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HRC Signs Contracts with Tim Gajser and Rubén Fernández

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Official Release
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Tim Gajser (left), Rubén Fernández (right) and CRF450R

TOKYO, Sept 7, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) announced that it has renewed its contract with Tim Gajser (25 years old, Slovenia), who currently competes in the FIM(1) Motocross World Championship premier MXGP class (450cc class) for Team HRC, Honda’s factory team(2), and newly signed a contract with Rubén Fernández (23 years old, Spain). Both riders are signed on for multiple years starting in 2023.

After winning the Motocross World Championship title in the MX2 class (250cc) in 2015, Tim Gajser moved to the premier MXGP class the following year, and won the championship along with the Rookie of the Year title. Although he did not win the title for the following two years, Gajser won back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020, and by claiming his fourth MXGP title this year, has won a total of five titles in the Motocross world championship.

Rubén Fernández was third overall in the European Motocross Championship EMX250 class. Although he moved to MX2 in 2018, he moved back to EMX250 the following year. After moving full-time to MX2 in 2020, he finished ninth that year. In 2021, Fernández joined the MX2 team Honda 114 Motorsports, but from Round 17 moved to the premier MXGP class. This year, Fernández continued his full-time career in the MXGP class, ending up eighth in the championship, with two third-place finishes.

  • Tim Gajser
    “It was an easy decision to continue this amazing relationship with Team HRC. It is like a second-family to me and there is no other place where I feel it is such a nice environment. I always say “Happy Rider, Fast Rider” and working with everyone in Team HRC, from all the technicians in Japan, to my practice mechanic, to my physio, it is all so enjoyable and I always look forward to going racing. I have won five World Championships with Honda so I am extremely comfortable on-board the CRF450R and they always do such a great job with developing and improving the machine, so I know I’ll be riding a bike capable of winning title number six in 2023. A huge thank you to all my supporters around the world, and I look forward to meeting you at Team HRC next year.”
  • Rubén Fernández
    “It is a dream come true to be riding for Team HRC in the MXGP class. The team is the best in the paddock and having ridden the Honda for the past couple of years, I am very familiar with the bike, but now I’m very excited to get to ride the full factory machine next year. I am also excited to work alongside Tim, as I know I can learn a lot from a rider who is five-times champion of the world. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career, who got me to this point and I can’t wait to show everyone what I am capable of. I now have the winter to prepare myself, and make sure I’m ready for the first gate-drop in 2023.”
  • Koji Watanabe, Head of Corporate Communications Supervisory Unit,
    Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and President of Honda Racing Corporation
    “We are all very happy to have Tim signing again with Honda. He is an important figure for our company, and the perfect ambassador on and off the track. His achievement of winning five world titles is incredible and we hope that he can achieve even more goals riding on Hondas in the future. It is also exciting to have a new young rider Rubén Fernández joining the team. He has done well the past couple of years and this is the perfect time for him to make the switch to Team HRC. He has already had success on Honda, and now we hope we can build upon that in the coming years. I wish both riders the best of luck.”

(1) FIM: Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
(2) Factory team: Racing team operated by manufacturer. In Honda’s case, HRC-operated team.

Honda and Hanwa Establish Strategic Partnership for Stable Procurement of Essential Metals

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Official Release
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TOKYO, Sept 7, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) today announced that it has established a strategic partnership with Hanwa Co., Ltd. (Hanwa), a major Japan-based trading company, toward stable procurement of essential metals for batteries necessary for its electrified vehicles.

To realize carbon neutrality for all of its products and corporate activities by 2050, Honda is striving to make battery-electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCVs) represent 100% of its global vehicle sales by 2040. Toward this target, Honda is planning to launch 30 EV models globally by 2030 with production volume of more than 2 million units annually.

For steady execution of its electrification strategy, Honda established a strategic partnership with Hanwa, a major trading company that has strengths in the field of resource procurement. Through this partnership, Honda will ensure stable procurement in the medium to long term, of essential metals necessary for batteries such as nickel, cobalt and lithium, positioning the mined resources secured by Hanwa at the core.

Honda will continue working with a wide range of suppliers to ensure stable supply of necessary resources, that will enable Honda to steadily execute its electrification strategy leading to the realization of Honda’s carbon neutrality goal.

Hamsters USA Partners with Smith in Kansas

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Official Release
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No. 38 Team Looks to Add Fourth Win in 2022

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 6, 2022) – Hamsters USA, one of the largest motorcycle groups in the United States, most known for their fundraising efforts to charitable organizations, will partner with Zane Smith and the No. 38 Ford F-150 team this weekend. Smith and the No. 38 team head back to Kansas Speedway for the final race in the ‘Round of 10’ in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. This partnership with the Hamsters helped raise over $500,000.00 dollars for the children’s hospitals of South Dakota and Life Scape.

Kansas is the site of Smith’s most recent win of 2022, leading the No. 38 Ford team to a dominate victory in May. Smith is confident the team is prepared to defend that win.

“Kansas is one of my favorite tracks that we go to,” Smith stated. “When I saw that we go back in the playoffs, I knew that it would be a good shot for us to capitalize on another win. We had a great truck there in May. I believe that we can recreate that dominance this weekend.”

Smith, who currently sits 46-points above the playoff cutline, looks ahead to focus on the tricky track that await in the ‘Round of Eight’

“It is great to have a buffer going into the next round of the playoffs,” said Smith. “Next round is going to be tough. With Bristol and Talladega back-to-back this year, we are really going work hard to keep these points and hopefully find victory lane.”

Smith and the No. 38 team will race at Kansas Speedway on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

About Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Kris Wright Darlington Post Race Report

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Official Release
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‘Too Tough to Tame’
A Recap of the Weekend

On Saturday, September 3, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) made the second and final encounter with ‘The Lady in Black’ during the 2022 season. However, for the Brandonbilt Motorsports (BMS) driver, Kris Wright, it was a first at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Wright piloted the No. 68 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Camaro in the 200-mile Sports Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200.

The No. 68 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Camaro earned a 36th-place finish, along with a famed ‘Darlington Stripe’, after an on-track incident. The collision resulted in a broken upper control arm, leaving the car unable to continue.

KRIS WRIGHT. NO. 68 FIRST NATIONAL BANK CHEVROLET CAMARO.

Results of the morning’s qualifying session found Wright starting in the 34th-place. The Pittsburgh, Pa., driver raced a clean first stage, finishing the 45-lap run in the 33rd-place. During the stage break, the F.N.B. Corporation team came to pit road for four new tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment.

Stage 2 began with Wright and the F.N.B. Corporation team in the 23rd-place. Turn Two of Lap 57 welcomed trouble, as Wright was involved in an incident. The Brandonbilt Motorsports No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro sustained irreparable damage to the upper control arm, bringing Wright’s day to a premature end.

WRIGHT ON WATKINS GLEN:
“The team and I were all pleased with how the race was playing-out, but unfortunately found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“We knew the learning curve was going to be steep, but I did feel that we were getting better and better each stage. Our Stage 2 speed put us around the top 20, which was our goal for the weekend. I was bummed that we were not able to finish, but I am excited to give it another go in Kansas!”

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS, COREY LAJOIE PARTNER WITH CIRCLE B DIECAST TO RUN NEOSHO WILDCATS PAINT SCHEME IN HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (September 6, 2022) – When the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the second race in the division’s 10-race playoff, a host of drivers and teams are looking to grab the spotlight as the season winds down.

While Corey LaJoie and his Ryan-Sparks led No. 7 Spire Motorsports team missed the playoffs and won’t be racing for championship honors this season, the team will be turning heads on the track while making an impact, locally, for the Neosho (Mo.) School District.

Spire Motorsports has partnered with Circle B Diecast to showcase the Neosho Wildcat Nation aboard LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, honoring the school system Circle B president Brent Powell attended as a young student.

“When thinking of ideas for paint schemes this year, I wanted to run a tribute to the area I’ve always considered home,” said Powell. “I hope both past and present students from Neosho are extremely proud when they see Corey’s car on the track. I can’t think of a better driver or team to represent the Wildcat Nation than Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports.”

Neosho School District is made up of 11 campuses stretching from the Historic Downtown Square all the way to Goodman, Mo., educating approximately 4,700 children and young adults. The district’s mission is to prepare the youth of its community to be people who are intelligent, driven, and make lives better for those around them.

“Everyone is very excited to see our Wildcat speeding around the track,” said Jim Cummins, Superintendent of Neosho School District. “We never imagined a day when our school system would be represented in a NASCAR Cup Series race. Our entire district is very appreciative and will be cheering on the Circle B Diecast/Wildcat Nation car!”

In eleven previous Cup Series starts at the Kansas City (Kan.) oval, LaJoie has logged six top-25 finishes, including a 19th-place effort in the series most recent visit to the track. Dating back to 2011, the Concord, N.C., native also has one NASCAR Xfinity Series’ and one ARCA Menards Series’ start at Kansas Speedway.

“As one of my longtime supporters, I’m happy to represent Brent’s childhood school system,” said LaJoie. “I’m excited for that mean-looking Wildcat on the side of our Spire Motorsports/Circle B Diecast Chevy to give us some extra speed this weekend.”

Heading into Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway, LaJoie has earned 11 top-20 finishes during the 2022 season, including a series/career best, fifth-place finish in March at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Brent, his wife LaDonna, and Circle B Diecast have been a part of the Spire family for almost its entire existence,” explained Spire Motorsports president Bill Anthony. “It’s extremely gratifying to see how both organizations have grown and evolved over the years. We’ve partnered on so many fun projects in the past, it’s great to see Brent pass his partnership assets on to his alma mater and shine a spotlight on the Neosho Wildcat Nation.”

The Hollywood Casino 400 from Kansas Speedway will be televised live on USA Sunday, September 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 28th of 36 races on the 2022 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.


About Circle B Diecast …
Circle B Diecast was launched in September 2020 when Brent and Ladonna Powell split their wholesale and retail businesses into two different websites to better serve each customer. As markets changed and the industry footprint grew, Circle B Diecast entered the retail market to offer premium racing memorabilia to consumers who weren’t lucky enough to have a local racing store. What was once Plan B Sales, focused solely on wholesale distribution, has evolved into a full-service entity offering both direct-to-consumer and distributor sales, while managing both apparel and die-cast collectibles.

About Neosho School District …
Neosho School District, located in Neosho, Missouri may be better known as “Wildcat Nation.” The district is made up of 11 campuses stretching from the Historic Downtown Square all the way to Goodman, Missouri educating approximately 4,700 children and young adults. Its mission is to prepare the youth of their community to be people who are intelligent, driven, and make lives better for those around them.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

Corey Heim – No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Kansas 2 Preview

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Official Release
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Corey Heim: Driver, No. 51 JBL Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Kansas Lottery 200, Race 19 of 23 (Race 3 in the Round of 10)
134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1. 5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 9, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Story on Corey:
Corey Heim and the No. 51 JBL team head to Kansas Speedway for Friday’s Kansas Lottery 200, the final race in the Round of 10 of the owner’s playoffs. After Heim scored fifth-place finishes in each of the opening two races of the round, the No. 51 team sits sixth on the playoff grid, 31 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8. Heim had a really fast JBL Tundra TRD Pro when the Truck Series visited Kansas earlier this year. After starting second, he took the lead on lap 14 and went on to win the opening stage. After finishing second in Stage 2, he dealt with handling issues in the Final Stage which caused him to brush the wall and ultimately blow a tire, relegating him to a 33rd-place finish.

Kansas was the site of Heim’s first career ARCA Menards Series victory. He led 82 of 100 laps en route to his first series victory on Oct. 16, 2020. Across five ARCA Menards series starts at Kansas, he has produced one win, four top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 5.4.

The No. 51 team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs via Heim’s two wins this season (Atlanta Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway). They are tied with the No. 18 and No. 38 teams with a series-leading three wins this season. In addition to Heim’s two wins, Kyle Busch was victorious at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June. The No. 51 team has captured the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s championship three times (2013-2014 & 2019) and as on organization KBM has collected a series-record seven owner’s titles.

Across 11 Truck Series starts this season, Heim has produced two wins, two poles, 64 laps led, five top-five and six top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.5. The Georgia driver picked up his first career Truck Series victory in just his fifth start earlier this season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in March and was also victorious in June at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

Heim leads the Truck Series rookie of the year standings by 87 points over Lawless Alan. Heim will look to join three other KBM drivers that have won the award, reigning winner Chandler Smith, William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015).

While many Truck Series drivers have been inactive since the last race on Aug. 13, Heim has stayed busy. He led all 125 laps and picked up a Southern Super Series Super Late Model victory Aug. 24 at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Ga. He also competed in the Late Model Stock CARS Tour event Aug. 31 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway where he qualified second but was relegated to a 25th-place finish after getting spun with 20 laps remaining in the 125-lap event. Most recently Heim piloted the No. 15 Camry to a ninth-place finish for Venturini Motorsports on the dirt track at DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds.

The DuQuoin event was part of a seven-race schedule for Heim with Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series. Heim led 74 of 90 laps en route to the victory at Daytona in February to pick up his eighth career ARCA Menards Series victory. Across 42 career ARCA Menards Series starts he has produced 713 laps led, 30 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.4. Heim finished second to Ty Gibbs in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship standings. He will make his seventh and final scheduled start of the season Saturday at Kansas.

Mardy Lindley returned to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. Lindley has led his team to six wins since coming to KBM at the start of the 2021 season, including two with Heim and one with Kyle Busch this year. In 2021, his drivers produced three victories, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001. Lindley was victorious with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch in the 2021 race at Kansas and finished 33rd with Heim earlier this year.

JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound, will adorn the No. 51 as part of their 11-race schedule with Heim Friday night. Crescent Tools, a premier hand tool brand from Apex Tool Group, will return for three more races this season beginning next Thursday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Corey Heim, Driver Q&A:
While the Truck Series has been off the last several weeks you’ve still been active racing other series. How important is it to have that seat time?
“I think the seat time is super important in racing and I believe that racing on a weekly basis in between all the Truck Series races will certainly pay off heading to Kansas on Friday with our No. 51 JBL team.”

You were really fast earlier this year and won the opening stage at Kansas before having some issues. Is this a race you’ve been looking forward to?
“Kansas is certainly a race I’ve been looking forward to. I feel the experience I have there in ARCA and now having a Truck Series race under my belt will really help me be up to speed and be able to go out and compete for the win on Friday.”

How will you approach this race with the No. 51 team being 31 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8?
“Our mindset is to not overthink where we are in the playoff standings. If we go out and have a solid race and don’t make any major mistakes, we will be just fine.”

Corey Heim Career Highlights:

  • Picked up first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 19, 2022 in just his fifth start. Across 14 career starts has two wins, two poles, 66 laps led, five top-five and six top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.9.
  • With two victories across his first 10 Truck Series starts, the 19-year-old driver became one of just 12 drivers in series history to net multiple victories in their first 10 starts. Kasey Kahne and Mike Skinner each produced five victories, Mark Martin collected four wins, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ted Musgrave and William Byron brought home three checkered flags and Heim, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Rich Bickle, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart all delivered two wins.
  • Finished runner-up in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2021 after collecting six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.
  • Across 42 career ARCA Menards Series starts has eight wins, 713 laps led, 30 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.4. Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.

Corey Heim’s No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-54: The No. 51 JBL team will unload KBM-54 for Friday’s race at Kansas. This Tundra TRD Pro is the same truck that Heim led 18 laps with and won the opening stage with earlier this year at Kansas before being relegated to a 33rd-place finish after cutting a tire in the Final Stage. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch has two victories driving KBM-54, including at Kansas Speedway last May. The other victory came at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in 2018 in its first career start.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected five wins, five poles, 717 laps led, 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.0 across 40 starts at Kansas. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has collected three wins at Kansas (2014, 2017 and 2021). Noah Gragson led a race-high 128 laps and swept all three stages in the 2018 event and William Byron earned his first career Camping World Trucks victory there in 2016.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (97) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season, Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Kansas 2 Advance

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FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: KANSAS ADVANCE

All three of NASCAR’s major series will be racing this weekend at Kansas Speedway, beginning with Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first-round finale. Two drivers will be eliminated following the event as Ford’s Zane Smith goes for the season sweep after winning in the spring. The NASCAR Xfinity Series has two races remaining in its regular season while the NASCAR Cup Series conducts its second postseason event on Sunday.

This Week’s Schedule:

Friday, September 9 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, September 10 – NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, September 11 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (USA)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT KANSAS

· Ford has nine all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins at Kansas.
· Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano all have multiple Cup wins at Kansas.
· Mark Martin registered Ford’s first Cup win at Kansas in 2005.

ROUND OF 16 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 12 Advance After Bristol)

1st – Joey Logano (+38 above cut line)

6th – Ryan Blaney (+20)

13th – Austin Cindric (-2 below cut line)

15th – Chase Briscoe (-10)

16th – Kevin Harvick (-13)

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT KANSAS

· Ford has four NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Kansas.

· Jeff Green won the inaugural series race in 2001 while Jeff Burton won the following year.

· Chase Briscoe has Ford’s last series win at the track (2020).

FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT KANSAS

· Ford has six series victories at Kansas.

· Jon Wood won Ford’s first series race at the track.

· Zane Smith is going for a season sweep after winning in the spring.

ROUND OF 10 NCWTS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Kansas)

2nd – Zane Smith (+46 above cut line)

SMITH GOING FOR KANSAS SEASON SWEEP

Zane Smith will be looking to cap off the first round of this year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs with a season sweep at Kansas Speedway. Smith dominated in the spring as he led 108-of-134 laps, including the final 39 to post his third win of the 2022 campaign. He is currently second in the point standings and has a 46-point advantage over ninth-place Carson Hocevar.

LOGANO SEEKING FOURTH CAREER KANSAS VICTORY

Joey Logano will be looking for his fourth career win at Kansas Speedway this weekend, which would be a personal best. Logano currently has three career wins at Kansas, Michigan International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. He won for the first time at Kansas in 2014, and then did it again one year later in a well-documented battle with Matt Kenseth that resulted in contact as the two entered turn one with five laps to go. That controversial finish marked Logano’s second straight win in the Chase and led to a sweep of the Contender Round as he took the checkered flag the following week at Talladega. His last Kansas win came in 2020 when he led the final 45 laps to beat Kevin Harvick across the finish line and clinch a spot in the Championship 4.

FORD IN THE CUP SERIES PLAYOFFS

Ford has won 47 all-time races in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs and one of the best tracks during this era has been Kansas Speedway, where the Blue Oval boasts seven post-season triumphs. That ranks in a tie for second place on the manufacturer win list with Homestead-Miami and only two behind Talladega Superspeedway’s nine.

FORD’S ALL-TIME PLAYOFF WIN LEADER IS?

Joey Logano tops all Ford drivers in career playoff victories with 10. The 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion has won all of those since joining Team Penkse and Ford in the 2013 season. Overall, 12 different Ford drivers have registered at least one win in the postseason with the first coming in the inaugural playoff race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2004 when Kurt Busch took the checkered flag. Here’s the list of Ford’s all-time postseason winners: Joey Logano (10); Carl Edwards (8); Greg Biffle (7); Brad Keselowski (6); Kevin Harvick (5); Matt Kenseth (4); Ryan Blaney (2); Jamie McMurray (1); Kurt Busch (1); Dale Jarrett (1); Mark Martin (1); and Aric Almirola (1).

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT KANSAS

2005 – Mark Martin

2007 – Greg Biffle

2010 – Greg Biffle

2012 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2014 – Joey Logano (2)

2015 – Joey Logano (2)

2018 – Kevin Harvick (1)

2019 – Brad Keselowski (1)

2020 – Joey Logano (2)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT KANSAS

2001 – Jeff Green

2002 – Jeff Burton

2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2020 – Chase Briscoe

FORD NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT KANSAS

2003 – Jon Wood

2004 – Carl Edwards

2006 – Terry Cook

2007 – Erik Darnell

2020 – Matt Crafton (2)

2022 – Zane Smith

Brad Keselowski – Kansas II Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall

Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski

Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 80-85-102

NASCAR Cup Race at Kansas – Sunday, Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend schedule returns this weekend with practice and qualifying on deck for Saturday in group format, which will determine Sunday’s lineup.

Keselowski at Kansas

· Keselowski makes his 26th Cup start at Kansas on Sunday. It is one of 11 tracks where he holds multiple wins, with trips to victory lane in 2011 and 2019. He carries an average finish of 11.6 and is coming off a 14th-place run in the spring.

· He has three top fives in the last five races including a runner-up finish in the first race in 2020, followed by a P4 finish later that year, and a third-place run last season.

· He has an average starting position of 10.4 with two career poles (2015, 2021).

· He also made a combined 10 starts in the Xfinity and Truck Series with one win and five combined top-10s.

Matt McCall at Kansas

· McCall will be atop the box for his 16th Cup race from Kansas. He has five top-10s with a best finish of fourth (twice – 2019, 2021).

· McCall’s average qualifying position is 16.8 with five starts inside the top 10.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Kansas:
“Kansas is one of those places that offers so much running room and carries a ton of speed all the way around. This stretch of returning to tracks for the second time will be important as we continue to build on our notebook daily. Proud to have our friends at Solomon Plumbing back on board, and have certainly enjoyed our partnership together this season.”

Last Time Out
Keselowski was on the right side of pit strategy Sunday night at Darlington, ultimately driving to a seventh-place finish in the Kohler Generators Ford for his fourth top-10 of 2022.

On the Car

Solomon Plumbing returns to the No. 6 machine for its fourth primary race. They originally joined the RFK fold as the primary for the Bristol Dirt race and Gateway, and were again the primary in the second Atlanta race.

About Solomon Plumbing
We specialize in plumbing and fire services for new development, construction and complete remodeling. We are the developer’s choice to provide turn-key plumbing and fire solutions from start to finish. This includes multi-unit housing, high rise buildings and complete residential developments. We are committed to fulfilling your plumbing and fire needs with honesty and integrity, exceeding your expectations for service, quality, and value.

Solomon Plumbing has been developing long term business relationships across the United States with a strong reputation for high quality craftsmanship and service commitment. Contact us today to discuss your next project.

Chris Buescher – Kansas II Advance

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

Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 80-85-102

NASCAR Cup Race at Kansas – Sunday, Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend schedule returns this weekend with practice and qualifying on deck for Saturday in group format, which will determine Sunday’s lineup.

Buescher at Kansas

· Buescher is set for his 14th Cup race from Kansas where he has three top-10s. He finished eighth in the spring race in 2021, with his best-career result coming back in the 2017 fall event (sixth).

· Most recently, he finished 27th this spring, and ran 12th in this race a season ago.

· His average qualifying effort sits at 21.2 with one career top-10 start (2018 – 10th).

· Buescher made three Xfinity starts at Kansas from 2013-15 with a best finish of sixth (2015).

Scott Graves at Kansas

· Graves will be on the box for his 13th Cup race at Kansas. He has a best finish of seventh (2017 – Daniel Suarez), and is coming off the 12th-place run with Buescher last fall.

· His average qualifying effort stands at 15.1 with four top-10 starts, including a P2 start in 2013.

· Graves called three Xfinity events at Kansas with a career-best third-place run in 2016.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Kansas:
“We’re ready to get back to Kansas and redeem ourselves from the spring race and rebound from this past week at Darlington. It is a place that doesn’t lack in speed, and really fans out with just how big the surface is. As we’ve said before, we still have chances down the stretch here to be a spoiler, and we’re working hard to do just that.”

Last Time Out
Buescher finished 26th a week ago at Darlington.

On the Car

Fastenal, in its 12th season with RFK in 2022, makes its 14th appearance with the No. 17 this weekend. In its early days with RFK, Fastenal originally was a partner with the No. 99 team before moving over to the No. 17 team since. They were also the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity Series entry that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Fastenal will feature top suppliers Norseman Drill & Tool, Danfoss, Fluke Corp., GL Huyett and Streamlight on Buescher’s Mustang as he competes this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalCompany.

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

Howie DiSavino III Returns to Xfinity Series Competition at Kansas Focused as Ever

By
Official Release
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KANSAS CITY, Kan: It has been nearly two months since Howie DiSavino III has been behind the wheel of an Alpha Prime Racing car, but the wait is nearly over as he returns to the team for his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season in Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

DiSavino has been counting down the days to return to action since his most recent outing in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he roared through the field during the Crayon 200 and earned an eye-catching and competitive top-20 finish.

Clinging to the momentum from his best Xfinity Series finish in just his second career start, DiSavino has been preparing for his Kansas debut with the intention of backing up his New Hampshire effort with another top-20 finish or better this weekend.

“I’m excited to get to Kansas,” said DiSavino. “Obviously, it’s very tough not being able to race as much as I would like, but every race behind the wheel is an opportunity and I’d like to accelerate on that opportunity with a strong finish on Saturday afternoon.

“Kansas is a new track to me. I’ve never been there, but I’ve been incredibly diligent in taking advantage of the tools that have been provided to me to make the transition as seamless as possible.”

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

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

“Even though it’s been a couple of months since I’ve been in the car, it certainly doesn’t feel like it,” added DiSavino. “I am a very focused person and even though I’m multitasking a lot throughout the day, my race preparation has never been more prominent.

“When you have such a strong run like our Alpha Prime Racing team did at New Hampshire, it makes you hungry as a driver and a person to be able to repeat or better that effort again. I know my Alpha Prime Racing team is doing their job during the week on building fast and competitive cars.

“I am doing everything in power to make sure when I climb behind that wheel on Friday and Saturday, we are picking up right where we left off.”

ClearCryptos will serve as the primary marketing partner of DiSavino III’s No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for his third career Xfinity Series start.

ClearCryptos’ goal is to create clarity, accountability, and success in the Crypto marketplace with their unique relationships in technology, government and law enforcement.

When it comes to the race on Saturday, DiSavino III is thoughtful about taking the same cautiously-aggressive approach that paid dividends at New Hampshire even though Kansas is the complete opposite.

“I want to be around for the finish, I kept telling myself that at New Hampshire and it paid off,” sounded DiSavino. “I know I must take what your race car will give you and the Alpha Prime boys will adjust accordingly throughout the race that will put us in a good position for the final stretch.

“I want to do well not only for myself, but for the people that support me and my team, but I’m going to remember that I can’t push the envelope when it comes to the handling of the race car or battling my other competitors on the track.

“If our No. 44 ClearCryptos Chevrolet Camaro isn’t the best at the start of the race, I just have to be patient until we can make an adjustment. If I want to contend for a strong finish, I need to be around for the end of the race. If we can avoid any chaos and mind our matters,

“I think contending for a top-15 finish is achievable and would feel like a win and gives us great momentum for my next Xfinity race at Talladega in a couple of weeks.

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

Following Kansas, the 21-year-old will return to Alpha Prime Racing at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Oct. 1, 2022, and the penultimate Xfinity Series race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Oct. 29, 2022.

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

The Kansas Lottery 300 (250 laps | 131.5 miles) is the 25th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, September 9 from 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Qualifying follows shortly after 4:30 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, September 10 shortly after 2:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About ClearCryptos:

Headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with all personnel globally positioned; ClearCryptos is a distributed company with unique relationships in technology, government, and law enforcement. The company is ushering in a new wave of clarity, accountability, and success to the emerging Crypto marketplace through innovation and reinvestment to benefit local and regional economies.

About Alpha Prime Racing:

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

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

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