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CHEVROLET NCS AT BRISTOL: Six Chevrolet Drivers Advance to Round of 12

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES
SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
2nd CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1
3rd WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 ACRONIS CAMARO ZL1
5th KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
6th ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1
7th AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Chris Buescher (Ford)
2nd Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)
3rd William Byron (Chevrolet)
4th Christopher Bell (Toyota)
5th Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)

Race one of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 will get underway next Sunday, September 25, at Texas Motor Speedway with the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the USA Network, the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 6th

What was your big takeaway from this race?

“I’m proud of the effort from Trackhouse Racing, the No. 1 Worldwide Express team and Chevrolet to minimize things that take you out of the race. The minimal amount of flat tires.. none for Trackhouse. I don’t know about the other Chevy’s, but just a minimal amount for the bowties. That’s what we need; we needed extra air in the tires and extra clearance off the ground.

We struggled just being tight all night. We put a couple rounds in the right-rear there at the end and drove up to sixth. We were up there where we needed to be all night.

Looking at the next round, what do you guys need to work on and what do you feel like your strengths were in this first round?

“To be honest, I’ve only had Homestead on my mind next for the test this week. We have a lot of questions to answer there. Good, bad or in different – Wednesday night, we’re going to know a whole lot more and that’s what tests are for. We’re taking a lot of spare parts. I need to work on running up top more, running the wall. That’s a big thing we’re going to focus on.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS / TRACKER OFF ROAD CAMARO ZL1, sidelined by damage sustained in an accident on lap 278.

Finished: 31st

DILLON ON THE ACCIDENT HE WAS INVOLVED IN THAT ENDED HIS RACE:

“I was just told the No. 99 (Daniel Suarez) wrecked in front of the field there and got in the No. 47 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.). I hate it for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevy team. We got left-front suspension damage and if we don’t get that, we’re out there running and probably in a good points position to make it.

It’s unfortunate, but we put ourselves in a little bit of a bind, points-wise, in the first two races. We were doing our job today though. We had a great race car and got stage points. It’s just unfortunate we were caught up in it.”

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE REST OF THE SEASON?

“Just go and try to win races and get better. I think today was a positive overall. We can use that going into next year.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 25th

Reddick on the accident he was involved in and what his team tried to do after that:

“I saw the crash happen. I checked up, but I just got run over. We had two bad races with bad finishes. We had two really good race cars, but we just didn’t capitalize on it and that was enough to miss it.”

What was it like to limp around and just hope that other drivers had trouble?

“It was terrible. It’s out of your control; you can’t really fight to do anything about it. Hoping for others’ misfortunes is no way to race.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 2nd

You weren’t really comfortable with your car and then you were locked-in and you got very comfortable, very fast. How would you sum up the night?

“It was long. Obviously, hate to run second and get that close. The top just got so dominant there at the end. I couldn’t really run the bottom and keep pace. Unfortunately for me, we never really caught much of lap traffic and that was really what I needed. I hate to be so close. This is my favorite race of the year and it would have been nice to check that box.

Proud of our No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet team for fighting through it. We had a poor starting spot and unfortunate pit selection that kind of handcuffed us all night. We put ourselves in a hole yesterday and was able to get a top-two out of it. We’ll try again next week.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 7th

“I’m happy to run 500 laps at Bristol anytime I can do that. That’s a good night. I was pretty happy with our No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1. We just needed a little bit more I think to get to the next level, but really happy when we can run anywhere from about seventh to 10th all night. We had good strategy, and our pitstops were really good. So overall, I’m just really, really happy with the night.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 ACRONIS CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 3rd

“Honestly, with this Next Gen car, the pace is so fast around here and I didn’t really have a chance to see what was going on around me. I would see guys up in the wall, having flat tire issues or blowing up, so I just tried to avoid it.

Our No. 24 Acronis Chevrolet team did a great job tonight. We were a little bit timid early and didn’t really quite have the car in stage one. We wanted to get those points so we could advance. And then they told me after stage one that we were locked-in. We were a little bit freer after that. We really didn’t change much, but we got the car better and had a good second and final stage.

I’m really proud of this team. This whole round, we’ve been getting better each race. Just really proud of the effort. After a rough summer, this is really good to see how we brought ourselves to the playoffs. Thank you to all of our partners and supporters back home. We’re really excited.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 12th

“That’s a really strong night for our No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet. We fought hard all night, played some excellent strategy and just had an overall good car. That was a good, good run for the company. We are definitely building something. We will take this and keep improving.”

TY DILLON, NO. 42 EG3 TECHNOLOGIES CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 26th

“Such a bummer way to end an otherwise pretty solid night out at Bristol. Our No. 42 team was able to make some pretty good changes to our EG3 car to help us throughout the race, and that put us in a position for a top-15 finish. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue of some sort took us out early. It’s a shame because we had made some good gains up until that point, but that just how it goes sometimes. Looking forward to heading to Texas next weekend and put this one behind us.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 U.S. AIR FORCE CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 21st

“We knew this week may be a test with the new car at Bristol and it proved to have its challenges tonight. We struggled with the handling early in the race and were making the right changes, but spun missing a wreck and that put us a few laps down and then had a couple of tire issues late in the race. A disappointing night for sure. We have seven more races to build for next year and I know we are capable of running up front and winning races, just need to turn things around. We’ll had to Texas next week, one of my favorite tracks, and see what we can do.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1, sidelined by damage sustained in an accident on lap 278.

Finished: 32nd

What did you see from your perspective?

“Cars stopping in a hurry and no way for me to get stopped. We lost power steering and tried to work our way through it. We stayed out to get stage points, which thankfully we had a great racecar and we were able to get stage points even without power steering and lock ourselves in. But the flip side of that was restarting in the back there and just getting collected.

It’s a bummer, but at least we’re onto the next round and we can focus on Texas (Motor Speedway) next weekend.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1

Finished: 19th

You advanced to the Round of 12. I know this was a hard day for you guys; the car wasn’t what you wanted it to be. How rewarding is it to run all of the laps tonight and live to fight another day?

“It was a long day. It wasn’t pretty, but we did what we needed to do. We thought we were going to be able to make our car better from yesterday to today, but it was not. We have to regroup. Hopefully we can fight some monsters and come back stronger. I think the next round is pretty good for us. Texas (Motor Speedway), we’re going to be strong. A road course is in our wheelhouse. A superspeedway, anything can happen.

I’m very thankful for our No. 99 Tootsies Orchid Lounge Chevy team. They never give up. The car wasn’t what we needed, but we’re still on the good side of it.”

How tough is the mental reset after a night like tonight?

“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.”

TEAM CHEVY RACE QUICK NOTES

Stage One:

· Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman led Chevrolet to the green in the 500-lap NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race, starting second and third, respectively, in their Camaro ZL1’s.

· The 125-lap Stage One saw four Chevrolet drivers take top-10 positions at the end of the Stage, led by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 in fifth.

· Stage One: Team Chevy Top-10

5th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1

6th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

8th Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro ZL1

9th William Byron, No. 24 Acronis Camaro ZL1

Stage Two:

· William Byron – who entered the Round of 16 elimination race in the second position in the playoff standings – clinched his spot by points into the Round of 12 during the early laps of Stage Two.

· A caution flying at the end of Stage Two; crew chief Cliff Daniels chose pit strategy while running in the top-10, bringing Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 down pit road for a four-tire and fuel stop with 15 laps left in the Stage.

· At the conclusion of Stage Two, Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 team punched their ticket to the Round of 12 by virtue of points.

· Stage Two: Team Chevy Top-10

2nd Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1

4th Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hooter Camaro ZL1

6th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

7th William Byron, No. 24 Acronis Camaro ZL1

8th Austin Dillon, No. Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Camaro ZL1

9th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1

Final Stage / Post-Race Notes:

· On lap 278, Chevrolet playoff drivers Alex Bowman and Austin Dillon were involved in an accident, sustaining damage that forced both teams to retire early from the race.

· In the duration of the Final Stage, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain were able to lock-in their spots into the Round of 12.

· In 29 points paying races, Chevrolet has now recorded 69 top-fives and 127 top-10s, continuing to lead all manufacturers.

· Six Chevrolet drivers have advanced to the Round of 12, with the bowtie brand continuing to occupy 50 percent of the playoff field.

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.

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Bristol Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Allmendinger Wins Back-to-Back Xfinity Series Regular Season Championships
 
Bass Pro Shops Night Race

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1

Start: 13th
Stage 1 Finish: 14th
Stage 2 Finish: 16th
Finish: 7th

“I’m happy to run 500 laps at Bristol anytime I can do that. That’s a good night. I’m pretty happy with the our No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1. We just needed a little bit more I think to get to the next level, but really happy when we can run anywhere from about seventh to 10th all night. We had good strategy, and our pitstops were really good. So overall, I’m just really, really happy with the night” – AJ Allmendinger

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

Start: 19th
Stage 1 Finish: 25th
Stage 2 Finish: 19th
Finish: 12th

“That’s a really strong night for our No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet. We fought hard all night, played some excellent strategy and just had overall a good car. That was a great run for the company. We are definitely building something. We will take this and keep improving.” – Justin Haley

 
Food City 300

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet

Start: 4th
Stage 1 Finish: 5th
Stage 2 Finish: 3rd
Finish: 6th

“We had such a fun visit to victory lane last year. I thought we might have another chance there, but it’s still great to win the regular-season championship two years in-a-row. We had a super fast Barger Precast Chevy at the end of the race there on long runs. I made a mistake at the beginning of the race and was frustrated with myself, but we were able to fight back and get the car dialed in. Overall, we had great regular season, but it’s time to get ready for the playoffs.” – AJ Allmendinger

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 AG1 Chevrolet

Start: 8th
Stage 1 Finish: 8th
Stage 2 Finish: 8th
Finish: 20th

“Tough night for us with some power steering issues, but looking at the overall big picture, we’re happy to make it in the playoffs alongside my teammate, AJ (Allmendinger). We are definitely disappointed for our other teammate, Landon (Cassill). We are a family, so we want to push this team to be better together. We’ve got to be better in all areas as a team and clean up things that we can control as we head into the playoffs.” – Daniel Hemric

Landon Cassill, No. 10 Voyager Chevrolet

Start: 16th
Stage 1 Finish: 9th
Stage 2 Finish: 37th
Finish: 35th

“I’m definitely disappointed with how our night went. It has been a long regular season up to this point, and we have had a lot of opportunities to score points. Five points does not seem like much, but it made the difference in our playoff opportunity. I know we will make the most of our season and finish strong, regardless.” – Landon Cassill

 
 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.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Recap – Bristol

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Official Release
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Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Recap
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Race: Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Date: September 17, 2022

No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric

Start: 9th

Race Finish: 20th

Stage 1 Finish: 35th

Stage 2 Finish: 31st

Laps Led: 0

Point Standings: 12th (-34)

Race Rundown: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Freightliner team are coming away from a drama-filled Round of 16 finale at Bristol Motor Speedway with the 20th-place finish and a ticket to the Round of 12. Cindric began the night from the ninth position, but a flat right front tire on lap 83 sent the Team Penske driver to pit road for an unscheduled pit stop, causing him to lose significant track position at the 0.533-mile short track. Cindric’s night quickly turned into a game of managing the race over the remainder of the event, navigating a plethora of cautions, and utilizing the misfortunes of others to his advantage. The grit and determination of the No. 2 team never wavered, keeping the NASCAR Cup Series rookie in the fight. Cindric advanced to the Round of 12 by a slim two points to keep his championship hopes alive, joining fellow Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney in the second round of the NASCAR Playoffs.

Cindric’s Thoughts: “For a while I was just trying as hard as I can and as they fell off like flies just trying not to force any issues, try not to force any more right-front tire failures. From there, I think I was tied with the 18 for 100 laps, but just one hell of a night. I still don’t think this place loves me back, but it probably showed me a little mercy tonight, so I’ll take it and run with it. We’ll be on offense for the next three races just like we were to start Darlington this round and have some fun with it.”

No. 12 Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start: 6th

Race Finish: 30th

Stage 1 Finish: 36th

Stage 2 Finish: 36th

Laps Led: 9

Point Standings: 8th (-27)

Race Rundown: Ryan Blaney and the No 12 Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang finished 30th Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. After starting in the sixth position, Blaney wasted little time moving to the front, taking the lead on lap 36. Following a caution on lap 43, Blaney would pit from the lead. He would begin to work his way back to the front until a cut tire sent the Menards/Pennzoil Ford into the wall. The crew would make fast repairs on pit road, but the damage proved to be more severe, and he would spend over 150 laps behind the wall for repairs. Blaney would return to competition crossing the line in 30th at race’s end. The points accumulated locked the No. 12 team into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Blaney’s Thoughts: “You never know what can happen and having that flat, there’s nothing that we can do about it. You’re lucky you have that cushion going into this race. The most unfortunate part is our car was super fast, too. That was the terrible thing about it. The worst part about it now, looking back. The car was really good and just had no indication. It seemed like a lot of guys had right-front problems tonight, but I’m proud of everybody for getting it fixed up and just out there to finish the race. There really wasn’t much we could do, just log laps, and let everything play itself out. That’s why you try to have two good races beforehand because you never know when you’re going to need some points.”

No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano

Start: 15th

Race Finish: 27th

Stage 1 Finish: 20th

Stage 2 Finish: 18th

Laps Led: 0

Point Standings: 2nd (-15)

Race Rundown: Joey Logano had an up and down night in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway which ultimately ended up behind the wall. Logano started 15th and would maintain position outside the top-15 in Stage 1. Fortunately, the points accumulated in Stage 1 locked Logano into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs. Crew chief Paul Wolfe would take several swings to make the balance better throughout the night and eventually it paid off as Logano moved inside the top-10 late. Unfortunately, a strong night would come to an end as Logano would join the list of many drivers with tire issues. The damage proved to be too severe, and the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang was retired from competition on lap 437.

Logano’s Thoughts: “Not a great night for us. I thought we made our Shell-Pennzoil Mustang better as the night went along and unfortunately, we lost a right front tire late and had suspension damage. Certainly, a bummer, but we locked ourselves into the next round and happy for Ryan and Austin too.”

Stewart-Haas Racing: Bass Pro Shops Night Race from Bristol

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Date: Sept. 17, 2022
Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Round 29 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile, concrete oval)
Format: 500 laps, broken into three stages (125 laps/125 laps/250 laps)

Race Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 11th, Finished 8th / Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)

● Kevin Harvick (Started 7th, Finished 10th /Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)

● Chase Briscoe (Started 2nd, Finished 14th / Running, completed 498 of 500 laps)

● Aric Almirola (Started 1st, Finished 28th / Steering, completed 418 of 500 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (10th with 2,081 points, 14 points ahead of top-12 cutoff… advances to Round of 12)

● Kevin Harvick (16th with 2,045 points, 24 points below top-12 cutoff)

● Aric Almirola (20th with 627 points)

● Cole Custer (24th with 519 points)

Playoff Standings to Begin Round of 12:

  1. Chase Elliott (3,040 points)
  2. Joey Logano (3,025 points) -15
  3. Ross Chastain (3,020 points) -20
  4. Kyle Larson (3,019 points) -21
  5. William Byron (3,015 points) -25
  6. Denny Hamlin (3,013 points) -27
  7. Christopher Bell (3,013 points) -27
  8. Ryan Blaney (3,013 points) -27
  9. Chase Briscoe (3,009 points) -31
  10. Alex Bowman (3,007 points) -33
  11. Daniel Suárez (3,007 points) -33
  12. Austin Cindric (3,006 points) -34

Failed to Advance to Round of 12:

  1. Tyler Reddick (2,067 points)
  2. Kyle Busch (2,067 points)
  3. Austin Dillon (2,058 points)
  4. Kevin Harvick (2,045 points)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his third top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol.

● This was Custer’s best finish so far this season. His previous best was a pair of ninth-place drives July 10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and July 31 on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

● Custer’s eighth-place finish bettered his previous best result at Bristol – 23rd, earned in September 2020.

● Harvick earned his 14th top-10 of the season and his 22nd top-10 in 42 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol.

● Harvick’s 22 top-10s at Bristol are the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

● This was Harvick’s third straight top-10 at Bristol. He only has three finishes outside the top-15 at Bristol since joining SHR in 2014.

● Harvick finished 10th in Stage 2 to earn a bonus point.

● Briscoe earned his 13th top-15 of the season and his second top-15 in two career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol

● This was Briscoe’s second straight top-15. He finished 13th in the series’ prior race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

● Briscoe finished fourth in Stage 1 to earn seven bonus points and third in Stage 2 to earn eight more bonus points.

● Almirola won the pole for the Bass Pro Shops Night race with a lap of 14.946 seconds at 128.382 mph around the .533-mile oval. It was his fourth career pole, his first of the season and his first at Bristol. Almirola became the 52nd different NASCAR Cup Series driver to win a pole at Bristol.

● Almirola led twice for 36 laps to increase his laps-led total at Bristol to 39.

● A mechanical issue forced Almirola out of the race after 418 laps.

Race Notes:

● Chris Buescher won the Bass Pro Shops Night Race to score his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Bristol. His margin over second-place Chase Elliott was .458 of a second.

● Buescher was the record-tying 19th different winner in the 29 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season. This is the fifth time in NASCAR’s 74-year history where there have been 19 different winners, but only the second time in NASCAR’s modern era (1972 to present). There were 19 different winners in 1956, 1958, 1961 and 2001. In 1956, the 19th winner came in the third-to-last race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (race No. 54 of 56). In 1958, the 19th winner came in the fourth-to-last race at Orange Speedway in Hillsborough, North Carolina (race No. 47 of 51). In 1961, the 19th winner came at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with 10 races still remaining (race No. 42 of 52). And in 2001, the 19th winner came in the season finale at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (race No. 36 of 36). Among the five seasons to reach 19 different winners, this season has seen 19 winners in the fewest races (29). The previous record was 36 races in 2001.

● This was Ford’s 718th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its seventh of the season.

● This was Ford’s 41st NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol. It won its first race at the track on March 31, 1963 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts.

● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 80 laps.

● Only 12 of the 36 drivers in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“We had a really solid day. The guys brought a really fast car all weekend from when we unloaded. It was fun to drive today. We executed well, stayed out of trouble and were able to come out with a top-10. Hopefully, we can carry that momentum to next week.”

” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 Autodesk / HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“It was pretty tough. We pitted in front of the 17 (Chris Buescher), so just kind of the way the year has gone. Just went from having a chance to lead the parade to being a part of the parade. Just difficult to pass.” – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

“I was kind of worried pretty early in the race that I was gonna struggle, but I was able to get fourth in that first stage and third in the second stage, and that really set us up to where I think we were right at the cutline starting that final stage. We had some luck with the 18 (Kyle Busch) blowing up and a couple guys getting wrecked and there at the end it was unfortunate, we kind of just rode around making sure we didn’t eliminate ourselves. I’m super proud to be able to move onto the Round of 12. That’s a really big accomplishment. We’ve just got to do what we did today, not eliminate ourselves. That’s gonna be the key to this next round, especially with how many wild-card races there are. If we can go there and do that, guys are gonna keep eliminating themselves. We just have to limit our mistakes and, if we do that, we know we’ve got to have a little more speed, but if we can just limit our mistakes, it gives us a chance to move on to the next round, as well.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday, Sept. 25 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. It is the fourth race of the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs and the first race in the Round of 12. The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

BUESCHER TRIUMPHS AT BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE AS CUP SERIES PLAYOFF FIELD IS TRIMMED TO 12

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Official Release
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Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris helps Saturday night's race winner Chris Buescher pick up the huge Bristol Motor Speedway trophy in Bristol's famed rooftop Victory Lane.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 17, 2022) – With Chase Elliott pursuing him relentlessly for the final 50 laps, Chris Buescher held on to win Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motors Speedway, becoming the 19th different NASCAR Cup Series winner this season.

After the event that set the field for the Round of 12 in the series Playoffs—and eliminated superstars Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick from the postseason—a dozen drivers were breathing sighs of relief and hoping fervently for a return to stock car sanity in the next round.

A two-tire pit stop under caution on Lap 438 of 500 put Reddick in the lead for a restart on Lap 444. The driver of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford led the final 61 laps and a race-high 169 overall to give the RFK organization its first victory since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the checkered flag at Daytona on July 1, 2017 at Daytona.

The victory was the first for RFK Racing since Brad Keselowski joined the organization as an owner/driver after the 2021 season.

Buescher was the third straight non-Playoff driver to win a race in the Round of 16, an unprecedented occurrence.

“It’s so special here,” said Buescher, whose only other Cup win came in a rain-shortened race at Pocono in 2016. “I love this racetrack. I love the fans. I love every time we come here. It’s so special. It’s pretty awesome.”

Buescher said he wasn’t worried about starting the final run on two fresh tires, even though everyone chasing had four.

“I wasn’t a bit,” he asserted. “It was up to me at that point. I made it work, and we had a really fast (car). We knew we had a really fast race car in practice and didn’t quite get the job done in qualifying (20th)—but what a race car.

“I don’t know what all to say right now. I’m out of breath. This place will wear you flat-out, and I love that about it. It’s just a special night.”

Elliott was .458 seconds behind Buescher at the finish. William Byron came home third, followed by Christopher Bell, who posted his third straight top-five finish in the Round of 16. Kyle Larson was fifth and Ross Chastain sixth, as all five drivers immediately behind Buescher in the finishing order advanced to the Round of 12.

Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suarez, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman also clinched spots in the next round, though all had serious issues during the race.

Elliott got closer to Buescher on the final two laps but ran out of time.

“I felt like we were gaining, but it was… I wasn’t close enough to do anything with him,” Elliott said. “But I appreciate the effort. We had a long day yesterday. Was able to battle back from a bad qualifying effort (23rd) to get a top two, so proud of that.

“Glad to be moving on (in the Playoff) and looking forward to some more opportunities here these coming weeks.”

Needing a victory to advance to the next round, Harvick ran consistently in the top five after staying out at the end of Stage 1 to gain track position. But Harvick’s chances evaporated in the pits on Lap 438 when his crew failed to secure the left-rear on his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

As the tire rolled away, Harvick had to back up into his pit stall. The lost time left him 10th for the final restart on Lap 444. That’s where he finished, exiting the Playoffs in 16th place.

“It was pretty tough,” Harvick said. “We pitted in front of the 17 (Buescher), so just kind of the way the year has gone. Just went from having a chance to lead the parade to being a part of the parade. Just difficult to pass.”

Busch’s ouster was a touch-and-go affair. Both he and Tyler Reddick fell two points short after Austin Cindric, who finished seven laps down in 20th place but gained enough positions by passing back markers to advance.

Busch had accumulated 14 points in the first two stages and was running above the cut line when his engine blew on Lap 270—Busch’s second such failure in the three Playoff races.

“It just goes with our year,” Busch said. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m flabbergasted. I just feel so bad for my guys. They don’t deserve to be in this spot. They work too hard. We are too good of a group to be this low—down on the bottom, fighting for our lives just to make it through. Two engine failures in three weeks, that will do it to you.”

Reddick and Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon both failed to make the Round of 12 after both drivers’ Chevrolets were damaged in a 12-car pileup on the backstretch on Lap 277. Reddick finished 25th and Dillon 31st.

Keselowski led 109 laps and appeared to have race-winning chances until his right-front tire went flat on Lap 414 while he was leading.

“We had two cars that were really good today and one that was unlucky and one that executed, and everything came the right way for them,” Keselowski said.

  • Story by NASCAR Newswire

NASCAR Cup Series Race – 62nd Annual Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, September 17, 2022

            1. (20)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 500.
            2. (23)  Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 500.
            3. (16)  William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 500.
            4. (8)  Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 500.
            5. (5)  Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 500.
            6. (12)  Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet, 500.
            7. (13)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 500.
            8. (11)  Cole Custer, Ford, 500.
            9. (4)  Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 500.
            10. (7)  Kevin Harvick (P), Ford, 500.
            11. (18)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 500.
            12. (19)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 500.
            13. (10)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 499.
            14. (2)  Chase Briscoe (P), Ford, 498.
            15. (31)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 497.
            16. (27)  Harrison Burton #, Ford, 497.
            17. (32)  Cody Ware, Ford, 497.
            18. (30)  Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 496.
            19. (29)  Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet, 494.
            20. (9)  Austin Cindric # (P), Ford, 493.
            21. (24)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 492.
            22. (35)  Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 492.
            23. (36)  JJ Yeley(i), Ford, 491.
            24. (33)  BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 491.
            25. (17)  Tyler Reddick (P), Chevrolet, 469.
            26. (34)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Steering, 457.
            27. (15)  Joey Logano (P), Ford, Suspension, 437.
            28. (1)  Aric Almirola, Ford, Steering, 418.
            29. (14)  Bubba Wallace (P), Toyota, 408.
            30. (6)  Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 338.
            31. (28)  Austin Dillon (P), Chevrolet, DVP, 279.
            32. (3)  Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 277.
            33. (26)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 276.
            34. (21)  Kyle Busch (P), Toyota, Engine, 269.
            35. (25)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, Steering, 265.
            36. (22)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Steering, 198.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 88.286 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 1 Mins, 7 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.458 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 11 for 80 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: A. Almirola 1-35;R. Blaney (P) 36-44;A. Almirola 45;B. Keselowski 46-128;C. Bell (P) 129;C. Buescher 130-237;C. Bell (P) 238-356;K. Larson (P) 357-387;B. Keselowski 388-413;C. Bell (P) 414-435;K. Larson (P) 436-438;C. Bell (P) 439;C. Buescher 440-500.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chris Buescher 2 times for 169 laps; Christopher Bell (P) 4 times for 143 laps; Brad Keselowski 2 times for 109 laps; Aric Almirola 2 times for 36 laps; Kyle Larson (P) 2 times for 34 laps; Ryan Blaney (P) 1 time for 9 laps.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 6,20,18,14,5,48,17,8,24,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,1,14,9,18,48,24,3,5,4

Petty GMS Race Recap: Bristol Motor Speedway II

By
Official Release
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Ty Dillon, No. 42 EG3 Technologies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 34th

FINISH: 26th

POINTS: 29th

Ty Dillon Post-Race Thoughts: “Such a bummer way to end an otherwise pretty solid night out at Bristol. Our No. 42 team was able to make some pretty good changes to our EG3 car to help us throughout the race, and that put us in position to have a Top-15 finish. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue of some sort took us out early. It’s a shame, because we had made some good gains up until that point, but that’s just how it goes sometimes. Looking forward to heading to Texas next weekend and put this one behind us.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 24th

FINISH: 21st

POINTS: 18th

Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: “We knew this week may be a test with the new car at Bristol and it proved to have its challenges tonight. We struggled with the handling early in the race and were making the right changes, but spun missing a wreck and that put us a few laps down and then had a couple of tire issues late in the race. A disappointing night for sure. We have seven more races to build for next year and I know we are capable of running up front and winning races, just need to turn things around. We’ll head to Texas next week, one of my favorite tracks, and see what we can do.”

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.

RCR NCS Post Race Report: Bristol

By
Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Show Speed and Resilience Before Getting Caught Up in Wreck at Bristol

Finish: 31st
Start: 28th
Points: 15th

“I’m not exactly sure what happened because I haven’t seen a replay yet. I was told the No. 99 car wrecked in front of the field and got into the No. 47 car. I hate it for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevy team. We got left-front suspension damage and if we don’t get that, we’re out there running and probably in a good points position to make it into the next round of the NASCAR Playoffs. It’s unfortunate, but we put ourselves in a little bit of a bind, points-wise, in the first two races. We were doing our job today, though. We had a great race car and got stage points. It’s just unfortunate we were caught up in it. Our goal for the rest of the year is to just go and try to win races and get better. I think today was a positive overall. We can use that going into next year.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Put Up Strong Fight All Night Long at Bristol

Finish: 25th
Start: 17th
Points: 13th

“This team worked so hard to fix the car all night long. My guys were on it and never gave up. I’m proud of this team and everyone at RCR and ECR. Tonight was frustrating for sure. We thought qualifying was better for us in our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy, but we didn’t quite have the pace or the balance really to make our car better, and unfortunately the balance issues we were fighting, we were pretty much limited. We couldn’t really adjust on it without hurting downforce of the car overall, so we were kind of boxed in. Then we just kind of got collected in that accident back there. I checked up in time, but yeah, I got absolutely ran over from there. Caught the right front and broke the upper control arm for the second week in a row.“ -Tyler Reddick

Ford Performance NASCAR: Buescher Gives RFK Racing First Win After Taking Bristol Night Race

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Bass Pro Shops Night Race Post Race | Saturday, September 17, 2022

CHRIS BUESCHER EARNS FIRST WIN FOR RFK RACING

  • Chris Buescher won his first race of the season and second overall with today’s victory.
  • The win is the 138th NASCAR Cup Series triumph for car owner Jack Roush and the first under the Roush Fenway Keselowski banner.
  • Today’s win is Ford’s 718th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

Ford Finishing Order:

1st – Chris Buescher
8th – Cole Custer
10th – Kevin Harvick
11th – Michael McDowell
13th – Brad Keselowski
14th – Chase Briscoe
16th – Harrison Burton
17th – Cody Ware
18th – Todd Gilliland
20th – Austin Cindric
23rd – JJ Yeley
24th – BJ McLeod
27th – Joey Logano
28th – Aric Almirola
30th – Ryan Blaney

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – “THis has been number one on my list for a really long time. I actually love this racetrack. It’s my favorite place we come on concrete. It’s just so special to get Fastenal their first points Cup race. After all these years we finally got them into Victory Lane. We’ve got a bunch of Fastenal folks out here with us, so that’s really special and to get Ford in Victory Lane and spoil the playoffs. Everybody on this team did such a great job, executed all day long and we had a really fast Ford Mustang. A lot of special things came together. I want to give a shout out to Adam Reagan. He’s back at home and just had some knee surgery, so he’s at home recovering. I’m just so excited right now. This is one I’ve had circled for a really long time and if there was gonna be one this year to get, this is it.”

YOU MENTIONED SPOILING THE PLAYOFFS. WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THIS CAR THAT ALL THREE PLAYOFF WINNERS HAVE NOT BEEN PLAYOFF DRIVERS? “I don’t even know what that count is for the year now. I think that we knew we’ve had a ton of different winners this year and we’ve been really close and fighting hard to get here. We’ve had a great summer. A little bad luck, but we didn’t have any of that tonight. We had some good fortune and some good execution and a fast race car and got to park in Victory Lane.”

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET ROUSH BACK IN VICTORY LANE? “This is big to get RFK their first win and to get to talk to Jack and Brad and have our owners excited and pumped up to get back in Victory Lane is a great feeling and hopefully it’s the first of many. I feel like we’ve taken some big steps, so it’s special to get here. I appreciate Jack and everything he’s done for my career through the years and giving me a chance very early on and all the people back then – Robbie Reiser and Ken Ragan, David Ragan, all those that have done so much for my career and, of course, my parents and my family as well. It’s all come to this. This one is a little more special than the first one even, so it’s pretty big.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, Owner, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – “There are forty-some of the best cars that nobody is gonna give you anything. You scratch and claw for every little bit every day and every hour and, if you’re lucky and you don’t wreck, you don’t blow up, you don’t have a problem and you finish 10th to 15th, and if you’re lucky and you’re damn good, you win. If you’re damn good and you’re not lucky, you still finish 20th or worse, so we had two cars that were really good today and one that was unlucky and one that executed and everything came the right way for them.”

COULD YOU GET USED TO THIS BEING YOUR FUTURE, STANDING HERE AND WATCHING OTHERS WIN? “Oh yeah, I’m proud as hell. Everybody has some level of ego and I’m not gonna say I don’t have any ego, but it’s easy to get over ego when you see that.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE CELEBRATING AS AN OWNER VERSUS A DRIVER? “It’s a lot different, but it’s good. This team really earned this. We really needed this for Fastenal. They’ve been a long-term partner for us and half the battle here is just keeping sponsors. There’s a lot to keeping the race team going and, sure, trying to find that speed or the next pit crew member or whatever the heck it is, but trying to keep the sponsors is the only way we can do those things and you can’t keep sponsors if you don’t win.”

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang – TALK ABOUT BEING ELIMINATED. “It just kind of goes with the whole year. Nothing has gone right, really. The wheels literally fell off tonight.”

YOU’VE HAD A PIT CREW ALL YEAR LONG. “Yeah, they’ve done a good job, just bad timing.”

HOW FRUSTRATING WAS IT NOT TO HAVE A SHOT TO RACE FOR IT AT THE END? “It was pretty tough. We pitted in front of the 17, but that’s just the way the year has gone. We went from having a chance to lead the parade to being a part of the parade, just difficult to pass. The cars are way too fast in the corners. You can’t race.”

ARE YOU JUST ABOUT RACE WINS FROM HERE ON OUT? “We wouldn’t do anything different. We do that every week.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – YOU HAD A BIG CUSHION, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT IT PAYS TO HAVE THAT, DOESN’T IT? “Yeah, definitely. You never know what can happen and having that flat, there’s nothing that we can do about it. You’re lucky you have that cushion going into this race. The most unfortunate part is our car was super fast, too. That was the terrible thing about it. The worst part about it now, looking back. The car was really good and just had no indication. It seemed like a lot of guys had right-front problems tonight, but I’m proud of everybody for getting it fixed up and just out there to finish the race. There really wasn’t much we could do, just log laps and let everything play itself out. That’s why you try to have two good races beforehand because you never know when you’re gonna need some points.”

ANY ANXIOUSNESS SITTING IN THE CAR DURING STAGE TWO WHILE THEY WORKED ON IT? “I mean, you’re always concerned. I just didn’t know what the situation was until the start of stage three when I asked and we got back on the track. There were so many changing factors at the time, so you’re always nervous but there’s nothing we could do. We were wrecked and running last. We were gonna be 150 laps down, so I was trying not to be too nervous, but I did ask. I might have been biting my nails a little bit, but luckily we did a good job the first two races.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang – DO YOU HAVE TO CATCH YOUR BREATH AFTER THAT ONE? “For a while I was just trying as hard as I can and as they fell off like flies just trying not to force any issues, try not to force any more right-front tire failures. From there, I think I was tied with the 18 for 100 laps, but just one hell of a night. I still don’t think this place loves me back, but it probably showed me a little mercy tonight, so I’ll take it and run with it. We’ll be on offense for the next three races just like we were to start Darlington this round and have some fun with it.”

YOU QUESTIONED THE CAUTIONS AT ONE POINT BECAUSE THERE WASN’T ONE THROWN FOR YOU AND A COUPLE OTHERS DIDN’T EITHER, BUT SOME DID. “Yeah, there’s a part of me that wants to go, ‘Man, that’s kind of b.s. I blew a tire and didn’t get a caution,’ but I would also think that NASCAR probably recognized there might be some issues with tires and probably understand that, ok, it’s not just a one-time deal. Mine was the first to go. I’m happier about it because I made it in. I’d be less happy about it if I didn’t make it in, but certainly there’s something to be said about coming to a very important race in the year with a new tire, but it’s not my decision to make and just understand how we can make that better on our side.”

WHAT WAS YOUR RANGE OF EMOTIONS AFTER THE TIRE WENT DOWN? IT WAS A LONG NIGHT. “The only time I got emotional was when the 10 tried to wreck us into the 21. That was kind of lame, but after that I just drive as hard as I can, don’t take too many chances, calculate your risks and stay updated with the situation.”

WERE YOU UPDATED CONSTANTLY ON THE POINTS? “Not until there was a chance. I would say I got told at the beginning of stage three how close it was or how close it wasn’t. I was probably about 16 out at the beginning of stage three and then we were five out, four out, tied with the 18 and that wave around really helped me be able to conserve my car and get a lap ahead of the 77 and the 43, so just a perfect storm in some ways, but Bristol showed us a little mercy tonight.”

THE 22 MECHANICAL FAILURE WORKED TO YOUR ADVANTAGE A LITTLE BIT. “Not a very impressive night for Team Penske, so I’m just glad all three of us made it through to the next round. Certainly, a tense evening.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang – “I was kind of worried pretty early in the race that I was gonna struggle and was able to get fourth in that first stage, third in the second stage and really set us up to where I think we were right at the cut line starting that final stage. We had some luck with the 18 blowing up and a couple guys getting wrecked and there at the end it was unfortunate, we kind of just rode around making sure we didn’t eliminate ourselves, so I’m super proud to be able to move onto the Round of 12. That’s a really big accomplishment. We’ve just got to do what we did today, not eliminate ourselves. That’s gonna be the key to this next round, especially with how many wild card races there are, so if we can go there and do that, guys are gonna keep eliminating themselves. We just have to limit our mistakes and if we do that, we know we’ve got to have a little more speed, but if we can just limit our mistakes it gives us a chance to move on in the next round as well.”

HOW DID YOU GET POWER-STEERING BACK? “I didn’t have it the whole race. My arms are smoked. That was not the most fun. It was ripping the wheel out of my hands every time I ran the bottom and up at the top it was a little bit easier, so I kind of had to run the top no matter what just to try to last, but luckily there wasn’t a ton of long, long runs. There was a couple there towards the end where I was struggling. Luckily, we were already kind of locked in. I didn’t have to race super hard, but not the most fun place to not have power-steering for sure.”

COLE CUSTER, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang – “We had a really solid day. The guys brought a really fast car the whole weekend from when we just unloaded. It was a lot of fun to drive, so we had a solid day. We executed well and stayed out of trouble and was able to end up with a top 10. Hopefully, we can carry that momentum to next week.”

Champions Power, Team Penske Share Honors at Victory Lap Celebration

By
Official Release
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Lundqvist, HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing Saluted for Indy Lights Title

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022) – Will Power and Team Penske stepped into the spotlight again as the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions Saturday night during the Victory Lap Celebration at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Power clinched his second series championship with a third-place finish in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet last Sunday at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. He won his first title in 2014 with Team Penske.

Australia native Power prevailed by 16 points over teammate Josef Newgarden, delivering Team Penske its record-extending 17th INDYCAR SERIES championship. Team Penske President Tim Cindric accepted the Championship Owner Award.

Newgarden and Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing also were saluted for finishing second and third, respectively, in the standings.

Power led the 2022 season with five NTT P1 Awards for pole, earning the NTT P1 Award as the best qualifier of the season. It’s the fifth time in his career he has won this award. Power also made history last weekend by winning his 68th career pole, breaking a tie with fellow legend Mario Andretti for the all-time INDYCAR SERIES record.

Team Penske’s technical team also was honored with two awards. Kyle Moyer won the Team Manager of the Year Award for the fifth time. It’s the sixth time a Team Penske executive has won. Pennzoil presented Trevor Lacasse with the Chief Mechanic of the Year for the first time, the sixth time a Team Penske mechanic has earned this award.

Power’s No. 12 Verizon Team Penske crew also won the Firestone Pit Performance Award for earning the most cumulative Pit Stop Performance Award points during the 2022 season.

Team Penske drivers Power, Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin delivered nine of Chevrolet’s series-leading 11 victories this season, helping Chevy win the Manufacturer Award for the seventh time since it returned to the series in 2012 and the first time since 2017. Jim Danahy, U.S. vice president, Competition Motorsports Engineering for Chevrolet, accepted the award on behalf of his team.

Christian Lundgaard was honored as the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year. Lundgaard, from Denmark, scored one podium finish, two top-five finishes and seven top-10s in the No. 30 Honda fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He edged David Malukas of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD by 18 points in the standings for first-year series drivers.

Success in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires also was honored this year at the Victory Lap, as in 2022 INDYCAR took over execution and promotion of the series that provides the last step of preparation for drivers aspiring to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Linus Lundqvist was honored as champion after a dominant season for HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing. Lundqvist, from Sweden, won a series-high five races in the No. 26 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing entry and clinched the Lights championship with a race to spare, ending with a 92-point advantage over Sting Ray Robb.

Lundqvist also received a painting representing his 2022 championship season created by noted motorsports artist Jim Swintal, also a longtime INDYCAR SERIES race official. Swintal has painted these works for Lights champions every year since 1991.

Andretti Autosport teammates Robb and Matthew Brabham also were honored for finishing second and third, respectively, in the standings.

HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing owners Henry and Daiva Malukas accepted an honor for their championship-winning team this season in Lights.

Hunter McElrea received the Rookie of the Year Award in Indy Lights. McElrea, from New Zealand, drove to two victories, seven podium finishes and three poles in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport entry en route to finishing fourth in the series standings.

Newgarden and Lundqvist also received the AiM Sports Move Award for their respective series, presented to the driver judged to have made the most dramatic pass of the year.

Best Ways to Make Your Car Last Longer

By
SM
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It’s no secret that cars are a big investment. And, just like any other major purchase, you want to get as much use out of it as possible. Unfortunately, cars don’t last forever and will eventually need to be replaced. But there are ways to extend the life of your car and make it last longer. Here are some of the best ways to make your car last longer:

Regular Maintenance

You’ve probably heard it a million times, but regular maintenance is one of the best ways to make your car last longer. It’s essential to keep up with oil changes, tire rotations, and brake pad replacements. These little things can make a big difference in the longevity of your car. When you ignore maintenance, it can lead to big problems down the road that could have been avoided. You can think of it like this: would you rather spend a few dollars now on preventative maintenance or a few thousand dollars later on repairs?

Drive Carefully

This one should be a no-brainer, but it’s important to drive carefully if you want your car to last. That means no speeding, sudden braking, or driving on rough roads. All these things can put unnecessary wear and tear on your car, which will shorten its lifespan. If you take care of your car, it will take care of you. A few things you can do are drive the speed limit, avoid potholes, and use your blinkers. You can also avoid idling for long periods, wasting gas, and damaging your engine.

Park in a Garage or Covered Area

This is especially important if you live in an area with harsh weather conditions. If you can, park your car in a garage or covered area to protect it from the elements. Extreme cold and heat can damage your car’s paint, tires, and battery. So, if you want your car to look good and last longer, park it in a garage or covered area. You can buy a car cover (like those found at www.classicadditions.com) to protect your car if you don’t have access to a garage or covered area.

Wash and Wax Regularly

Washing and waxing your car regularly is vital for two reasons. First, it will keep your car’s paint looking good. Second, it will protect your car’s paint from the elements. The sun can fade your paint, and the rain can cause it to rust. For example, if you live in an area with a lot of salt on the roads, washing your car regularly will prevent the salt from rusting your car. Waxing your vehicle will also add an extra layer of protection. You can wash your car at home or take it to a car wash. You can prevent these things by washing and waxing your car regularly. If you don’t have the time to wash and wax your car, you can take it to a professional car detailer.

Besides the car cover, you can also leverage detailing to keep it looking new. Detailing is a 7-step process that protects your car. If you seek a car detailing service, it will keep your car looking brand new. The service providers will clean and wash your vehicle thoroughly and also look for any wear and tear on the paint job.

Use a Seat Cover

This is especially important if you have children or pets. A seat cover will protect your upholstery from spills, stains, and pet hair. Seat covers are easy to clean, and they will extend the life of your upholstery. Invest in good quality seat covers and make sure to clean them regularly. You can also try to avoid eating in your car to prevent spills. These small tips will help keep your vehicle looking and feeling new for years to come.

Be Proactive About Repairs

Don’t forget to be proactive about repairs. If you notice something is wrong with your car, take it to a mechanic and have it fixed. Ignoring a small problem can turn into a big and expensive problem down the road. For example, if you notice your tires are low on air, put air in them. If you hear a strange noise coming from your car, take it to a mechanic and have it checked out. So, if you want to make your car last longer, take care of any necessary repairs.

Conclusion

If you want your car to last longer, follow these simple tips. By taking care of your vehicle, you can avoid big problems down the road and keep your car looking and feeling new for years to come. So, don’t neglect your car’s maintenance, and be proactive about repairs. If you do these things, your car will thank you.

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