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RFK Weekly Advance | Atlanta II

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Official Release
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Roush Fenway Keselowski Weekly Advance | Atlanta

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Peach State this weekend for its return trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway, a track where Jack Roush has six wins at all-time in the Cup Series. Team co-owner and No. 6 driver Brad Keselowski has two wins in Cup, while Buescher is coming off one of his best finishes to date there this spring.

NASCAR Cup Series Race at Atlanta
Sunday, July 10 | 3 p.m. ET
USA, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

· Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

New-Look Atlanta, Success in the Spring

This weekend marks the second trip to the new-look Atlanta and the repaved surface, as RFK enjoyed some decent success there in the spring in the fifth race of the 2022 campaign. Buescher finished seventh while Keselowski ran 12th.

RFK at Atlanta

RFK has 271 total starts at AMS in the three major NASCAR touring series, totaling 13 wins, 59 top-fives, 112 top-10s and 9 poles, while leading 3,154 laps and turning over 104,000 miles. The team has 190 starts in NCS action with six wins and 73 top-10s with four poles.

AMS/RFK History

RFK competed in its first NASCAR event at AMS on March 20, 1988, finishing 31st after getting

involved in an early crash. Just three years later the organization claimed its first win there in the fall of ‘91 with the No. 6 Ford. RFK won its first of seven NXS races at the track in the spring of ’97. The team’s top outing at AMS came in the fall of 2005, when the organization placed four cars inside the top seven, with three cars finishing in the top five including race winner Carl Edwards. Altogether, in the two races at AMS in 2005, RFK posted six top-five finishes and two wins.

Spring Forward

All but one of RFK’s Cup wins at AMS came in the fall, with the only spring win coming

in 2005. Three of RFK’s seven NXS wins came in the fall.

RFK Atlanta Wins

1991-2 Martin Cup

1994-2 Martin Cup

1997-1 Martin NXS

1998-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2002-2 Busch Cup

2005-1 Edwards Cup

2005-1 Edwards NXS

2005-2 Edwards Cup

2008-1 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2011 Edwards NXS

2012 Stenhouse NXS

Amber Balcaen; Rette Jones Racing Determined to Rebound in Road Course ARCA Debut

By
Official Release
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LEXINGTON, Ohio: After a much-welcomed break, Rette Jones Racing and ARCA Menards Series rookie driver Amber Balcaen head to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course determined for a rebound in Friday afternoon’s Dawn 150k.

After a series of strong runs throughout the month of May, the two-race short track stretch at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and Elko (Minn.) Speedway brought terror to the Mooresville, N.C.-based team with unfortunate circumstances and frustrating results.

But with any rocky trend in racing, the tide will eventually settle and the scenery will change and that’s exactly the approach Balcaen and her Mark Rette-led team are taking for the first of two road course races this season.

“The break last weekend was a welcomed opportunity to allow us to reset and refocus,” offered Balcaen.

“Obviously Berlin and Elko did not go as we planned, but fortunately, there is plenty of racing left and hopefully we can go to Mid-Ohio and have a productive race that allows us to look ahead to Pocono Raceway in a few weeks.”

If not experiencing the oval tracks in the ARCA Menards Series for the first time wasn’t a big enough challenge, Mid-Ohio is a 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course and a style of racing that Balcaen has yet to tackle, but her focus on conquering the latest challenge is keeping her motivation peaked.

“I’m very optimistic about this weekend at Mid-Ohio,” said Balcaen. “Honestly, I have been preparing for it for the last couple of weeks now and even though I have never done anything like this before, it is just another challenge to conquer.

“I just want to make improvements from start to finish over the weekend and if we can achieve that then hopefully we will have a good result on Friday afternoon. We need to start collecting some points again and the only way we are going to do that is with a solid finish and seeing the checkered flag.”

To help curb any forks in the road this weekend at Mid-Ohio, Balcaen will work with former ARCA Menards Series winner and road course standout Will Rodgers who will serve as her exclusive driving coach for her ninth career ARCA start.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Will and I’m looking forward to having him in my corner this weekend,” she said. “With Mid-Ohio being my road course debut, I’ll take any tips or feedback that I can get and with Will being in my corner, I feel like he can help me make significant gains throughout the day.”

Balcaen finished 17th at Elko Speedway, her worst finish in four races and thankfully didn’t lose a lot of points on one of her goals of becoming the highest finishing female in the championship standings.

“We lost even more ground at Elko, but Mid-Ohio begins our mission to charge and fight back,” she said.

“We are not even halfway in our 2022 season and we have 12 races left in the year, a lot can happen. We are regrouped and ready to fight forward.

“I am excited for Amber to work with Will (Rodgers). He is an amazing road course talent and I think he will be a huge asset to our Rette Jones Racing team on Friday.”

For crew chief and co-team owner Mark Rette, he is confident that his rookie driver will continue to adapt and rebound at Mid-Ohio.

“The last two races have been tough to swallow, but they have even been bigger learning experiences for Amber, so it is not a lost cause,” offered Rette. “In our most recent race at Elko, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Mid-Ohio isn’t going to be easy but collectively we are ready to tackle the 42 laps ahead of us with a positive attitude and hopeful with a little luck, a top-10 finish is possible on Friday.”

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their ninth of 20 races this season.

ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com.

The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season.

Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Entering Mid-Ohio, Balcaen sits sixth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 11 points out of fourth and 65 markers in the arrears to championship leader Rajah Caruth.

For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and Twitter (@RetteJones30).

The Dawn 150k (42 laps | 94.836 miles) is the ninth of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. A combined final and qualifying session begins on Friday, July 8, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM channel 391, online channel 981 managing the radio waves beginning at 5:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plan to field a full-time entry in 2022 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) respectively.

The winning ARCA team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

Wood Brothers Team Ready To Kick Off Second Half of 2022 Season

By
Official Release
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With half of the 36-race Cup Series season in the books the elite NASCAR circuit heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend to start a second trip around the circuit.

For many years in the past, the first return trip of the season was to the superspeedway in Daytona Beach, but with the schedule changes that distinction now goes to the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta.

With the offseason changes at Atlanta, the second stop will share some characteristics with the old days. The reconfigured and repaved 1.5-mile quad-oval at Atlanta, with its higher banking and narrower track in places, now sees pack racing and other similarities to events at Daytona and Talladega.

Brian Wilson, crew chief of the No. 21 Freightliner Mustang, is among those ready to get to Atlanta and kick off the second half of the season.

“Atlanta offers a unique challenge that everyone on the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 car is excited about as we start the second half of the season,” Wilson said. “The recently reconfigured race track is a blend of superspeedway racing like Daytona and Talladega, but also has some handling aspects similar to other intermediates.”

Wilson said he and his rookie driver, Harrison Burton, are glad to be going back to Atlanta and some other familiar places.

“Personally I look forward to returning to tracks a second time this year as we’ll have more depth in our notebook,” he said. “Recently at intermediate tracks we’ve made gains in giving Harrison the handling that he’s looking for.

“We’ll apply some of that knowledge this weekend.”

Wilson said having laps on the tracks in a Cup car earlier this season will help Burton going forward.

“Harrison also has a deeper notebook this time around,” he said. “He can have confidence in what he’s asking from the car and what to expect in the race.”

There will be no pre-race practice this weekend at Atlanta.

Qualifying is set for Saturday at 11:35 a.m. Eastern Time, and the Quaker State 400 is scheduled to get the green flag just after 3 p.m. Sunday. Stage breaks are set for Laps 60 and 160.

USA Network will carry the TV coverage this weekend.

Wood Brothers Racing

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

Texas Auto Loan regulatory changes for 2022

By
SM
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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

It’s a normal part of life to face money troubles from time to time, but the main thing is to know the way out of such problems. Texas Auto Loan is always at your disposal. It provides an Auto Title Loan even for those with bad credit scores. Traditional lenders usually refuse to approve your loan application if your credit isn’t good. If it is your case, you can try to receive money with an Auto Loan. Your car will be used as collateral for the loan. Usually, you can be approved on the same day you apply.

LEGISLATIONS FOR AUTO LOANS IN TEXAS

Looking for a title loan can be a stressful process, especially when the various states have different laws that can affect your chances of receiving funding. Some of the states offer better terms and rates than others.  You should consider your state’s rules when you decide to apply for a loan. 

All in all, almost every state’s lenders offer quick and easy online applications. All you need to do to get some money quickly is to fill out a simple online application form. This process will only take 5 to 10 minutes. 

Texas law says that auto loan lenders must have a license and follow strict regulations exists. The aim of these regulations is to limit a loophole that makes it possible for Credit Access Businesses to escape licensing and regulations. This also touches moneylenders who offer finances with the help of third-party organizations. At this point, a company is considered to be a credit services organization.

In some states, there is a limit on the amount of money that you can apply for.  For instance, in the city of Killeen, works a new law. This law requires that car lenders make certain you don’t borrow an amount of money that is more than 20% of your monthly salary. 

Online Car Title Loan in Texas uses your vehicle as the collateral for your loan. You can get money quickly to cover your unexpected expenses or pay your bills with a car loan. For instance, it is quite convenient to get online car loan without inspection in Texas on Pitri Loans and you will not meet any restrictions. With all the required documents you provide, the lender will usually approve the loan with an offer for fast financing within 1–2 business days. The interest rate, repayment amount, and terms depend on your credit score, creditworthiness, the demanded sum of the loan, and similar factors.

In order to be approved for a car loan in Texas, a specialist must estimate the value of your vehicle. The loan amount will depend on many factors such as the make of the car mileage, the year, make, model, and the condition of the vehicle also affects the overall loan amount that you can qualify for.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CAR ESTIMATION WITHOUT A STORE VISIT?

Take some photos of your car with your phone or camera and then upload them with your online application, email them, or send them directly to the lender.

The pictures will help the lender to verify the car’s condition, make, model, year, and mileage to determine the overall value of the car in order to approve you for the necessary loan amount. The process is fast, easy, safe, and much more convenient than driving to the loan office for an inspection.

INTEREST RATES IN TEXAS

How do interest rates work?  Usually, they are based on your credit score information and average income. It happens, that Texas has quite high-interest rates. Consider that having no outstanding loans also plays an important role.

If you have a good credit history along with a regular salary, you can receive the most favorable rates. Commonly most lenders offer auto loans up to $5,000, however, if you want or need more money, you can find a lender who will lend you up to $10,000. Before applying for a car loan in Texas, it is best to compare what different lenders can offer and choose the best option for your situation or need.

The terms of repayment in Texas will completely depend on the loan amount. Most commonly the repayment terms will start from 12 months and go up to 36 months. You can discuss the terms of loan repayment with the lender and choose the most convenient for you.

The diagram shows that the maximum loan amount you can receive throughout the country is 50000$ due to Pitriloans.com Texas auto loan regulatory changes in 2022. However, APRs differ from state to state. As we can see, Texas’ APR makes out 120%, which is considerably less than states like Virginia and Georgia can offer. On the other hand, the lesser the APR in Texas is the fewer repayment days we have at our disposal. Texas’ maximum loan term is only 180 days, while other states offer two times more.

Analyzing all pros and cons will definitely help you to find the best option for you!

Top Reasons to Choose Mitsubishi

By
SM
-
Photo by Komarov Egor 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

Mitsubishi is a Japanese company that has been around for over 140 years. The company has a long history of making quality products built to last. Mitsubishi is also known for its innovative technology and cutting-edge design. Mitsubishi should be at the top of your list when looking for cars, SUVs, or trucks. 

Here are some of the top reasons to choose Mitsubishi:

1. Quality

Mitsubishi is known for its high-quality standards. The company uses only the best materials and components in its products. All of Mitsubishi’s products undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet the highest standards. When buying one from Mitsubishi Dealers, you need not worry about the quality.

2. Durability

Mitsubishi products are built to last. The company uses high-quality materials and components that can withstand years of use. All of Mitsubishi’s products are designed to withstand the rigors of daily use. You can be sure that your purchase will last for many years.

3. Innovative Technology

Mitsubishi is constantly innovating and adding new features to its products. The company is always looking for ways to improve its products and make them more user-friendly. Mitsubishi’s products are packed with the latest technology and features that make them stand out from the competition. 

4. Cutting-Edge Design

Mitsubishi products are known for their cutting-edge design. The company’s products are stylish and modern. Mitsubishi is always ahead of the curve when it comes to design. You can be sure that your purchase will be a head-turner.

5. Excellent Customer Service

Mitsubishi dealers offer excellent customer service. The company’s staff is knowledgeable and helpful. They will go above and beyond to help you with your purchase. You can be sure that you will be satisfied with your purchase from Mitsubishi dealers.

6. Affordable Prices

Mitsubishi offers its products at competitive prices. The company’s products are reasonably priced and provide good value for money. You can be sure you will get your money’s worth when purchasing from Mitsubishi dealers.

7. Extended Warranty

Mitsubishi offers an extended warranty on its products. This means that you can have peace of mind knowing that your purchase is covered in case of any problems. 

8. Nationwide Service

Mitsubishi has a nationwide service network. This means you can get your product serviced at any Mitsubishi dealership in the country. You can be sure that you will always have access to quality service. 

9. Wide range of products

Mitsubishi offers a wide range of products. The company has a product for every need. You can be sure that you will find a product that meets your needs when purchasing from Mitsubishi dealers.

10. Mitsubishi is a trusted brand

Mitsubishi is a trusted and well-known brand. The company has been around for over 140 years and has built a solid reputation for quality and reliability. You can be sure that you are making a wise choice when purchasing from Mitsubishi dealers.

Conclusion

Mitsubishi is an excellent choice for anyone looking for cars, SUVs, or trucks. The company has a long history of making quality products built to last. Mitsubishi is also known for its innovative technology and cutting-edge design. Mitsubishi should be at the top of your list when looking for a new vehicle.

Weekend Schedule for Atlanta and Mid-Ohio

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by Ted Seminara for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series return to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for the second time this season as the Camping World Truck Series travels to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time ever. The ARCA Menards Series will also compete at Mid-Ohio Friday evening.

Practice and qualifying for the Truck Series is set for Friday. There is no practice scheduled for the Cup or Xfinity Series. Qualifying for the Xfinity Series will take place Saturday at 10:05 a.m. followed by Cup Series qualifying at 11:35 a.m.

Thirteen Cup Series drivers have won races so far this year, including five first-time winners. This leaves only three open spots in the Playoffs with eight races remaining in the regular season.

There are five open spots remaining in the Xfinity Series Playoffs Seven drivers have secured their place by virtue of wins including Ty Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill.

The Truck Series race this weekend at Mid-Ohio is the last race in the Triple Truck Challenge and the last opportunity to earn the $50,000 bonus.

There are only two races left in the Truck Series regular-season and five open spots in the Playoffs. As a result, at least three spots will be determined by points.

Press Pass will be available throughout the weekend.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, July 8

9:35 a.m.: Truck Series Practice at Mid-Ohio (No TV)
2 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Practice and Qualifying at Mid-Ohio (No TV)
3:35 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying at Mid-Ohio – FS1/MRN
5 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Dawn 150 (Mid-Ohio) – FS1

Saturday, July 9

10:05 a.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – Atlanta (NBC Streaming App/website)
11:35 a.m.: Cup Series Qualifying – Atlanta (USA/PRN/SiriusXM/ NBC Streaming App/website)

1:30 p.m.: Truck Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio
Distance: 151.28 miles (67 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 15, Stage 2 ends on Lap 35, Final Stage ends on Lap 67
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
The Purse: $671,050

5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta
Distance: 251.02 miles (163 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 40, Stage 2 ends on Lap 80, Final Stage ends on Lap 163
USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
The Purse: $1,376,327

Sunday, July 10

3 p.m.: Cup Series Quaker State 400 Presented By Walmart Atlanta Motor Speedway
Distance: 400.4 miles (260 laps)
USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Stage 1 ends on Lap 60, Stage 2 ends on Lap 160, Final Stage ends on Lap 260
The Purse: $7,034,869

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Atlanta

By
Official Release
-

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, July 10, 2022
1.54-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Hampton, Georgia
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (19 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Kevin Meendering
Standings: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

FOURTH IN JULY: Kyle Larson started third and finished third on Sunday at Road America in the NASCAR Cup Series race to move up to fourth in the point standings, 71 markers behind points leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. On Saturday in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start since 2018, Larson won stages one and two from the pole position before finishing second in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.

THIS YEAR: The Cup Series has raced on 1.5-mile tracks four times in 2022: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson battled for wins late before posting runner-up finishes at Las Vegas and Kansas. At Charlotte, the 29-year-old driver was leading with just over one lap to go when a caution waved, and he was collected in a multi-car accident on the ensuing restart and finished ninth. Larson was battling for the stage two victory in Atlanta before being collected in a multi-car incident, resulting in a 30th-place finish.

VERSUS LAST: In nine races held on 1.5-mile tracks last season, the 2021 Cup Series champion won four times and led 1,317 laps – the most laps led in a single season all-time on that track configuration. In fact, the rest of the field combined to lead 1,337 laps – only 20 more than Larson.

OLD TIME’S SAKE: This week’s race will be held on the reconfigured 1.5-mile Atlanta track that now has 28 degrees of banking in the turns, four more degrees of banking than seasons past. In March 2021 on the old configuration, Larson led 269 laps of 325 laps but was passed with nine to go and finished second.

FIFTH FOR FIVE: The Elk Grove, California, native ranks fifth in average finish and in laps led among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In nine starts at the Georgia venue, Larson has a 14.78 average finish and has led 419 laps – the most all-time for drivers without a victory at the track.

ANOTHER TOP-FIVE FOR DRIVER NO. 5: Larson’s 419 laps led at Atlanta rank fifth for his most laps led at a single track. In fact, 412 of those pacing the field have occurred in his last four starts at the facility.

HOME RACE: While the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry the familiar blue and white livery at Atlanta, Kyle Larson and the team will wear their “home” white uniforms. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick dealerships nearby, and the Atlanta area is home to nine – the second-largest market behind Charlotte. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels for giveaways, and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 1st

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series, will be available in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center at 10:45 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 9.

PEACH STATE PERFORMANCE: Chase Elliott has made 12 total starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway across NASCAR’s top-three levels – eight in the NASCAR Cup Series, two in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and two in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – and only finished outside the top 10 three times. He has six total top-10 finishes in the Cup Series at Atlanta, including a sixth-place run earlier this season on the track’s new configuration. The 2020 Cup champion’s average finish of 12.63 is best among active drivers at the Georgia venue.

1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: This Sunday, Elliott will make his 70th NASCAR Cup Series start on a 1.5-mile track. In his previous 69 races, Elliott has led 967 laps and captured wins at Kansas Speedway (2018) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (2020), along with 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 37 top-10s.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: With his runner-up finish at Road America last weekend, Elliott expanded his regular season point standings lead to 33 over Ryan Blaney. He also remains atop the projected playoff standings. The 26-year-old currently has two wins on the year, and his 13 playoff points and 549 laps led are both career-best marks for the driver through 18 events.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Earlier this season, the Cup Series made its first visit to Atlanta since its reprofiling and repave. Elliott started sixth for the 325-lap event and led twice for a total of 29 laps on the day. After ending stage two in the runner-up spot, Elliott ultimately took the checkered flag in the sixth position for the team’s third top-10 finish of the season. The driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet left the weekend as the new leader of the Cup Series point standings and, outside of a tie with Blaney following the Richmond Raceway race weekend, has held onto it ever since.

FIRE UP THE SI-REEN: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a Cup Series race at Atlanta. His father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, won five times at the track.

AG IN GA: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 26th Atlanta Cup Series race from atop the pit box this weekend. Gustafson has one win at the track, which he earned with Jeff Gordon, when the NASCAR Hall of Famer led 146 of 325 laps en route to the victory in 2011.

COMING HOME: In addition to Elliott hailing from Dawsonville, Georgia, which is just 83 miles north of the track, No. 9 team partners NAPA AUTO PARTS, Hooters and Kelley Blue Book all have major presences in Atlanta. This weekend, NAPA’s blue, yellow and white colors will be back on board the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It will mark their eighth race as the primary partner for Elliott at Atlanta in the Cup Series.

A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will get flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15 and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 10th

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series, will be available in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center at 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 9.

2022 SEASON STATS: So far in the 2022 season, William Byron has scored two wins, four top-five finishes, five top-10s, with 570 laps led – the most by a NASCAR Cup Series driver this season – across 11 of the 18 races. He also has three stage wins and 13 playoff points accumulated – tied for the most by any driver so far this season. Byron is currently tenth in the driver point standings, locked into the Cup Series playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. Since the start of 2021 through the 2022 season so far, Byron has two wins, one runner-up finish, five top-fives, and nine top-10s in 13 races on 1.5-mile tracks. He also has three stage wins with 411 laps led on tracks of that length.

TRIPLE DIGITS: In Byron’s Cup Series career, he has led more than 100 laps in four events, with three of those instances happening this season. In the four races where the 24-year-old driver has triple digits in laps led, he has three wins (Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2021, Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2022, and Martinsville Speedway in 2022) and an average finish of 1.5.

DOUBLING DOWN: Earlier this year when the Cup Series competed at Atlanta, Byron raced his way to victory lane – his first win of the 2022 season and he became the fourth-youngest winner at that venue. He led 111 laps en route to the win at the newly-configured venue. Just the night before, Byron had traveled to Hickory, North Carolina to compete in the Easter Bunny 150 – capturing the win in the No. 24 Super Late Model for Wilson Motorsports. His Cup win on Sunday completed the weekend sweep. For this Sunday’s race at the Georgia-based venue, Byron will look to go back-to-back and remain the defending winner at Atlanta. The last driver to sweep the season at this venue was Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

THE ATL ARCHIVE: Including his win in March of this season, Byron has six Cup Series starts at Atlanta. However, this will be only his second start at this track since the reprofiling was completed this offseason. Other than his six Cup Series starts, Byron has two other NASCAR starts at the Georgia track, one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he finished seventh, the third-highest of the Xfinity Series regulars. He also has one start at Atlanta in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he was running second before losing an engine, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish.

RUDY RUNS THE ATL: Sunday’s race marks crew chief Rudy Fugle’s fourth race in the Cup Series at Atlanta and his second after the repave. The last time the Livonia, New York, native was here, it ended with a trip to victory lane with the No. 24 team. Fugle also has six Truck Series starts at the 1.5-mile track as well which include two wins and three front row starting spots. His drivers have collected four top-three finishes in those six events, along with five top-10s. Fugle only has one finish worse than seventh coming with Byron in 2016 when the duo was running second before suffering an engine failure, resulting in a 32nd-place finish. Fugle also has one Xfinity Series start at the track.

BACK TO THE ROOTS: Byron will head north to once again climb back behind the wheel of the No. 24 Super Late Model for Wilson Motorsports, this time at Slinger Speedway on Tuesday, July 12. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has raced the No. 24 Super Late Model six times this year collecting five straight wins. He’s now collected two wins at New Smyrna Speedway, one at Hickory Motor Speedway, one at the Nashville Fairgrounds and most recently at Berlin Raceway. The Slinger Nationals will be available for PPV on Racing America, here.

AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: Heading to Atlanta for the second time in the 2022 season, Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Sunday’s race. Now in its 30th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, this is Axalta’s fifth season as a primary partner on Byron’s No. 24. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 9th

No. 48 Ally Milestone Initiative Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WISCONSIN RECAP: Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Racing team finished 12th at Road America last Sunday. The driver of the No. 48 took third in the first stage, gaining significant stage points. His 33 points were his most in a single race since his 40-point, fifth-place finish at Dover Motor Speedway in May. That points day puts Bowman ninth in the regular season points standings, 130 markers behind leader and teammate Chase Elliott.

RIPPING IN ATL: In his first appearance at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s reconfiguration in March, Bowman started 11th after qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather in the area. The 29-year-old driver finished the first stage in seventh and the second stage in 23rd. He came on strong in the final stage for a 10th-place result – one of nine top-10s he has secured this season, which equals his career-best mark through 18 races.

JUST PEACHY: Bowman has eight starts at the 1.5-mile venue in Hampton, Georgia, collecting two top-five results and three top-10s. A third-place run in March 2021 – behind teammate Kyle Larson – stands as his best finish.

THE SHOWMAN ON 1.5-MILERS: In the first four races of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season on 1.5-mile tracks, Bowman has finished in the top-10 in all four races. The Tucson, Arizona, native’s March win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway stands as his best result. He is the only driver in the Cup Series field to finish in the top 10 in all four events on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

GREG IN GA: Crew chief Greg Ives will make his 10th start as the shot caller in the Cup Series at Atlanta this Sunday. In his previous nine starts, Ives has tallied four top-five finishes and five top-10s, including the team’s 10th-place result earlier this year.

SUPERHERO SCHEME: This Sunday at Atlanta, the No. 48 Ally Milestone Initiative Chevy will adorn an electrifying blue and purple scheme with DC Comics superhero Static on the hood of the car. Ally teamed up with Milestone Media, DC, and Warner Bros. Discovery to mentor and train the next generation of comic book storytellers from Black and diverse backgrounds, both professionally and financially. Founded in 1991, Milestone Media is the first Black-owned comic book and media company, famous for creating super heroes “Static,” “Icon & Rocket,” “Hardware,” and “Blood Syndicate.” To see all angles of the No. 48 Ally Milestone Initiative Chevy, click here.

RUNNING AT THE FRONT: Hendrick Motorsports has led the most laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway of any NASCAR Cup Series team with 3,482 circuits at the point position. The organization moved into the top spot following the March race after leading 141 of 325 laps run, including 111 laps led by race winner William Byron.

SEVEN UP: The Rick Hendrick-owned team has seen seven drivers win at Atlanta – the most among all teams. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each won five times at the Georgia oval. Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau, Kasey Kahne and Byron have one victory apiece.

TAKING STOCK: Hendrick Motorsports has been to victory lane 15 times at the Georgia venue. That total is the most among all Cup teams and is the fifth-most victories for the organization at any one particular track. Martinsville Speedway (27), Dover Motor Speedway (22), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21) and Pocono Raceway (18) stand as the only tracks where the team has compiled more wins. Of note, Hendrick Motorsports has already won at Martinsville, Dover and Atlanta this year.

PACING THE FIELD: The reprofiled Atlanta track, which features an increase in banking from 24 degrees to 28 degrees, raced more like a superspeedway in March, but it does classify as a 1.5-mile track statistically. Hendrick Motorsports paces the field across both track types when it comes to wins. The organization’s 67 victories on 1.5-mile tracks and 28 superspeedway wins are the most on those track types all-time at the Cup Series level.

MAIN SQUEEZE: Hendrick Motorsports’ six wins in 2022 are the most among all Cup Series teams. It is the only four-car team to see each of its drivers win a race this season, and all four drivers currently rank in the top 10 in points. The organization’s 1,410 laps out front represents 30 percent of the laps run this season and lead all teams in the series by 311 circuits.

STUDYING THE TRENDS: In the last six 1.5-mile races, the Concord, North Carolina, based team has won four times. That stretch includes victories this season at Atlanta as well as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 2022, Hendrick Motorsports has series-best marks in wins (two) and laps led (394) on 1.5-mile layouts and is tied for the most top-10 finishes (11) at this track type.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the last race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the new race package and track configuration: “Our HendrickCars.com Chevrolet definitely had speed at Atlanta (Motor Speedway) earlier this year. We battled from the back to the front I think two times. We were going for the stage win but the push (from another car in turn four) just upset my car a little too much and we wrecked. It’s a product of this racing and product of pushing; trying to draft and get your lane going.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Atlanta: “This weekend’s race will be a lot like the first one. I think the difference will be teams now have had a few months to kind of dial in and understand exactly what’s going on underneath the car. I think all the cars are just going to drive better when we come back and typically when that happens, the aggression level will increase and people are going to be more apt to put themselves in compromised situations throughout the event. There were a lot of things going on to start the year and I think a lot of people were just trying to survive. Whereas this time everyone is going to be a little bit more comfortable, so decision making will be a little more questionable for a lot of the field I would say.”

More from Elliott on Atlanta: “For me, I want to try to get to the end. Five hundred miles at Atlanta was one of the longest races of the year in March from my seat. That being said, when you’re in a bit of a marathon event like that, you’ve got to survive. You want to be around there at the end. So, if you can be on the lead lap and not have any damage to your car, you’re probably going to have a shot at it at the end of the event. So for me, I’m just like, ‘man, let’s get to the end and we’ll run then for the win hopefully.’ You never know. You try to take each circumstance for what it is and make the best decision you can.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his thoughts for Sunday’s race at Atlanta: “I’m excited to go back to Atlanta (Motor Speedway). I think the track is going to be slicker than the last race there in March. It’s still going to race like a superspeedway race but I think we’re going to be working on the handling of our cars more than we did last time with the heat. I’m honestly interested to see how that plays out and what the conditions end up being like. We’ll have to really adapt throughout the race since we have no practice this time. Just like a lot of these weekends this season, we’ll just have to see how it goes once we get there and get on track.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how track conditions will differ from the March race at Atlanta: “Obviously, we had a good showing at Atlanta (Motor Speedway) in March and some of those notes will definitely transfer over for this weekend. However, the track has been sitting in the sun and baking since we were there last. It’s almost a similar situation as when we run the DAYTONA 500 to then racing 400 miles in August in that it’s much cooler the first time we race at Daytona (International Speedway) and then handling becomes a bigger factor in the summer race. We’ll still be drafting this weekend, but track grip will be down and handling will play a bigger role. Since we don’t have practice this time around, I think more guys will show up guessing a little bit on their handling to start the race. I think there will be more ebbs and flows of who is good at the start and then who is good at the end once they have some time to work on their cars. It’s going to be more about who can keep up with track conditions while being around at the end of the race to give yourself a shot.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on heading back to Atlanta: “We had a good No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 last time we were at Atlanta (Motor Speedway). Obviously, there are still a lot of challenges with the Next Gen car and the repave, but our guys work hard to put us in the best position every weekend and I am confident that they will look at the information we have from last time to improve on our car. The racing is pretty technical, so I am looking forward to getting out there in our new scheme and trying to get it to victory lane on Sunday.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the momentum built in Road America: “We had an opportunity to score stage points in the first stage at Road America and I felt confident that Alex (Bowman) could drive to the front, so we took a gamble for points, and it paid off. We weren’t happy with our finish, but we will definitely take the 33 points he earned on track last weekend. It was a step forward after not finishing the race at Nashville (Superspeedway), so we will lean on the success, work on what we can control, and look to be there at the end this Sunday in Atlanta.”

Ford Performance NASCAR: Zane Smith Looks To Extend Truck Series Points Lead

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Mid-Ohio Advance | Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Zane Smith, driver of the No. 38 Boot Barn F-150 for Front Row Motorsports, goes into this weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio with a 21-point lead in the standings. Smith was a guest earlier today on the weekly Ford Performance media Zoom call with motorsports reporters and spoke about his goals with two races remaining in the regular season.

ZANE SMITH, No. 38 Boot Barn F-150 – HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR POSITION AND IS IT A TIME TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND GO AFTER THOSE PLAYOFF BONUS POINTS? “I think our main focus right now is this regular season championship, just with how valuable it is to win it, especially in a case like ourselves where we’ve already had a strong start to the year with three wins. If I don’t get anymore wins in between now and two races left, and I do win the regular season championship, it’s equivalent to three more wins and those points carry you a long way, so we’ve had a really strong start to the season. I feel like it says a lot about our team even after our Las Vegas incident with the lugnut, and I feel like if it wasn’t for that I’d have a huge buffer, so to bounce back from that I feel like it says a lot about our team and we’re ready to attack these next two races.”

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR MID-OHIO THIS WEEKEND? “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of hours on the Ford sim and I feel like my engineer and I have worked closely and getting our truck better. The simulator is one thing and real deal is a whole other, but you typically get a general read for it and, as of right now, I’m really happy with how everything has been going and I’m excited to get to Mid-Ohio. I’ve never been there. I’ve never seen the place. I’ve heard mixed opinions on it, but I have enjoyed it so far. I feel like it should be fun and obviously hoping for another good points day and to leave there hopefully with the trophy and an even bigger points cushion.”

DO YOU FEEL WINNING THE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP MAKES MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IN GETTING TO PHOENIX FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE? “Yeah, it makes a huge difference. I’ve been in way worse situations than I am now. I feel like if you get those extra bonus points it just goes such a long way, but I’ve been in way way worse situation before and having to win in my last possible chance, so I’m happy where we’re at as a team. We have a new truck being built for the playoffs and obviously some good tracks coming up for us as well, but I feel like we’ve had the speed. The hard part of the eight-week stretch is over, so the fine detail kind of gets to be put into our trucks as it always is, but even more detail now. I feel like that’s what really separates people, so I’m super excited to get these playoffs rolling and hopefully we end up in Phoenix again. How championships are won now is just whoever is the best in Phoenix, so obviously we want to get ourselves locked in as soon as possible and put our biggest preparation into Phoenix if that day comes.”

IS THERE A TRACK THAT HELPS BEST PREPARE FOR PHOENIX OR ARE YOU TAKING IT RACE BY RACE? “I want to take it race by race, but it’s hard for me not to look forward to Kansas in the playoffs just with how our first Kansas went. I feel like the Fords in general have been really strong and I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job of executing races and staying consistent. That’s what it takes to get to Phoenix.”

YOU WERE FIRST AT COTA AND SECOND AT SONOMA, SO IS THIS WEEKEND ONE YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO? “Absolutely. I feel like road courses, I said in COTA, I think it was to Jamie Little but road courses in my opinion is almost, I don’t want to say an off weekend but a fun weekend because if you’re off a little bit I feel like the driver can make the difference in a way, so I like that part of it and I grew up road course racing. I’ve never seen MId-Ohio, but what I know of it so far on the simulator and watching it, it seems like a lot of fun, so I’m super excited about it.”

IT’S A LONG WAY UNTIL THE END OF THE PLAYOFFS IN NOVEMBER. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH SUCH A LONG PLAYOFF SEASON? “I feel like the most difficult part is if you have a bad weekend we have a huge break, I want to say it’s in August, and that part is the hardest part. I feel like the Xfinity and the Cup, obviously the Cup level is the Cup level, but for Xfinity to compare apples to apples, you could have a bad race to start the beginning of your year and be all right because I think Xfinity still has close to eight or nine races and, for us, if you have one bad race it hurts and so I feel like it’s really tough to make the playoffs in general for the Truck Series and then, like I said about the breaks once the playoffs get going, is really difficult. The past two years have worked out for me and I enjoy when the playoffs come around just because of the win you’re in mindset. Executing on peoples’ bad days is a big key to it. It takes everything to get to Phoenix. It’s almost a championship in itself getting there and then running the best out of everyone else is a whole other thing, so hopefully that’s the case this year.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR MID-OHIO? “I’m a huge fan of road course racing. Our track record so far this year on the road courses has been really good with a first at COTA and a second at Sonoma, so a first and a second is a good start. I feel like at Sonoma I had a shot at the end, but I just wasn’t close enough to Kyle. I feel like Mid-Ohio from what I hear, talking to Michael McDowell and Joey Hand, it seems like it’s my style of a rhythm type road course and I like that. I actually feel like a place like COTA, where it’s really heavy braking ares isn’t quite my strong suit, but rhythm places and keeping your momentum up I would say is my strong suit road course-wise, so I can’t wait to get down there.”

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE SPORTS MOMENT? “It was pretty cool watching Jimmie Johnson win his seventh championship. Racing is all I’ve ever known. Besides racing, I’m a huge Tom Brady fan. I really enjoy seeing his success at such a high level and all the people that talk crap about him and how he shuts them up. That’s just really cool to see, whether he played football, golf or baseball it don’t matter for me. Other than that, Jimmie Johnson winning a seventh championship was pretty cool. Anything racing involved is always cool to watch, especially when the odds really are in their favor.”

HOW DID YOU ENJOY YOUR CUP DEBUT AT GATEWAY SUBBING FOR CHRIS BUESCHER? “When I ran the 17 Cup car it was an experience I’ll never forget. It was about as last-minute as it could possible get, but I had a ton of fun getting to, I don’t know, I guess to see that and be a part of it. That was what was so cool. Ever since you’re a little kid in any professional sport you always want to get to the top level and it’s crazy once you get to do that, especially for your first time, so that was pretty crazy. Just the atmosphere difference was so much different than anything I’ve ever experienced and obviously the competition level taught me so much. It was cool to race against those guys that I’d grown up watching, a lot of them, and so hopefully there will be more in the near future.”

ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN PREVIOUS YEARS? ALL OF YOUR STATS ARE BETTER. “I wouldn’t say there’s anything I’m doing different. I just feel like everything is clicking well. The communication between myself, crew chief, engineer, our whole team is just really good right now. I feel like just race car drivers in general, once you have a few years under your belt it just really shows once you’ve been to the places and you’ve gotten to experience so many different things and I feel like that’s the case for me. A lot of times I feel like I’ve experienced so much, so I can’t imagine 10-plus years racing. I’m having a ton of fun this year. It’s been cool to collect some trophies and be in contention to win races pretty much week in and week out and we’ll try to keep it up in these playoffs and see if we can end up in Phoenix.”

ANY ADVICE FOR KIDS OUT THERE WHO LOOK UP TO YOU? “It’s obviously been super cool to see, especially last year and this year all of the support I’ve gotten from the fan’s side. I feel like that’s super cool to see. I try to be as relatable as possible, but as far as advice I’m still figuring myself out. But as far as racing advice, if you’re trying to make it professionally, I would try to race anything and everything you get your hands on and take advantage of every opportunity you’re given and just roll with the punches and see what it gives you and have fun with it.”

CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT JOEY HAND IS HELPING YOU WITH? “Joey helped some at COTA and I’m not sure if he helped at Sonoma, but I’ve been really impressed with Joey and super thankful for his help that he and Ford have provided us. I obviously haven’t been able to apply it yet at Mid-Ohio, but his COTA help was tremendous and I just feel like little things he’s showed me at Mid-Ohio has helped me a ton. I feel like it’s really easy for people that come in, I don’t want to sound bad here, but people who think they’re helping but they don’t understand the stock cars that we race and the things that they say don’t make sense or isn’t necessarily true, but that is not the case with Joey. With him he is spot on and I feel like the communication between him and I has been great. As soon as he talks about something, I don’t know if it’s because we come from a karting background or he just has so much road course experience he just knows, but as soon as he talks about something I pick it up right away with him and that’s been really cool. He’s a super cool guy. Obviously a freaking wheel man, and hopefully I get to use him some more whenever I get the chance.”

IS IT JUST CONVERSATION WHERE HE HELPS OR DO YOU LOOK AT VIDEO? “What he did for COTA and Mid-Ohio is Ford will send him down to North Carolina for at least a day and he’ll work with me for a couple hours. I’ll pretty much run for 20 minutes and he’ll have a track map and mark down all these notes of his thoughts and opinions and I feel like that’s what makes him good is because he makes it clear these are his thoughts and his opinion, you don’t have to do it and you can take what you want from it. I feel like that’s how you should go about things and with Joey I’ve taken about 99 percent of them just because I feel like they’ve all really applied well with what I’m trying to do. His help in the simulator has been tremendous and hopefully we can apply it on Saturday.”

WILL THE REGULAR SEASON TITLE AND 15-POINT BONUS THAT COMES WITH IT MAKE YOU MORE HESITANT TO STICK YOUR NOSE INTO A TIGHT SITUATION WITH THAT THOUGHT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND? “For sure, especially when you take those away from guys they’re gonna be racing in the playoffs a lot more conservative, so you’ve got to take advantage of those situations. That’s where my head is at. I’m sure that’s where the other guys’ heads are at that also have pretty good playoff points, so we need to get there first, but a great first step would be winning on Saturday.”

IS THERE A PARTICULAR AREA YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO IMPROVE ON AS A TEAM OR IS IT JUST REFINING WHERE YOU ARE? “I feel like pit road needs to be better.”

SO THE MODIFIED PIT STOPS MIGHT PLAY INTO YOUR HAND? “I feel like it’s not that it’s been completely horrible, it just needs to be more consistent, especially when these playoffs come around just because mistakes don’t get you to Phoenix. I’ve gotten to experience that and fortunately we’ve been able to execute as late as you could possibly get it done, but I do not want to be a part of that again. I would like to be able to breathe going into, I think it’s Homestead this year, so that’s our goal. To be in the playoffs you need to be perfect. I don’t want it to seem like we’re bashing anyone, but I feel like our pit road needs to be more consistent.”

WITH THE MODIFIED PIT STOPS THIS WEEK HOW MUCH EASIER IS IT TO KNOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO COME IN BEFORE THE STAGE BREAK? “I like that. I feel like it’ll make for an exciting Pocono because we’re all gonna be racing for these stage wins because all the stages are pretty cut and dried. There’s good and bad to it. There’s good that way, but if you have a mistake early in the race, typically bad things on a road course you can short pit and still have a good day if you do something or make a mistake. There is none of that anymore and I’ve heard Mid-Ohio is pretty tough to pass, so minimizing your mistakes are gonna be crucial and just being around at the end and not getting into anyone else’s mess is the key.”

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Mid-Ohio Preview

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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Race 15 of 23, 67 Laps – 20/20/27; 151.28 Miles
Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio (2.258-mile 13-turn road course)
Date/Broadcast: July 9, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ the Facts:
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team head into Mid-Ohio with their sights set on closing the gap in the Camping World Truck Series regular season championship standings. After a ninth-place finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Nemechek dropped one spot in the standings and finds himself 21 tallies behind points leader Zane Smith with just two races remaining in the regular season.

Nemechek will be pulling double-duty this weekend at Mid-Ohio, making his first career ARCA Menards Series start behind the wheel of the No. 55 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. He has previously made just one start at Mid-Ohio in the Xfinity Series, where a mid-race incident relegated him to a 31st-place finish.

The second-generation driver has finished inside the top-10 in 10 out of the last 11 events and leads NASCAR Truck Series regulars in poles (four) and average starting position (6.9). He also ranks second in driver rating (102.3) top-10 finishes (10) and average running position (9.027) and sits fourth in laps led (188).

The Toyota Racing driver spent his off weekend from the Truck Series making his sixth Xfinity Series start of the season piloting the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin where he brought home an 18th-place finish.

Nemechek is a 12-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 and 2022 with KBM. Across 138 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled six poles, 1,369 laps led, 46 top-five and 76 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 33 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the first team in Truck No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillips has been atop the box for four Xfinity Series starts at Mid-Ohio with a best finish of 11th in 2015 with Daniel Suarez. Across six Camping World Truck Series starts on road courses, his drivers have tallied 17 laps led, four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 5.0. His best finish came with John Hunter Nemechek in 2021 at Watkins Glen International where they finished second.

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, will adorn the hood of the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro this Saturday at Mid-Ohio. Mobil 1 returns as the primary sponsor of Nemechek’s Toyota for two more races in 2022 on Oct. 1 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Sept. 9 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
How beneficial will it be running the ARCA race before the Truck Series race this weekend?
“I think running laps this weekend is going to help with the limited track time. I’ve been able to at least run a Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio and it’s one of my favorite racetracks to go to. It’s an awesome race and I think reps are huge for this weekend.”

You’ve raced at Mid-Ohio in the Xfinity Series; how does it compare to the other road courses we’ve raced at in the Truck Series this year?
“Mid-Ohio is different than the other road courses we’ve been to this year in the Truck Series to me. There’s some tight roller sections and a couple long straightaways but a unique track in itself.”

In addition to your experience at Mid-Ohio, Eric Phillips (crew chief) has been on the box for four Xfinity Series races there. How beneficial will the experience he has a crew chief there be this weekend?
“I think having experience on the pit box from Eric calling a race there and knowing what the factors are and being there for rain races and dry races depending on the conditions will help. Knowing some of the backstory on Mid-Ohio and just having experience there is going to be very beneficial to go against those who have never been there before.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Twelve-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports and returning to victory lane with KBM in 2021 and 2022. Across 138 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled six poles, 1,369 laps led, 46 top-five and 76 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021, earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and finished third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Across 62 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 510 laps led, 17 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.9.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-61: The Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-61 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. Nemechek has piloted this Tundra to two top-10 finishes this season, finishing second at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) back in March and eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June. Overall, KBM-61 has made six road course starts resulting in three top-five and four top-10 finishes with an average finish of 8.2.

KBM-61 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • Across 38 starts on road courses, KBM drivers have earned two wins, 15 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 9.3 and an average finish of 11.7.
  • Owner-driver Kyle Busch earned his organization’s most recent road course win in June at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Erik Jones picked up KBM’s first road course victory in 2015 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (95) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 17 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Atlanta NASCAR weekend full of entertainment fans don’t want to miss

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NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 11, 2021 in Hampton, GA. Anthony Hall

HAMPTON, Ga. (July 6, 2022) – This weekend NASCAR returns to the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time this season for the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart and the Alsco Uniforms 250.

Between those two races there’s 650 miles of NASCAR action on tap, but race weekend in Atlanta is full of entertainment even when the cars aren’t on the track. Here’s a few fun activities fans won’t want to miss while at AMS this weekend!

Revs & Riffs NASCAR Weekend Music Festival Presented by Fr8Auctions.com

Atlanta Motor Speedway and Fr8Auctions have teamed up to bring a medley of music to the summer NASCAR weekend with the Revs & Riffs NASCAR Weekend Music Festival Presented by Fr8Auctions.

The music festival runs in conjunction with the race weekend, featuring musical performances that kick off Friday night and continue throughout the weekend. From the Fan Zone to the campgrounds to the frontstretch stage, fans will enjoy a performances spanning a variety of genres including pre-race concerts by Candlebox on Saturday and Flo Rida on Sunday.

Pit Boss Camper Appreciation Party Presented by Walmart

Fans fuel the great times and unforgettable memories at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is why the speedway kicks off the summer weekend with the Pit Boss Camper Appreciation Party Presented by Walmart.

The speedway and its partners will treat campers staying at the track to free burgers, hot dogs, and Coca-Cola beverages at The Gathering Place in the Legends campground. Special guests like NASCAR Cup Series driver Aric Almirola and “America’s Crew Chief” Larry McReynolds will even stop by, and some lucky fans will go home with cool prizes. To cap it all off, Garrett Collins Project will perform the first musical act of the weekend.

Laps for Charity Presented by Fr8Auctions.com

Before any of NASCAR’s stars hit the track, fans can take their own vehicles onto Atlanta’s 28-degree banked turns and make the first laps of the race weekend under the lights.

With a donation to Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta, participants will be able to drive three laps around the 1.54-mile speedway behind the Atlanta Motor Speedway pace car. Fans can register to participate online at https://www.speedwaycharities.org/atlanta/.

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s free Fan Zone

Before heading through the gates there’s a ton to see and do in the free Fan Zone from cool partner displays, to fun and games in the Kids Zone, to free activities like axe throwing and more.

Plus the Quaker State Fan Stage is home to driver appearances throughout the weekend as well as musical performances by Mark Wills and the Leah Belle Faser Band.

Peach Pit Presented by Dixie Vodka

When the racing ends the party is just getting started in the Peach Pit Presented by Dixie Vodka on Saturday night.

This party in the infield is packed with entertainment like mechanical bulls, corn hole, laser lights, and fireworks to cap off the night. Best of all, Georgia’s own Blackberry Smoke will perform a concert on the Peach Pit stage.

Family Movie Night at Bruton Smith Park

Fans looking for a more family-friendly activity on Saturday night after the Alsco Uniforms 250 can enjoy the free movie night in Bruton Smith Park near the Family Campgrounds.

Families in attendance will enjoy the film Cars and free snacks provided by Cheez It Puff’d when the movie starts at 8:45 p.m.

These are just the highlights of a weekend packed full of entertainment at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Tickets and camping accommodations for this weekend’s racing and entertainment are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart weekend:

The Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart headlines the summer slate of NASCAR racing and entertainment during the Revs & Riffs NASCAR Weekend Music Festival Presented by Fr8Auctions.com at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 8-10.

The event features 650 miles of NASCAR thrills and musical performances throughout the weekend, including concerts by Flo Rida, Candlebox, Blackberry Smoke, and more.

More information on the July 8-10 Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart and ticket availability can be found online at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

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