Love’s Travel Stops Partner is Primary During Team’s Historical Season Run

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 2, 2022) – Love’s Travel Stops partner, Martin Transportation Systems (MTS), will mark their return to the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team and driver Michael McDowell this weekend at the Michigan International Speedway. McDowell, who has had a career year, is excited to keep the summer momentum rolling with a good finish.

With nine top-10 finishes, Michael and his MTS Ford Mustang team are ready to change the fortune of years past at Michigan and continue to build on their season. McDowell had his best run at the track last season, where he finished 20th, but with the recent performance and growth of his team, he is confident on improving on past performances.

“We have not had the best of luck at Michigan in the past, but we have always seemed to get better each time we visit the track,” said McDowell. “I would say this season has provided us with the best shot to finish well and win at this type of track. I am confident we will make the changes we need to have a good MTS/Love’s Travel Stops Ford come Sunday.”

McDowell comes to the track in the MTS colors. MTS is a family owned and operated transportation and logistics company with a fleet of over 1,100 trucks and employs over 2,500 drivers and support staff. MTS provides dedicated, just in time “JIT” services to its customers with a dedication to safety, customer service, and technology. The company is headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan and is a loyal Love’s Travel Stops customer.

I’m excited to have MTS returning to Michigan for the second year in a row,” commented McDowell. They are a longstanding partner of Love’s, similar to Love’s and their partnership with us at Front Row Motorsports. It’s always exciting to see these relationships come together on and off the track, and the success that entails. I’m excited to have them ride with us this weekend and put on a great show for them.”

McDowell and his MTS Ford Mustang will race at Michigan this Sunday at 3pm et, on USA.

About Front Row Motorsports

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

KYLE BUSCH
Summer Road Trip

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (August 2, 2022) – Many families across the United States use the summer months to take a road trip and make memories along the way.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), his wife Samantha and 7-year-old son Brexton, and newborn daughter Lennix decided for the second year in a row to take a summer road trip of their own. This year, their summer tour yet again revolves around Brexton’s budding racing career as he competes at multiple tracks throughout the Midwest.

The summer road trip has included stops in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. After a week of seeing the sights while watching Brexton race, Busch will turn his focus back to NASCAR’s top series at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where he’ll compete in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 during the series’ annual summer visit to the Irish Hills.

With Interstate Batteries returning to the No. 18 Toyota this weekend, Busch is encouraging fans to stop by a local Interstate dealer to get their vehicle batteries checked before taking off on their late-summer vacation, much like he did before the family’s own Midwest tour. Hot weather has a far greater effect on batteries than the cold, so this weekend’s race at a popular summer tourist destination like the Great Lakes State is the perfect setting to remind fans to have their batteries checked.

The Michigan race signifies that summer is winding down, as well as the Cup Series regular season. In the Irish Hills of Michigan this weekend, Busch will look to keep running up front at a place where he initially struggled following the 2012 repave of the 2-mile oval. The Las Vegas native has certainly put those struggles behind him as he’s scored nine consecutive top-10s and has not finished outside the top-seven in his last seven starts there.

Busch’s lone career Cup Series win at Michigan came on Aug. 21, 2011, when he found himself outdueling seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson in a late-race shootout.

So, as Busch and the Interstate Batteries team head back to the Midwest this weekend with an “Outrageously Dependable” Interstate battery under the hood, Busch knows he’ll need to outduel several others in order to capture his second career Cup Series victory in the Irish Hills, which would be a perfect way to cap off an enjoyable family road trip around the Midwest.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

What are you expecting at Michigan this weekend?

“Michigan has been a hit-or-miss place for us. I remember winning there in the final race on the old pavement and that was super cool. Right after the repave, it was stuck up there in lane number two and where everyone wanted to run. But after a few years, we got to put on more side-by-side racing and I ended up stringing together some solid finishes. Looking forward to coming back there with a fast Interstate Batteries Camry. The Fords have been strong there in recent years, but you don’t know who is going to be this year with this new NextGen car.”

What is it about Michigan that separates it from other tracks?

“Michigan just being a 2-mile speedway, it’s not like a Daytona and Talladega, where it has the banking like those tracks do, but it is medium banking, so it’s all about speed. You just have to be fast and willing to go through the corner fast. The faster you can get through the corner, the better you are going to be down the straightaways. That’s just a product that we all understand. A couple of years ago, we tried to get better straightaway speed and it made us not as good in the corners, so we re-did our philosophy a bit for both getting off the corner and down the straightaway.”

What is the atmosphere like at Michigan as opposed to other tracks?

“The camping and the infield there always seem really full. They put on a good event weekend. They have concerts and they have some late-night fireworks, and hopefully they will be doing stuff for all the campers who will be there all weekend. We just want to put on a good show for the fans and hopefully get our Interstate Batteries Camry up front.”

How do you feel going into Michigan and what does that track mean for you on the schedule?

“We just try to figure out what we can continue to do to evolve and get better there. The setup there equates nothing to anything that we race throughout the playoffs, so really it’s just a track that we have to go to and do the best we can. But, beyond that, you never want to give away any opportunities to go out there and win a race, or to excel, or to take momentum away from what we’re doing with our Interstate Batteries Camry. We’ve put a focus on that track for the last several years and we’ve gained. We’ve certainly made improvements.”

Event Overview:

● Event: FireKeepers Casino 400 (Round 23 of 36)

● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 7

● Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn

● Layout: 2-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 200 laps/400 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 45 laps / Stage 2: 75 laps / Final Stage: 80 laps

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

Meet the No. 18 Interstate Batteries / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Kyle Busch
Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Ben Beshore
Hometown: York, Pennsylvania

Car Chief: Nate Bellows
Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont

Spotter: Tony Hirschman
Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Seth Chavka
Hometown: Soldotna, Alaska

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy
Hometown: Blockville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members:

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher
Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Jackman: Kellen Mills
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey
Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham
Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Road Crew Members:

Engine Tuner: Dan Bajek
Hometown: Camden, New York

Truck Driver: Chris Miko
Hometown: Bronx, New York

Truck Driver: Eloy Trevino
Hometown: Adrian, Michigan

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Justin Peiffer
Hometown: Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Mechanic: Scott Eldridge
Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Mechanic: Tony Hamm
Hometown: Walla, Walla, Washington

Notes of Interest:

● Green Machine: In addition to Busch’s nine victories in Interstate Batteries colors over the years for JGR, Busch brought home two Xfinity Series victories for Interstate Batteries. Both came at Phoenix Raceway, in 2008 and 2011.

● Michigan Stats: Busch has one win, nine top-five finishes and 15 top-10s and has led a total of 279 laps in 33 career Cup Series starts at Michigan. Busch’s average Michigan finish is 16.4.

● Alone in Ninth: The two-time Cup Series champion’s 60th career win at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in April put him two wins ahead of 10th-place Kevin Harvick, who has 58 wins. Ahead of Busch at eighth on the all-time wins list is Dale Earnhardt, the seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer who won 76 races during his storied career.

● 224 and Counting: Busch will be aiming to add to his record 224 overall wins among NASCAR’s top three series this weekend at Michigan. In addition to his 60 Cup Series wins and 102 in the Xfinity Series, Busch has 62 wins in the Camping World Truck Series.

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: MICHIGAN

Ford has won seven straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, which will be hosting races on Saturday and Sunday for the only time this season. The current streak includes three straight season sweeps (2018-20) and last year’s win by Ryan Blaney. Here’s a look at Ford’s success through the years at MIS.

This Week’s Schedule:

Saturday, August 6 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3:30 p.m. (USA)
Sunday, August 7 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. (USA)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT MIS

· Ford has 42 all-time series wins at MIS, which is the most at any track currently on the circuit.
· Ford comes into this weekend having won seven straight at MIS.
· Jack Roush has the most wins among car owners at MIS with 13 while the Wood Brothers are next with 11.

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT MIS

· Ford has 6 all-time series wins at MIS.
· Car owner Jack Roush has 5 of those 6 wins.
· Carl Edwards registered Ford’s last series win in 2011.

FORD ALL-TIME MICHIGAN WINS LEADER

No manufacturer has had more success at Michigan International Speedway than Ford, which comes into this weekend looking to extend a seven-race winning streak. Since the track opened in 1969 there have been 104 NASCAR Cup Series races and Ford Motor Company has won more than half of them (52%). Overall, the company has 54 MIS victories with 42 being Ford and 12 Mercury. David Pearson is the track’s all-time leader in wins with nine (all Mercury) while Bill Elliott has the most Ford wins with seven.

FORD LOOKS TO EXTEND MIS WIN STREAK TO EIGHT

Ford comes into Sunday’s scheduled race having won the last seven series races at the two-mile facility with three of the last four coming courtesy of Kevin Harvick. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver became the first driver in NASCAR history to win races on back-to-back days at the same track when he did it during the weekend doubleheader in 2020. Ryan Blaney continued the streak last season when he held off William Byron and Kyle Larson to record his second win of 2021. Here’s a look at Ford’s current winning streak:

YEAR – DRIVER

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
2020 – Kevin Harvick (1 and 2)
2021 – Ryan Blaney

HERITAGE TROPHY SUCCESS

Since Michigan International Speedway began handing out the Heritage Trophy to the winning manufacturer in August 2013, Ford has taken it back to World Headquarters in nearby Dearborn more times than any other manufacturer. Ford has won nine races since the trophy came into existence while Chevrolet has won six and Toyota one.

TEAM PENSKE REGISTERS 50TH WIN WITH FORD

Joey Logano started and won from the pole for the second time in his career at Michigan International Speedway when he captured the June race in 2016. Logano finished ahead of Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson with Penske teammate Brad Keselowski ending up fourth. The new aerodynamic package, promising to produce lower downforce, didn’t disappoint as there were 14 lead changes with Logano leading six times for 138 total laps. The win gave Team Penske its 50th Cup win with Ford and produced the 100th victory for Roush Yates Engines in the NASCAR Cup Series.

MERCURY AND FORD SWEEP MIS OPENING SEASON

Ford Motor Co. swept the inaugural season of NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway in 1969 when Cale Yarborough (Mercury) and David Pearson (Ford) took turns going to victory lane. Yarborough won an intense battle in the track opener on June 15 after passing Lee Roy Yarbrough with three laps to go to take the Wood Brothers to victory lane. That capped a finish which saw Yarborough, Pearson and Yarbrough swap the lead 20 times over the final 146 laps. The second date took place on Aug. 17 and this time it was Pearson and Holman-Moody taking the checkered flag. Pearson sat on the pole and led 79 of the 165 laps completed. The race, which was originally scheduled to be a 600-mile event, was halted at that point and declared official due to rain. Pearson went on to win a record nine times at MIS, which puts him as the speedway’s all-time MENCS winner.

FOUR STRAIGHT FOR AWESOME BILL

Bill Elliott is the only driver to win four straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, sweeping both events in 1985 and ’86, and he capped that impressive streak in dominating fashion. Elliott led 125-of-200 laps on Aug. 17, 1986 to beat Tim Richmond to the finish line and win the Champion Spark Plug 400. Elliott went on to win seven career races at MIS and currently ranks third on the all-time list, trailing only David Pearson (9) and Cale Yarborough (8).

JARRETT WINS FIRST CUP RACE

Dale Jarrett registered his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in memorable fashion at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 1991. Jarrett, who was in second season driving for the Wood Brothers, found himself in furious battle with Davey Allison, who stalked him over the final dozen laps in his No. 28 Texaco Havoline Thunderbird. Allison made a move to the outside coming off turn four and got alongside Jarrett as the two took the white flag together. They took turns exchanging the lead, but never left each other’s side. As they came off turn four both Fords made contact, but it was Jarrett who ended up edging Allison by eight inches at the finish line.

BIFFLE WINS FORD’S 1,000TH

Greg Biffle posted Ford’s 1,000th NASCAR victory when he took the checkered flag on June 16, 2013 in the Quicken Loans 400. The milestone win, which included combined victories in the NASCAR Camping World Truck, NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Cup Series, was Biffle’s second straight at MIS and fourth overall. The race was shaping up to be a battle between Biffle, who was leading, and a hard-charging Jimmie Johnson, but a flat tire ended Johnson’s chances with two laps to go.

HERITAGE TROPHY FIRST

When Joey Logano won the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 2013 it represented his first win with Ford and new car owner Roger Penske. But it also marked the first time the speedway awarded the Michigan Heritage trophy, which goes to the winning manufacturer of every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at MIS. Logano, who won the pole and led a race-high 51 laps, passed Mark Martin for the lead with four laps to go after Martin’s car ran out of gas.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT MICHIGAN

1969 – David Pearson (2)

1984 – Bill Elliott (1)

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1986 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1987 – Bill Elliott (2)

1988 – Davey Allison (2)

1989 – Bill Elliott (1)

1990 – Mark Martin (2)

1991 – Davey Allison and Dale Jarrett

1992 – Davey Allison (1)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine

1996 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett

1997 – Ernie Irvan and Mark Martin

1998 – Mark Martin (1)

1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2000 – Rusty Wallace (2)

2002 – Matt Kenseth and Dale Jarrett

2003 – Kurt Busch (1)

2004 – Greg Biffle (2)

2005 – Greg Biffle (1)

2006 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2007 – Carl Edwards (1)

2008 – Carl Edwards (2)

2012 – Greg Biffle (2)

2013 – Greg Biffle and Joey Logano

2016 – Joey Logano (1)

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (Sweep)

2021 – Ryan Blaney

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT MICHIGAN

1993 – Mark Martin

1995 – Mark Martin

1998 – Jeff Burton

2001 – Ryan Newman

2008 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Carl Edwards

Chris Yerges to Crew Chief No. 34 Team Next Four Races

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 2, 2022) – After further assessing penalties levied against its No. 34 NASCAR Cup Series team, Front Row Motorsports has notified NASCAR that it will drop its appeal and accept the penalty. The team has made internal changes in its build practices to ensure the issues leading to the penalties will not happen again in the future.

Lead engineer, Chris Yerges, will serve as the interim crew chief for the No. 34 beginning this weekend at Michigan.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Team: No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski
Race Format: 400 miles, 200 laps, Stages: 30-65-65

NASCAR Cup Race at Michigan – Sunday, Aug. 7 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend format is on tap this weekend with practice split into two groups Saturday afternoon, immediately followed by group qualifying.

Keselowski at Michigan International Speedway

· Keselowski is in line for his 25th Cup start from MIS where he has a 12.5 average finish with 13 finishes inside the top-10.

· Despite no wins at his home track, Keselowski has seven results inside the top five with three runner-up finishes (2012, 2018, 2020).

· The Rochester Hills native has five top-10s in his last seven starts, including a P9 finish last season. He finished runner-up in the first of two doubleheader races in 2020, and outside of a crash in the second race, Keselowski has completed all but four laps at the 2-mile track in his 24 starts there.

· He has two career Cup poles at MIS (2017, 2019) and 10 overall starts inside the top-10.

· Keselowski has an additional nine combined starts at MIS in the Xfinity and Truck Series with two NXS wins (2009, 2010).

Matt McCall at Michigan International Speedway

· McCall will be atop the box for his 14th Cup race from MIS, which stands as his best track statistically with a 10.3 average finish.

· He has 10 top-10 efforts in 13 races – including three straight – and has never finished off the lead lap with drivers Jamie McMurray (2015-18) and Kurt Busch (2019-21).

· Last season he ran fourth with Busch and the No. 1 team, and the duo finished second back in 2019.

· He has an average starting position of 12.8 with six starts inside the top-10, including a career-best sixth a year ago.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Michigan:
“This is obviously a big week for me and always will be, for many reasons. Getting back home is always nice, but it also brings the close familiarity with Jack and our partners at Roush Industries, as well as Ford. We have a big week ahead in promoting this race and making some appearances on behalf of our partners. Michigan is obviously very fast, so we’ll know Saturday what type of speed we have in the Castrol Ford, and will see what we can do come Sunday afternoon.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski fought back to the lead lap in a chaotic race last Sunday at Indy to finish 20th.

On the Car

Keselowski and the No. 6 team will run the iconic Castrol colors this weekend in Michigan for the second week in a row. Castrol appeared on Keselowski’s machine earlier this season at Talladega in the all-white, Sustainability Ford, and Chris Buescher ran the grey GTX scheme later in Kansas.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves consumers in over 140 countries. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ – a premium synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE ® line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com/us.

Team: No. 17 LeBron James Family Foundation Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400 miles, 200 laps, Stages: 30-65-65

NASCAR Cup Race at Michigan – Sunday, Aug. 7 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend format is on tap this weekend with practice split into two groups Saturday afternoon, immediately followed by group qualifying.

Buescher at Michigan International Speedway

· Buescher will make his 12th Cup start at MIS this weekend. He has a career-best sixth-place run back in 2017 and overall has a 20.5 average finish.

· Last season he ran 15th, one of his three top-15s in his 11 starts.

· By way of the starting lineup metrics used during the COVID season (2020), Buescher started on the pole in the second race of a doubleheader that summer. Otherwise, he carries an average starting position of 19.8.

· Buescher also made three NXS starts at MIS and finished top-10 in all three with a best finish of P4 in 2015.

Scott Graves at Michigan International Speedway

· Graves will call his 12th Cup race from Michigan where he has one career top-10 – a P8 finish with Ryan Newman back in 2019. He has a 20.2 average finish overall.

· Graves has been to victory lane at MIS in the Xfinity Series, winning with Daniel Suarez in 2016 after starting sixth.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Michigan:
“Michigan is really fast and can get really spread out in terms of how the racing plays out. For everyone in our camp, it’s obviously a big weekend every year with Jack’s history at the track and in the area, as well as being in the backyard of Ford. We’re looking forward to the opportunity, and glad to carry the LeBron James Family Foundation on our No. 17 Ford this weekend and represent their great initiatives.”

Last Time Out
Buescher overcame an early fire and fought back from two laps down Sunday at the Indy road course to finish 10th in the Violet Defense Ford, his third-straight top-10 on a road course.

On the Car

RFK will highlight the LJFF and its work to uplift communities and create generational change with a special scheme on the No. 17 this weekend. The scheme spotlights LJFF and its I Promise program, which serves more than 1,600 students and their families with the fundamental resources, wraparound supports and family programming needed for success in academics and beyond. The detailed design on the No. 17 features the LJFF’s green and gold colors along with its signature crown logo, I Promise phrase, and ‘est. Akron’ as a nod to its hometown. The Foundation’s guiding philosophy, “We Are Family” also appears on the rear of the car, signifying its unique approach to community building.

About the LeBron James Family Foundation
With a commitment to redefining community and building stronger families, The LeBron James Family Foundation invests its time, resources and passion into creating generational change for kids and families through a focus on education and co-curricular educational initiatives. With its foundational I PROMISE Program, LJFF serves more than 1,600 students and their entire families by providing them with the fundamental resources, wraparound supports and family programming they need for success in school and beyond. In 2018, the Foundation built all of its family-first programming and academic interventions into the groundbreaking I PROMISE School that has created a new model for urban, public education. The Foundation has layered in additional resources including higher education and family supports at the I PROMISE Institute, transitional housing at the I PROMISE Village, long-term affordable housing at the upcoming I PROMISE Housing, job training and financial health programming at House Three Thirty, medical, mental and behavioral health resources at I PROMISE HealthQuarters, and several hands-on supports in between. These life-changing resources, combined with the Foundation’s “We Are Family” philosophy, are redefining what a family and community looks like.

To learn more about our story, visit https://www.lebronjamesfamilyfoundation.org.

Bennett Transportation & Logistics to serve as primary partner for Hill’s first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Michigan International Speedway with support from RCR partners Alsco Uniforms, Global Industrial, United Rentals and Realtree

WELCOME, N.C. (August 2, 2022) – Richard Childress Racing announced today that NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Hill will pilot the No. 33 Chevrolet with primary sponsorship from Bennett Transportation & Logistics. Hill’s first-ever Cup Series start will also be backed by RCR partners Alsco Uniforms, United Rentals, Global Industrial and Realtree on his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

“As a kid growing up in this sport, getting the chance to run a NASCAR Cup Series car is the ultimate dream, especially with a team like Richard Childress Racing that has so much history and success,” said Hill, who currently competes full-time in the Xfinity Series for RCR in the No. 21 Chevrolet. “I’m so thankful that Richard Childress and everyone at RCR have so much faith in me. It will be a learning weekend, for sure, but I’ve had success at Michigan International Speedway in the past and can’t wait to take on the track’s wide, sweeping corners in a NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet.”

Hill, 28, won a NASCAR Truck Series race at MIS in 2019. The 2022 Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender will pull double-duty at Michigan, competing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series races. In Xfinity Series competition, Hill has two wins so far this season (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway-2) as well as eight top fives, 12 top 10s and 223 laps led.

“Austin Hill has shown talent in every Series he’s raced in during his career, so I couldn’t be more excited to have him behind the wheel of a Cup Series car,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He’s having a strong season in the Xfinity Series, and I know he will be just as competitive and eager to learn behind the wheel of a Cup Series car.”

Prior to his full-time season in the Xfinity Series, Hill spent four full-time seasons in the Truck Series, where he tallied eight wins, 27 top fives and 54 top-10 finishes. Hill also won the 2020 Truck Series regular season championship.

Bennett Family of Companies, a McDonough, Ga.-based company, will be the primary partner on the No. 33 Chevrolet for Hill’s Cup Series debut. Bennett made its NASCAR debut with Hill and the No. 21 Xfinity Series team in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and partnered with RCR on the No. 3 Chevrolet and driver Austin Dillon at the Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas earlier this season.

“We are elated to be the primary sponsor for Austin Hill’s Cup Series debut, not only because of Austin’s competitive nature, but because we believe in the advancement of drivers in their careers, just like Richard Childress does,” said Lynette Mathis, Vice President of the Bennett Family of Companies. “At Bennett, truck drivers level-up their skills through increasingly challenging specialized freight opportunities throughout their careers. Our company revolves around family, and both Austin Hill and Richard Childress take that same approach to their race team. Their focus on innovation and their commitment to safety and service is second to none, and we can’t wait to cheer them along in the NASCAR Cup Series along with our 5,800+ owner/operators, agents, and employees.”

United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental provider, continues their support of Austin Hill as he makes his Cup Series debut in the No. 33 Chevrolet.

“United Rentals has been a proud supporter of Austin Hill since 2017, and we are excited to see him take this next step in his racing career,” said Craig Schmidt, Vice President, National Accounts at United Rentals. “We will be cheering him on every step of the way, while enjoying this unique opportunity to spend time with our customers.”

Global Industrial, a value-added industrial distributor with a roll-up-your-sleeves approach and a “We Can Supply That®” mentality, joins United Rentals, Alsco Uniforms and Realtree as enhanced partners on the No. 33 Chevrolet at Michigan.

“We’ve enjoyed the business and branding opportunities our partnership with Richard Childress Racing and Austin Hill have provided this season, both on and off the track,” said Klaus Werner, Sr. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Global Industrial. “We look forward to supporting Austin in this exciting new step in his career. He has been a great ambassador for Global Industrial and we know that will extend to the Cup Series.”

The 2022 season marks the sixth season for Alsco as a partner with Richard Childress Racing. Alsco Uniforms is a fifth-generation family-owned-and-operated uniform company founded in 1889 and is the official uniform laundry supplier for the RCR pit crew and its many employees.

“We’ve enjoyed our partnership with Richard Childress Racing over the years and sharing key moments in their history while supplying each week, clean uniforms, first aid, floor mats and restroom supplies,” said Ben Fox, Director of Sales and Marketing at Alsco Uniforms. “We are thrilled to be a part of another exciting first for RCR as they welcome Austin Hill into the Cup Series.”

Realtree, the creator and marketer of the world’s most versatile camo patterns, joins a dynamic lineup of partners supporting Hill’s Cup Series debut at Michigan.

“Our roots with Richard Childress Racing run deep, and we appreciate Austin Hill’s passion for both racing and the outdoors,” said Tyler Jordan, Realtree strategic business coordinator. “We know that Hill will represent the Realtree brand well and congratulate him on the fantastic next step in his career that Richard Childress is providing.”

Catch Hill’s Cup Series debut in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 7. The race airs live on USA at 3 p.m. ET.

President Brett Frood Departing to Become Commissioner of National Lacrosse League; Brian McKinley Promoted to Chief Commercial Officer; Greg Zipadelli Named Chief Competition Officer

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Aug. 2, 2022) – Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has announced a new executive leadership structure that will take effect on Sept. 1.

President Brett Frood, who has been a part of SHR since its inception in 2009, is departing his day-to-day duties with the championship-winning NASCAR team to become commissioner of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). However, Frood will remain as an executive advisor to SHR and the board chairman for all Tony Stewart-related entities.

In that role, Frood will assist in the transition of Brian McKinley from vice president of sales to chief commercial officer for SHR, as well as facilitate the expanded responsibilities of Greg Zipadelli, who becomes SHR’s chief competition officer after serving as vice president of competition since 2012. Joe Custer, currently co-president, will continue in his leadership role, and all members of the executive team will maintain its fiduciary oversight for SHR co-owners Stewart and Gene Haas.

“I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work for Tony and Gene, and humbled to have been in the trenches with such committed and impressive colleagues at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Frood said. “SHR is filled with individuals who are self-motivated and passionate in our collective pursuits of success. It’s why we’ve accomplished so much together. My 14 years here have been some of the most satisfying of my professional career and I’ll be forever grateful.

“Becoming commissioner of the National Lacrosse League is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I appreciate the support everyone has provided me at Stewart-Haas Racing as I embark on this new chapter. I’ll look forward to maintaining a meaningful connection with the organization in my advisory role. Brian McKinley and Greg Zipadelli have the experience, acumen and drive to absorb the elevated responsibilities of Stewart-Haas Racing and position it for continued success in the years to come.”

Frood’s original passion is lacrosse. The Elbridge, New York-native was captain of the Brown University lacrosse team, which during his time with the Brown Bears won two Ivy League titles (1994 and 1995) and made an appearance in the 1994 NCAA Final Four. Frood has continued his involvement in the sport, where he has been a club and high school coach for more than a decade.

“Brett is the type of person that puts 100 percent effort into any project,” said Stewart, who recruited Frood 18 years ago upon his graduation from Harvard Business School. “No job is too big, but no job is beneath him, either. He’s negotiated multi-million dollar contracts and then the next day has stood in the mud at Eldora Speedway to hang sponsor banners. He’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get dirty. That’s just how he is. I’m lucky to have him and SHR is in a great place because of him.

“I know his passion for lacrosse, and being commissioner of the National Lacrosse League is a dream job for him. They’re getting one of the most trustworthy, detail-oriented people I’ve ever met. And thankfully for us, we’ll still have an opportunity to leverage his expertise from a different vantage point.

“Obviously, I think a lot of Greg Zipadelli. We won two championships together and a lot of races. He brought the same determination that made us so successful together on the racetrack to Stewart-Haas Racing.

“Brian McKinley joined SHR two years ago and in his short time here has already made a big impact. He’s helped secure new partnerships and made strong bonds with partners who have been a part of our race team for years. Brian has earned this opportunity and I know that between him and Zippy, we’re well positioned for continued success.”

Zipadelli was Stewart’s crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series for 10 years, beginning with his rookie season in 1999. It was a pairing that delivered two championships (2002 and 2005) and 33 victories, and as SHR transitioned from a two-car team to a three-car organization in 2012, Stewart hand-picked Zipadelli to lead SHR’s competition department. Today, SHR fields four cars in the NASCAR Cup Series and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

McKinley joined SHR in 2020 and has since secured numerous partnerships, including Mahindra Ag North America, GEARWRENCH®, Subway®, Magical Vacation Planner, PristineAuction.com and Renegade Insurance, among others. Prior to joining SHR, McKinley was the co-head of global partnerships at Feld Entertainment, managing more than $40 million worth of partner activation across seven live touring properties, including Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, Monster Jam and Disney on Ice. Before his tenure at Feld, McKinley was the vice president of sports marketing at Herbalife International. He led a global sponsorship strategy for the $4 billion health nutrition company that encompassed more than 250 partnerships across 90 countries.

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 90 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at StewartHaasRacing.com and on social at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.