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Ty Gibbs subbing for Kurt Busch at Indianapolis

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Three days after experiencing his first start in NASCAR’s premier series in a substitute role for a former Cup Series champion, Ty Gibbs will retain his role for a second consecutive week after it was announced that he will be filling in for Kurt Busch and the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota TRD Camry for this weekend’s event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

The announcement comes as Busch has not received medical clearance to return to racing. He continues to recover from concussion-like symptoms stemming from a hard wreck during last weekend’s qualifying session at Pocono Raceway that prevented him from competing in the main event at the Tricky Triangle. Though he is set to be absent for a second consecutive week, Busch, who won at Kansas Speedway in May and is in contention to qualify for the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs, has received a medical waiver from NASCAR to remain eligible for the Playoffs that is set to commence in September.

Both Busch and 23XI Racing took to social media to unveil the news regarding Busch’s health status and plans for Indianapolis.

Gibbs also took to social media to address the news for this weekend at Indianapolis.

This weekend’s event at Indianapolis will mark Gibbs’ second career start in the Cup Series. Last weekend at Pocono, he rallied from starting at the rear of the field to initially finish in 18th place in his Cup debut before being promoted to 16th place when his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were disqualified from finishing first and second due to a failed post-race inspection.

Gibbs, the reigning ARCA Menards Series champion and the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs from Charlotte, North Carolina, currently competes as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor in the No. 54 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. Through the first 19-scheduled events, he has achieved four victories and 11 top-10 results, including a runner-up result from last weekend’s Xfinity event at Pocono. He currently sits in third place in the Xfinity regular-season standings and trails the points lead by 22 points.

Gibbs will also be making his second and third career starts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his Xfinity-Cup double-duty role this weekend. He made his first start at Indy a year ago in the Xfinity circuit, where he earned stage points during both stage segments before setting in 19th place of the 36-car field.

Gibbs’ second career start in the NASCAR Cup Series is set to occur at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on Sunday, July 31, with the event’s coverage to occur at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Rev Racing Announces Primary Sponsorship Agreement with Group 1001 and Gainbridge, Supporting Competitive Advancement and Team Initiatives

By
Official Release
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Concord, NC – Rev Racing, a National minority-owned organization managing the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, announced today a partnership agreement with Group 1001 and Gainbridge to be the primary sponsors for the remainder of the 2022 season and beyond. Group 1001, a financial services enterprise, is known for investing in strategic partnerships as part of its mission to transform communities through sports and education. Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, and digital platform offering financial products is fully invested in racing as a vehicle for brand growth. Together they will support Rev Racing’s efforts to drive more diversity into the field of motorsports.

“We are thrilled to enter into a partnership agreement with Gainbridge and Group 1001,” said Rev Racing owner Max Siegel. “They are best-in-class in their market and have continued to show commitment to creating cultural impact through their strategic partnership alignments.”

Rev Racing, which is responsible for developing female and ethnically diverse drivers along with pit crew members for future competition at NASCAR’s highest levels, saw immediate alignment with Group 1001 and Gainbridge and their shared mission and focused-initiatives within the sport and beyond.

“We’re excited to see Rev Racing continuing to elevate the program by establishing a strategic partnership with Group 1001 and Gainbridge,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s VP of Diversity & Inclusion. “NASCAR and Rev Racing are committed to developing female and ethnically diverse athletes in stock car racing. A mission that aligns with Group 1001’s promise to the advancement of communities through sports and education.”

Rev Racing is co-owned by Max Siegel and Jennifer Satterfield-Siegel. In the early years of the Team’s inception, Rev Racing earned the 2012 K&N NASCAR Pro Series Season Championship title. Thereafter, they have garnered an impressive set of accomplishments to include 25 wins, 117 top 5s, and 229 top 10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East/ARCA Menards Series, with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points in every season. As owners of Rev Racing, the Siegels have taken the program to new heights, providing opportunities to 65+ minority and female drivers, 125+ pit crew members, and 25+ internships over the last 13 years. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson are graduates of Rev Racing and testaments of the team’s mission in action.

“Group 1001 has a proven methodology, which is showcased through their educational and development programs and their investment in the motorsports space and the next generation of athletes and professionals,” said Siegel. “Our mission and vision could not be more aligned. It is an honor to bring them on board as we continue on our pursuit of a 2022 championship.”

Group 1001 will be an instrumental contributor to advancing Rev Racing and its team members, providing the resources to facilitate a heightened level of athlete development and expanded avenues for national series preparation and advancement. “Rev Racing was an instrumental part of my career development,” said Daniel Suaréz. “It was a good experience and education in team racing, human relations and personal development.”

“We’re extremely excited to join the Rev Racing family,” said Dan Towriss, Group 1001 CEO and President. “The recent success of driver Daniel Suaréz is proof that Rev Racing works, and together we will be able to help more competitors from diverse backgrounds reach their goals at the highest levels of competition.”

The Gainbridge brand will be debuted in the ARCA Menards Series schedule at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet of Nick Sanchez and the No. 6 Gainbridge Chevrolet of Rajah Caruth on July 29th. Gainbridge, Group 1001 and Rev Racing will work together to establish partnership goals that create a more diverse and inclusive sport as well as a continued-focus to enact positive change in motorsports, our communities and beyond.

ABOUT Rev Racing: Rev Racing is the competition arm of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program and serves as the NASCAR-supported racing team charged with developing female and minority drivers, and pit crew members in the NASCAR development series for future competition at NASCAR’s highest levels. It seeks to obtain the highest quality applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. Started by Max Siegel in 2009, Rev Racing manages the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. Rev Racing currently operates and manages drivers in the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and a youth racing initiative. Learn more at https://revracing.net/.

ABOUT Group 1001

Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001”), an insurance holding company in the United States with current combined assets under management of $58 billion as of March 31, 2022, is a financial services enterprise focused on setting a new standard in the insurance industry by making insurance more useful and intuitive for everyone. Group 1001 insurance brands include: Delaware Life, Gainbridge, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Insurance, and recently acquired Guggenheim Life. Group 1001 and its subsidiaries have a strong commitment to service and community transformation and invest in strategic partnerships as part of their mission to transform communities through sports and education. Learn more at www.group1001.com.

ABOUT Gainbridge

Gainbridge Insurance Agency, LLC (“Gainbridge”), a Group 1001 company, is a digital platform that allows you to invest in trusted financial products wherever you are, whenever you want, that are simple, intuitive and backed by smart technology. For more information, visit gainbridge.life

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course

By
Official Release
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Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, July 31 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC

In the 2022 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned one top five, five top-10 finishes and has led 22 laps
 

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Gold Fish Casino Slots Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger earned Kaulig Racing its first-ever win in the NCS
  • Allmendinger’s win came at the first-ever road-course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the NCS
  • Allmendinger has earned two top-10 finishes led two laps, and has an average finish of 18.5 in the 2022 NCS season

“Being a part of Kaulig Racing’s first Cup Series win will always be so special to me. Heading back to Indy for the first time since then will be a surreal feeling. This is a place we have had circled on our calendar, and hopefully all the hard work will pay off.

On the Xfinity side, we have had some great runs on road courses this year and had the opportunity to win two of those road courses. Knowing that, I think we will be even more eager to beat our runner-up finish from last year.” – AJ Allmendinger on Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • In inaugural event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in the NCS, Justin Haley earned a seventh-place finish
  • He has earned one top five, two top 10 and and nine top-15 finishes in 2022
  • Haley’s third-place finish at Darlington was Kaulig Racing’ first top-five not at a superspeedway or road course
  • Haley has led 20 laps in the 2022 season

“I’m really excited go to Indy, my home track. It’s one I look forward to every year with having friends and family there. Last year, I had one of my best finishes in the Cup Series on the Road Course, so knowing that we have the opportunity to contend, especially with my teammate, AJ Allmendinger, brings us some confidence.” – Justin Haley on Indianapolis Motor Speedway  
 
Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, July 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC

Kaulig Racing has earned two wins, 12 top five and 30 top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
The team has led 292 laps in the 2022 NXS season so far
Allmendinger: 222 laps
Hemric: 53 laps
Cassill: 17 Laps
 

Landon Cassill, No. 10 StormX Chevrolet

Landon Cassill has earned three top five and eight top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season and has an average finish of 15.9
He has led 17 laps in the 2022 NXS season

“I am excited to head to Indianapolis for another road course race this season. We have been so strong at road courses so far, which makes it even more exciting preparing for the weekend. With a teammate like, AJ (Allmendinger) who won here last year in the Cup series, I know we will really lean on him throughout the weekend. I think this will be a chance for us to step it up knowing how much speed we’ve had at the road courses this year.” – Landon Cassill on Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 AG1 Chevrolet

Daniel Hemric has earned two top fives and eight top-10 finishes in the 2022 NXS season
Daniel Hemric has an average finish of 15.9 in 2022 and has led 53 laps in 2022

“Kaulig Racing’s road-course program has proven to be strong all year, and that makes us really eager to get to Indy. We have had a few really great runs at the last couple of road courses, even if the finishes didn’t show it. I know this is one track we will be able to maximize the day and be able to contend if we stay clean until the end.” – Daniel Hemric on Indianapolis Motor Speedway

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet

  • Allmendinger earned a runner-up finish at last year’s NXS race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
  • He has earned a win for Kaulig Racing in four-straight NXS seasons
  • In 2022, Allmendinger has led 222 laps, recorded two wins, eight top five and 16 top-10 finishes
  • Allmendinger has an average finish of 7.3, the best of any full-time NXS driver in 2022
  • Allmendinger has 16 top-10 finishes, the most of any full-time NXS driver in the 2022 season

 

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Austin Cindric Indianapolis Advance

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Indianapolis Advance | Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series, is headed back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, a place where he won last year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race on the road course. He spoke about his hopes this weekend as part of a weekly Ford media Zoom call with reporters.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang — WOULD YOU HAVE LIKE A SHOT AT SUBBING FOR NEWGARDEN? “No. I think my focus is certainly on the Cup race on Sunday. I know Santino is signficantly more qualified than myself to do that job, so obviously they’ve got a plan. I really hope Joseph can do the race because I think he’s a strong championship contender. Even without the issue they had at Iowa you think about the year that they’ve had and the speed that they’ve had, so hopefully Joseph can get in the thing, but I know Santino can do the job otherwise.”

THIS IS THE FIRST CROSSOVER WEEKEND WITH INDYCAR THAT WON’T HAVE COVID RESTRICTIONS. WHAT WILL THIS LOOK LIKE NOW THAT YOU CAN ALL BE TOGETHER? “I guess we on the Cup side last year dropped the ball on sweeping the weekend. Obviously, we don’t have an XFINITY car this year, so there’s no chance to do that. Otherwise, I’m actually excited that I don’t have to race on Saturday in the XFINITY race because I actually get to watch Indy Car race and kind of just do it at my leisure at the conclusion of Cup practice and qualifying. I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to getting to watch those guys. I’ve been a pretty passionate Indy Car fan my entire life and in the 2 hauler if there’s a session on Peacock I’m usually watching it, whether it’s practice or qualifying or even the race. I’m excited to get to watch in person and also excited to get to go to Penske hospitality and have some really good food because it’s definitely better than what we normally pull out of the fridge.”

DID YOU MAKE ANY OVERTURES AT ALL ABOUT SUBBING AND IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO? “Obviously, I’ll be back and forth for sure. I know my way around that group, so definitely not a stranger. I would say I certainly feel at home in some ways going around there in RP1 or the Paddock or whatever you want to call it. As far as wanting to start in Indy Car, absolutely. It’s something I’ve watched the drivers I’ve idolized and looked up to my entire life are mostly Indy Car drivers. I come from that world and I’d love to get a taste of that some day. I’m not gonna set a timeline or prediction of that, but I can tell you right now is probably not that time. I think focusing on my Cup career is the highest of importance, but I’ve been a guy that’s always loved driving different things and not just being specialized in a certain field. I’d certainly love to do that one day and maybe the opportunity will come.”

SO YOU DIDN’T EVEN ASK T.C.? “No. When it comes for the team that I drive for now if they need someone and they think I’m that guy, they’ll probably come and get me. Otherwise, I think asking is probably not the right move.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED NASCAR DISQUALIFIED ANOTHER TEAM AND WHAT ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF HOW TEAMS ARE GOING TO APPROACH THEIR CARS AFTER SEEING NASCAR’S RULINGS THIS WEEK? “I’m not a technically-minded individual on the race team, so take this with a grain of salt, but from my perspective as someone in the industry I think NASCAR wants to be taken seriously on modifications. That’s as simple as it comes. It’s obviously at their discretion to figure out what’s worse than the next, but as far as the penalties that have been dished out this week, yeah, it’s been a pretty heavy week on that side of things, but NASCAR wants to be taken seriously for sure.”

HOW DO YOU SEE THE INDY ROAD COURSE COMPARED TO OTHERS YOU’VE RACED? “I think from a NASCAR driver’s perspective, from what I experienced last year and even re-watching the race, the circuit itself isn’t the most challenging. There are no blind corners really. I feel like it’s a fairly flat surface and fairly even grip throughout the surface, but I think the restarts are pretty wild. Being able to calculate those out correctly. You can lose a lot of spots. You saw guys who were pretty much dominating the race last year not be able to capitalize on some late-race restarts and that cost them the win. I think from that perspective, the restarts at the IMS road course in NASCAR are probably the most challenging thing for a driver.”

IF WE GET GUYS IN FRONT OF YOU THAT GET A FIRST WIN LIKE BLANEY, TRUEX OR HARVICK ARE YOU THINKING YOU MAY HAVE TO WIN AGAIN TO LOCK YOURSELF IN? “Yeah, I think you just described the scenario without me having to really go too far in-depth. Those are obviously the possibilities and, yeah, a second win is absolutely the best way for any driver to ensure themselves a solid lock into the playoffs. If we can go out and win two races, yeah. That’s us. That’s a job well done. Obviously, regular season points don’t matter. They still count for the playoff points that you get once you start in the playoffs and I don’t want to start 30 points back to start the thing, so we’re still chasing after wins and playoff points and the best way we can do that is to win races.”

ARE YOU PLANNING AN ENCORE OF DOWN HOME IN INDIANA IF YOU GET THAT SECOND CUP WIN? “I think you can count on it.”

WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FORDS ARE GETTING BEAT? “I guess when I say I’m not technically minded I don’t get paid to be technically minded. I can be as educated as I can be as long as I feel like I”m dangerous with what I have, but as far as Ford as an OEM in NASCAR right now, I think there’s been tracks where we’ve been really strong and there are tracks where we’ve been really weak. I think there’s been times where that’s been more aggressive and probably less consistent and trying to figure out is that a team thing? Is that a car thing? Is that engines, aero, whatever it may be? We’re still trying to get data points. I think it’s important, but Pocono certainly wasn’t a great weekend for us as a company. Obviously, there were other Fords that were able to run strong. I feel like Kevin Harvick was someone who should have finished in the top five without getting taken out there at the end. It’s not doom and gloom and it certainly doesn’t look great when our best car finishes 22nd on the day. Pocono certainly wasn’t a great weekend by any means and I think Michigan is probably one we have circled on the schedule that we’re probably bound to learn a lot – good or bad. I think even road course-wise we can make improvements. I don’t think any of us are happy with exactly where we’ve been as a team. We want to be able to contend for race wins every weekend and not be satisfied with a solid top 10. I know that’s a lot for me to say as a rookie, but I’m only here to win races and to run up front. That’s what I want to do and trying to figure out how I can help steer the ship and be as productive as possible.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE REGULAR SEASON AFTER WINNING THE 500? “As things have gone after Daytona, Daytona certainly being the best day of my life – first Cup Series win, first race in the 2 car, probably nothing could go any better than how it did. I would say everything has been fairly par for the course in my opinion. There have been highs and there’s been lows. There have been times where I’ve been competitive and I’ve known why, and there’s been times I’ve been uncompetitive and don’t really understand why. I think it’s been a challenging year in that sense as far as everyone is learning at a very fast pace and trying to be able to evaluate yourself and where you can be better and finding strengths and weaknesses – even as I just talked about. It’s not easy to identify where those strengths and weaknesses are yet because you have to be able to do that to understand how you can be more consistent. From that standpoint, I’m happy with the progression I’ve made within the team, with the guys that I work with, with Jeremy, with Doug, all the guys on the 2 car. I feel like we’re really getting at a decent spot within our team to try and generate some consistency. We’ve had consistent results with Pocono being the anomaly over the last few months, so it’s been a challenge to go through that, but I think everybody does at this stage of their career.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR INDY THIS YEAR? “Road courses have been strong for us this year, but not as strong as I would have liked, so hopefully we can turn that into top 10 consistency and top 5 consistency at the IMS road course. I think you look at the storylines from that race last year, unfortunately, had a lot to do with the racetrack itself. I feel like this year with the exception of track limits probably similar to what we dealt with at COTA. Hopefully, it’s an exciting race and pit strategy always comes into play on road courses as well as the stage strategy, so I’m looking forward to it and looking forward to trying to get our 2 car up front.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PLAYOFFS? “I’ve watched the Cup Series for a long time and it always seems like the first round of the playoffs everyone loses it. The pressure is high. The aspirations are high and those first couple races of the playoffs it’s kind of all over the place. I look back at the season and I feel like most of our races have looked like that, so I don’t know if that’s amplified in the playoffs or something different, but I feel like the competition is as close as it’s been all year. I certainly expect that continue in the playoffs.”

HOW FAR CAN YOU GO? “I’d like to go all the way to the end. That’s the goal, but I have to keep my expectations realistic and from where we’ve been all season, I’d like to make it past the first round and anything from there would be a bonus for me if I look at it realistically.”

ANY CHANCE FOR YOU TO RUN IMSA AT ALL? “I raced at the Rolex 24 this past year. That’s a race that I am pretty passionate about and I’ve worked pretty hard in my career to find competitive rides in and it’s kind of the only race during our season that I can do in IMSA. I’ve already started laying the groundwork for that event in 2023 to try and get my first watch there. That would be where I’m at, but focus is pretty hard on the season for the moment.”

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF THIS YEAR? “I think what really helps any race team is consistency and if that’s working with different people to get the communication right – and I feel like I’ve mentioned that quite a few times – but I do value quite a lot the things I do during the week to prepare and be prepared and come armed with the best knowledge I can so when I show up at the racetrack all I’m doing is driving in the race car and doing my job and executing. If anything else pops up, we’re able to react a lot more freely, so from that standpoint I feel like that’s been a big improvement for us as a group, which I think will happen at all times, but it’s not different for me anymore. Racing on Sundays last year was different. It’s a different mentality, a different approach, different competitors, different field of cars. The races play out differently. They’re longer and all those things are quite normal for me now, where at the beginning of the season I had to kind of remind myself and make some offsets and now I feel like it’s business as usual and that goes a long way.”

IS THIS A RACE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE TO WIN SINCE IT’S ROGER’S TRACK AND WHERE DOES INDY RANK AS FAR AS A WIN? “I think for who I drive for it is, next to the Daytona 500, the biggest race I could win. Between the Daytona 500 and the championship race in Phoenix, Indy is absolutely one of the most important races I can win as a Team Penske driver, but it goes a lot deeper for me than just racing for Roger. My family’s history and what I’ve been exposed to in racing all really circles back to Indianapolis, so it’s a pretty special track on the schedule. Do I think I have to win? No. Do I want to win? Absolutely. Do I want to do everything I can to make that happen? Absolutely.”

YOU HAVE F1 DRIVERS LIKE KIMI COMING UP AT THE GLEN AND KVYAT THIS WEEKEND. WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE TO RACE AGAINST BOTH OF THEM? “Daniil is a late add, but it would certainly be interesting to hear his perspective on what we do. Racing in Europe is so different than in the states. Obviously, it’s the same sport and it’s cars on racetracks, but the mentality of how you go about it is quite a bit different. It would be interesting to get his take, whether if it’s listening to what you guys ask him in the media or any other experience he may have. But Kimi will be really cool as well. I’m hoping that we can peel him off into one of our rookie meetings just for the hell of it, but definitely two interesting perspectives to add for our sport.”

ARE YOU CONFIDENT EVERYTHING WITH THE TRACK WILL BE BETTER THIS YEAR AND THERE WON’T BE ISSUES LIKE WE SAW A YEAR AGO? “The issues that we saw last year I absolutely believe will not be there anymore with curbs coming off. That’s worst-case scenario and even if we were racing on the same track I don’t think we would have those problems with the Next Gen car. Our cars last year were so low to the ground that the leading edge of the splitter was the sharpest, smallest part of the car and one of the strongest, so that is probably not surprising that temporary curbing eventually gets abused, but there’s no more temporary curbs. There are full concrete curbs buried under the racetrack, very similar to the curbing that’s in the essess and throughout the rest of the circuit. Do I have any concerns about durability for the track? Absolutely not. I think just from my officiating standpoint there’s probably gonna be more of a look this weekend, like I said before, similar to COTA when it comes to track limits. NASCAR has kind of started putting out the language for that and I don’t think the track is completely sold as far as this is the best-case scenario, but it’s certainly better than last year and I think there have been ideas floating around for in the future of how do we make it to where it’s a much more self-policing racetrack and something that’s officiated, but, otherwise, yeah, I think we’re in a lot better place than last year with last year’s cars.”

DO YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENT AREAS TO PASS THIS YEAR WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR? “I would say no. Tire wear has been very interesting at road courses. As you know, you go somewhere like COTA that is obviously a pretty abrasive surface, but didn’t have much tire fall off, but then you go to Sonoma and it’s normal Sonoma and Road America it’s normal Road America – you’ve got big tire fall off. I’m interested to see what IMS is gonna be like. I feel like it could go either way. I feel like the passing zones will be very similar and like I said before I think restarts at IMS are pretty wild, especially you’ve got opportunity corner number one when you have the opportunity to go four or five-wide into the brake zone. I would say maybe from a durability standpoint of the car guys will probably be more likely to use fenders than last year. The steel fenders could get crumpled pretty easy, whereas this car you can bounce off of each other fairly easily and not have any damage as long as you don’t break any toe links, so I think that will probably come into play – having composite bodies more than anything else.”

GMS Racing NCWTS Race Preview: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

By
Official Release
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Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Stats

  • Grant Enfinger will make his first NCWTS start at IRP on Friday.
  • ARCA Starts: 4, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 4th (2014), Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 3, Laps led: 26

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 16, Best start: 3rd, Best finish: 2nd (Charlotte), Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 7, Laps led: 30, Current points position: 9th
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Chassis History/Info: Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 329 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. This Chevrolet was built in 2020, and has raced at a few different types of tracks, including intermediates and flat tracks. This season, Enfinger has raced with this chassis twice, posting an eighth place finish at Martinsville, and most recently finishing 11th at Texas.
  • IRP Notebook: It’s been a few years since Grant Enfinger last visited Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, but he was no slouch in the races he ran. The veteran competed in four ARCA Menards Series starts at IRP from 2011-2015, and posted top-10 finishes in all but one of those races. A short track racer by trade, Enfinger has had this race highlighted on his calendar since the day the race was announced. Grant looks to use this experience to his benefit, as he is one of only a handful of NCWTS drivers that have previously raced at the facility.
  • FearTheFinger Playoffs Profile: Grant Enfinger will have the chance to race for a championship after successfully qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs for the fourth time in his career. Having previously qualified for the playoffs in 2018, 2019 (where he won the regular season championship), and 2020, the veteran knows what it takes to contend for the title during the final seven races of the year. So far in the 2022 campaign, the driver of the No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet has earned three top-fives and seven top-10 finishes, in addition to leading 30 laps. Entering the first race of the postseason, Enfinger is seeded ninth in the standings, three points below the cutline for the Round of 8. Key finishes in the next three events at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Richmond Raceway, and Kansas Speedway will be at the top of his priority list as he looks to advance further along in the championship hunt. - GE Quote: “Finally, we’ve made it to the start of the playoffs. Our regular season really didn’t go to plan for us on the No. 23 team, but the playoffs give us a great opportunity to completely flip our season. I’m looking forward to getting the Round of 10 started by visiting two short tracks back to back. Personally, I feel like the trucks should have never left racing at IRP, so I’m excited to get back there. Tire wear is going to be huge, so that’s going to give us an opportunity to have some comers and goers. I love racing at tracks that have a lot of fall off, where we’re able to fight for grip, so hopefully that will play to our advantage on Friday night.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevrolet Military Appreciation Chevrolet Silverado RST

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Stats

  • Jack Wood will make his first career start in any series at IRP on Friday.

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 16, Best start: 10th, Best finish: 13th (Atlanta), Current points position: 25th
  • About The GM Military Appreciation Program: Recognizing your commitment with one of our own. The men and women of the U.S. Military are devoted to giving their all in the line of duty. In recognition of this bravery, the GM Military Appreciation offer is our promise to give service members the special offer they deserve. The special offer on eligible, new vehicles is available to the following: Active Duty members, Reservists, National Guard members, all Veterans and Retirees of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and their sponsored spouse. To learn more about the program, visit www.GMMilitaryDiscount.com.
  • Chassis History/Info: Wood and the No. 24 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 337 in Indianapolis on Friday. This chassis has been raced two previous times this season with Jack behind the wheel, and made its debut in the 2021 race at Gateway, where it dominated with Sheldon Creed. This Silverado RST has been primarily raced on the flat tracks, such as Gateway and Phoenix.
  • Sunoco ROTY Update: Following a crash at Pocono Raceway resulting in a 33rd place finish, Jack Wood has some ground to make up in the chase for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Entering Friday’s race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Wood, currently fourth in the rookie standings, 62 points out of the lead and 23 markers back from his nearest competitor in Dean Thompson.
  • JW Quote: “I’m looking forward to racing at IRP for the first time and focusing on the short tracks for the next few weeks. The past three races have definitely been a struggle with our No. 24 team that we did not see coming, but there’s not another group that I would rather have behind my back than the guys that I have on our team. It’s a bummer that we weren’t able to make the playoffs this year, but having the support of everyone at Chevrolet and GMS Racing has been great, and we still have a handful of races left to run this year to end the season on a high note. I want to congratulate Grant and the No. 23 team for making the playoffs; I know they are going to go out there and put up a great fight for the organization. Our number one goal for the rest of the season is to go out there and put together the best seven races that we possibly can, and that all starts with this weekend in Indy.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Corey Heim – No. 51 Crescent Tools Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks IRP Preview

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Official Release
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Corey Heim: Driver, No. 51 Crescent Tools Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: TSport 200 presented by Crescent Tools
Race 17 of 23, 200 Laps – 60/60/80; 137.2 Miles
Location: Lucas Oil Indianapolis (Ind.) Raceway Park (IRP) (0.686-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: July 29, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Story on Corey:

Corey Heim and the No. 51 team head to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for Friday night’s TSport 200 presented by Crescent Tools. Crescent Tools, a premier hand tool brand from Apex Tool Group, will serve as a primary sponsor on Heim’s Tundra TRD Pro for four of the final seven races this season, beginning with the opening race of the owner’s playoffs Friday night. The No. 51 team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs via Heim’s two wins this season (Atlanta Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway). After the reseed for the playoffs, the No. 51 team enters fifth on the playoff grid with 2013 points, seven markers above the cutoff line for advancing the Round of 8.

The No. 51 team has captured the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s championship three times (2013-2014 & 2019) and as on organization KBM has collected a series-record seven owner’s titles.

While many drivers in the Truck Series don’t have any experience at IRP, since the series is visiting the Indiana track for the first time since 2011, Heim has made one start there in the ARCA Menards Series. He started second and finished fourth in the 2019 event at the 0.686-mile oval.

Across nine Truck Series starts this season, Heim has produced two wins, two poles, 64 laps led, three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 17.8. The Georgia native picked up his first career Truck Series victory in just his fifth start earlier this season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in March and was also victorious in June at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. He’s one of just three drivers to earn multiple pole awards this season. John Hunter Nemechek leads the series with four, while Ty Majeski also has two.

With two victories across his first 10 Truck Series starts, the 19-year-old driver became one of just 12 drivers in series history to net multiple victories in their first 10 starts. Kasey Kahne and Mike Skinner each produced five victories, Mark Martin collected four wins, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ted Musgrave and William Byron brought home three checkered flags and Heim, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Rich Bickle, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart all delivered two wins.

Heim is competing for the 2022 Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. Despite only having competed in nine of the 16 events so far this season, he leads the standings by 24 points over Lawless Alan. Heim will look to join three other KBM drivers that have won the award, reigning winner Chandler Smith, William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015).

In addition to his part-time Truck Series schedule Heim is competing in a six-race schedule for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series. Heim led 74 of 90 laps en route to the victory at Daytona in February to pick up his eighth career ARCA Menards Series victory. Across 40 career ARCA Menards Series starts he has produced 659 laps led, 29 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.4. Heim finished second to Ty Gibbs in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship standings.

Mardy Lindley returned to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. Lindley has led his team to six wins since coming to KBM at the start of the 2021 season, including two with Heim and one with Kyle Busch this year. In 2021, his drivers produced three victories, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001. Lindley has crew chiefed two ARCA Menards Series races at IRP, recoding an average finish of 2.5 with Mayer. He has been to victory lane at IRP as a driver, leading 31 laps en route to victory in the 2004 Hooters Pro Cup race at the 0.686-mile oval.

JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound, will be back on the No. 51 as part of their 11-race schedule with Heim when the series returns to action Aug. 13 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.

Corey Heim, Driver Q&A:
You’ve been able to go out and have a strategy to race for wins this year. Will being in the owner’s playoffs do you have to change your mindset and race for points now?
“I definitely want to put the No. 51 team in a good position to win this owner’s championship. With that being said, points racing is definitely my priority, but it doesn’t change the goal to win races week in and out.”

You’ve raced at IRP in the ARCA Menards Series. How do you think the Truck Series race will be there?
“I think IRP is a great racetrack. The groove should move around, and a full field will make the race very entertaining for the fans. I’m excited to see what kind of racing it produces.”

You’ve taken Crescent Tolls to victory lane already this year in the ARCA Menards Series. What would it mean to also be able to get them to victory lane in the Truck Series?
“I’m super excited to pilot my Crescent Tundra TRD Pro this weekend. It’s been a pleasure to have them on board in ARCA and I’m excited to be a part of their debut in a NASCAR national series race.”

Corey Heim Career Highlights:

  • Picked up first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 19, 2022 in just his fifth start. Across 12 career starts has two wins, two poles, 66 laps led, three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 17.7.
  • Made three Truck Series starts in 2021 with a best result of 11th coming at Martinsville Speedway in October.
  • Finished runner-up in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2021 after collecting six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.
  • Across 40 career ARCA Menards Series starts has eight wins, 659 laps led, 29 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.4. Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.

Corey Heim’s No. 51 Crescent Tools Tundra TRD Pro:

The No. 51 Crescent Tools team will unload KBM-62 for Friday night’s race at IRP. This Toyota has one start in 2022, a third-place finish with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in April. KBM-62’s best result across 10 starts was a runner-up finish with Busch at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in 2021.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have one top-five and one top-10 finish across two Truck Series starts at IRP resulting in an average finish of 12.0. Owner-driver Kyle Busch’s runner-up finish in 2010 was the organization’s best result.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (96) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Tony Stewart Racing: Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals Advance

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Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals
July 29-31 | Kent, Washington

Event Overview

Friday, July 29 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 6:45 p.m. PDT/9:45 p.m. EDT

Saturday, July 30 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 2 p.m. PDT/5 p.m. EDT

● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4:45 p.m. PDT/7:45 p.m. EDT

Sunday, July 31 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 10:30 a.m. PDT/1:30 p.m. EDT

● Round 2: 12:30 p.m. PDT/3:30 p.m. EDT

● Semi-Finals: 2:10 p.m. PDT/5:10 p.m. EDT

● Finals: 3:35 p.m. PDT/6:35 p.m. EDT

TV coverage

● Saturday, July 30: Qualifying show recapping Friday’s action (11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, July 31: Qualifying show recapping Saturday’s action (11:30 a.m. PDT/2:30 p.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, July 31: Finals show (1 p.m. PDT/4 p.m. EDT on FOX)

Notes of Interest

● The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, marks the culmination of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ three-week long Western Swing and the series’ return to the Seattle area after a two-year absence. The two previous events of the Western Swing were the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals July 15-17 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals last weekend at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals is the 13th event on the NHRA’s 22-race calendar.

● Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) will be represented in Top Fuel by 10-time event winner Leah Pruett and in Funny Car by three-time champion Matt Hagan. Pruett and Hagan enter Seattle representing Sparkling Ice +Caffeine and Dodge Power Brokers, respectively.

● Sparkling Ice +Caffeine is a zero sugar, full-flavored sparkling water containing 70 milligrams of caffeine, along with vitamins and antioxidants. Sparkling Ice +Caffeine comes in six refreshing flavors: Black Raspberry, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Vanilla, Orange Passion Fruit, Strawberry and Citrus Twist. Pruett has served as an ambassador for Sparkling Ice since 2014 and the brand has been a part of all 10 of her Top Fuel victories.

● The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience. Dodge//SRT and Mopar have supported Hagan since his rookie season in 2009.

● In the first two races of the Western Swing, TSR has delivered. Pruett won the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals to collect her second Wally at Bandimere, while Hagan secured the No. 1 qualifying position for the fourth time this season. Then at Sonoma, Pruett earned her first No. 1 qualifier of the year and her second at the track. It was TSR’s first Top Fuel pole in its inaugural season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series but its fifth overall No. 1 qualifier, as Hagan has secured the pole four times this season in Funny Car.

● Pruett is currently tied with Shawn Langdon for sixth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 381 points behind leader Brittany Force. Hagan, meanwhile, is second in the Funny Car championship standings, 144 points behind leader Robert Hight.

● The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 184th career Top Fuel start and her fifth at Pacific Raceways. For Hagan, this will be his 306th career Funny Car start and his 12th at the track.

● Pruett is eyeing her first victory in the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals. She advanced to the final in 2018, where her 3.849 ET at 320.13 mph run was narrowly defeated by Antron Brown’s 3.835 ET at 322.84 mph run. Pruett is seeking her first No. 1 qualifier at the event.

● Hagan won the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals in 2013. His 4.171 ET at 294.75 mph run defeated Bob Tasca III (5.324 ET at 164.81 mph). Hagan also has one No. 1 qualifier at the event, which came in 2018 (3.913 ET at 324.75 mph).

● On Thursday at 3:30 p.m. PDT at the Fred Meyer in Maple Valley, Washington (26520 Maple Valley Black Diamond Road SE), Pruett will participate in a Sparkling Ice meet and greet.

● DYK? Pacific Raceways was constructed in 1959 and opened in 1960. Since 1988, the track has been home to the NHRA Northwest Nationals. In addition to the drag strip, Pacific Raceways also features a 2.25-mile road course that is utilized by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and other road-racing series.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Top Fuel Dragster

Seattle marks the culmination of the NHRA’s three-week Western Swing. Having completed all the rounds in Denver and following it up with a strong weekend in Sonoma, what are your expectations as you and the team head into Pacific Raceways?

“I believe our performance over the Western Swing is extremely important to the quality of performance we’re going to be able to show in Seattle. We don’t have an extraordinary amount of mechanical work to do on our parts like you would expect going into the last race. We still have our highest performing superchargers and all of our blocks. We probably have the least amount of damage compared to other teams. That means we get to end the swing like we began it, with quality parts. We’re more educated on what our raceday routine is like and have been improving upon that. It’ll be nice to have Seattle be the culmination of our Western Swing and end it solidly. From an energy perspective, it’s a long couple of weeks, but we’re more excited than ever. You go into the Swing with some big question marks and it looks like such a big mountain to climb, but we actually looked forward to it because we know how great we’re capable of running.”

What similarities are there between racing at Sonoma and Seattle?

“It’ll be very similar. If we were able to re-run our raceday in Sonoma, we would throw a lot more power to the car. We didn’t know it was needed, that the conditions would make that power and that the track could hold. With Seattle being so similar, it’s almost like it’s going to be our vindication, a second chance if you will. Having two comparable tracks back-to-back means everything is fresh in our minds from a tuning perspective. We already know where we missed the mark in Sonoma if we could redo our second round, so that just catapults us into the mindset of being set up for Seattle, as opposed to recreating a baseline. Seattle will be Sonoma 2.0 for us and, hopefully, with the results of Denver.”

The headquarters for the Sparkling Ice brand is located 30 miles northeast of Kent in Preston, Washington. Talk about the significance of competing in a home race for Sparkling Ice +Caffeine.

“I couldn’t think of a better race to have Sparkling Ice +Caffeine on the car, with it being their home race. For us, with it being the conclusion of the Western Swing and, hopefully, really good results to show from Seattle, we have yet to celebrate any of our momentum and our win from Denver. We’ve had a couple Sparkling Ice Cocktails here and there, but there is going to be a sigh of relief after the swing and congratulations that are well deserved for the team. We’ve saved that up to experience that with our liveliest bunch of people that really make racing a fun atmosphere. I’m looking forward to all of the colors and all of the win lights.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

Seattle marks the culmination of the NHRA’s Western Swing. How do you maintain focus and mental strength during this stretch of races?

“The Western Swing is a lot of travel, but it’s what we signed up for. We have to stay focused and stay hydrated. I plan on getting some workouts in this week, which will get me focused for raceday. I know we’re struggling a little bit right now, but in all fairness, this car will be running how we want it to right around the corner. There is not a doubt in my mind that we’ll be right back where we need to be within a race or two. We have four races left before we start this all over in the Countdown, so I’m excited about that. We’re always in the hunt and digging deep. We’re always pushing hard. I believe in my team and in my crew and I think Seattle will be our turning point for getting back on top.”

What similarities are there between racing at Sonoma and Seattle?

“Both tracks are fairly close to sea level, which means we’ll be able to carry information over from this weekend as far as horsepower, tune-up and the way the motor responds. That’ll be nice, but there’s always more to push on and more to be learned. I know we were a little behind the eight-ball in Sonoma, but I feel like we’re going to come out swinging in Seattle.”

Explain your crew’s process of preparing for the final race of the Western Swing.

“The team stays out West throughout all three events, so we’ve been really fortunate that we haven’t had any big explosions the last two races. We don’t have parts that have gotten too beat up. Sometimes you leave Denver with the body blown apart, so it makes it a really hard push for the next two races. My crew chiefs and crew guys have done a great job keeping the parts and pieces together, so I think that takes a lot of stress off the crew and allows them to get caught up pretty quickly and get some rest moving into the last race of the Western Swing.”

Hardpoint Adding Additional Porsche with OGH Motorsports to IMSA Pilot Challenge at Road America

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Official Release
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Sean Gibbons, Sam Owen and Derek DeBoer Will Drive the No. 9 Machine, With John Capestro-Dubets Joining the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Driver Line-Up In the Four Hour Event

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (July 27, 2022) – Hardpoint’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge line-up continues to grow, expanding to two cars and six drivers for next week’s four-hour race at Road America. The No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport joins the team in a partnership with OGH Motorsports with drivers Sean Gibbons, Sam Owen and Derek DeBoer co-driving, while John Capestro-Dubets climbs aboard the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport with co-drivers Nick Galante and Sean McAlister for the race.

Gibbons and Owen will make their IMSA debuts after success in GT Americas driving a GT4 Porsche Cayman, joined by long-time successful racer DeBoer. The No. 9 car will be entered into the Bronze Cup of the Michelin Pilot Challenge GS class.

Gibbons is the 2020 GT4 AM Champion in SRO GT4 America and a multi-time race winner. Along with Gibbons, Owen is a co-founder of OGH Motorsport and began his career racing in Porsche Club of America, a trait he shares with Hardpoint owner Rob Ferriol. DeBoer is a racing veteran, with experience in the former ST class and a top 10 finish in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“Sam and I are so excited to enter our first IMSA GS race and to have Derek DeBoer join us makes it even better,” Gibbons said. “Our goal is to put the No. 9 OGH Motorsports/Hardpoint Porsche Cayman on the Bronze Cup Podium. Rob, Sam and I approach motorsports the same way and saw this as an opportunity to work together for the first time while achieving one of our goals. We are so thankful for the support Valkyrie Intelligence, Phoenix Global Health, Trattore Farms, BRM Watches and Fastlife TV along with our families that make this possible.”

Hardpoint’s season-long entry, the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Cayman, will be joined by Capestro-Dubets as a third driver at Road America. He comes to the program with experience in the GT4 Cayman, including a pole position at Lime Rock Park three weeks ago in a similar car.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Sean and Nick under the Hardpoint tent at Road America,” Capestro-Dubets said. “I’ve heard amazing things about this outfit and I’m honored to be the third driver in this lineup. The goal for me is to be a team player and help with not only pace but a fresh perspective. As a group I’m confident we can make great progress through the weekend, and like any race, with a little luck, we’re looking to be out front. Thank you to Nick and Hardpoint for bringing me into this picture and all of my partners that have helped me along the way.”

Both teams will work side-by-side at Road America under the Hardpoint tent.

“We’re really excited to welcome Sean, Sam and Derek to the team with the No. 9 car and look forward to the fresh perspective and talent JCD brings to the 22 lineup,” Ferriol said. “It’s been a busy summer for Hardpoint and both of our Pilot Challenge cars are in position to make some noise at Road America. We’ve had some bad luck on track recently, but we know the ingredients are there, so we’re loaded up and ready to change our momentum in a big way.”

Both the No. 22 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Porsche Cayman and the No. 9 Valkyrie Intelligence/Phoenix Global Health Porsche will be in action at Road America, August 4 – 6. Saturday, August 6th four-hour race begins at 1:15 p.m. CDT (2:15 EDT) and can be seen live on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.

About Hardpoint:

Hardpoint was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team captured the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am championship in its inaugural season and competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in the No. 99 GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R with co-drivers Ferriol and Katherine Legge, joined by Stefan Wilson for Michelin Endurance Cup races. In 2022, Hardpoint has added the No. 22 Racing To End Alzheimer’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport driven by Nick Galante and Sean McAllister in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS), as well as the No. 428 TradeCentric Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by Brady Behrman in International GT. More information on Hardpoint can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Burton, DEX Imaging Team Looking To Score Points at Indy

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Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed to the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, an 82-lap, 200-mile race on the infield road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hoping to build on their successes at the road-course races so far this season.

In the earlier races at Circuit of the America, Sonoma Raceway and Road America, Burton and the No. 21 team earned points in both Stages and came away with good points totals for the day’s efforts.

Indy’s 14-turn, 2.44-mile road course, like most others, has its own distinct characteristics, but Brian Wilson, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX Imaging team, has found success there in the past, including leading Austin Cindric to victory last year in the Xfinity Series.

“Indianapolis has a lot of great memories for me personally, both during my time on Team Penske cars racing the oval, as well as our win on the road course last year in the Xfinity series,” Wilson said. “I look forward to the strategy of the road course and intend to continue our streak of solid points days that we’ve had at all road courses this year.”

Wilson said that the rookie Burton is adapting to racing Cup cars while turning left and right on road courses.

“Harrison has done an excellent job managing the various strategies in addition to the normal challenges that road courses throw your way,” he said. “The road course at Indianapolis has a unique mix of corners. Historically we’ve had to focus on the braking zones as well as having a stable platform in the car for the sweeping switchbacks.

“I look forward to seeing what challenge we have with this year’s car this weekend.”

At Indy, the No. 21 Mustang will carry a special decal honoring the memory of long-time Wood Brothers crew member Mike Hartman, who passed away Monday, July 25th, at the age of 84.

Mr. Hartman worked on the team for 25 years before retiring in 2014.

Eddie Wood said it’s fitting that the No. 21 will carry Mr. Hartman’s decal at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since he was a season ticket holder at the Speedway for many years before he joined the race team.

Practice for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is set for Saturday at 9:35 a.m. followed immediately by qualifying.

Sunday’s race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. with TV coverage on NBC.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 15 and 35.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

JR Motorsports — NXS Indianapolis Road Course Preview

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Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
RACE: Pennzoil 150 (62 laps / 151.2 miles)
DATE: Saturday, July 30, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on IMS Radio Network and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Huck’s Market Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer started 24th and raced as high as fourth during this event last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course before an off-track excursion ended his day shy of the scheduled distance.
• Mayer has seven starts on road courses in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has tallied one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
• Mayer raced to his 10th top-10 finish of the 2022 season by virtue of his sixth-place finish last week at Pocono Raceway.

Josh Berry
No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet
• Josh Berry heads to Indianapolis this weekend where he’ll make his first start at the 2.439-mile road course.
• In four starts on road courses in the NXS, Berry has two top fives and three top 10s. His best finish of third came earlier this season at Road America.
• The red and black colors of Jarrett Logistics return for the second of three races this season.
• Berry’s average finish of 10.5 on road courses is the best of any style track in the NXS for the 31-year-old.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has made two starts on the road course at Indianapolis, each of which resulted in a top-five finish. His average finish there is 4.0, the best such mark among road courses for the Nevada native.
• Over his career on road courses in the NXS, Gragson has logged eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, including fourth-, eighth- and ninth-place efforts this season.
• Through 19 races, Gragson and the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet team have compiled three wins, including last week at Pocono, 10 topfive and 13 top-10 finishes.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT/Precision Build Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier will make his third NXS start on the road course at Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. In two previous starts, the Illinois native has earned a best finish of seventh, coming in the inaugural event in 2020.
• Allgaier has previously visited Victory Lane at Indianapolis, earning the win in 2018 on the 2.5-mile oval.
• In 42 career starts in the NXS on road courses, Allgaier has recorded three wins (Montreal, Mid-Ohio and Road America), 12 top fives and 25 top 10s.

Miguel Paludo
No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Nova Prata, Brazil native Miguel Paludo returns to the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet for the final time in 2022 this weekend in Indianapolis.
• In two previous starts this year for JRM, Paludo has earned a best finish of ninth, coming at COTA in March.
• In five previous starts for JRM in the NXS, the seven-time and defending Porsche Carrera Cup Champion has scored a best finish of seventh, scored at the road course at Daytona International Speedway in 2021.
• Saturday will mark the first time that Paludo will compete at Indianapolis.

Driver Quotes

“We had a really fast car last year at Indianapolis but the result doesn’t show it. I’ve learned a lot since then and I know Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and this entire Huck’s Market team will have a fast car when we unload. We just need to go out and put it all together.” – Sam Mayer

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Indianapolis this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Any time you get a chance to race at a place with as much history as Indy, it’s special. Hopefully we can have a smooth day and be up front fighting for the win. It’s a big weekend for BRANDT with Miguel (Paludo) coming back, so I can’t wait to get there and see what we can do.”– Justin Allgaier

“Going to Indianapolis for the first time is going to be really special. Watching the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 growing up, I always wanted to race here and this year I am in this Jarrett Chevrolet. We’ve been practicing this track in the sim so hopefully we can go out and have another strong run at a road course.” – Josh Berry

“After winning last week at Pocono, this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet is ready to get another one at Indianapolis. We’ve been good on the road course there, finishing top five in both our starts. I love the history of Indy, and we’re definitely on a roll as the playoffs approach. Luke Lambert and the No. 9 team have been awesome all year, and we’re in a good spot.”– Noah Gragson

“It’s a great feeling knowing I’m about to get back behind the wheel of the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet this weekend in Indy. I can’t thank JR Motorsports and everyone at BRANDT enough for this opportunity. This is such a historic and special trackand I can’t wait to get out there and see what we can learn in practice to apply to the race.”– Miguel Paludo

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Indianapolis Road Course: JR Motorsports has competed at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course a combined eight times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 2.439-mile facility, the organization has tallied three top fives and five top 10s. Noah Gragson holds the best finish for the organization after finishing third during the inaugural race at the road course in 2020.
• Jarrett Race Rally: JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be making an appearance at Jarrett Logistics headquarters located in Orrville, Ohio on Thursday, July 28 to promote Jarrett’s upcoming race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the No. 8 Chevrolet. A fan-facing Q&A will take place from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. The event is free to the public.
• Spicy Mayo: Hellmann’s Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing is proudly made with real, simple ingredients like real chili peppers, cage-free eggs, oil and vinegar. This spicy mayo is the ideal condiment for spicing up wraps, adding flavor to sandwiches, grilling juicy burgers, mixing creamy dips, and preparing fresh salads. Deliciously Spicy, 100% Hellmann’s. Try a new recipe today.
• Huck’s: Huck’s operates 125 convenience store locations in five Midwest states. Huck’s most recent new-to-industry store opened last month in Hannibal, Mo., the hometown of Mark Twain, who wrote “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” for which Huck’s is named. Twain published the renowned book on Feb. 18, 1885. By coincidence, the Huck’s team planned the store opening Feb. 17, just one day shy of the publication’s anniversary. Check here for a location near you.

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