
He has earned a win for Kaulig Racing in four-straight NXS seasons
In 2022, Allmendinger has led 278 laps, recorded three wins, 12 top five and 22 top-10 finishes
Allmendinger currently has the most top-10 finishes of any driver in the 2022 NXS season

“Texas is a is a racetrack that we’ve slowly improved on at Kaulig Racing. We definitely need to keep working to find more speed, but it’s a racetrack I feel like we can go and be fairly solid at and have a good run there. It’d be great to go win the race, but ultimately, I think if we can just have a consistent race, good stage points and set the tone for the playoffs, that’s the most important thing.” AJ Allmendinger on Texas  

About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. They will continue fielding three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. With multiple wins, Kaulig Racing has come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team made multiple starts in the NCS in 2021 and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young team has acquired two charters for the 2022 NCS season, with Justin Haley competing as its first, full-time driver in the series. The team’s second entry will be shared by part-time teammates AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

NCS AT TEXAS: Team Chevy Advance

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
September 25, 2022

RACE #1 OF NCS PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 12: TEXAS

With the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) playoff field down to 12 drivers; the playoff points standings are reset and attention is turned to the first of three stops in the Round of 12: Texas Motor Speedway. Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 sets up arguably one of the most diverse, wildcard rounds of the 10-race playoff stretch. Joining the 1.5-mile Texas oval in this round is NASCAR’s longest oval, the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway; and 2.28-mile, 17-turn Charlotte ROVAL.

While NASCAR’s premier series has made the trip to the Fort Worth, Texas, venue earlier this season, this weekend marks the first points-paying show of the season at the track. The 2021 season saw a Chevrolet sweep the NCS events at Texas Motor Speedway, both captured by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team. Larson recorded his second-career NASCAR All-Star win in June 2021, later returning to the 1.5-mile Texas venue in October to take the first race of the Round of 8.. a victory that solidified his spot in the Championship 4 that led to his first career NCS championship. Larson’s victory in the 2021 NCS playoff race at Texas brought Chevrolet’s win count at Texas Motor Speedway to 15 to tie Ford in the top spot for all-time NCS wins at the track.

AND THEN THERE WERE 12..

Of the 12 drivers left in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series championship title, Chevrolet continues to lead the charge with six drivers advancing. With the playoff points standings reset, the 2022 NCS Regular-Season Champion Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team reclaimed the top spot in the standings. With his series-leading 4 wins, 11 top-fives, 18 top-10s and 40 playoff points, Elliott is entering the Round of 8 with a 31-point advantage over the cutline. Joining him in the Round of 12 includes his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, William Byron and Alex Bowman; as well as Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain, who are competing in the playoffs for the first time in their NCS careers.

With the next round on deck, Chevrolet is one step closer to defending its NCS Driver and Manufacturer Championships. While leading the NCS driver standings, the bowtie brand also continues to sit atop the NCS manufacturer points standings, heading into the Round of 12 with an 87-point lead.

A look at where the Team Chevy NCS playoff drivers stand heading into race one of the Round of 12, including season numbers and career stats at Texas Motor Speedway:

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings (+31 points above cutline)

2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion

Victories: 4

Top-Fives: 11; Top-10s: 18; Laps Led: 719

Average Finish: 11.1; Stage Wins: 5

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 6; Average Finish: 11.545

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Elliott’s seventh consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 the past two seasons, winning his first career NCS Driver Championship in 2020.
  • Six of his 17 career NCS wins have come in the playoffs.
  • Elliott has won at two of the three tracks in the Round of 12, including Talladega Superspeedway (2019); and a two-time winner at the Charlotte ROVAL (2019 and 2020).

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 3rd in Playoff Standings (+11 points above cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 10; Top-10s: 16; Laps Led: 584

Average Finish: 14.2; Stage Wins: 5

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-20s: 1; Average Finish: 27.6

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Chastain’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Chastain has already scored a win at one of the Round of 12 tracks in 2022, with his second-career NCS win coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings (+10 points above cutline)

2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 11; Top-10s: 15; Laps Led: 341

Average Finish: 13.7; Stage Wins: 3

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Wins: 1; Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s; 5;

Average Finish: 18.429

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Larson’s sixth appearance in the NCS playoffs, with 2021 bringing Larson his first trip to the Championship 4.
  • During the playoff era (2004-present); Larson leads the series in ‘multiple playoff race wins in a single season’ with five in 2021 (Bristol, Charlotte ROVAL, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix).
  • In 2021, Larson took the wins at two of the three tracks that are in the Round of 12, including both the playoff and All-Star races at Texas Motor Speedway; and the annual race at the Charlotte ROVAL.

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 5th in Playoff Standings (+6 points above the cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 5; Top-10s: 8; Laps Led: 671

Average Finish: 16.8; Stage Wins: 4

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Average Finish: 14.429

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Byron’s fourth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Bryon’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2021, finishing the season 10th in the final standings.
  • Byron scored top-10 finishes in all three races of the Round of 16 including an eighth-place at Darlington Raceway; sixth-place at Kansas Speedway; and third-place at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 10th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 12; Laps Led: 136

Average Finish: 15.7; Stage Wins: 2

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 2; Average Finish: 24.5

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Bowman’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Bowman has raced his way into the Round of 12 in each of his NCS playoff appearances; making it to the Round of 8 in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
  • Two of Bowman’s 12 top-10 finishes of 2022 came in the Round of 16, recording a 10th-place finish at Darlington Raceway and a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 11th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 6; Top-10s: 11; Laps Led: 246

Average Finish: 16.4; Stage Wins: 2

At Texas Motor Speedway:

Top-Fives: 2; Top-10s: 3; Average Finish: 17.333

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Suarez’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Suarez has three top-five finishes on road course circuits in 2022 including his first-career NCS win at Sonoma Raceway; and fifth-place finishes at Road America and Watkins Glen.  
    Chevrolet All-Time NASCAR Cup Series

Championships:

Manufacturer Championships:

1st Chevy Title: 1958

Most Recent Title: 2021

Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 13 (2003-2015)

Driver Championships:

1st Chevy title: Buck Baker (1957)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 7 (2005-2011)


ALLMENDINGER GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN NXS REGULAR-SEASON TITLES

For the second consecutive season, Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has been named the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Regular-Season Champion. The 2022 season is only the second full-time campaign in the series for the 40-year-old California native, with Allmendinger now taking the regular-season title in both. The Chevrolet driver has been a consistent fixture atop the points standings this season; taking the lead after the Richmond event on April 2 and never looking back. Allmendinger – who’s recorded three wins and a series-leading 23 top-10s in 26 points-paying races – will enter the series’ playoff run with 15 additional playoff points as he competes for his first career NXS championship crown.

EIGHT CHEVROLET DRIVERS LOCK INTO NXS PLAYOFFS

With the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season complete, eight Chevrolet drivers have officially punched their ticket into the 12-driver playoff field to compete for the series’ championship title. Joining the NXS Regular-Season Champion AJ Allmendinger in the post-season battle include all four JR Motorsports teammates, Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Sam Mayer; NXS rookie Austin Hill; Daytona (August) winner Jeremy Clements; and Allmendinger’s Kaulig Racing teammate Daniel Hemric.

With the playoff points standings reseeded for the start of the race to the championship, Noah Gragson and the No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team has claimed the top spot on the leaderboard. With his six wins – including the past three consecutive races – and his series-leading 15 top-fives, 13 stage wins and 51 playoff points; Gragson enters the Round of 12 with a 46-point lead over the playoff cutline.

The NXS playoffs consist of two, three-race rounds, with one final race at Phoenix Raceway to determine the champion. The first of three races in the NXS Round of 12 gets underway on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway with the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300. Chevrolet is heading back to the 1.5-mile Texas venue as defending winners at the track after Tyler Reddick drove the No.48 Big Machine Racing Camaro SS to the win in May, with four fellow Team Chevy drivers in tow to give the bowtie brigade a sweep of the top-five finishing positions.

DOMINANT REGULAR-SEASON FOR THE CAMARO SS

In 26-points paying races, Chevrolet drivers have accumulated 19 wins, recorded by eight drivers from five different Chevrolet teams. The first came right out of the gate with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in the series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The manufacturer has gone on various impressive win streaks throughout the season, including seven in a row that started with Noah Gragson’s Talladega win in April. Entering the Texas race weekend, Chevrolet is riding streak of five consecutive victories. 16 of Chevrolet’s manufacturer-leading 19 wins of the season have come in the series’ past 18 races, giving Chevrolet drivers and teams a wave of momentum heading into the post-season race to the championship. Gragson’s career-best and series-leading sixth win of 2022 at Bristol Motor Speedway also gave the bowtie brand its 496th all-time NXS win, with the manufacturer entering the playoffs just four wins away from its milestone 500th all-time win in the series.

Looking to capture its sixth consecutive – and 23rd all-time – NXS Manufacturer Championship, Chevrolet continues to pull away in the manufacturer points standings. With just seven races remaining, the bowtie brand now leads its manufacturer competitors by 125-points in the standings.

NCWTS: ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) began the series’ Round of 8 last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking the first of three final chances for playoff drivers to win or point their way into the Championship 4. GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger had a strong opening round in the playoffs; recording three top-five finishes – including a win – in the first three races. Enfinger and the No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST team took on the Round of 8 in similar fashion, bringing his Chevrolet-powered machine home in the fourth-position at Bristol to continue his playoffs top-five finish streak.

The NCWTS will be back in action on October 1, with a 250-mile race at the famed Talladega Superspeedway holding the spot as race two of three in the series’ Round of 8.

BOWTIE BULLETS

· Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway include:

   Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 (Defending Winner; 2021)

   Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 (2020)

· Kyle Larson swept the NASCAR Cup Series events at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021, capturing his second-career NASCAR All-Star win in June, later returning to take the first race of the NCS Playoffs Round of 8 at the track in October.

· Chevrolet has recorded 15 NASCAR Cup Series wins (tied for the most) and a series-leading 15 pole wins at Texas Motor Speedway.

· Career Chevrolet driver, Jimmie Johnson, leads the NASCAR Cup Series in a variety of measures at Texas Motor Speedway, including the most wins (7), runner-up finishes (5), top-fives (16) and laps led (1,152).

· Six Chevrolet drivers advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12, giving the bowtie brand 50 percent of the playoff field for the second consecutive round.

· With the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings reseeded going into the Round of 12; 2022 NCS Regular-Season Champion Chase Elliott reclaimed the top spot with a 31-point advantage over the cutline. Elliott continues to lead the series in wins (4), top-fives (11), top-10s (18) and laps led (719).

· For the second consecutive season, AJ Allmendinger has claimed the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular-Season Championship. The 2022 season is only Allmendinger’s second full-time campaign in the series, with the Kaulig Racing driver now taking the NXS Regular-Season Championship title in both.

· Eight Chevrolet drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff field. JR Motorsports’ Noah Gragson – who leads the series in wins (6), top-fives (15), stage wins (13) and accumulated playoff points (51) – now sits atop the NXS driver points standings, 46-points over the cutline.

· Three of the top-five NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have led the most laps thus far come from the bowtie brand, led by the 2022 NCS regular-season champion Chase Elliott (719 laps). Joining Elliott in the top-five of that chart includes William Byron in second (671 laps) and Ross Chastain in fourth (584 laps).

· In 29 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying racing, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS race wins (16), top-fives (69), top-10s (127), laps led (3,329) and stage wins (23). With a double-digit lead in wins over its manufacturer competitors with only seven races remaining in the 2022 season; Chevrolet has already clinched the most NCS wins recorded in a single year among all manufacturers.

· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 23 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins:

   Tyler Reddick 2 - Fontana x2

   Alex Bowman 1 - Las Vegas, Kansas

   Ross Chastain 4 - Las Vegas, Darlington, Charlotte, Pocono, Richmond

   William Byron 4 – Phoenix, Atlanta, Talladega, Darlington

   Daniel Suarez 2 – COTA, Charlotte

   Chase Elliott 3 – Martinsville x2, Charlotte, Atlanta x2

   Kyle Larson 3 – Bristol, Sonoma, Pocono

· Reigning NASCAR Cup Series and NASAR Xfinity Series Manufacturer Champions, Chevrolet, continues to lead in the manufacturer points standings in both series. The bowtie brand leads the NCS manufacturer points standings by 87-points, with the manufacturer’s lead in the NXS standings expanding to 125-points.

· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 830 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.

FOR THE FANS

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Texas Motor Speedway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2023 Corvette 3LT, Tahoe RST, Silverado 1500 High Country, Colorado Bison, Camaro ZL1, Silverado ZR2 and the Blazer EV.

· At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Camaro ZL1 show car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, September 24

· Jeb Burton: 11:30 a.m.

· Brandon Brown: 11:45 a.m.

· Sheldon Creed & Austin Hill: 12:00 p.m.

· Nick Sanchez: 12:15 p.m.

Sunday, September 25

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 10:30 a.m.

· Austin Dillon: 11:30 a.m.

· William Byron: 12 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Saturday, September 24: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, September 25: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tune In:

USA Network will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 25. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

USA Network will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 24. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 RENU CAMARO ZL1

Did you learn anything in the Sprint All-Star race that you think will be important in this Playoff race?

“In the spring we were flying in Texas. I would like to not fly as high (laughs). With the two ends being so different, you gain so much speed with the banking and you have to slow down a lot in turns 1 and 2. Keeping the balance on both ends is important. We obviously learned stuff in the All-Star race but now there is a lot more on the line.”

Since its newer pavement at Texas, do you think we’ll see more drastic things with the new car?

“It does actually. It has a lot of grip until you lose it, so when you do lose it you crash, or we blow tires.

I think the whole field has gotten better with not blowing tires as easily. I don’t know how long they’re going to leave Texas the way it is, so it’s probably time to enjoy it for what it is.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Larson on lessons learned during last season’s playoffs:

“Be clean and let the other teams make the mistakes. Honestly, if you can just finish you don’t have to do anything crazy in the first couple rounds. Don’t take yourself out of stage points or a good finish and you can advance. Once you get to the Round of 8, that’s obviously when you need to get some top-five finishes or a win. You just don’t want to take yourself out of any race or get any DNF or anything like that where you put yourself in a must-win situation because winning is really difficult to do. You just want to keep yourself in contention every race.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

Daniels on the challenges of setting a car up for Texas Motor Speedway:

“Texas (Motor Speedway) is definitely a different style intermediate track with less banking in (turns) one and two and a tighter corner radius than (turns) three and four. It’s actually fun to try to set up a car because the ends are so different. With some hotter temperatures this weekend compared to when we were there for the All-Star Race and with the groove widening out with resin or whatever they spray, 500 miles is a long race but I hope it can be a pretty fun day.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Elliott on racing at Texas:

“I’d love to go to Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend and have a good, solid run and start this round off on a high note. We didn’t get to run the full All-Star Race earlier this year, but I still feel like we got enough track time to have good notes as we head back there. We just need to put a good weekend together and execute a solid day. If we can do that, then we have as good a shot as anyone to get a win and lock ourselves into the next round.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on preparing for the Round of 12:

“This is going to be a tough round, but we know what we need to do to keep our playoff run going. Execution and putting together three solid races is going to be key. Each of these races in this Round of 12 has its own unique set of challenges. There isn’t really much room for error, but if you make a mistake, you have to regroup quickly and do what you can to maximize the day and get as many points as you can. Our group is really good at that and I think we are fully capable of advancing.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

Byron on preparation for Texas:

“I’m interested to see how racing at Texas (Motor Speedway) goes this weekend. We’ve always had speed there but I think in the spring we just were a little off on our setup since it was the first time at Texas in the Next Gen car. Our mile-and-a-half program is the one I think we needed to work on the most this season but I think, especially after Kansas (Speedway) a few weeks ago, that we’ve really improved on those style of tracks. With how this round shapes up there’s a lot of emphasis on Texas and leaving there with as many points as possible and that will be our goal, just like how we did last round. As long as we have a good Saturday, I think we’ll be in a good place for the race and then it’s all about execution on Sunday.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

Fugle on what he expects at Texas this weekend:

“I think we have some good notes heading into this weekend’s race at Texas (Motor Speedway). We learned a lot from Kansas (Speedway) a couple weeks ago, and with us using the same tire as we did for that race, a good portion of those notes should translate. The biggest difference is going to be how much hotter it is and where the resin is applied on the track. From what we’ve been told, the resin is being applied like it was for the All-Star Race earlier this year, so we have those notes as well. Just with the heat and tire compound though, I think handling is going to play a much bigger factor this weekend than it did for the All-Star event. We’ve really focused on that this week, so we hopefully unload close to where we need to be and focus more on fine-tuning than anything.”

TY DILLON, NO. 42 BLACK RIFLE COFFEE COMPANY CAMARO ZL1

Dillon’s thoughts on racing at Texas Motor Speedway:

“I’m looking forward to heading to Texas this weekend with my No. 42 Petty GMS team. We have been working on our intermediate package and I believe this weekend should be fun to see how some of these changes play out on track. Ever since the surface was reconfigured a few years ago, it has presented us drivers with such a challenging course to attack. Hopefully, the use of the resin will help promote some good passing opportunities, because the speeds are up and clean air is always king at this place. I’m excited to welcome our friends at Black Rifle Coffee Company back onboard our Camaro, and hope to give everyone a good run for 500 miles in the Lone Star state.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1

“Texas was a tough race for us during the All-Star race. We got voted in by the fan vote and just really struggled all night. We were on a path that I feel like wasn’t working with our mile-and-a-half program at that point. I think we’ve gotten it quite a bit better and know what we need to do better for that race coming back. Hopefully those things will play out for us. I like Texas a lot. I’ve been able to win a hand full of races there in the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, so I want to get strong there in the Cup car and contend for a win with our FOCUSfactor Chevy.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Bowman on being named the 2022 Halifax Humane Society’s Humanitarian of the Year: “It is really cool to be nominated for the award. Helping animals is a big passion of mine and something that I really value. Without Ally and Best Friends Animal Society helping me get the money and resources to Best Friends network partners across the country, none of this would be possible. I am honored to receive this award, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully we can win a few more races before the season ends and get even more money to the pets who need it.”

Bowman, on what it takes to make it to the Round of 8:

“Our team is really focused on taking it one race at a time. We did that in the Round of 16 to get to where we are now. The crew is really fired up right now and all of us are putting in the time to give ourselves the best chance of success. Greg (Ives) is really focused and leading us really well right now. I think that if we continue to pay attention to the small details and stay focused on one race at a time, we can go really far this postseason. We have Texas (Motor Speedway) circled right now and that’s all that matters.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

Ives on advancing to the Round of 12:

“Despite the mechanical issues, we had a fast car in Bristol and glad we made it to the next round of the playoffs. Our team has worked hard to give Alex (Bowman) really fast race cars and Alex has been locked in on performing and the team is feeding off of his energy. We have a lot of momentum right now and I told the team we don’t have to hit home runs. We just need to get on base and maximize the results. Texas (Motor Speedway) is the next race we all have our focus on.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 AGUAS FRESCAS CAMARO ZL1

What are your thoughts on going to Texas and beginning the Round of 12?

“We can’t wait to get to the track. Not only do we have a big weekend planned with Daniel’s Amigos, but Texas is one of my favorite tracks. We know we are better than what we showed at Bristol. Texas, Talladega and the Charlotte Roval are three of my better tracks. We know we can advance, now we have to show everyone else.”

How tough is the mental reset after a struggle at Bristol?

“You have no idea how easy it’s going to be for me to reset because that car was not fun. For me, to be able to make it to the next round with the way the car was driving, is a huge plus. Thank you to everyone on our team. They did a very good job. We had the speed, but there were a lot of mistakes; on pit road, myself, overall. We’ll come back stronger for the next round.”

What is Daniel’s Amigos?

“Daniel’s Amigos was just an idea. I always wanted to do something special for the Latinos, and was just trying to come up with ways to bring this community to the race track and give them a special, cool experience.

After several conversations with Coca-Cola and NASCAR, we were able to make it happen in 2019 at Auto Club Speedway in California and it has just grown from here. It has taken a lot of work by Coca-Cola and NASCAR to make this happen, but I am super excited about it.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 40

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2022 STATISTICS:

Wins: 16

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 3,329

Top-five finishes: 69

Top-10 finishes: 127

Stage wins: 23

Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas), (Kansas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte), (Pocono), (Richmond)
William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega), (Darlington)
Daniel Suarez (COTA), (Charlotte)
Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte), (Atlantax2)
Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt), (Sonoma), (Pocono)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 830 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 731

Laps led to date: 244,665

Top-five finishes to date: 4,207

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,682

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,164

       Chevrolet: 830

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 818                                                           

       Ford: 718

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 168

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 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Team Chevy aims to keep Countdown momentum

CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE

What: Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals
When: Friday, Sept. 23-Sunday, Sept. 25
Where: zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 25

Team Chevy aims to keep rolling in the Countdown
Chevrolet drivers enter second round of playoffs with momentum after Maple Grove

DETROIT (Sept. 22, 2022) – Chevrolet teams and drivers enter Round 2 of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Countdown to the Championship seeking to add significant points to their totals at a familiar racetrack.

When zMAX Dragway hosted the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series four-wide event on May 1, John Force had another weekend to remember by sweeping to the No. 1 Funny Car qualifier honor and going on to record career victory No. 155. Teammate Robert Hight was runner-up.

This weekend, the facility in Concord, North Carolina, will be the site of conventional match racing and include the Pro Stock category that did not compete the first time around.

Hight, driver of the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, will aim to put more distance between himself and Funny Car championship pursuers. The front-runner earned his seventh victory of the season and 60th of his career Sept.18 at Maple Grove Raceway.

“It’s one down five to go. We have to focus and try to get the same job done again. If you can do that early on, you’re going to put some pressure on these guys,” said Hight, a six-time winner at the track.

Force, driving the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Camaro SS, is fourth in the standings – only 16 points out of second place – as he takes aim at his 17th Funny Car world championship. He advanced to the semifinals at Maple Grove in the Countdown opener.

Brittany Force, the No. 1 qualifier at Maple Grove, is only nine points behind the Top Fuel points leader as she looks to regain the top spot in the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster. She was the No. 1 qualifier and runner-up in the 2021 fall race at zMAX Dragway.

Teammate Austin Prock has renewed confidence after picking up his second career Top Fuel win, driving the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster to victory at Maple Grove Raceway. He is sixth in the standings.

Kyle Koretsky won the Pro Stock race last fall at zMAX Dragway, defeating KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson in the final. Both will challenge for the victory this weekend as they look to reel in points leader Erica Enders.

Enders, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, claimed her seventh victory of the season and 40th of her career in the Countdown opener to widen her points lead. Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, moved to second in the standings, while Koretsky is third in the Lucas Oil Camaro SS.

FS1 will telecast eliminations at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 25.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time winner this season; second in points): “Charlotte is second on the Countdown list and after a challenging weekend our Flav-R-Pac team is ready to get the event started. First priority is to get back on track with solid qualifying. We will be looking for three consistent qualifying runs to get us in the top of the show. Every point matters and we have a shot to pick up some points with good qualifying runs. Race day we need to be going rounds. This Countdown is short and we need to step it up and will be hunting down a win this weekend.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (won last week at Reading): “(The Maple Grove win) was exactly what we needed. If we want to play for the big trophy at the end of the year we had to win (the Countdown opener). Just really proud of this team. It’s been a trying year and everyone has kept their heads down and still believed in themselves and you keep that attitude and you end up with a Wally. We’ll have more confidence rolling in (to Charlotte). We have some momentum going. People get on rolls and sometimes they stay on a roll and this is a perfect time to do it for us. We’re going to focus on one round at a time like we did in Reading and see how things shake up. Anything is possible.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Charlotte four-wide winner in spring; fourth in points): “Everyone (at John Force Racing) is in the hunt. Robert may just run away with it. But this PEAK Chevy, we’re still in the mix, still five races to go. Brittany will be good, still up in the top. That Montana Brand car, we’ve been working hard to get that car back in the mix, and they’ve got a chance. We head right to Charlotte where we’ll have another shot at it. Keep on trying to get the job done.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (seven-time winner this season; points leader): “It’s one down five to go. We have to focus and try to get the same job done again. If you can do that early on, you’re going to put some pressure on these guys. Seven wins is not going to get the championship. We’re going to have to get more than what we have and keep this rolling to win this championship. This is just getting started.”

PRO STOCK

ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (seven-time winner this season; points leader): “This Countdown is going to be a dogfight as it is early single year and giving up that 200-plus point lead coming in doesn’t help. We know we have to capitalize on every moment, execute perfectly. It’s hard to win a round let alone a race. I am stoked to start the Countdown on the right foot, to get that jump on everybody. I would rather that than to make a comeback as the race close out at the end of the year. We just have to continue the trend. Momentum is huge in any sport and we just hope to carry it.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; second in standings): “We lost ground to the leader and we’re second, but we’re not fighting for second. We’re fighting for first. We had a bit of a rough weekend. We didn’t qualify like we should have and just had some things going on that were out of the ordinary. We had some engine issues; the engine was wanting to stumble in low gear right off the starting line to get to 60 foot properly. We’ve been working on things back at the shop. We’ve got to get that figured out because you’re not going to beat these other racers if you’re not 100 percent. (This weekend) the air is going to be good, the weather is going to be perfect, so the cars will be fast. We have to get that 60-foot time back down to where we need it and then we can contend for the win again.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (won 2021 fall race at track; third in standings): “I would like nothing better than to repeat what we did at zMAX Dragway last year. We’re coming off a semifinal round loss at my home track — Maple Grove Raceway — where we qualified third. It was a good weekend to kick off the Countdown, but we want to go more rounds with the Lucas Oil Chevy. We’ll try to do that this weekend in Charlotte.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Gainesville winner): “Racing at home is always something we look forward to. We didn’t get to race here in the spring so I’ve really been waiting to get back to zMAX. We hurt our good engine last weekend but we were able to get it back together with minimal damage right in time for this weekend. We’ve got our eyes on the winner’s circle.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “We are in the Countdown. We just have to work a little harder to win this championship. I am happy with how well my team has pulled together and hopefully we can do some damage over these next five playoff races.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.