Home Blog Page 1810

KCMG To Continue Partnership with Richard Childress Racing

By
Official Release
-

Long-Standing RCR Partner to Sponsor No. 8 Chevrolet at Watkins Glen International

WELCOME, N.C. (August 16, 2022) – Continuing a partnership that first began more than six years ago, KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) will partner with Richard Childress Racing to sponsor the No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Tyler Reddick at Watkins Glen International. The race airs live on Sunday, August 21 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

“We’re looking forward to having KCMG back on board and continuing to help create auto racing-related business opportunities in the United States and abroad,” said Torrey Galida, President of Richard Childress Racing. “KCMG has a history of success on some of the world’s most renowned road courses, including a class win at Le Mans, and a podium finish at their debut at the Daytona 24 this year. We hope to continue that success with the No. 8 team at Watkins Glen.”

KCMG and Richard Childress Racing first partnered together in 2017 with the goal of introducing KCMG into the NASCAR industry as a new motorsports parts manufacturer. Since then, the partnership has expanded to create business opportunities for the motorsports services group both in the United States and abroad. RCR has provided valuable channels to KCMG to expand their presence in American stock car racing applications and looks forward to continuing to do so in the years to come.

“We’re certainly looking forward to our continued partnership with Richard Childress Racing and seeing KC Motorgroup’s colors on the No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Tyler Reddick this weekend at Watkins Glen International,” said Dr. Paul Ip, Founder of KC Motorgroup. “Our partnership with Richard Childress Racing has proven successful on many fronts, and has been a key component of our U.S. Motorsports strategy.”

KCMG celebrated their first NASCAR win in 2019 when Tyler Reddick drove to victory lane at Michigan International Speedway en route to his second consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship. This season, RCR’s No. 8 team leads the NASCAR Cup Series in road course wins (two) and top-fives (three) entering Watkins Glen International.

In 77 Cup Series starts at the 2.45-mile road course, RCR boasts two wins (Robby Gordon in 2003 and Kevin Harvick in 2006), eight top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. Dale Earnhardt also won three poles (1990, ’92, ’96).

For additional information on today’s announcement, and all that’s happening at RCR, please visit rcrracing.com.

About KCMG:

KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) is an international motorsport services group established in 2007 by Dr. Paul Ip. The group, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, has operations reaching across Europe and the Asia Pacific region. KCMG operates closely with many partner companies and racing organizations around the world to provide unrivaled Motorsport Services, Equipment, Team Management and quality distributorship in the Automotive Industry. 2013 saw KCMG become the first Chinese outfit ever to race at the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours in its 90-year history and participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Hong Kong-based team later on took an historic LMP2 victory at Le Mans and was Vice Champion in FIA WEC in 2015. With years in the motorsport industry, KCMG has been involved in a wide range of Formula, GT and Le Mans prototype endurance racing series across the globe. For more information please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.co.hk.

About Richard Childress Racing:

Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2022 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet), along with two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Chevrolet). RCR fields two full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series entries with Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill.

ROCK & ROLL TORCHBEARERS DAUGHTRY TO PERFORM AT AUTOTRADER ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE 500

By
Official Release
-
  • Multi-Platinum Rock & Roll band to highlight Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 pre-race activities with a sixty (60) minute concert.
  • Fans can purchase a Sunday Pre-Race Pass for special access to the concert as well as Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 driver introductions at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

FORT WORTH, Texas (August 17, 2022) – Daughtry, the multi-platinum Rock & Roll torchbearers of the 21st Century, will perform a pre-race concert for the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Texas Motor Speedway.

Daughtry will perform a sixty (60) minute set beginning at 1 p.m. CT on the pre-race stage near the start/finish line. The concert highlights the pre-race activities leading into the speedway’s 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoff race, the opening race of the Round of 12.

Texas Motor Speedway is offering fans premier access to enjoy the concert and the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 driver introductions with the purchase of a Sunday Pre-Race Pass ticket upgrade while supplies last. While the pre-race concert is free with any race ticket, Sunday Pre-Race Pass holders will move from the grandstands to the front of the stage for the Daughtry concert, driver introductions, and more.

Daughtry is one of the most visible and consistently successful Rock & Roll bands on tour, having sold more than nine million albums and 16 million singles worldwide as well as selling out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled Daughtry, was the top-selling album of 2007, producing four Top 20 Platinum-selling singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the fastest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history. It was also nominated for four Grammy Awards and won four American Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards, including Album of the Year.

Daughtry returned to their hard rock roots with the release of their sixth studio album, Dearly Beloved, in September 2021 that included the singles “World on Fire”, “Heavy is the Crown” and “Lioness”.

“We’re honored to announce Daughtry as the pre-race concert for this year’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500,” said Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Rob Ramage. “The tremendous energy the band always brings to the stage and their lengthy catalog of great hits will have our NASCAR race fans singing along to every song leading into the green flag of our NASCAR Cup Series playoff race. Daughtry’s performance is a great addition to the full schedule of entertainment and motorsports competition we have planned for the entire week.”

Texas Motor Speedway will play host to the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs on Sept. 24-25. The weekend will be highlighted by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, Sept. 24(2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, and PRN), and the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday, Sept. 25 (2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, PRN, and 95.9 The Ranch).

The newly renovated Lil’ Texas Motor Speedway 1/5-mile dirt track will kick off the weekend of racing with the inaugural C. Bell’s MICRO MANIA. The four-day event (Sept. 21-24) features practice on Wednesday (Sept. 21), qualifying races Thursday and Friday (Sept. 22-23) and mains and finals Saturday (Sept. 24). Micro Sprints are smaller versions of full-sized sprint cars with side-mounted 600cc motorcycle engines that can generate 140 horsepower with similar chassis and body styles to the larger versions. NASCAR stars currently confirmed to participate include Christopher Bell, two-time NASCAR Cups Series Champion Kyle Busch and his son Brexton Busch.

TICKETS:
For ticket information for the September 24-25 NASCAR Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 weekend, including individual day tickets for C. Bell’s Micro Mania, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

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

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 08.17.22

By
Official Release
-

This Week in Motorsports: August 15-21, 2022

· NCS/NXS/ARCA: Watkins Glen International – August 19-21
· ARCA: Illinois State Fairgrounds – August 21
· NHRA: Brainerd International Raceway (Minnesota) – August 21

PLANO, Texas (August 17, 2022) – It’s a return to road course racing for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series as they compete at Watkins Glen International in New York this weekend. The ARCA Menards Series has two events this weekend as they also race on the dirt in Illinois, while the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series competes at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Kyle Busch makes milestone Toyota start… Kyle Busch is making his 900th career start aboard a Toyota this weekend. Since joining Toyota in 2008, Busch has won 56 races each in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Truck Series and has earned a record 91 victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Busch won Toyota’s first Cup Series race at Watkins Glen in 2008, and added an NASCAR Xfinity Series triumph in 2017.

Bell nearly added another win… Christopher Bell battled back after a mid-race spin to nearly win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday, coming up less than half-a-second short to race winner Kevin Harvick. It was Bell’s third top-five finish in the last five events as the Oklahoma-native has officially clinched his second Playoff berth in just his third full-time season on Sunday.

Reigning winner… Ty Gibbs continued to show his road course prowess as he drove to a dominating victory at Watkins Glen International last season to earn his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win. Gibbs led 43 laps (of 82). He also won the last time the series ran on a road course as he scored an impressive win in the Xfinity Series race at Road America over reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson.

Jones, Smith double-duty at the Glen… Brandon Jones and Sammy Smith are scheduled to compete in both Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event and Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race. On Saturday, they will run as teammates in Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota GR Supras, but on Friday, Smith will continue his run for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the No. 18 Toyota Camry, while Jones will look for his third ARCA win of the season in just his fourth start aboard JGR’s No. 81 Toyota Camry.

Another start for Mosack… After making his debut for JGR at the series’ first race in Portland earlier this summer, Connor Mosack will compete for Sam Hunt Racing at Watkins Glen this weekend as he makes his second series start. Mosack ran strong in Portland – earning a third-place finish in the first stage – before being caught up in an accident late in the event.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Double for Breidinger, Love… It is a big weekend for the ARCA Menards Series as they compete on the Watkins Glen road course on Friday, before turning to the dirt on Sunday at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Two Toyota drivers will compete in both events on the diverse weekend, including Toyota development driver Jesse Love and his teammate, Toni Breidinger. Seventeen-year-old Love has seven starts this season, with a season-best runner-up finish at Elko Speedway in June, while Breidinger sits fifth in the point standings on the strength of four top-10 finishes.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Brown returns to the winner’s circle, top-10… Antron Brown had a triumphant return to the top-10 in the point standings with his first win of the season, and first win for AB Motorsports, in Topeka. Brown went through a tough line-up, as he faced four of the top five in the point standings, to score the victory. Brown last won in Brainerd in 2011.

Ashley continues to impress… Justin Ashley continues to impress in his first season with Team Toyota. Ashley sits third in the standings and has been to the semi-finals or better in five of the last seven events, including a Father’s Day win in Bristol.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

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.

Team Chevy Going ‘World Wide’ at INDYCAR Season’s Final Oval

By
Official Release
-

Chevrolet going for fifth win at World Wide Technology Raceway since 2012

DETROIT (August 17, 2022) – Chevrolet drivers and the rest of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will close the oval-racing season this weekend at one of the Bowtie Brand’s most successful venues on the schedule: World Wide Technology Raceway for Saturday’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500.

The 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval is a favorite of drivers throughout the series, and especially those in the Chevrolet camp. Chevy-powered teams have won four of the six races at WWTR since INDYCAR returned to the track – formerly known as Gateway Motorsports Park – in 2017 after a 13-year absence.

Chevrolet leads in Engine Manufacturer points on the strength of nine wins and 10 pole positions in 14 races. Two of those wins came in the last short-oval event – the Iowa doubleheader in late July.

“Racing at World Wide Technology Raceway is always a great challenge from the standpoints of both drivers and engineers,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet Program Manager for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “The differences in banking and degree of turn-in on opposite ends of the track is unique from any ovals we’ve run in IndyCar in the V6 era. Although it’s not as short as Iowa, we absolutely can take some of the lessons we learned in our two strong showings there and apply them to this weekend.

“We’re at that spot in the season where every lap and every point becomes critical in the Engine Manufacturer and Driver championships,” Buckner added. “Any amount of improvement or progress over the course of an event weekend can make the difference between winning and losing a championship. We want to do everything we can to make sure we remain in good position heading to the final two races.”

Will Power, driver of Team Penske’s No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet, leads a crowded Drivers Championship race by six points over Scott Dixon. Another Team Penske driver – Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet, is fourth in points with a series-high four victories this season.

Newgarden (three wins) and Power (one win) have combined for Chevrolet’s four triumphs at WWTR since 2017. The two have finished on the podium each of the last two rounds at the circuit with Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward, No. 5 McLaren Chevrolet, finishing second to Newgarden in the previous two World Wide Technology Raceway events.

Ed Carpenter Racing team owner Ed Carpenter, driving the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet, also has a strong history at the track with a runner-up finish in 2019.

Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series wind down the 2022 season with the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 20. The race will air live starting at 6 p.m. ET on USA, the Peacock streaming service, IndyCar Radio Network affiliates and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160). Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR

· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after 14 races

· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing

· 2: Consecutive podium sweeps for Team Chevy at World Wide Technology Raceway – each with the same drivers and finishing order – Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward and Will Power

· 3: Victories at WWTR for Team Penkse’s Josef Newgarden including each of the last two years

· 4: Wins at World Wide Technology Raceway for Chevrolet since IndyCar’s return in 2017 – Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020, 2021) and Will Power (2018)

· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP

· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg

· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012

· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012

· 14: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 11 with Chevrolet. He won at Belle Isle in 2022

· 26: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer

· 41: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver

· 104: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012

· 114: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012

· 179: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

ABOUT CHEVROLET

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

KENNINGTON CONTINUES SEASON OF CONSISTENCY AT OHSWEKEN

By
Official Release
-

August 17, 2022. Showcasing a special “Super Clean” paint scheme for round 10 of the 2022 NASCAR Pinty’s Series, DJ Kennington and the #17 Super Clean Dodge team once again showed their tenacity and came away with their seventh top-ten finish of the season at Ohsweken Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario Tuesday night. Another strong result kept Kennington tied for top spot in the overall championship standings.

The first ever Pinty’s Series race on a dirt oval presented several unique challenges and the #17 Super Clean Dodge team handled them all. A first-time event, on a new track, with several U.S. based elite drivers and dirt specialists in the field along with a car that wasn’t handling quite right during practice.

Following practice, the team dug in and made changes prior to qualifying and Kennington claimed the win in his qualifying heat race, putting the #17 Super Clean machine on the front row for the 100-lap feature.

Throughout the night Kennington fought off the challenges from other competitors. He tried different racing lines in the #17 Super Clean Dodge and remained in the mix near the front of the field for the entire race.

A late caution flag set up a two-lap dash to the finish that brought all kinds of action. Kennington avoid much of the bumping and grinding to the checkers and collected a sixth-place finish in the #17 Super Clean Dodge

With three races remaining in the season, DJ Kennington is tied for the overall championship lead.

DJ Kennington Quotes:
“We were pretty sure it would be a hectic race and it sure was. I’m glad we were able to showcase the Super Clean brand and have some fun with it for this event. Great job by everyone to put this show on. I had some fun racing with the #22 car and others. Most importantly the whole team worked hard to prepare and make adjustments when we needed them, a good points day keeps us on top of the championship, that’s our focus. We’ll be back in our Castrol Edge scheme for the next race looking for another good finish.

Next up:
DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team return to Quebec to race at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec on Saturday August 27th.

TV & Live Streaming
The Pinty’s 100 will be broadcast on Sunday August 21st at 1:30PM ET on TSN and RDS2 on Saturday September 10th at 1PM ET. All races are streamed live on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and through FloRacing in the United States.

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/@djkracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/djkracing
Website www.djkracing.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DJKenningtonRacing/

JR Motorsports — NXS Watkins Glen Preview

By
Official Release
-

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Watkins Glen International
RACE: Sunoco Go Rewards 200 (82 laps / 200.9 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer has one start at the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International. He started 23rd and finished 10th in this race last season.
• Mayer has eight starts on road courses in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has tallied one top-five and four top-10 finishes. His best finish of fifth on a road course came earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas.
• With five races remaining until the NXS Playoffs begin, Mayer currently sits 131 points above the playoff cutline.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Tire Pros “Summer for Heroes” Chevrolet
• Josh Berry heads to The Glen this weekend where he’ll make his first NXS start at the 2.45-mile road course.
• In five NXS starts on road courses, Berry has two top fives and three top 10s. His best finish of third came earlier this season at Road America.
• The No. 8 will highlight Tire Pros “Summer for Heroes” giving campaign this weekend as they aim to raise funds to benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation.
• Berry and teammate Justin Allgaier are tied with six stage wins, the second-most in NXS competition this season.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has made two starts at Watkins Glen, finishing both in the top 10 (seventh and ninth).
• On road courses in his NXS career, Gragson has earned eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 19 starts.
• Gragson earned his 10th stage win at Michigan, giving him the most stage victories in the NXS in 2022.
• Through 21 races, Gragson and the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet team have tallied three wins, 11 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. Gragson has also led 472 laps, third-best in the series this season.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Dating back to 2017, Justin Allgaier has placed fourth or better in his last four NXS races at Watkins Glen.
• Overall, the JR Motorsports driver has amassed four top fives and seven top 10s in 10 career NXS starts in upstate New York.
• Through four road course starts in 2022, Allgaier has earned a best finish of third, coming at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last month.
• In his NXS career on road courses, the Illinois native has scored three wins, 13 top fives and 26 top 10s in 43 starts

Kyle Larson
No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet
• Kyle Larson, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, will make his JRM debut in NXS competition this weekend at Watkins Glen in the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet.
• The 30-year-old California driver has a victory on the historic track in the Cup Series, leading 27 laps en route to the triumph last season.
• Larson’s previous start for the organization came in the Truck Series at Chicagoland in 2015. He finished seventh.
• This will be the third of four starts for the Hendrick Cars entry with JRM this season. William Byron made two previous efforts that netted a runner-up finish at Texas.

Driver Quotes

“We have had really good cars on road courses this season and it’ll be nice to get back to that style of racing this weekend. I have a couple races at Watkins Glen under my belt in both the Xfinity car and the Truck Series, and we were fast in both last year. I know when we unload this weekend we will have that same speed and hopefully we can put it all together and be battling for the win at the end.” – Sam Mayer

“I’m looking forward to getting back toWatkins Glen this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Watkins Glen has always been a place that I have enjoyed going to and we have been really strong there over the last few years. Hopefully we can keep that going again this weekend and be in contention for the win when it counts. We’re ready to get there and see what we can do.” – Justin Allgaier

“Watkins Glen is one of a couple tracks on the schedule that I’ve never been to in these Xfinity cars, so we’ve been working really hard to make sure I am ready for this weekend. Having raced here in the trucks last year, I at least have some laps but these cars are so different. This Tire Pros team is ready and hopefully we can have anothergood run on a road course.” – Josh Berry

“Watkins Glen is fast for a road course, and we’ve been able to be in the top 10 in both our starts there with the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet. I like road course racing, and Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and the team have given me great cars this year. We have been on a roll lately, and getting a win at Watkins Glen would be good for the playoff run.” –

JRM Team Updates:
• JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen: JR Motorsports has competed at The Glen a combined 41 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 2.45-mile facility, the organization has tallied eight top fives and 24 top 10s. Jimmie Johnson holds the best finish for the organization after finishing second during the 2011 season.
• Benefitting the Gary Sinise Foundation: During the Summer for Heroes Giving Campaign, a company-wide initiative that supports American troops, veterans, first responders and their families through unique programs designed to make a difference in the lives of everyday heroes across the country, Tire Pros customers can donate an amount of their choice on the designated Gary Sinise Foundation donation page. Their goal is to raise $1.5 million from June 1 – Aug. 31 to support our nation’s heroes. Donate now!
• Chevrolet Stage: JRM drivers Sam Mayer and Josh Berry will be at the Team Chevy display in the Watkins Glen International fan zone on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 1 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Hendrick Motorsports souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug. 20, starting at 12:15 p.m. “Racing on Saturday obviously gets you extra laps, but I also think getting into a rhythm with those laps in the Xfinity car really helps going to the Cup car. We had a really good weekend (doing double duty) at Road America with qualifying and the race. My goal with Xfinity is to get into a rhythm quickly, hopefully battle for the win on Saturday and have those additional laps benefit us on Sunday.” – Kyle Larson

Advance Discount Tickets Now Available for ARCA Menards Series Season Finale at Toledo Speedway

By
Official Release
-

Advance discount tickets to the ARCA Menards Series season finale at Toledo Speedway are now available at northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan Menards locations. Tickets to the Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Imaging, slated for Saturday, October 8, can be purchased for just $20, a savings of $10 off the race-day ticket price.

The Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Imaging will determine the ARCA Menards Series champion, marking the first time since 2011 that the series title has been determined at the series’ home track.

The day’s schedule will feature practice and qualifying for the ARCA Menards Series, an on-track autograph session with each of the drivers entered in the Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Images, as well as several former championship-winning drivers and team owners. Toledo Speedway will also crown season champions in the Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman and The Vault Antiques and Treasures Factory Stock divisions, with the 200-lap main event putting an exclamation point on the on-track activities at 4 pm ET.

“It’s a tradition for a lot of tracks to end their season with a big weekend, and the Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Imaging will be big for sure,” said ARCA president and Toledo Speedway owner Ron Drager. “We have a great championship battle developing in the ARCA Menards Series between three great up-and-coming talents, Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye. Each of those drivers has shown to be outstanding, with a very bright future. We look forward to seeing which of them will end up as the 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion.”

Several former ARCA Menards Series champions have already indicated they will participate in the weekend’s activities, including 1987 and 1991 driver and owner champions Bill and Cathy Venturini, 1982 series champion and current series official Scott Stovall, 1995 champion Andy Hillenburg, and 2019 team owner champion Billy Venturini, with additional former champions expected to confirm their participation in the coming weeks.

Fans can purchase advance discount tickets to the Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Imaging by visiting Menards locations in Defiance, Findlay, Holland, Oregon, Sandusky and Toledo in Ohio, and in Ann Arbor, Belleville, Jackson, Livonia, Taylor, Warren, and Wixom in Michigan.

For complete event information, please visit ARCARacing.com.

HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Watkins Glen Advance

By
Official Release
-

COLE CUSTER
Watkins Glen Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Go Bowling at the Glen (Round 25 of 36)

● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 21

● Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International

● Layout: Seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course

● Laps/Miles: 90 laps / 220.5 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps

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

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer will make his milestone 100th career NASCAR Cup Series start when he and his No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) head to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for the penultimate road-course race of the season, Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen.

● Sunday’s 90-lap race will be Custer’s second on the seven-turn, 2.45-mile Watkins Glen circuit and his 14th Cup Series start on a road course. Custer equaled his career-best Cup Series road-course finish of ninth in the July 31 event on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit. He also finished ninth in the October 2020 race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval.

● The 24-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, started 19th and finished 18th in his Cup Series debut at The Glen last year, while the annual August event during his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Custer also has raced at The Glen three times each in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and K&N Pro Series East.

● In his three Watkins Glen starts in the Xfinity Series from 2017 through 2019, all in the No. 00 SHR Ford, Custer finished in the top-12 in all three, his best resulting in a sixth-place finish in 2018. He debuted with a 12th-place finish in 2017 and added a seventh-place finish in 2019.

● Custer’s three NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races at The Glen included finishes of fifth from the pole and third from the inside-second-row starting spot in his two most recent visits in 2015 and 2016, respectively. He led 17 laps in the 2015 event.

● Prior to his ninth-place finish at Indianapolis four weekends ago, Custer qualified 10th and finished 15th in the July 3 race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. He posted stout qualifying efforts in the season’s first two road-course races – third for the March 27 event at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, and sixth for the June 12 race at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway – but late-race, multicar chaos foiled his bids for finishes deep inside the top-10 at both events.

● In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, Custer has top-10s in all three of his road-course outings, all at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. His best was his most recent, a second-place run from the pole with a race-high 39 laps led in the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry in 2016.

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

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

You equaled your best career Cup Series road-course result of ninth at the previous road-course race at Indianapolis. What are your thoughts as you head to Watkins Glen this weekend?

“Watkins Glen’s always been one of my favorite road courses just because there’s so much flow to the racetrack and how fast it is. It’s pretty much hammer down the whole time and it’s just one of those places where you can really feel the flow of the racetrack and how each corner connects with the next one.”

Do you have a favorite part of the track at Watkins Glen?

“I think it’s the esses, going through there almost wide open with guardrails on either side. It’s almost a sketchy part of the track, but it’s fast and it’s fun. I think it’s definitely one of my favorite parts of the track where you can really get after it and carry a lot of speed.”

How would you evaluate the road-course program at SHR?

“I would say, for us as an organization, we’ve been solid in the road-course races. You definitely always want to be better, but I feel like we’ve been in the mix more often than not, at least. I feel like we can run top-10 most of the time and, from there, it’s just a matter of one adjustment and one thing going right on pit road and you’re in the top-five and looking for a win. So I think it’s just a matter of fine-tuning it a little bit, but I’ve been pretty happy with our road-course cars. It’s just a matter of having the whole race play out right.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

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

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

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

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

Ford Performance Racing School Mustang: Chase Briscoe Watkins Glen Advance

By
Official Release
-

CHASE BRISCOE
Watkins Glen Advance
No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Go Bowling at the Glen (Round 25 of 36)

● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 21

● Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International

● Layout: Seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course

● Laps/Miles: 90 laps / 220.5 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps

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

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are set to compete in the fifth of six road course events of the 2022 season this Sunday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. This year’s Go Bowling at the Glen marks Briscoe’s second NASCAR Cup Series start on the seven-turn, 2.45-mile circuit. In 2021, he started 27th and finished ninth.

● In his lone Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen in 2019, Briscoe started and finished sixth.

● The 27-year-old racer from Mitchell, Indiana, has picked up two Xfinity Series wins on road courses. His first career Xfinity Series victory was in the series’ inaugural race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval in 2018. He also fulfilled his childhood dream of kissing the historic Yard of Bricks when he scored his fifth win of the 2020 season on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

● Briscoe finished among the top-10 in all but three of the 10 road-course races in which he competed in the Xfinity Series. And in his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start on a road course – the 2017 race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario – Briscoe finished seventh in a Ford F-150.

● This weekend’s race is the next-to-last event of the regular season. This year’s 16-driver playoff field will be set after the regular-season finale Aug. 27 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Briscoe sits 17th in the driver standings but is currently poised to make the Cup Series playoffs for the first time by virtue of his March 13 victory at Phoenix Raceway, provided there are no new first-time winners for this season at Watkins Glen or Daytona.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What makes Watkins Glen so different from other road courses?

“It’s not as technical as some of the others. You have to focus a lot on the balance of the car to be able to get around it. It’s a very high-speed track and there isn’t really a slow corner that you can use to set up a pass if you get behind. We’ve seen with the new car it’s been tough to pass, and guys have been really aggressive on the road courses, so I think we’ll for sure see some guys making moves that might not work.”

There are two races left in the regular season and you’re getting closer to being locked into the playoffs. Do you feel comfortable with where you are in the standings?

“I guess. It’s tough because we had a decent run at Michigan. It didn’t really hurt us in points and we came out feeling like we were going to be OK. Then at Richmond, we were running top-five for a little and in the top-10, and then the car caught on fire. That was really disappointing because we’ve been so strong on the short tracks and I felt like it was where we could put ourselves in a good place for the last two races. I still think we’re OK, but it really comes down to when Kurt (Busch) comes back and how these next two races go.”

No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

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

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser
Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

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

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

Custer to make 100th Cup career start at Watkins Glen

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

Competing in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Cole Custer is set to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Cup event at Watkins Glen International, the driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang will reach 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Ladera Ranch, California, Custer made his Cup Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2018. By then, he was competing in his second season as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for Stewart-Haas Racing. Driving the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, Custer started 30th and finished 25th in his series debut. He competed in two additional Cup races for RWR at Pocono Raceway in June and at Richmond Raceway in September, where he finished 26th in both events.

Following back-to-back runner-up results in the final Xfinity Series standings in 2018 and 2019, Custer was promoted to the NASCAR Cup Series as a full-time competitor for Stewart-Haas Racing and in the No. 41 Ford Mustang. He kicked off his rookie Cup season with a 37th-place result in the Daytona 500 following a rear end failure. He rebounded three races later by finishing ninth at Phoenix Raceway in March, which marked his first top-10 result in the Cup circuit. 

After finishing no higher than 12th through the following 11 scheduled races, Custer notched his first top-five result in the Cup Series after finishing fifth at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. Then, the Californian scored his first Cup career victory during the following weekend at Kentucky Speedway after he overtook Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. with a bold four-wide pass on the final lap and during an overtime attempt. The victory, which occurred in his 20th series start, made Custer the 194th different competitor to win in the Cup Series and it guaranteed the driver and his No. 41 SHR team a spot in the 2020 Cup Playoffs. Custer went on to record three additional top-10 results during the 26-race regular-season stretch before the Playoffs commenced. By then, Custer wrapped up the 2020 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title since he was the lone rookie contender to make the Playoffs and would finish higher in the standings than his fellow contenders (Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, Brennan Poole and Quin Houff).

After finishing no higher than 12th during the Round of 16 in the Playoffs, Custer’s title hopes came to an end as he was one of four competitors eliminated from the postseason. Nonetheless, he went on to record a ninth-place result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in October before capping off his rookie Cup season in 16th place in the final standings.

Custer, who returned to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2021, kicked off his sophomore Cup season by finishing 11th in the Daytona 500. His lone highlights throughout the season, however, were a pair of 10th-place results (Talladega Superspeedway in April and Dover International Speedway in May) as he endured an inconsistent regular season stretch that prevented him from making the 2021 Cup Playoffs. Finishing no higher than 11th during the final 10 scheduled events, Custer capped off his sophomore Cup season in 26th place in the final standings.

Through 99 previous Cup starts, Custer has achieved one victory, one pole, two top-five results, 11 top-10 results, 17 laps led and an average-finishing result of 20.7. This season, he achieved his first Cup career pole at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course in April and has recorded two top-10 results through the first 24-scheduled events, which are a pair of ninth-place runs at Atlanta Motor Speedway and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in July. He is also ranked in 25th place in the regular-season standings and trails the top-16 cutline to make the 2022 Cup Playoffs by 363 points with two regular-season events remaining to the schedule.

Custer is primed to make his 100th Cup Series career start at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 21, with the event’s coverage to occur at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

1...1,8091,8101,811...6,648Page 1,810 of 6,648