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The NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade Powered by Kaulig Giving Expands Across the United States and Mexico

By
Official Release
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“Speedy Bears” will be delivered to children in hospitals with events culminating on National Teddy Bear Day

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 31, 2022) – NASCAR-themed teddy bears named ‘Speedy Bear’ are being delivered to children in hospitals across the United States and Mexico as The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Giving join together for the sixth annual “Speedy Bear Brigade”. This year’s program expands into Mexico bringing the cumulative total to more than 8,000 Speedy Bears delivered over six years to help comfort children during their hospital stays.

The NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade began delivering Speedy Bears to children earlier this week with stops in Monterrey, Mexico and Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR volunteers assisted with the deliveries, including representatives from the NASCAR Mexico Series who joined efforts for the first time.

“We are thrilled that our Speedy Bear Brigade continues to grow and impact more children each year,” said Nichole Krieger, The NASCAR Foundation executive director. “Support from donors like Kaulig Giving, the NASCAR Mexico Series and all of our wonderful NASCAR fans are so important in making this program a success as we help deliver cheer and positivity to children in hospitals everywhere.”

This year’s efforts mark the biggest to date with nearly 70 hospitals participating in race markets across the United States and Mexico. The initiative culminates on National Teddy Bear Day on Friday, September 9, with events in Akron, Ohio, home to Kaulig Giving headquarters and during NASCAR’s Kansas Speedway race weekend.

“We’re honored to team up with The NASCAR Foundation to deliver cheer, positivity, and comfort to children in hospitals across the country through the Speedy Bear Brigade program,” said Matt Kaulig, team owner of Kaulig Racing and founder of Kaulig Giving. “Our partnership with The NASCAR Foundation continues to grow on and off the track and is a priority for us. All of us share the incredible goal of impacting the communities we love by helping children in need live happier, healthier lives.” 

NASCAR fans are encouraged to join the Speedy Bear Brigade by making a $25 donation to The NASCAR Foundation to sponsor a Speedy Bear and send an inspirational message to a child in the hospital. As an additional incentive, Kaulig Giving will match all contributions made at NASCARfoundation.org up to $25,000.

Locations supported by The NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade powered by Kaulig Giving include:

  • Akron, Ohio – Akron Children’s Hospital
  • Birmingham, Alabama – Children’s of Alabama
  • Braselton, Georgia – Northeast Georgia Medical Center
  • Charlotte, North Carolina – Hemby Children’s Hospital  and Levine Children’s Hosptial
  • Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland Clinic
  • Concord, North Carolina – Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital
  • Darlington, South Carolina – McLeod Children’s Hospital
  • Daytona Beach, Florida – Halifax Health
  • Homestead, Florida – Homestead Hospital
  • Indianapolis, Indiana – Riley Children’s Hospital
  • Jackson, Michigan – Henry Ford Allegiance Health
  • Louisville, Kentucky – Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  • Monterrey, Mexico – Hospital Materno Infantil de Alta Especialidad
  • Nashville, Tennessee – Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
  • Phoenix, Arizona – Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  • Pocono, Pennsylvania – Lehigh Valley Health Network
  • Richmond, Virginia – Children’s Hospital at VCU
  • Rochester, New York – Golisano Children’s Hospital
  • Sebring, Florida – AdventHealth Sebring
  • Shawnee Mission, Kansas – AdventHealth Shawnee Mission

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About The NASCAR Foundation

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR) established The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006 to support initiatives that positively affect the lives of children throughout the United States. The 501(c) (3) non-profit entity partners with medical experts and other charitable organizations to fund children’s health care programs. The NASCAR Foundation has cumulatively donated nearly $40 million to reach more than 1.4 million children. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, visit NASCARfoundation.org. Follow The NASCAR Foundation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NASCARFoundationor on Twitter at @NASCAR_FDN.

About Kaulig Giving

Since 2018, Kaulig Giving has partnered with more than 200 non-profit organizations in Northeast Ohio and beyond to create a lasting impact for children and families. As an integral part of the Kaulig Companies Charitable Giving Programs, Kaulig Giving continues to help support the well-being of children and families through direct giving, community involvement, and partnerships with like-minded organizations. To learn more about Kaulig Giving and its current partners and projects, visit https://www.kauliggiving.comwww.kauliggiving.com.

Kaulig Racing and Ed Morse Automotive Group Team Up for Two NASCAR Cup Series Races

By
Official Release
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Noah Gragson to Pilot the No. 16 Ed Morse Automotive Group Camaro ZL1 at Texas and Homestead Speedways

 LEXINGTON, N.C. (August 31, 2022) – Kaulig Racing and Ed Morse Automotive Group will team up for two NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races, as Noah Gragson will pilot the No. 16 Ed Morse Automotive Group Camaro ZL1 at Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The kick-off to the partnership will be at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 25 for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

“This is the next evolution of our growing brand in the automotive world. As we enter the NASCAR universe, it is an absolute honor to partner with such a devoted and hungry racing team like Kaulig Racing,” said Teddy Morse, Chairman and CEO of Ed Morse Automotive Group.

Amid its first, full season in the NCS, Kaulig Racing continues to develop new partnerships and welcome them to the highest level of motorsports. The Ed Morse Automotive Group is headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, and has been family-owned for over 75 years. It proudly operates 35 dealerships, 75 franchises, 39 locations, and 25 automotive and motorcycle brands.

“We are super thrilled to welcome Ed Morse Automotive Group into our Kaulig Racing family,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “Just as Teddy maintains such high standards in a family run business, Kaulig Racing has always possessed a family atmosphere, something that is rare in NASCAR teams today. Ed Morse Automotive Group does more than just sell cars, it gives back to the community as well, and we share many of those same values at Kaulig Racing.”

So far in the 2022 NCS season, Noah Gragson has earned a top five and three top-20 finishes. He continues to help grow Kaulig Racing in its first, full season in NASCAR’s top series, as he carries the bulk of the remaining races in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1 that he shares with teammates AJ Allmendinger and Daniel Hemric.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have Ed Morse Automotive Group onboard the No. 16 Camaro,” said Gragson. “Teddy Morse and everyone at Ed Morse Automotive Group truly loves cars and cares about their customers, employees and community. At the end of the day, we both want to do what we love, so I’m looking forward to sharing our passions with each other and growing a partnership.”

About Ed Morse Automotive Group

The Morse family has been in the automotive business since 1946 when Ed Morse founded Morse Motors. Over 75 years later, Ed’s grandson, Chairman/CEO Teddy Morse continues to build on the legacy and family tradition. Headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida and with recent acquisitions into Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Oklahoma, Ed Morse Automotive Group is considered to be one of the nation’s fastest growing and most respected automotive dealer groups. www.edmorse.com

 

 
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.

‘You can’t win the race in the first 200 laps but you could certainly lose it’ – Kerry Tharp

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo Credit: Chris Graythen | Getty Images

This weekend at Darlington Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series begins its Playoff series with 16 drivers hungry to win and advance to the next round.

Denny Hamlin has captured the most trophies of any active driver at the Track Too Tough To Tame and is the defending race winner. The odds are in his favor but Darlington has a way of leveling the playing field.

Kerry Tharp, president of Darlington Raceway, summed it up best, “You can’t win the race in the first 200 laps but you could certainly lose it.”

It’s a unique race track that requires a specific skill set.  

“It takes a tough driver, somebody that can withstand a 500-mile race and the heat,” he continued. “You’re going to have contact during the race. Look at the drivers over the years that have been very successful here, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Cale Yarborough. Those guys were all tough. Those guys were talented, obviously, as they’re all Hall of Famers.

“I think it takes somebody that is patient. You have to be patient at Darlington. I’ve seen several races here where someone might dominate the first two-thirds of the race. And then all of a sudden something happened to him, or something goes wrong with his tire set-up, and all of a sudden they fade to fifth or sixth.

“So I think it’s being a patient driver. And I think, although I never saw him race in person, that David Pearson was that type of driver. He was very patient from what I was told. And, I think that paid off as he had 10 wins here.”

When looking at the drivers in the Playoffs and who might be a contender this weekend, Tharp said, “Denny has won here four times. I think Kevin Harvick has won three times and I think Truex has two, but he’s not in the Playoffs. I think you can look at Harvick and Hamlin as being two drivers that you’ll probably have to contend with. But I think there are some other ones out there that haven’t won here that certainly are capable.”

But before the racing begins Tharp and his staff are already welcoming the early arrivals in the campgrounds with a multitude of events in the days leading up to the weekend. For Tharp, the fan experience is just as important as the racing.

“This morning I greeted the first camper on the property, a man and a young son,” he said. “They were the first campers that entered the facility. So we kind of presented them with a special Darlington swag bag. I get a lot of satisfaction from that.”

As the fans arrive and the clock winds down, the excitement is rising. The Playoffs shift into high gear Sunday evening with the Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET on the USA network.  

Busch Light Racing: Kevin Harvick Darlington Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Darlington Advance
No. 4 Busch Light Retro Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 4
● Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
● Layout: 1.366-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 367 laps/501.32 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 115 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 137 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The NASCAR Playoffs begin Sunday with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and for the 16th time since the advent of the playoffs in 2004, Harvick is a part of it. Harvick qualified for this year’s playoffs by scoring two wins – Aug. 7 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn and Aug. 14 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. This is Harvick’s 13th consecutive playoff appearance. He won the championship in 2014.

● Darlington is one of the 10 tracks that make up the NASCAR Playoffs, and of Harvick’s 60 career NASCAR Cup Series victories, 26 have come at playoff tracks. Three of those wins have been at Darlington, while Harvick also has three wins apiece at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in Ford Worth. He has two wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and one win each at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The remaining nine wins were earned at the most valuable playoff venue – Phoenix Raceway, home to the championship-deciding race. The only track where Harvick doesn’t have a win is the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval.

● Darlington is known as “The Track Too Tough To Tame” but Harvick has tamed the venerable 1.366-mile oval three times, the second-most of any active NASCAR Cup Series driver. The 46-year-old racer from Bakersfield, California, owns two Southern 500 victories (2014 and 2020) and one win in the track’s 400-mile race. In fact, Harvick enters Darlington with an impressive record – he hasn’t finished outside the top-10 since 2012. How long ago was that? “Gangnam Style” and its music video by South Korean singer Psy went viral in 2012, four years before the social media app TikTok became reality.

● That’s a long time, but not nearly as long as Darlington has been around. The 2022 season marks the track’s 72nd anniversary, with the egg-shaped oval having hosted 122 NASCAR Cup Series races. The first came on Sept. 4, 1950 and it was the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt. Johnny Mantz drove his Plymouth to the win with an average speed of 75.250 mph and the race took 6 hours, 38 minutes and 40 seconds to complete. Juxtapose that with Harvick’s win in the 2020 Southern 500. His Ford Mustang had an average speed of 132.256 mph and the race finished in 3 hours, 47 minutes and 26 seconds.

● COVID-19 stopped racing in its tracks in 2020. After the checkered flag dropped March 8 at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR went on a 10-week hiatus as the world grappled with the scale of a pandemic not seen since the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919. NASCAR had to navigate a brave new world, and the sport was one of the first to return to action when racing resumed May 17 at Darlington. It was a welcome surprise, as one version of NASCAR’s hypothetical return featured a start date of Oct. 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a stretch of 30 races in 64 days that would wrap with three straight races at Phoenix… on Jan. 1-3 of 2021. In a time of great uncertainty, seeing sports’ return with NASCAR pacing the field proved both prideful and poignant. Harvick never let off the gas even as the season ground to a halt. He focused on all the little details that go into wheeling a 3,400-pound racecar around tracks faster than 39 of his competitors. The result? After finishing second March 8 at Phoenix, Harvick one-upped that result by winning in NASCAR’s return to racing May 17 at Darlington.

● That win on May 17, 2020 at Darlington was Harvick’s milestone 50th career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Harvick led 159 of the race’s 293 laps to secure his 11th straight season as a Cup Series winner. His career win total now stands at 60, which puts him in a tie for ninth on the all-time Cup Series win list with Kyle Busch.

● Among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers, Harvick leads the following categories at Darlington:

●  Most starts: 29 (tied with Kurt Busch)

●  Most top-fives: 13 (next best is Denny Hamlin with 11)

●  Most top-10s: 18 (next best is Hamlin with 15)

●  Most laps led: 813 (next best is Hamlin with 786)

●  Most laps completed: 9,663 (next best is Kurt Busch with 9,571)

●  Note: Hamlin leads the series in wins at Darlington with four, while Harvick stands alone with three wins.

● Who are the all-time leaders at Darlington? Check out these eye-popping statistics:

●  Most starts: 65 by Richard Petty

●  Most wins: 10 by David Pearson  

●  Most top-fives: 25 by Petty

●  Most top-10s: 34 by Petty

●  Most laps led: 2,391 by Petty

●  Most laps completed: 17,120 by Petty

●  Note: The 17,120 laps completed by Petty translates to 23,434.11 miles, almost equal to the equatorial circumference of the Earth (24,901 miles).

● Harvick has proven immensely consistent at Darlington outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has made 16 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington, finishing among the top-10 nine times, with a best result of third in September 2017. Harvick has also made two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Darlington, with a best result of fourth in March 2002.

● Darlington is filled with time-honored traditions, so it’s only appropriate that the historic track is part of a new NASCAR tradition – Workforce Appreciation Weekend. This initiative showcases the NASCAR industry’s appreciation to the American workforce. As part of this endeavor, race teams are recognizing individuals who go above and beyond with a Workforce Appreciation Honorary Crew Member position. For the No. 4 team of Stewart-Haas Racing, that person is Darlington-native Jackie Tyner, a key accounts manager who works for Anheuser Busch’s local wholesaler, Southern Crown Partners. For 41 years, Tyner has managed all wholesaler activities at Darlington Raceway. Born and raised in Darlington, he believes the community and the racetrack are a huge part of his identity. Tyner counts late NASCAR executive Jim Hunter as an early mentor in his career, as one of the many roles Hunter served in during his distinguished career was Darlington track president. A true South Carolinian, Tyner raises pecans with his wife, Michelle, within earshot of the rumbling of racecars at Darlington. He is a proud father of three who loves spending time with his eight grandchildren. As part of his honorary crew member position, Tyner’s name appears above the passenger-side door of Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Light Retro Ford Mustang in the Cook Out Southern 500.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Retro Ford Mustang

You’re in the playoffs for a 13th consecutive season and your 16th overall. How does making the playoffs this year compare to any of those previous playoff seasons?

“I would say it’s been a very different route to get to this point. As we started the year with the new car, we were on the wrong side of the fence and trying to figure everything out. And as we’ve gone through the year we’ve become progressively better, and we figured some things out and got back to victory lane and really have some momentum as we start the process of these last 10 weeks and racing for a championship. The biggest thing is, we’re giving ourselves a chance to race for the championship – that’s the first goal. That looked bleak for a little while, but now we’re in a good position to get started.”

You were on a 65-race winless streak and, coming into August, your playoff chances looked bleak. Then you won back-to-back races to secure your spot in the playoffs as the ninth seed. Is there any rhyme or reason to peaking at the right time?

“There’s zero. I wish I could find the keys to that equation. As you look at the things we’ve done this year, as far as our routine and the things that we do and how we communicate, all of that is the same. It’s just the progression of learning about the car, and putting ourselves in a position to have cars that are fast enough to compete at the front. They’ve done a good job of making some adjustments on pit road – the pit crew has been on fire, and they’re making good adjustments on the car. That’s just the learning process that’s come with this particular season. There have been a few races this season where we’ve been in position to win, but haven’t had things work out. I think as you go back to Michigan and Richmond and look at those races, you’re in position to win and have a fast car and everything goes your way and no mistakes. So you just never know when that streak of momentum is going to go your way, and you never know when that streak of momentum is going to go against you. You never know how long it’s going to last in either direction, and you just have to ride that wave as long as you can by just trying to do the right things day after day, week after week, to create the best situation possible to capitalize when it does swing your way.”

Do you like Darlington serving as the opening race of the 10-race playoffs?

“Well, Darlington just screams NASCAR. From a competitor’s standpoint, when you drive through the tunnel and you look at that racetrack, it looks the same as it did in 1960. From my standpoint, being able to race at a racetrack like that, whatever generation car I’m in, you can relate back to how it started. Darlington is narrow, it’s unique, and it’s just Darlington. You pull in the tunnel and you see the blue tarps and the tents and the people just hanging out in the infield – it’s just a great place to race and forever a part of NASCAR history that I will always enjoy.”

What stands out for you the most at Darlington?

“I know the characteristics of the racetrack, as far as having to respect it and racing the track. I know what that means, and I’ve definitely been in the wrong position and got carried away and had it bite me before. But it’s a place that I look forward to going to. It’s a place where I enjoy racing and love the challenges that go with it. I think over the last several years we’ve been fortunate to have some success there, and the expectation is to go there and have a chance to race up front and put yourself in contention. So that’ll be the expectation as we go back this time and, hopefully, we can do that and have some fun.”

Five hundred miles at Darlington, during the heat and humidity of Labor Day weekend, makes for a very demanding race. How do you approach it?

“No matter how hot it is, it’s just a mentally taxing race. It’s just you against the track and being able to have that mindset and know that every lap you have to be up on top of the wheel in order to keep yourself from rubbing up against the wall or doing something that’s detrimental to your car, but also pushing the car hard enough and keeping up with the tire fall-off and understanding all the things that are going on. There are just a lot of moving pieces at Darlington, but it’s really taxing, mentally.”

What skillsets are rewarded at Darlington?

“Darlington favors the guy who can be very disciplined and is able to push the car right to 99.9 percent of where that tire run is, and be able to put the car up against the wall and not overstep those boundaries. You have to be very disciplined there to get everything out of the car and keep up with the tire fall-off and not tear anything up – on your own, let alone being around everybody else.”

Is competing at Darlington about racing the track and your competitors, or is it more about managing your tires?

“You’ve got to know when to let somebody go, because you can make it a lot harder on somebody to pass than what it used to be with the things that go on aerodynamically with this particular car. The biggest thing that you have to do is get the restarts right and get yourself really singled out, and once you get singled out, then you can start making some different decisions on when to let somebody go, when to not let somebody go, how hard to fight somebody, and things like that. It just takes one moment there to slip up and the right-rear toe link will be knocked off the car. You can rub the car up against the wall, but if you clip that right-rear tire wrong, it’s going to be the end of your night.”

Running that line up against the wall is not the line you typically run. The “Kevin Harvick Line” is along the bottom. Which line is most advantageous, and when?

“With this particular car, you’ve just got to be careful with how much you abuse the tires because it drives off the right-rear tire so much that you have to think about that a little bit differently. It didn’t seem like that was 100 percent the preferred way to do it through (turns) three and four the last time. You’ve just got to be as easy as possible on the right-rear tire.”

No. 4 Busch Light Retro Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Kevin Harvick
Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith
Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer
Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Stephen Doran
Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey
Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard
Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Richie Bean
Hometown: Bradford, Vermont

Mechanic: Nick DeFazio
Hometown: Orange, California

Tire Specialist: Jamie Turski
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Hodges
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell
Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 08.31.22

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: August 29-September 5, 2022

· NCS/NXS: Darlington Raceway – September 3-4
· ARCA: DuQuoin State Fairgrounds – September 4
· NHRA: Indianapolis Raceway Park – September 5

PLANO, Texas (August 31, 2022) – It’s Playoff time for the NASCAR Cup Series as they take on the Labor Day Classic at Darlington Raceway along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The ARCA Menards Series has its last race of the season on dirt, while the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series runs its biggest event of the season – the U.S. Nationals – in Indianapolis

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Toyota Playoff drivers… Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch have qualified for the Cup Series Playoffs as they look to extend Toyota’s record as the only OEM to have earned at least one spot in the Championship 4 since this points format begin in 2014. Hamlin has earned a Championship 4 berth each of the last three seasons, while Busch was Toyota’s last NCS champion in 2019. Bell is looking for his first Championship 4 berth in just his third full-time season in the Cup Series.

Hamlin lone double… Hamlin will compete in his only NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series weekend at Darlington, at what has become an annual affair for the Virginia-native. Hamlin has earned five of his 17 Xfinity Series victories at the track ‘Too Tough to Tame.’ He also has four Cup Series victories at the track, with two in the last two seasons (May 2020, September 2021)

Bell closing in on 100… Bell is closing on his 100th career start as the Oklahoma-native will run his 99th Cup Series event this weekend. The second-time Playoff driver earned his best Darlington finish in the spring race as he led Toyota with a sixth-place finish.

Gibbs running two… Ty Gibbs will continue to substitute for Kurt Busch in the NASCAR Cup Series as the 19-year-old will run his seventh Cup Series event. Gibbs is running his third NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway on Saturday after starting first and leading 18 laps there in the spring.

Nemechek returns… Before the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns at Kansas, John Hunter Nemechek will return to the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. Nemechek had the team’s best result of the season in the spring race as he was running second in the closing laps before a late-race caution resulted in a fourth-place finish. Nemechek has Xfinity Series starts scheduled for both Toyota organizations still this season. He will be back to defend his win at Texas Motor Speedway with Joe Gibbs Racing in September, before returning to Sam Hunt Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Love wants the dirt bonus… Jesse Love earned his first win of the season on the Springfield dirt two weeks ago and is now looking for a big money pay out. If he can sweep the dirt events in ARCA competition this season, Love and his team will earn a $50,000 bonus.

Smith closes in on two titles… After another victory in Milwaukee on Sunday, Sammy Smith is closing in on two ARCA titles. With one race remaining on the ARCA East schedule, Smith holds a 33-point advantage over second, while on the Sioux Chief Showdown championship battle, the 18-year-old is 23 points up with two races to go. Both championships will be decided at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Countdown Fields set… The NHRA will set their Countdown playoff fields this weekend, and all of Toyota’s full-time drivers are currently set to earn automatic berths by being in the top-10 in points. In Funny Car, all three – Ron Capps, Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd – have already clinched their spots, with Justin Ashley and Steve Torrence locked in the Top Fuel field. Shawn Langdon, sixth in points, should clinch by qualifying for the U.S. Nationals, while eighth-place Doug Kalitta and ninth-place Antron Brown are looking to solidify their spots in the field by going rounds on Monday.

Callout returns… The U.S. Nationals will also feature the all-star Pep Boys Callout. In Top Fuel, Ashley and Torrence are part of the final four, while Capps and DeJoria are in the final eight. The Top Fuel Callout is part of Saturday’s on-track action, while the Funny Car portion will run on Sunday.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

James Small to call 100th Cup career race as crew chief at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

A significant milestone start is in the making for James Small, crew chief for Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota TRD Camry team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By participating in this weekend’s Cup Series Playoff opening event at Darlington Raceway, Small will call his 100th career event as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Small, who spent eight years working in the V8 Supercars Championship in Australia before spending three seasons in an engineering role at Richard Childress Racing, made his first two appearances as a Cup crew chief at Watkins Glen International and at Michigan International Speedway in August. By then, he was a lead engineer for the No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry team piloted by Erik Jones and was named Jones’ interim crew chief for two events after Jones’ regular crew chief Chris Gayle was suspended for two races and fined $50,000 due to a post-race infraction stemming from the previous event at Pocono Raceway. During Small’s two appearances as a Cup crew chief, Jones finished 10th and third at Watkins Glen International and at Michigan International Speedway, respectively.

After moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2019, where he continued to work as lead engineer for the 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr., crew chief Cole Pearn and the No. 19 JGR Toyota Camry team, Small was named a full-time Cup Series crew chief for Truex for the 2020 season after Pearn resigned from his role. Pearn and Truex commenced the 2020 Cup Series season with a 32nd-place result in the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 after Truex was involved in a late multi-car wreck. Through the following nine events, his best result was third at Atlanta Motor Speedway in June. Then during the following event at Martinsville Speedway, Small achieved his first victory as a NASCAR crew chief after Truex led 132 of 500 en route to his first victory of the season and second in a row at Martinsville. 

Through the remaining 15 Cup regular season events in 2020, Small and Truex achieved nine top-five results, including seven consecutive top-three results between July and August, and a total of 11 top-10 results before entering the 2020 Cup Playoffs. Despite transferring from the Playoff’s Round of 16 all the way to the Round of 8, Small served a one-race suspension prior to the second Round of 8 Playoff at Texas Motor Speedway after NASCAR confiscated the spoiler from Truex’s car and issued penalties that included Small’s suspension, a $35,000 final and a dock 20 driver/owner points. Despite Small’s return at Martinsville Speedway in November, Truex was unable to make the Championship Round at Phoenix Raceway after settling in 22nd place due to making a late unscheduled pit stop for a loose right-front wheel. In the end, Small and Truex capped off their first season in seventh place in the final standings along with one victory, 13 top-five results, 22 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.0.

The duo of Small and Truex initiated the 2021 Cup season on another strong note. After logging two top-10 results through the first four scheduled events, they claimed their first victory of the season at Phoenix Raceway in March. A month later, they notched their second victory of the season at Martinsville in April following a late battle with teammate Denny Hamlin. By then, Truex became the first multi-Cup winner through the first eight scheduled events. Small and Truex then became three-time winners of 2021 four races later after Truex fended off a hard-charging Kyle Larson in the closing laps.

Fourteen regular-season races later, where Small and Truex achieved five additional top-10 results, the 2021 Cup Playoffs commenced at Darlington in September. Then a week later at Richmond Raceway, Small and Truex transferred from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12 after Truex led 80 of 400 en route to a fourth victory of the season. Three additional results inside the top 10 were enough for the duo to transfer all the way to the Championship Round finale at Phoenix Raceway in November and with an opportunity to win the title. During the finale, however, Truex, who was leading late in the event, settled in second place both on the track and in the final standings behind Kyle Larson. In his second full-time season as a Cup crew chief, Small recorded four victories, 13 top-five results, 20 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.0 with Truex.

Remaining as Truex’s Cup crew chief for a third consecutive season, Small led the No. 19 JGR Toyota TRD Camry team to a pole, seven stage victories, three top-five results, 12 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 13.2 throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. The results, however, were not enough for the duo to make the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs after they missed the cutline by three points. Small and Truex, however, enter the 10-week Playoff stretch with a goal to capture their first victory of the season before making another bid for the Playoffs in 2023.

Through 99 previous Cup appearances, Small has achieved five victories, one pole, 30 top-five results, 56 top-10 results and 2223 laps led while working with two different competitors (Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones).

Small is scheduled to call his 100th Cup Series event as a crew chief at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 and the opening event of the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs. The event’s coverage is scheduled for Sunday, September 4, at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Herbst to make 100th Xfinity career start at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Competing in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Riley Herbst is within reach of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Xfinity event at Darlington Raceway, the driver of the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang will reach 100 career starts in the Xfinity circuit.

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Herbst made his Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway in June 2018. By then, he was a full-time ARCA Series competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing and a part-time NASCAR Truck Series competitor for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He had also earned a single ARCA career victory at Pocono Raceway in 2017. Driving the No. 18 JGR Toyota Camry, Herbst started ninth and finished an impressive sixth-place in his Xfinity debut. 

The following season, Herbst returned for nine Xfinity races, all in JGR’s No. 18 Toyota Supra. Starting with a ninth-place result at Richmond Raceway in April, Herbst earned a total of three top-10 results and six top-15 results.

In 2020, Herbst earned a full-time ride in the No. 18 JGR Toyota Supra in the Xfinity circuit, where he entered as a Rookie-of-the-Year contender. His rookie season started off on a low note when he finished 32nd at Daytona International Speedway in February following a multi-car accident a lap shy of the halfway mark. Herbst, though, rebounded the following three weekends by finishing ninth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a career-best second place at Auto Club Speedway following a late battle with teammate Harrison Burton and 10th at Phoenix Raceway in March. Eleven races later, Herbst notched another runner-up result behind Austin Cindric in the first of a Kentucky Speedway doubleheader feature in July. Overall, Herbst earned four top-five results and 16 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, which were enough for him to qualify for the 2020 Xfinity Playoffs based on points. His pursuit for the championship, however, came to an end following results of 12th, 35th and 12th in the first round of the Playoffs. Earning just one top-10 result in the final four races of the schedule, Herbst concluded his first full-time Xfinity season in 12th place in the standings with a total of four top-five results and 17 top-10 results.

The following season, Herbst joined Stewart-Haas Racing to pilot the No. 98 Ford Mustang, an entry that had achieved nine victories the previous Xfinity season with Chase Briscoe. Despite achieving his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, the 2021 regular season stretch for the Las Vegas native was a difficult stretch as his best on-track result was third at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. To go along with a total of four top-five results and 11 top-10 results, Herbst managed to grab a spot in the 2021 Xfinity Playoffs. Following three consecutive DNFs and finishes outside the top 25 during the Round of 12, his titles hopes came to an early end as he was one of four competitors to be eliminated from the Playoffs. He managed to record two top-10 results during the final four scheduled races, including a fourth-place effort in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway in November, before finishing in 11th place in the final standings in a season where he earned five top-five results and 13 top-10 results.

Remaining at Stewart-Haas Racing for a second consecutive season, Herbst commenced the season with a fourth-place result at Daytona followed by a ninth-place run at Auto Club Speedway in February. Since then, he earned his second Xfinity career pole at Nashville Superspeedway in June along with a total of five top-five results and 15 top-10 results. He is currently ranked in eighth place in the regular-season standings and is 107 points above the top-12 cutline to qualify for the 2022 Xfinity Playoffs that will commence in September.

Through 99 previous Xfinity starts, Herbst has achieved two poles, 14 top-five results, 49 top-10 results, 84 laps led and an average-finishing result of 15.5 while he continues to pursue his first victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series.

Herbst is scheduled to make his 100th Xfinity Series career start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 3, with the event’s coverage to occur at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Jeb Burton to make 100th Xfinity career start at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Don Dunn for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Competing in his second full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Jeb Burton is within reach of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Xfinity event at Darlington Raceway, the driver of the No. 27 Our Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro will make his 100th career start in the Xfinity circuit.

A native from Halifax, Virginia, and the son of the 2002 Daytona 500 champion, Ward Burton, Jeb made his inaugural presence in the Xfinity circuit at Kentucky Speedway in September 2013. By then, he was competing for the Camping World Truck Series title with Turner Scott Motorsports and had achieved his first series victory at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Driving the No. 34 Chevrolet Camaro for TSM, Burton started 13th and finished eighth in his Xfinity debut. He then made his lone Xfinity start of 2014 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May with Biagi-DenBeste Racing, where he finished 15th.

Two years later, Burton joined Richard Petty Motorsports with plans of competing as a full-time Xfinity competitor in the No. 43 Ford Mustang. He commenced the season with a 25th-place result at Daytona International Speedway in February, but rebounded during the following weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway by finishing in 10th-place. Following the first 11 scheduled events, however, Burton was left without a full-time ride after RPM’s Xfinity team ceased operations. He ended up rejoining Biagi-DenBeste Racing for three events for the remainder of the season, where he finished in the top 20 in all starts.

In 2017, Burton made a total of six Xfinity starts with JGL Racing, where he notched his first top-five career result at Daytona in July by finishing fourth. He then made a total of three starts for Richard Childress Racing in 2018, where he achieved a pair of 12th-place results at Richmond Raceway in April and at Dover Motor Speedway in May.

Burton joined JR Motorsports as a part-time competitor in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for the 2019 Xfinity season. Making his first start at Texas Motor Speedway in April, he finished fifth. He went on to finish seventh at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and ninth at Michigan International Speedway in June. Despite finishing 32nd at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, he rebounded by tying his career-best result in fourth place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September. He capped off his first part-time campaign with JRM with a pair of ninth-place results during the final three scheduled events. 

Remaining as a part-time competitor for JRM in 2020, Burton dominated the season-opening event at Daytona, where he led a race-high 26 laps and won the first stage, before a late multi-car wreck relegated him to a 22nd-place result. He was then in position to claim his first Xfinity victory at Talladega in June until he was overthrown by Kaulig Racing’s Justin Haley on the final lap and settled in a career-best third place. Burton proceeded by claiming another career-best second-place result at Richmond Raceway in September along with four additional top-10 results in nine starts to cap off the 2020 season.

Coming off two strong part-time campaigns with JRM, Burton was selected to drive the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing on a full-time basis in 2021. Commencing the season with a fourth-place result at Daytona along with five top-10 results during the first seven scheduled events, he achieved his first NASCAR Xfinity victory at Talladega in April, where the event was shortened by 23 laps due to heavy precipitation. The victory made Burton the 168th different competitor to achieve an Xfinity victory and the fourth to do so while driving for Kauilg Racing.

After winning at Talladega, Burton collected a strong runner-up result behind Kyle Busch at Atlanta in July along with nine additional top-10 results throughout the regular season stretch before entering the 2021 Xfinity Playoffs as one of 12 competitor contending for the title. His title hopes, however, came to an early end in the Round of 12 after finishing 36th, seventh and 13th respectively. He went on to finish in 10th place in the final standings. Overall, Burton earned a victory, seven top-five results, 16 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 13.6 in his first full-time campaign in the Xfinity circuit.

This season, Burton, who lost his ride at Kaulig Racing, marked another new beginning to his racing career by joining forces with Our Motorsports to pilot the No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro. Through the first 23 regular-season events, Burton has finished in the top-15 results nine times, with his best on-track result occurring at Richmond Raceway as he finished 11th. He is ranked in 19th place in the regular-season standings and trails the top-12 cutline to make the Playoffs by 187 points with three regular-season events remaining to this year’s schedule.

Through 99 previous Xfinity starts, Burton has achieved one victory, 13 top-five results, 31 top-10 results, 139 laps led and an average-finishing result of 16.7.

Burton is scheduled to make his 100th Xfinity Series career start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 3, with coverage to start at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Cassill to make 200th Xfinity career start at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ted Seminara for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In his 13th season with at least one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Landon Cassill is primed to reach a milestone start of his own in the series. By competing in this weekend’s Xfinity event at Darlington Raceway, the driver of the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro will make his 200th career start in the Xfinity circuit.

A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cassill’s racing career began at age three on a quad before evolving to go-karts, midgets, the ASA Late Model Series, legends, modified, the American Speed Association and the CRA Super Series. In 2006, he was discovered by NASCAR through the GM Racing Development competition and signed by Hendrick Motorsports for the 2007 season. Making his debut at Gateway International Raceway in July and in HMS’ No. 24 Chevrolet, Cassill finished 32nd after being involved in a multi-car wreck past the halfway stage. He returned for five additional events in 2007, where he earned a season-best result of 18th place at Dover Motor Speedway in September.

The following season, Cassill campaigned in 19 of the 35-race Xfinity schedule. During the season, he made 16 starts in the No. 5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports while his other three scheduled starts at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Watkins Glen International occurred in the No. 4 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing. Throughout the season, he notched his first career pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June along with a total of five top-10 results, with his best on-track result being sixth place at Gateway International Raceway in July and at Phoenix International Raceway in November. At the season’s conclusion, Cassill was named the 2008 Xfinity Rookie-of-the-Year recipient.

From 2009 to 2011, Cassill made a total of eight starts in the Xfinity Series between Phoenix Raceway, JR Motorsports and RAB Racing. During this stint, he notched a strong third-place result during the 2011 Xfinity opener at Daytona while driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. The result occurred after he drafted Tony Stewart to a photo finish victory over Clint Bowyer.

After competing for BK Racing during the 2012 Cup Series season, Cassill returned to the Xfinity Series in 2013, where he competed in the No. 4 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports. Campaigning in 23 of the 33-race schedule, he earned five top-20 results, including two season-best results of 17th place at Talladega Superspeedway in May and at Watkins Glen International in August.

Cassill remained at JD Motorsports for the 2014 Xfinity season, where he competed in all 33-scheduled events. Compared to his previous season at JDM, he achieved three top-10 results, including two season-best eighth-place results at Talladega in April and at Road America in June. He returned for a third season at JD Motorsports in 2015, where he competed in all but four of the 33-race schedule and earned a season-best eighth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in September. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in the Xfinity Series.

After spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports, Cassill scaled back to a part-time role in the Cup circuit with StarCom Racing in 2018. He also made select Xfinity starts between JD Motorsports, MBM Motorsports and Shepherd Racing Ventures. In five scheduled starts, his best results were a pair of fifth-place results at Darlington Raceway and at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September.

Following a 17-race Xfinity schedule in 2019 between JD Motorsports and Shepherd Racing Ventures, where he earned two top-10 results with JDM, followed by four starts with Shepherd Racing Ventures throughout the 2020 season, Cassill rejoined JD Motorsports as a full-time NASCAR Xfinity competitor between the Nos. 4 and 6 Chevrolets in 2021. Throughout the 33-race schedule, he achieved 15 top-20 results, including three season-best 12th-place results at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in February, Darlington in May and at Martinsville Speedway in October.

In December 2021, Cassill was signed by Kaulig Racing along with sponsor Voyager Digital for the 2022 Xfinity season. Piloting the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro, he has achieved three top-five results and nine top-10 results, with his highest on-track result being a runner-up result at Martinsville Speedway in April, through the first 23-scheduled events. He is currently ranked in 11th place in the regular-season standings and is above the top-12 cutline to make the 2022 Xfinity Series Playoffs by 12 points with three regular-season events remaining.

Through 199 previous Xfinity starts, Cassill has achieved one pole, four top-five results, 23 top-10 results, 34 laps led and an average-finishing result of 21.9 while he continues his pursuit for his first victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series.

Cassill is scheduled to make his 200th Xfinity Series career start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 3, with the event’s coverage to start at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

5 Reasons To Sell Your Car For Cash

By
SM
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Like most physical assets, cars depreciate in value and wear out over time. The best way to lengthen the life of a car is through regular maintenance. But there comes a time when it’ll reach its useful life. Also, newer car models render older ones obsolete.

Still, some choose to keep these older cars in their backyard after upgrading. But if you’re no longer using your car and don’t plan on handing it to someone else, you might as well sell it for cash.

You’d be shocked at how much money you could make by selling your old car. Many car collection and vehicle removal companies buy old cars at competitive prices. Note that it’d be best to look for a reliable car removal company in your locale.

Looking to sell your car for cash soon? Below are some reasons why you should push through with it by partnering with a car removal service provider.

  • Make Quick Money

Selling your car for cash is an excellent way to make money fast. However, bear in mind that it’s critical to partner with trusted dealers beforehand. You don’t want to deal with dodgy buyers because you may risk getting scammed.

Try to look for registered or accredited dealers. Finding the right dealer may require that you do some research. Do a quick search and assess customer reviews to make an informed choice. 

Moreover, you should request quotations from several companies. Typically, car removal companies will pay you a sizeable amount when they come to collect the vehicle. But if your car is old, don’t expect to get a massive pay-out – yet you might as well try to get the most money you can for it. That’s why you need to compare various quotes and pick the best option for you.

  • Save Money On Maintenance 

Generally, buying a new car makes more sense than keeping on repairing an old one. And keeping your car in tip-top shape comes at a cost.

Besides keeping up with regular service maintenance, you may need to carry out do-it-yourself (DIY) car detailing regularly for the car to maintain its luster. Hence, repair costs account for a significant portion of your car ownership expenses and these costs tend to increase as the car ages.

When you sell your old car, though, it means that you save on repair costs in the future.

  • To Free Up Space

In most households, the garage is typically used as extra storage space. Smaller households, in particular, must maximize storage space as much as possible.

Sometimes, people tend to end up cluttering their homes due to a lack of storage space. Storing an old car or car no longer in use takes up space and exacerbates the situation.

In such instances, selling that vehicle to Northside Salvage Yard or a similar company could be the most sensible choice. It’ll free up space for you to store other items or utilize it for something else like adding a pool table or gym equipment.

  • Environmental Considerations

Letting your old car sit in the backyard could be a serious environmental hazard. You’re better off selling your car so others can utilize it productively elsewhere. 

Thankfully, the recycling business has gathered a lot of steam and many players are in the industry today. Plus, cars are very recyclable thanks to their metal bodies. Many car removal services nowadays either do the recycling themselves or partner with recycling yards that perform the recycling for them.

By selling your car, you have played your part in making the world greener and safer place to live in. 

  • To Upgrade Your Current Vehicle

If you want to upgrade to a new car, you might as well sell your older automobile to help finance your new car purchase. Often, investing in a newer car is expensive. So, you can use the proceeds from your old car to make the down payment on the new car and enjoy a much more competitive rate.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you should consider selling your car for cash. The main reason is that it’s a quick way to make money. If you have a scrap car, cash for cars is an ideal choice because you can’t sell your car to dealers.

Additionally, it could be challenging to get a reasonable price for it if you sell it directly to a scrap or recycling yard. Car removal companies often provide competitive quotes. Thus, you’re better off partnering with a reputable car removal company that buys cars for cash. 

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