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CrowdStrike Racing Extends Championship Leads at The Glen

By
Official Release
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· Four victories in six SRO America races for CrowdStrike Racing program
· George Kurtz, Colin Braun score overall win, runner-up in GT World Challenge America
· Two race wins and pole positions for Kurtz in GT America
· Boehm takes fifth TC win and runner-up in CrowdStrike/AWS HPD Civic
· CrowdStrike also active as Official Cloud and Internet Security Provider of SRO

WATKINS GLEN, New York (July 27, 2022) – CrowdStrike Racing put on another motorsports clinic in SRO Motorsports America competition with four victories in six races at Watkins Glen International.

Drivers George Kurtz, Colin Braun and Kevin Boehm each claimed at least one victory during the two days at The Glen. The results also cemented CrowdStrike Racing teams and drivers into the leads of their respective championships.

Kurtz, CrowdStrike co-founder and CEO, scored three victories on the weekend: an overall win Sunday alongside Braun in GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, and a pair of pole positions and wins in GT America Powered by AWS. Each win came in separate but familiar No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS Mercedes-AMG GT3s.

Kevin Boehm also found success with a win and runner-up finish with his No. 9 CrowdStrike/AWS Honda Performance Development Type R TC in the TC America Powered by Skip Barber Racing School.

Just as CrowdStrike Racing was winning on the track, CrowdStrike protected sensitive operational data as the Official Cloud and Internet Security Provider of SRO Motorsports. 

CrowdStrike is on the front line of protecting data and preventing security breaches, while also being on the starting line in many of SRO America’s racing categories – including the premier GT World Challenge America. The company’s powerful Falcon graphic is the dominant feature on all CrowdStrike Racing entries in SRO America competition.

The Falcon was proudly flying around The Glen all weekend. The culmination came Sunday in the 90-minute GT World Challenge America race for CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports. Kurtz and Braun won in the Pro-Am category for the third time this year and second overall together since moving to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in 2019.

Braun started second in class Sunday in the No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS Mercedes-AMG and quickly built a comfortable gap over the third-place car while reeling in the leader. By the time Braun made his mandatory pit stop with 42 minutes to go, he had closed to within 0.7 seconds of the lead.

The CrowdStrike Riley team were perfect on the pit stop as Kurtz emerged from the pitlane with a 10-second lead in class. As good as things were for the CrowdStrike Mercedes, it got better with two laps remaining as Kurtz passed the overall race leader and went on to win by nearly four seconds.

“We kept our heads down, and the CrowdStrike Riley guys gave us a great car,” said Kurtz, who is headed to Belgium to compete in this weekend’s 24 Hours of Spa. “We knew we had the pace and just had to put it together. We had the great stop, and it was a total team effort. It was a really good battle against an excellent field. Our team wasn’t going to let up, we stayed focused and managed to get P1.” 

Sunday’s win combined with a runner-up finish Saturday allowed Kurtz and Braun to maintain their lead in the Pro-Am Championship with three events to go. In the weekend’s first race at The Glen, Kurtz qualified on the Pro-Am pole and Braun finished just 0.179 seconds behind the overall and class-winning car after a strong battle throughout the 90 minutes.

“The Riley guys have been great. They come with a lot of experience with the car and with the format of sports car racing,” Braun said. “You bring that piece together with the experience George and I have for the last handful of years with the Mercedes, we all came in, laid our cards out and just got to work and started down this path. I’m really proud of everyone on this CrowdStrike Riley team. It takes an army, and these guys work really, really hard behind the scenes. We’ve only been together since Sonoma; we didn’t really have much of a chance to do a lot of preseason testing. I’m proud of how quickly we’ve all gelled together. We’re consistently focused on trying to improve and get better. That’s the main focus.”

That also paid off in GT America for Kurtz, who swept a weekend in the series for the second consecutive event, having pulled off the feat at VIR.

Sunday’s race was one of the most exciting in Kurtz’s career, as he won on the last lap with a pass two corners from the finish to make it four victories in a row in the No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS Mercedes-AMG. He ran second halfway through the race and took advantage of a late-race, full-course caution to pressure the lead car and pounce on the final lap.

“The last lap was incredible,” Kurtz said. “Jason (Harward) overtook me when I had a lot of pick-up on my tires passing the GT4 cars. Fortunately we had the safety car so I was hoping we’d have enough time to get back. I saw where he had a lot of pick-up after the safety car. I wanted to get behind him; I knew I was a little faster coming out turns Seven and Eight, and got it done in Nine.”

Saturday was another banner day for Kurtz. He went flag-to-flag and was one of the few cars to have a trouble-free race, which aided in his run. There were two full-course cautions in the race to keep the lead cars bunched up, but Kurtz maintained his composure and his lead as the gap behind him steadily opened through the end of the race.

Boehm continued his march toward his first TC Championship with his sixth of the season and a runner-up finish in his No. 9 CrowdStrike/AWS HPD Civic Type R TC in Touring Car America. He placed second on the track after Saturday’s hard-fought, 40-minute battle from third on the grid but started fifth for Race Two.

Sunday was a new day as Boehm worked his way up to third on the opening lap. He lost a position on the following lap but moved back up to podium position while avoiding a spinning TC car in front of him near the 15-minute mark.

That seemed to rejuvenate Boehm, who moved up to second a lap later but three seconds from the lead at the halfway point. Boehm ran down the leader and reduced the gap to a half-second with three laps to go and took the lead for good a lap later.

“You don’t really go into many races thinking you don’t have a chance to win. Today, I was just trying to get to the podium and I would have been happy if we could do that. It’s just that sometimes the race goes your way… not even in one moment but just little moments at a time that you get breaks. There was a lot of being in the right place at the right time. We had a really great car on top of it to put us in position to get lucky. I can’t thank the Skip Barber Racing team for prepping the car all weekend and CrowdStrike and AWS for getting us here. I’m so happy to get them on the top step again today.”

CrowdStrike and Operation Motorsport

Also scoring another victory on the weekend was the partnership between CrowdStrike and Operation Motorsport. It’s a point of pride for both as each group has the goal of helping to serve retired and disabled veterans.

A not-for-profit, OpMo provides a chance for service members to use their skill sets in a variety of areas including paddock operations, car and tire prep, marketing, social media and other key areas that are part of a racing program.

Two OpMo members were part of Boehm’s crew at Watkins Glen and celebrated a win and second-place finish: Craig Neri, Retired – U.S. Air Force, and Retired Air Force Technical Sgt. Michael Neri. Each carried on the OpMo mantra of “Recovery Through Motorsports #OneAtATime.”

CrowdStrike is also a proud part of American Corporate Partners (ACP), which provides CrowdStrike mentors for service members looking to transition to the private sector, and a partner with HireMilitary, to provide meaningful internship experiences to service members exiting the military via the DoDSkillBridge program.

CrowdStrike Racing’s next race in SRO Motorsports America is a GT America weekend at Nashville’s Music City Grand Prix from Aug. 5-7. The rest of SRO America’s championships resume at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin from Aug. 19-21.

For more information, visit CrowdStrikeRacing.com. Follow #CrowdStrikeRacing on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for updates.

Meyer Shank Racing Returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Brickyard Weekend

By
Official Release
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#60: Simon Pagenaud, Meyer Shank Racing Honda pit

Indianapolis, Ind. (27 July 2022) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will be heading back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third time this year for Saturday’s Gallagher Grand Prix on the IMS road course (12:00pm ET, NBC, SiriusXM Ch. 160).

The INDYCAR race weekend will be a part of the Brickyard weekend in combination with NASCAR as each series will run on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course.

Simon Pagenaud nearly won in his last outing at IMS with MSR in the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda in May, finishing second in the GMR Grand Prix. That race was followed by the Indianapolis 500 two weeks later on the iconic 2.5-mile oval, where Helio Castroneves finished seventh in the No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda and Pagenaud 8th.

This will be the 13th race of the 17-event season, and is also the fourth race in a three-weekend stretch, with the team coming off a street race in Toronto and a doubleheader on the short Iowa Speedway oval.

Pagenaud has enjoyed lots of success on the Brickyard’s road circuit, winning three times in 12 starts. Pagenaud won the debut event at the IMS road course in 2014 and went on to win from the pole in 2016 on the way to winning the IndyCar championship. Pagenaud most recently won at the IMS road course in 2019 just two weeks before winning the 2019 Indianapolis 500.

Castroneves is a 10-time competitor on the Indy road course, scoring two podium finishes – a third place finish in 2014 and a second in 2016. Castroneves had his best start in 2017 after qualifying on the front row in second.

Castroneves has enjoyed more success on the oval for the historic 500-mile event, winning four times in 22 races – including MSR’s first IndyCar victory in 2021. The fourth member of the elusive “four-time winner” club has eight top-three finishes, four poles and led 325 laps in the Indy 500.

The IMS road course also holds a special place in MSR’s history as it was the location where the team scored its first-ever IndyCar podium finish. MSR finished third in a rain soaked 2019 event.

The quick two-day event will start with a 90-minute practice on Friday beginning at 9:30 a.m. (all times ET), followed by qualifying at 1 p.m. NBC will host live coverage of the Gallagher Grand Prix starting at 12:00pm ET on Saturday. SiriusXM will also host live radio coverage on SiriusXM Ch. 160.

Driver Quotes:

Simon Pagenaud:
“I love Indianapolis and it is one of my favorite places to go. I’ve been very successful there in the past and obviously we had a second place finish in May in the rain. I’m always hoping for rain – it’s the best kind of races for me. However, if it is dry, no problem. I’m pretty happy with our road course package right now, we have made big improvements this year. We’re going to go there and try our best and try to get another podium.”

Helio Castroneves:
“I’m of course looking forward to going back to Indy, it’s one of my favorite tracks that we go to. And it will be a really fun weekend with NASCAR there as well. The team is really strong at Indy so I know that we have the potential to do very well there and of course Simon got a podium in May. So I’m really looking forward to heading back there after a reset from Iowa.”

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 07.27.22

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: July 25-31, 2022

· NCS/NXS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway – July 30-31

· NCWTS/ARCA: Indianapolis Raceway Park – July 29

· NHRA: Pacific Raceways (Kent, Washington) – July 31

PLANO, Texas (July 27, 2022) – The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series makes its return to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while the NASCAR Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series head back to Indianapolis Raceway Park. The NHRA Drag Racing Series is also on track this weekend as they close their Western Swing at Pacific Raceways, just outside of Seattle.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCWTS

Bell continues to add strong finishes… Christopher Bell backed up his first win of the season with another strong run as the Oklahoma-native finished fourth at Pocono Raceway. Bell has now scored top-10 finishes in eight of the last 11 races.

Wallace with back-to-back top-10 finishes… Bubba Wallace is coming into Indianapolis off back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time in his Cup Series career as the 23XI Racing driver followed a fourth-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with an eighth-place run in Pocono. Wallace will get two chances for a good finish in Indy as he will compete in his second and final Xfinity Series race of the season for Joe Gibbs Racing on Saturday.

Gibbs looks to close in on championship points lead… Ty Gibbs had another strong run last Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event as the runner-up finish allowed the 19-year-old to close in to within 22 points of the points lead. Gibbs makes his second start in Indianapolis this weekend. He led four laps and scored a top-20 finish in his track debut one season ago.

Toyota Truck Series teams pack Playoff field… For the first time in Truck Series history, one manufacturer has seven drivers in the field as Toyota racers John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes and Matt Crafton are all vying for the 2022 drivers’ title.

Smith looks to continue strong performance at Indianapolis… Chandler Smith ended the Truck Series regular season in the best way possible – with a dominating win at Pocono Raceway as he led 49 of the 60 laps. Smith has also been very good at Indianapolis Raceway Park as the 20-year-old driver has won the last two ARCA Menards Series events he competed in at the facility in 2019 and 2020 and will look to add to his trophy case as he will compete for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series event immediately preceding the Truck event.

Crafton with IRP truck experience… Matt Crafton will have something that most Truck Series drivers will not have at Indianapolis Raceway Park – experience at the short track. The three-time Truck Series champion finished sixth at the last Truck Series event at the facility in 2011. He has three top-five results at the track, with a best finish of third in 2010.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Brown, Capps amongst Seattle’s most recent winners… Antron Brown and Ron Capps are among NHRA’s most recent winners as the series makes its first stop at Pacific Raceways since 2019. Brown and Capps swept the nitro classes at the 2018 running of the event.

Langdon gaining momentum… Shawn Langdon is continuing to gain momentum. In the last five events, Langdon has advanced to the semi-finals or better four times, including two final round appearances at Bristol and Denver.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Venturini strong in Indianapolis… Venturini Motorsports (VMS) has won the last three ARCA events at Indianapolis Raceway Park with Christian Eckes claiming victory in 2018 and Chandler Smith earning wins in 2019 and 2020. VMS will field four Toyota Camrys for drivers Smith, Jesse Love, Toni Breidinger, and Tom Hessert in the event to try to continue that streak.

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About Toyota

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

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

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

No. 10 Mobil 1/GEARWRENCH Ford Racing: Indianapolis Race Advance

By
Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Indianapolis Advance
No. 10 Mobil 1/GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Round 22 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 31
● Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
● Layout: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 82 laps / 200 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 47 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / IMS Radio Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After 21 races this season, Aric Almirola is the only driver in the NASCAR Cup Series without a DNF (Did Not Finish).

● Almirola has 31 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with two top-10 finishes and a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, five top-20s at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a best finish of 12th, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best finish of 14th, and a top-12 finish in the non-points Busch Clash in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course.

● The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard serves as the fourth of six road-course races on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The season’s first road-course race was March 27 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, where Almirola finished 19th. The second road-course race was June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, where Almirola finished 14th. In the series’ most recent road-course race July 3 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Almirola finished 28th after and early race incident caused damage. The two remaining road-course races after Indianapolis are Aug. 21 at Watkins Glen and Oct. 9 on the Charlotte Roval.

● Driver Points: Almirola arrives at Indianapolis 13th in the driver standings with 514 points, 273 out of first.

● Playoff Points: The No. 10 Ford driver sits 18th in the playoff standings, 140 points behind the top-16 cut line.

● Almirola’s career: In 409 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 90 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.

● The Mobil 1 branding on Almirola’s No. 10 Ford Mustang goes more than skin deep as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Almirola an added advantage. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Almirola a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance. Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Almirola’s No. 10 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang faster.

● GEARWRENCH®, a premier hand tool brand from Apex Tool Group, will adorn Almirola’s No. 10 Ford Mustang this weekend. GEARWRENCH is the No. 1 worldwide professional-grade mechanics’ hand tool brand, offering products that are designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of pros, mechanics and auto techs who make a living with their tools. GEARWRENCH understands the problems mechanics face every day and provides tools that increase productivity through speed, strength and access. Since the launch of the original five-degree ratcheting wrench, the GEARWRENCH brand has led the industry with breakthroughs in pass-thru ratchets, sockets, screw/nut drivers, pliers, extraction tools and specialty tools. Learn more at GEARWRENCH.com.

● One More Time: On Jan. 10, Almirola released a video on his YouTube channel announcing his retirement from fulltime NASCAR Cup Series racing after the 2022 season to spend more time with his family. His opening remarks were attributed to his grandfather’s mentorship. This year marks Almirola’s 11th fulltime Cup Series season. The official press release can be viewed here.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2022, Almirola is once again sharing his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

● Almirola was the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to finish in the top-10 in this year’s opening three races. He finished fifth in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, sixth at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and sixth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Almirola’s top-10 streak ended with a 12th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway despite running inside the top-10 throughout the race.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Mobil 1/GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You’re two positions behind the playoff cut line right now and 140 points out. What is the game plan for the next five races?

“Win. Fortunately, we’re 13th in the point standings so a win would put us in a good spot if we had more than 16 winners before the playoffs begin. There has been so much parity this year that you don’t know who’s going to be good each weekend. There are some guys that are better on road courses than others, but you look at Michigan, Richmond and Daytona as complete wild cards. We even had guys far back in the standings that have run top-three at road courses, too. Hopefully, this weekend is one we show a lot of speed. A lot can change in the next five weeks and we hope it doesn’t come down to a Hail Mary at Daytona.”

How would you rate your road-course improvement over the year?

“I think we saw the most improvement at Sonoma. Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and the guys brought us a great car and put us on a really good long-run strategy. Toward the end of the race, we were passing the Hendrick cars and the guys you typically see dominate at road courses and, if we had more laps, I think we would have had a top-10, so that was a big sign of improvement for us. We got some damage at Road America early on, so it’s hard to judge how we were there. The Indy road course calls for a mix of speed and handling, so if we have a fast car it could play into our favor like Sonoma did.”

What are your thoughts on racing the Indianapolis road course instead of the oval?

“I think racing on the oval was so cool just because I was a kid and went and watched an Indy 500 back in the late ’90s. It was a special place and to race on the oval was just special. I mean, you think about the history of that racetrack and the people that have run around that rectangular racetrack and crossed that Yard of Bricks and all those things, and all the races that went on before you dating back to the early 1900s, it’s just a very special place. So, to not race on the oval is weird, but the fans love these road-course races and they put on a great show, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

No. 10 Mobil 1/GEARWRENCH Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder
Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener
Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Rusty Davidson
Hometown: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper
Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Hamlin to make 600th Cup career start at Indianapolis

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

Competing in his 17th consecutive full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Denny Hamlin is set to achieve of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota TRD Camry will achieve career start No. 600 in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Chesterfield, Virginia, Hamlin made his inaugural presence in the Cup circuit at Kansas Speedway in October 2005. By then, he was campaigning in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series and was selected to pilot JGR’s No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet Monte Carlo, where he replaced Jason Leffler, Terry Labonte and J.J. Yeley as all three took turns piloting the ride throughout the season. During the event at Kansas, Hamlin started seventh but finished 32nd in his Cup debut. He returned for the following six Cup events to conclude the 2005 campaign. During this stint, he notched three top-10 results, including a season-best seventh-place result at Texas Motor Speedway November, and started on pole position for the penultimate Cup event in 2005, where he led 23 laps and finished 13th.

In 2006, Hamlin graduated to the Cup Series on a full-time basis in the No. 11 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for JGR. Based on winning his first Cup pole at Phoenix, he made his first start of his rookie campaign in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway in February. During the Shootout, Hamlin led 16 of 72 laps and fended off challenges from teammate Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson to become the first rookie Cup candidate to win NASCAR’s pre-season exhibition event.

Making his Daytona 500 debut a week later, Hamlin started 17th and finished 30th. Nine races later, he notched a career-best runner-up result at Richmond Raceway, his home track, behind Earnhardt Jr. Then another four races later, Hamlin notched his first career victory in NASCAR’s premier series at Pocono Raceway in June and became the fourth different competitor to win a Cup Series event for Joe Gibbs Racing. The victory, which occurred in his 21st series start, also occurred after the Virginia native rallied from cutting a left-rear tire and spinning on Lap 52. The momentum continued for Hamlin, who swept both Pocono Cup events when NASCAR returned to the Tricky Triangle circuit in July. The two Pocono victories along with 11 finishes in the top 10 throughout the 26-race regular season stretch were more than enough for the driver of the No. 11 JGR Chevrolet team to qualify for the 2006 Cup Playoffs, thus making Hamlin the first rookie candidate to make the Playoffs. Throughout the 10-race Playoff stretch, he earned seven top-10 results and three top-three results before settling in third place in the final standings and capping off his sensational first Cup season with two victories, three poles, eight top-five results, 20 top-10 results and the 2006 Rookie-of-the-Year title.

The following season, Hamlin achieved his third NASCAR Cup Series career victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July following a late battle with four-time champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. To go along with 14 top-10 results, including seven in the top three, he made his second consecutive appearance in the Playoffs. During the Playoffs, however, Hamlin only achieved three top-10 results and fell back to 12th place in the final standings.

Six races into the 2008 Cup Series season, Hamlin, who remained at JGR when the team swapped manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota, notched his fourth Cup career victory at Martinsville Speedway in March following another late duel with Gordon. Four races later at Richmond, Hamlin, who started on pole, led 381 of 410, but ended up in 24th place after cutting a right-front tire late in the event and losing three laps in the process. The Martinsville victory along with 13 additional top-10 results, however, were enough for Hamlin to qualify for the Playoffs for a third consecutive season. Despite earning five top-10 results throughout the 2008 Playoffs, Hamlin settled in eighth place in the final standings ahead of teammates Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch. By then, the Virginia native surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

After finishing in the top five six times during the first 20 scheduled events of the 2009 season, Hamlin notched his first elusive victory of the year at Pocono, which snapped a 50-race winless drought dating back to March 2008. In Victory Lane, an emotional Hamlin dedicated the win to his grandmother, who died earlier in the week. Five races later, he won the regular season finale at Richmond after leading 299 of 400 laps. Through the first half of the 2009 Cup Playoffs, the Virginia native finished in the top five twice, but suffered back-to-back DNFs at Auto Club Speedway and at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. He rebounded by winning for the third time of the season at Martinsville, but retired late at Talladega Superspeedway due to an engine failure. While he did not emerge as the 2009 Cup champion, Hamlin capped off the season with three consecutive top-three results, including a fourth victory of the year in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, as he also finished in fifth place in the final standings.

Entering the 2010 Cup Series season as a potential championship favorite, Hamlin rallied from finishing no higher than 17th place during the first five scheduled events by overtaking Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth during a two-lap shootout to win at Martinsville in March for the third time in his career. A month after he underwent a knee surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee and finishing in 30th place at Phoenix Raceway, he rallied from starting 28th to win at Texas Motor Speedway in April over the reigning four-time champion Jimmie Johnson and claim his 10th Cup Series career victory. By June, Hamlin notched three additional victories to the 2010 campaign: Darlington Raceway in May, Pocono in June and Michigan International Speedway in June. Three months later, Hamlin prevailed over a late battle with teammate Kyle Busch to claim his sixth victory of the season at Richmond and earn the top starting seed to the Playoffs.

Hamlin’s 2010 Playoff run commenced with a runner-up result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway despite being involved in an on-track incident midway into the event. After finishing no worse than 12th during the following four events, he notched his seventh victory of the season at Martinsville. By then, he narrowed his deficit to Jimmie Johnson to six points. Then after finishing ninth at Talladega, Hamlin dropped the hammer in early November by winning for the eighth time of the season at Texas and snatching the points lead by 33 points over Johnson. During the penultimate event of the season at Phoenix, however, Hamlin, who led a race-high 190 of 312 laps, was forced to pit late in the event due to not having enough fuel to finish the event. By finishing in 12th place while Johnson finished fifth, Hamlin’s advantage in the standings decreased to 15 points entering the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Then at Homestead, Hamlin, who started towards the rear of the field, was involved in an early on-track incident with Greg Biffle and never recovered as he finished 14th while Johnson finished second, which was enough for Johnson to reclaim the points lead and win his fifth consecutive Cup Series championship by 39 points. Despite falling short of winning his first Cup title, Hamlin concluded his fifth full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series with a career-high eight victories, two poles, 14 top-five results, 20 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.9.

Compared to the 2010 season, Hamlin experienced a difficult season in 2011, where he notched only a single victory at Michigan in June. To go along with five top-five results and 14 top-10 results, he made the Playoffs for a sixth consecutive season, but settled in ninth place in the final standings. Despite this, Hamlin surpassed 200 Cup career starts.

The 2012 season featured a new crew chief for Hamlin for the first time in his Cup career as Darian Grubb, who won the 2011 title with Tony Stewart, joined Joe Gibbs Racing after departing Stewart-Haas Racing as he replaced Mike Ford. Two races into the new season, Hamlin raced his way to a momentous victory at Phoenix following a late duel with Kevin Harvick. Another six races later, he won at Kansas Speedway in April following a late battle against Martin Truex Jr. After enduring an up-and-down regular season stretch, Hamlin notched back-to-back victories at Bristol Motor Speedway and at Atlanta Motor Speedway between August and September before entering the 2012 Cup Playoffs with the top seed. Despite claiming his 22nd career victory and fifth of the season at New Hampshire, which marked the 100th Cup career win for Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin finished outside of the top 10 in four of the final five scheduled events, which relegated him back to sixth place in the final standings.

Campaigning in his ninth full-time season in the Cup Series with JGR in 2013, Hamlin earned a single top-five result through the first four scheduled events. Mired in this was a 23rd-place result at Bristol Motor Speedway in March, where he cut a right-front tire late in the event. Earlier, he made contact with ex-teammate Joey Logano, which prompted Logano to confront Hamlin following the event. Then during the following scheduled event at Auto Club Speedway, Hamlin was involved in a vicious wreck on the final lap while engaged in a late, fierce battle with his newest rival Logano for the win. Entering the final turn, Hamlin was being drifted up the track by Logano and the contact resulted with the former sending the latter into the outside wall as Hamlin then spun below the track and pounded the inside wall near the pit road entrance head-on. After exiting his car and being airlifted to a local hospital, it was later reported that Hamlin suffered a massive L1 compression fracture or a collapsed vertebra, which prevented him from competing during the following four events as Mark Martin and Brian Vickers took turns sharing JGR’s No. 11 Toyota.

Two months following the incident at Auto Club Speedway, Hamlin made a brief return to the Cup circuit at Talladega in May, where he started the event before relinquishing his seat early to Vickers for the remainder of the event. A week later at Darlington, Hamlin completed all 500 miles and earned an impressive runner-up result behind teammate Matt Kenseth. Determined to make up the lost time early in the season, Hamlin went on to finish in fourth place in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after starting on pole. Despite winning the pole for the following weekend at Dover in June, Hamlin fell back to 34th place after cutting a right-front tire and retiring late. He rallied by finishing eighth at Pocono, but settled outside of the top 15 through the remaining 12 regular season events, which were enough to prevent Hamlin and the No. 11 JGR Toyota team from making the Playoffs for the first time since 2005. After finishing no higher than seventh twice during the following nine Playoff events, Hamlin capped off the 2013 Cup season on a high note by winning the finale at Homestead in November. The victory, which was the 23rd of Hamlin’s Cup career, extended his all-time winning streak in NASCAR’s premier series to eight consecutive seasons, though he settled in a career-low 23rd-place in the final standings. In the midst of this, he notched a career-high five poles.

Hamlin initiated the 2014 Cup season on a high note by winning both the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona and the second of two Budweiser Duel events before finishing in second place in the 56th running of the Daytona 500 behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. A month later at Auto Club Speedway, Hamlin relinquished his seat to Sam Hornish Jr. after experiencing a sinus infection that affected his vision. Then at Talladega Superspeedway in May, Hamlin extended his winning consecutive streak in the Cup Series to nine seasons after emerging victorious at Talladega, which marked his 300th Cup career start. He went on to record eight additional top-10 results during the regular season stretch before the 2014 Cup Playoffs commenced. Throughout the Playoffs, Hamlin utilized consistency to transfer from the Round of 16 all the way to the Championship Round and emerge as one of four finalists to compete for the title at Homestead in November. During the finale, however, Hamlin, who remained out on course on old tires in the closing laps, slipped back to seventh place on the track and in third place in the final standings, which marked his fourth top-five result in a Cup standings.

Paired with veteran crew chief Dave Rogers for his 10th full-time Cup season, Hamlin fended off rival Brad Keselowski at Martinsville in March to claim his fifth victory at the Paper Clip track in his home state of Virginia. Two months later, Hamlin prevailed in a late battle against Kevin Harvick and stellar work from his pit crew to win the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and record the first All-Star victory for himself, Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. To go along with 12 additional top-10 results throughout the regular season, Hamlin made his ninth appearance as a Playoff contender. He then commenced the Playoffs on a high note by rallying from an opening lap spin to take the lead during a two-lap shootout and win at Chicagoland Speedway in September. Despite transferring from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12, Hamlin’s title hopes evaporated after being involved in a multi-car wreck at Talladega in October. When the final checkered flag of 2015 flew, Hamlin settled in ninth place in the final standings.

In 2016, Hamlin received his fourth different crew chief of his Cup career as Mike Wheeler replaced Rogers atop the No. 11 pit box. The new duo commenced the 2016 season on a high note by winning the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, which marked Hamlin’s third career victory in NASCAR’s non-point exhibition event. Then during the 58th running of the Daytona 500, Hamlin overtook teammate Matt Kenseth for the lead through the final turn on the final lap and edged Martin Truex Jr. by 0.010 to become the 37th different competitor to win the Great American Race for the first time for himself, for Toyota and for Joe Gibbs Racing since 1993. To this day, Hamlin’s margin of victory over Truex of 0.010 stands as the closet-recorded finish in the history of the Daytona 500. Twenty-one races later, where he notched nine additional top-10 results, Hamlin claimed his first road course victory at Watkins Glen International in August. He then capped off the regular season by winning at Richmond for the third time of his career in September. Throughout the Playoffs, Hamlin and the No. 11 JGR team earned seven results in the top 10, but their 2016 title hopes came to an end following the Round of 8 as the Virginia veteran finished in sixth place in the final standings.

By competing in the first two scheduled events of 2017, where he finished outside the top 15 in both events, Hamlin reached 400 Cup career starts. He then finished in the top 10 nine times during the following 16 scheduled events before claiming his first win of the season and his 30th Cup career victory at New Hampshire in July. Two months later, he rallied from a late pit road error to benefit from Truex cutting a right-front tire in the closing laps and win the Southern 500 at Darlington for a second time. The victory, however, was ruled encumbered as Hamlin’s car failed post-race inspection. Despite this, he made his 10th career appearance in the Playoffs. After finishing in the top 10 four times during the first six scheduled Playoff events, Hamlin was one of eight competitors still active in the Playoffs for the title. Then at Martinsville in October, he was involved in a late controversial incident with Chase Elliott, whom Hamlin wrecked in the closing laps while battling for the win and a spot to the Championship Round finale at Homestead in November. While Elliott fell back to 29th place, Hamlin settled in seventh after being overtaken by teammate Kyle Busch on the penultimate lap and being swept in a multi-car wreck while trying to finish the event. His incident with Elliott, however, carried forth following the event, where both competitors exchanged harsh words near the backstretch. Despite finishing third at Texas during the following weekend, Hamlin’s title hopes for 2017 evaporated at Phoenix when he made contact with Elliott and cut a right-front tire in the closing laps. Instead of a possible trip to Victory Lane and the main championship stage, Hamlin settled in sixth place in the final standings for a second consecutive season.

The 2018 Cup Series season marked the first time since 2005 where Hamlin concluded the season winless as he only managed to record four poles, 10 top-five results and 17 top-10 results. Despite utilizing consistency to make the Playoffs, his championship hopes came to an early end following the Round of 16 and three consecutive results outside of the top 10. He finished in 11th place in the final standings.

Paired with his fifth crew chief in his career, Chris Gabehart, Hamlin roared out of the gates in 2019 by winning the 61st running of the Daytona 500 in February as he claimed his second 500 triumph and snapped a 47-race winless drought dating back to September 2017. The 500 victory was an emotional one for Hamlin and team owner Joe Gibbs, whose son and JGR’s co-owner, J.D., had died a month prior to the season and who played an instrumental role in recruiting Hamlin to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Six races later, the Virginia veteran claimed his second victory of the season at Texas in March. Hamlin went on to win at Pocono in July and the Bright Night Race in August before making his 13th career appearance as a Cup Playoff contender. During the first half of the 2019 Playoffs, Hamlin earned four top-five results, including a victory at Kansas in October, that enabled him to advance from the Round of 16 to the Round of 8. During this round, he was involved in an off-track skirmish with Logano at Martinsville and settled in 28th place at Texas due to an early spin, which placed him in jeopardy of missing the Championship Round finale at Homestead in November. Nonetheless, Hamlin executed his opportunity at the right timing by winning at Phoenix for his sixth victory of the season and to clinch a spot to the finale. However, while he appeared to have a championship-winning run established during the finale, his title hopes evaporated late after he made an unscheduled pit stop to address overheating issues to his No. 11 Toyota. When the checkered flag waved, Hamlin settled in 10th place on the track and in fourth place in the final standings as teammate Kyle Busch captured his second title. Nonetheless, the 2019 Cup season was a successful one for Hamlin, who earned six victories, three poles, a career-high 19 top-five results, 24 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 9.5. In addition, he surpassed 500 Cup career starts.

The following season, Hamlin earned his third Daytona 500 career victory and the second in a row after narrowly escaping a vicious accident involving Ryan Newman on the final lap to edge Ryan Blaney by 0.014 seconds, which marks the second-closest margin of victory in the 500. After earning a rain-shortened victory at Darlington in May and a dominant win at Homestead in June, Hamlin tallied his career victories in the Cup Series to 40. He went on to win at Pocono in June, Kansas in July and at Dover in August before qualifying for the 2020 Cup Playoffs. Emerging as a championship threat, Hamlin earned three top-10 results throughout the Playoffs, including a win at Talladega in October, that enabled him to transfer all the way to the Round of 8. He ended up earning another trip to the Championship Round finale at Phoenix in November and was given another opportunity to claim his elusive first Cup title. During the finale, however, he was never a factor for the title battle as he finished in fourth place both on the track and in the final standings. Despite this, Hamlin’s seven victories earned in 2020 were the most he earned in a Cup season since winning eight times in 2010 as he also improved his average-finishing result of 9.3.

Making a bid to become the first competitor to win three consecutive Daytona 500s while also becoming a co-owner of 23XI Racing in 2021, Hamlin commenced the season with a fifth-place run during the 500. He then endured an up-and-down, consistent season, where he earned a total of 13 top-five results and 17 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular season stretch. He also led the points standings for nearly the entire regular season stretch before being overtaken by Kyle Larson. During the 2021 Cup Playoff opener at Darlington in September, Hamlin stormed back to the main headlines after fending off Larson to snap a season-long winless spell and earn a one-way ticket to the Round of 12. He went on to transfer to the Round of 8 after winning at Las Vegas in September and emerging victorious as a car owner with driver Bubba Wallace at Talladega in October. During the Round of 8, Hamlin earned respective finishes of 11th, fifth and 24th. This included a late run-in with Alex Bowman at Martinsville in October, where Bowman spun Hamlin in the final laps while battling for the win and resulted with Hamlin pulling his car in front of Bowman’s following the event to express his displeasure. In the midst of the incident, Hamlin made the Championship Round for a third consecutive season. His title hopes for 2021, however, diminished as he finished in third place both during the finale and in the final standings. Nonetheless, Hamlin managed to tie his career-best top-five results earned at 19 while achieving a career-high 25 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 8.4.

Through 599 previous Cup starts, Hamlin has achieved 48 victories, 36 poles, 201 top-five results, 310 top-10 results, 13,041 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.3. He has achieved two victories through the first 21-scheduled events of 2022: Richmond in April and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May. He initially won last weekend’s Cup event at Pocono, but his victory was stripped due to a post-race inspection failure that demoted him to 35th place of the 36-car field. Despite being ranked in 21st place in the regular-season standings, he is currently guaranteed a spot in the 2022 Cup Playoffs based on his two regular-season victories.

Hamlin is scheduled to make his 600th Cup Series career start 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.

Kevin Meendering to call 100th Xfinity event as crew chief at Indianapolis

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

Making his brief return as a NASCAR crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, Kevin Meendering is within reach of a milestone start. By participating in this weekend’s Xfinity event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Meendering will call his 100th Xfinity event as a crew chief.

A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in mechanical engeering, Meendering made his debut as a NASCAR crew chief in 2016 when he was paired with veteran Elliott Sadler in the Xfinity Series. By then, he had spent 16 previous seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, where he was an assistant engineer for Jeff Gordon for three seasons before spending the next five as a lead engineer for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In his first event as a crew chief, Meendering led Sadler and the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro team to a fourth-place result during the 2016 season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. Eight races and six additional top-10 results later, Meendering notched his first NASCAR victory as a crew chief at Talladega Superspeedway in May after Sadler dodged a final lap incident involving Joey Logano to emerge out in front ahead of teammate Justin Allgaier and Brennan Poole at the moment of caution and return to Victory Lane following a one-year absence. Another 15 races later, Meendering and Sadler went to Victory Lane for the second time of 2016 after Sadler held off Denny Hamlin to grab a dominant win at Darlington Raceway in September. The two regular season victories mired with a consistent regular-season stretch were enough for Meendering and Sadler to clinch a spot for the inaugural Xfinity Series Playoffs.

Meendering and Sadler commenced the 2016 Xfinity Playoffs on a high note by winning at Kentucky Speedway in September, which enabled the team to advance from the Round of 12 to 8. During the Round of 8’s three events, Sadler finished second, sixth and 13th, respectively, which were enough for the No. 1 team to earn a spot to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. During the post-race inspection process at Phoenix Raceway in November, however, Meendering was suspended for the Xfinity Series finale at Homestead after it was discovered that two lug nuts were missing from Sadler’s car, which finished 13th. With Meendering out for the finale, veteran Mike Bumgarner filled in as an interim crew chief for Sadler, who went on to finish in the runner-up spot in the final championship standings behind Daniel Suarez.

Returning as Sadler’s crew chief in 2017, Meendering guided the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet team to a consistent 26-race regular season stretch highlighted with one pole, five stage victories, 11 top-five results and 19 top-10 results as Sadler captured the inaugural Xfinity Series regular-season title. Meendering and Sadler extended their consistency throughout the 2017 Xfinity Playoffs as they transferred all the way to the Championship Round at Homestead in November, with Meendering calling the shots for the finale. During the finale, however, Sadler lost in a late battle against teammate William Byron after getting stalled behind Ryan Preece and making contact with the wall, which cut his tire and took him out of contention to win his first NASCAR championship. While Byron went on to win the 2017 Xfinity title, Sadler fell back to eighth place on the track and in the runner-up spot in the standings for a second consecutive season.

Remaining as Sadler’s crew chief for a third full-time Xfinity season, Meendering and Sadler commenced the season with a runner-up result at Daytona after Sadler was edged by teammate Tyler Reddick by 0.0004 seconds, which marks the closest-recorded finish in NASCAR history. The duo of the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet team went on to achieve 12 additional top-five results and a total of 21 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular season stretch as they made the Xfinity Playoffs for a third consecutive season. By then, however, Sadler had made his decision to retire from full-time NASCAR competition at the conclusion of the season. Meendering and Sadler were able to transfer to the Round of 8 following three consecutive top-15 results in the Round of 12. During the Round of 8, however, they were unable to secure a championship spot for the 2018 Xfinity finale at Homestead despite notching three consecutive top-11 results. Meendering capped off Sadler’s final event as a full-time competitor in 14th place at Homestead and in fifth place in the final standings. 

Following three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Meendering graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2019 to serve as a crew chief for the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro team piloted by seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Twenty-one races into the season, however, Meendering was replaced by Cliff Daniels, though he remained at Hendrick Motorsports in a senior competition role. Three years later, Meendering, who serves as a competition development manager for HMS, returned as a crew chief at Road America this past Fourth of July weekend for the team’s No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro entry piloted by Kyle Larson, who dominated from pole position before finishing in the runner-up spot.

The Road America event was the first of three scheduled Xfinity road course events where Hendrick Motorsports will be fielding the No. 17 Chevrolet for its Cup Series roster. Following this weekend’s event at Indianapolis, where the No. 17 entry will be piloted by Alex Bowman, Meendering is scheduled to crew chief the No. 17 entry for a third and final time at Watkins Glen International in August and with William Byron set to drive.

Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Through 99 previous Xfinity appearances, Meendering has achieved three victories, three poles, 40 top-five results and 78 top-10 results while working with two different competitors. 

Meendering is primed to call his 100th Xfinity Series event as a crew chief at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on Saturday, July 30, at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

CARS TOUR WELCOMES SEVEN RACING LEGENDS AS GUESTS TO THROWBACK 276

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, NC (July 27, 2022) – The CARS Tour has announced its much anticipated guest lineup for the popular Throwback 276 scheduled for Saturday, July 30, at Hickory Motor Speedway. Seven impactful personalities on stock car racing’s history have committed to appear and sign autographs for fans during the one hour fan fest prior to the touring series’ crown jewel race.

The list of personalities scheduled to appear on Saturday includes:

  • Steve Park – former driver for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet), a multi-time NASCAR Cup Series (2) and Xfinity Series (3) winner.
  • Jeremy Mayfield – 17-year NASCAR Cup Series veteran with five career wins for owners including Roger Penske and Ray Evernham.
  • Kerry Earnhardt – Son of NASCAR Hall of Famer and 7x Champion Dale Earnhardt; veteran of 106 NASCAR National Series starts.
  • Tommy Houston – 24-time NASCAR Xfinity Series winner; runner-up in 1989 series championship.
  • Shawna Robinson – first female to win a NASCAR touring series event, Goody’s Dash Series (3 wins from 1988-89); first female to win a NASCAR Xfinity Series pole (1994 – Atlanta).
  • Michael “Fatback” McSwain – race winning crew chief with NASCAR champions and legends like Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte and Ricky Rudd.
  • Glenn Jarrett – originally a race driver himself, Ned Jarrett’s “other son” found success as a TV and radio broadcaster for CBS, TNN and the Motor Racing Network. Jarrett will also join the TV broadcast for this event as an analyst.

Fans will have the opportunity to meet these seven legends of the sport beginning at 6pm as part of the Throwback 276’s famed fan fest where fans are able to see the cars in person and on-track before the racing activities begin. Drivers competing in the event will also be available for photos and autographs, and often other famous faces are spotted throughout the pits and grandstands. Spectator gates open at 3pm on Saturday with time trials scheduled for 4:30pm.

The evening commences with two CARS Tour events – a pro late model feature followed by the headline 138-lap late model stock car contest. Past winners of the event include NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry (2x), NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Tate Fogleman, Justin Carroll and Ryan Repko. NASCAR Cup Series stars William Byron and Christopher Bell have also tasted CARS Tour success at Hickory.

For more information on the CARS Tour and the Throwback 276, including how to purchase discounted advance tickets, visit CARSRacingTour.com.

KRIS WRIGHT: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

By
Official Release
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KRIS WRIGHT
No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: TSport 200
Date: Friday, July 29
Venue: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Location: Brownsburg, Indiana
Track Description: .686-mile
Race: 200 laps / 137.2 miles

iHeartRadio Returns … iHeartRadio, the number one audio company in the United States, returns with Kris Wright for the TSport 200 at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 29. A long-standing relationship, iHeartRadio’s sponsorship with Wright began in 2017 in the IMSA Prototype Challenge. iHeartRadio was last featured on the hood of Wright’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March.

America’s Great Race Place … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s debut at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which last hosted the event in 2011. The NASCAR Camping World truck Series made a yearly stop at the track known for its prolific action, from the series inception in 1995 through

Now, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the .686-mile oval track for the first time in more than a decade to open the Round of 10 of the Playoffs.

Short Track Stats: In four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts on a short track (less than one mile in length), the Wexford, Pa., -native has an average starting spot of 21.5 and an average finish of 28.5.

KRIS WRIGHT STATISTICS

QUOTE WORTHY
Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports
On the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park:
“I am looking forward for a momentum swing in Indy for the No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado team. Short tracks are fun due to the ‘physical’ bump-and-run games we must play to stay competitive. It should be very entertaining to watch, and we will be hopeful for some upsets.”

Kris Wright on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit KrisWrightMotorsports.com or connect with Kris Wright on Facebook (/KrisWrightRacing), Twitter (@KrisOnNASCAR) or Instagram (@krisonnascar).

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016, the Mooresville, N.C., -based organization has logged 352 starts with 42 drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series drivers Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Larson. Niece Motorsports has collected four victories (Ross Chastain, 2019: Kansas, Gateway, Pocono, and 2022: Charlotte), 27 top-five finishes and 65 top-10 finishes and has logged an average starting position of 19.6 and an average finishing position of 19.2.

NIECE MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS

Catch the Action … The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series TSport 200 at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, July 29 at 9:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8:30 p.m. (ET). Qualifying for the 17th event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business — iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings — as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world’s leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

First-ever Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix boosts local economy by $350 million

By
Official Release
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Fans cheering in the grandstands during the F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend on Sunday May 8th, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Fla (Brandon Brieger/F1 Miami GP).
  • 3,000 local workers paid in excess of $100 million in the lead-up and during the event
  • Tourism benefits as visitor spending totals $150 million during race week
  • A total of 243,000 spectators visit the Miami International Autodrome across three days
  • TV viewing figures up nearly 30% as 23 million watch the live action across the US

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – South Florida Motorsports (SFM) has released the findings of the first Economic Impact Report for the Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix which reveals the local economy was boosted by nearly $350 million. Compiled by leading economic consultants Applied Analysis, the report details the specific fiscal benefits to the South Florida and Greater Miami regions, including Miami Gardens.

“We were proud to deliver on the commitment Stephen Ross made to impact the local economy and the people throughout our community; especially right here in Miami Gardens,” said Richard Cregan, CEO of the Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. “Our team worked selflessly to create a campus and experience that was unique to the international culture of Miami. We look forward to growing the event and the positive impact it will continue to make here for years to come.”

In the first week of May, the venue hosted the first-ever Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix held around a new 19-turn circuit known as the Miami International Autodrome, built around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The race, which is one of 23 races worldwide comprising the 2022 Formula 1 Championship and will take place at the Miami International Autodrome for at least the next nine years.  The weekend attracted over 243,000 spectators across the three days and culminated with a thrilling race as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen beat the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. 

As well as enjoying the on-track action, fans were able to soak up the incredible atmosphere of the event which quickly became the hottest ticket in town. Celebrities from the worlds of film and pop mingled with sports stars in luxury VIP hospitality areas, such as Hard Rock Beach Club and MSC Cruises Yacht Club while international DJs performed to the entire campus and Miami restaurants served up the best local cuisine.

Driving Economic Impact and Salaries for Local Workers

The report highlights the overall economic impact of the race which has rivalled, if not exceeded, other events held in the South Florida market area. The operational and net visitor spending impacts are likely to recur in future years and have the potential to expand as the event matures. When operational activities and net visitor spending are aggregated, the overall economic impact reaches $349 million annually and supports more than $100 million in salaries and wages for over 3,000 local workers.

Visitors and Viewership

Visitor spending in the Greater Miami region during race week reached over $150 million. The average visitor to Miami for the race spent a total of $1,940 while in the city, which was nearly double the typical non-Formula 1 visitor. In addition, 84% of visitors traveled to Miami primarily for the event and 66% of attendees were out-of-town visitors. The tourist influx data revealed the country with the largest number of visitors was Canada, closely followed by the United Kingdom, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina.

The race was an extraordinary success from a broadcast perspective with 23 million US viewers spread across the weekend. The Saturday qualifying audience was 7.6 million rising to 15.4 million for Sunday’s race. In addition, viewership increased 27% compared to the 2021 US Grand Prix in Austin, TX across the weekend.

In the United States, race day viewership grew by 106% compared to the 2021 US Grand Prix with 2.2 million viewers, while on the F1 Web/App there were 140 million views (up 39% on the 2021 US race) and 118.6 million page views (up 50%) and 288,483 new followers. During the weekend F1 surpassed 19 million followers on Instagram, increasing its followers by 1.4 million since the start of the year.

Construction Jobs and Empowerment

Initial planning on the newest venue in Formula 1 started in the spring of 2019, while the first moment of ground-breaking on the campus was in April 2021.  A total of $50 million in salaries and wages were earned by 867 local employees during the construction phase of the project alone. The report concludes that the total economic impact of the track construction reached approximately $143 million when the indirect (vendor purchases) and induced (employee spending) impacts are considered.

Commitment to Miami Gardens

The Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix made an intentional commitment to empower and directly benefit the City of Miami Gardens and its residents. Fourteen minority owned restaurants were featured throughout the Campus and in partnership with Food Rescue US South Florida, Sodexo and Turn 5 Kitchen were able to donate edible food local shelters.

Furthermore, the F1 in Schools program administered through the Miami Gardens Parks and Recreation Department and Seeking Education Empowers Knowledge (S.E.E.K) brought STEM education directly to Miami Gardens students.  In addition, 12 students from Miami Gardens received event internships and 1,500 tickets were distributed to local residents. There was also a commitment to sustainability across the Campus with the elimination of 99.4% of single use plastics at Hard Rock Stadium. Aluminum water bottles, free water stations with reusable cups and plastic free serving vessels, plus three biodigesters to eliminate food waste, were in addition to other recycling facilities around the circuit.

The Deadliest Intersections in Florida

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Photo by Ryan Besgrove on Unsplash

Every year, thousands of car accidents happen. The odds of getting into one are higher than you would think. It is frightening to know that in 2016, 26% of all fatal car accidents were caused by an intersection. This number is expected to rise as more people commute in their cars. How can you protect yourself from being a victim? You might think that being cautious will take care of it all, but there is one thing you can do that will make a difference in the safety of your commute. That is to ensure you know the safest intersections in your area. Many people disregard the importance of safety and the need for precaution. Because of this, they end up stuck in the middle of a road after an accident or someone being injured or worse. Here are several intersections in Florida we rank as being riskiest:

Top 10 Deadliest Intersections In The State Of Florida

1. Fort Lauderdale

It is no surprise that the intersection of Dixie Highway and Commercial Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale would be listed among the deadliest in Florida. In 2017 alone, there were eight fatalities from accidents at this intersection, making it one of the most dangerous in all of Broward County. The location itself is somewhat troubling. Commercial Boulevard is a bustling street, and there is a high volume of traffic at the intersection. Additionally, there is no traffic light at this intersection, making navigating even more challenging. These factors make this location one of the most dangerous in Florida.

2. Tampa

Tampa Bay has more than its share of risky intersections. The intersection of Hillsborough Avenue and Fletcher Avenue in Tampa has been responsible for 15 deaths since 2012 on its own, with 36 total injuries during that period. That makes this intersection one of the most dangerous locations in Hillsborough County for driver safety. “We get a lot of people calling us about their accidents on Hillsborough Ave.,” said Gregg Spagnolia, Esquire, an attorney working out of Rhino Lawyers in Tampa. “With such high volume traffic, people must take more precautions in the area.” 

The intersection is bustling and is at the city’s heart. Hillsborough Avenue is also a major thoroughfare and carries a high traffic volume. It only worsens when you consider that there are no lights or left turn lanes to provide added protection for drivers at this intersection.

3. Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce has been a hot spot for high-profile accidents over the past few years. As of 2016, seven fatalities from collisions happened in Fort Pierce, which ranks among the top ten deadliest intersections in Florida for driver safety. The most recent accident was an accident that took place on Highway A1A, which happened on March 26th. A 21-year-old man was killed after he drove his car into a tree.

4. West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach’s most dangerous intersection is Jefferson and Palmetto boulevards. It is known as one of the most dangerous in Florida. In 2016 alone, there were 15 deaths at this intersection in West Palm Beach. The bustling intersection has no traffic lights and left turn lanes to help drivers navigate it safely. An accident happened on May 2nd when a man died after being involved in an accident with another person right before running into a pole and hitting the ground head first.

5. South dixie highway

There is a high volume of traffic that comes through this intersection every single day. And because of this, it is one of the most dangerous in South Florida. The intersection has been the site of numerous accidents over the past few years, including one in early March. A driver was killed after he drove his car into a telephone pole at this intersection in Hialeah.

6. Miami

Miami is no stranger to devastating traffic accidents, and many people feel that the worst happens on Brickell Avenue and Southwest 2nd Street, which makes it one of the deadliest intersections for driver safety in Miami-Dade County. This intersection ranked as the fifth most dangerous intersection in Miami-Dade County. In 2016 alone, there were five deaths in this location and twenty-four injuries. 2017 has been no better, with four deaths in the nearby streets of Southwest 1st Avenue and Southwest 2nd Street, which are just a block away from the deadliest intersection.

7. Pensacola

Pensacola is another community that has its fair share of deadly intersections. Pensacola Boulevard and Fairfield Drive are one of the most dangerous, which is why they made it to number six on our list. It accounted for five deaths and thirty-one injuries. It is also ranked as one of the most dangerous intersections in Escambia County for driver safety. This intersection is another one that has no traffic lights, which can make it quite challenging to navigate through safely.

8. North federal highway

It is another bustling intersection, and it gets worse when you consider that there are no lights or any mechanism that helps keep the traffic flow going smoothly. In 2016 alone, this location had eight fatalities, making it one of the deadliest intersections in South Florida.

9. Pembroke Pines

Eleven people have been killed at the Pembroke Pines intersection of Flamingo Road and Stirling Road. Pembroke Pines is another community that traffic accidents have utterly decimated over the last few years, and this intersection is one of the most dangerous. It has had a total of twenty-one injuries since 2012. This intersection can be complicated to navigate safely because of all the high-end stores and restaurants and traffic from Coral Springs and Hollywood, two major streets that intersect with Flamingo road.

10. Alton road and dade boulevard

Alton Road and Dade Boulevard is a bustling intersection right in Miami’s heart. In 2017 alone, there have been fifteen deaths at this location, including two accidents just one day apart. In both accidents, drivers were killed after hitting vehicles during morning rush hour. Another accident happened when a driver lost control of their car and hit a telephone pole.

Final Thoughts

Intersections are often the scene of some dangerous accidents, and few people realize that many intersections across the United States have been responsible for dozens of deaths and injuries. These intersections also rank high on our list of the most dangerous intersections in Florida. When you are in a car, driving at 45 mph and being surrounded by fast-moving vehicles, it only takes one second to destroy a life. And when you consider that an intersection is often the site of countless dangerous accidents with hundreds of injuries and deaths, this becomes clear. When driving your vehicle somewhere in Florida, find out if your state has an open road law and use it to your advantage to get through traffic as safely as possible.

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