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Jason Ratcliff to call 500th Xfinity event as a crew chief at Atlanta

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images.

A significant milestone achievement is in the making for Jason Ratcliff, crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota Supra team piloted by multiple competitors in this year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series. By participating in this weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Ratcliff will call his 500th Xfinity event as a crew chief.

A native of Sumter, South Carolina, Ratcliff, who began his racing career working on mini Sprint Cars in Texas before working for the Sadler Brothers Racing Team in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1995, made his debut as a NASCAR crew chief in 2000 for Casey Atwood and the No. 27 Brewco Motorsports Chevrolet team. In his first season as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series, Ratcliff led Atwood and the No. 27 team to two poles and eight top-10 results throughout the 32-race schedule before Atwood settled in eighth place in the final standings.

During the following two Xfinity seasons, Ratcliff remained at Brewco Motorsports while being paired with rookie driver Jamie McMurray, who replaced Atwood. Together, the duo achieved a total of six top-five results and 17 top-10 results through the two seasons with a best points result of sixth place in 2002. In addition, Ratcliff achieved his first two career wins as a NASCAR crew chief in back-to-back weekends as he guided McMurray to his first two career victories in the Xfinity circuit at Atlanta Motor Speedway and at Rockingham’s North Carolina Speedway between October and November.

In 2003, Ratcliff was paired with the 1996 Xfinity champion David Green, who was driving the No. 37 Pontiac for Brewco Motorsports. After calling his 100th Xfinity event as a crew chief during the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway, Ratcliff guided Green to three victories: Nashville Superspeedway in April, New Hampshire International Speedway in July and at Kansas Speedway in October. To go along with two poles, 11 top-five results, 21 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 11.1, they settled in second place in the final standings and fell 14 points shy of the title to driver Brian Vickers and crew chief Lance McGrew from Hendrick Motorsports.

After leading Green to a seventh-place result in the final standings in 2004 despite going winless, Ratcliff joined forces with Joe Gibbs Racing to serve as a crew chief for JJ Yeley and the No. 18 Chevrolet team for the 2005 Xfinity season. Throughout the season, Ratcliff and Yeley achieved a season-best runner-up result at Memphis Motorsports Park in October along with a pole, six top-five results and 16 top-10 results throughout the 35-race schedule before Yeley finished in seventh place in the final standings. By then, Ratcliff surpassed 200 career events as an Xfinity crew chief. 

Despite enduring a winless season in 2006 while guiding Yeley and the No. 18 JGR team to four poles, nine top-five results, 22 top-10 results and a fifth-place result in the final standings, Ratcliff retained his role as a crew chief for the No. 18 team in 2007. On this occasion, the No. 18 entry was piloted between Aric Almirola, Brad Coleman, Kevin Conway and Tony Stewart throughout the 35-race schedule. The team’s best result throughout the season was a runner-up performance by Coleman at Kentucky Speedway in June coupled with two poles, five top-five results and eight top-10 results throughout the 35-race schedule.

Ratcliff remained at JGR and as crew chief for the team’s No. 18 entry for the 2008 season that competed on a part-time basis and was shared between Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart in the early stages of the season. By then, the organization swapped manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota. After leading Busch and the No. 18 team to a runner-up result at Daytona in February and a 31st-place result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, Ratcliff and Busch achieved their first victory of the season and with JGR when Busch claimed a dominant win at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Ratcliff went on to achieve three additional victories with Busch and another with Hamlin during the next nine events that the No. 18 entry competed in the Xfinity circuit. In August, however, Ratcliff was among a number of JGR employees, including crew chief Dave Rogers, who were suspended from NASCAR indefinitely after NASCAR penalized JGR’s Nos. 18 and 20 Xfinity Series teams due to rule violations discovered by NASCAR inspectors prior to post-race testing on the chassis dynamometer at Michigan. Despite the hefty points penalties and suspensions, JGR’s No. 18 Toyota team went on to win five more events for the remainder of the season as Wally Brown, Doug Hewitt and Joel Weidman were atop the pit box of JGR’s Xfinity Series operations.

Following his indefinite suspension, Ratcliff returned as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series for JGR’s No. 18 Toyota Camry team piloted by Kyle Busch, who elected to run a full Xfinity schedule along with a full Cup Series schedule in 2009. Despite being absent for the season-opening event at Daytona, Ratcliff earned a one-way trip to Victory Lane in his return atop the pit box at Auto Club Speedway in February when Busch won after leading all but seven of the 150-scheduled laps. The 2009 season proved to be a memorable one for the South Carolina native, who led Busch to eight additional victories, three poles, 24 top-five results and 29 top-10 results throughout the season. When the final checkered flag flew at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, Busch, who fended off title rival Carl Edwards to win the finale, claimed his first Xfinity Series championship by 210 points over Edwards. The 2009 Xfinity title was also a first for Joe Gibbs Racing, a first for Toyota in the series and for Ratcliff, who surpassed 300 career events as an Xfinity crew chief and recorded nine victories, three poles, 24 top-five results and 29 top-10 results with the No. 18 team. 

In 2010, Ratcliff remained as a crew chief for JGR’s No. 18 Toyota team while Kyle Busch, who decided to not defend his series title, participated in 29 of the 35-race schedule. Brad Coleman drove the No. 18 car in the remaining six vacant events. Despite not being in contention for the drivers’ championship, JGR’s No. 18 entry achieved the 2010 Xfinity owners’ championship on the strength of 13 victories, all achieved by Busch, as Busch established an all-time record of most victories produced by a driver in an Xfinity season. The No. 18 team also achieved a total of three poles, 22 top-five results and 28 top-10 results throughout the 35-race schedule. 

Ratcliff remained as a crew chief for JGR’s No. 18 Toyota Camry team for a seventh consecutive season in 2011 that was piloted between Kelly Bires, Kyle Busch, Hamlin, Logano, Michael McDowell and Ryan Truex. Throughout the season, Ratcliff achieved eight victories, all with Busch. In addition, the No. 18 entry achieved three poles, 21 top-five results, 27 top-10 results and a runner-up result in the final Xfinity owners’ standings behind Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford Mustang team.

Following 12 seasons in the Xfinity circuit, Ratcliff graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2012, where he assumed the role of crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota Camry team. From 2012 through 2017, he notched 15 victories in NASCAR’s premier series while working with Logano and Matt Kenseth. Then in 2018, Ratcliff returned to the Xfinity Series to serve as a crew chief for JGR’s No. 20 Toyota Camry piloted by Christopher Bell, who was coming off a Camping World Truck Series championship with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Eight races into the new season, Ratcliff and Bell achieved their first victory of the season at Richmond in April. The duo went on to achieve three consecutive victories in July at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Iowa before entering the 2018 Xfinity Playoffs as a title favorite. After collecting victories at Richmond and Dover between September and Dover to transfer from the Playoff’s Round of 12 to 8, Ratcliff and Bell rallied from sustaining back-to-back DNFs at Kansas and Texas during the Round of 8 to win for the seventh time of the season at Phoenix in November and clinch a Championship 4 spot at Homestead. During the finale, however, Bell cut a tire in the closing stages and finished 11th on the track while also settling in fourth place in the final drivers’ standings. Despite falling short of winning his second championship, Ratcliff, who surpassed 400 Xfinity events as a crew chief, achieved great success in his return to the series as he led Bell and the No. 20 to seven victories, five poles, 18 top-five results, 20 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.3.

Remaining as Bell’s crew chief for the 2019 Xfinity Series season, Ratcliff achieved another successful season that started with a victory during the second event of the season at Atlanta. The duo went on to achieve seven additional victories, qualify for the Xfinity Playoffs and transfer all the way to the Championship 4 finale at Homestead with another opportunity to contend for the drivers’ championship. The duo, however, settled in fifth place during the finale and in third place in the final standings in a season where they recorded an additional victory, pole and top-10 result along with two additional top-five results and a higher average-finishing result (9.1) in comparison to 2018.

Following two strong consecutive seasons in the Xfinity circuit highlighted with 15 victories and two championship finale appearances, Ratcliff and Bell moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series and joined forces with Leavine Family Racing for the 2020 season. Once Leavine Family Racing ceased operations at the conclusion of the 2020 season and Bell re-joined Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the No. 20 Toyota in the Cup Series, Ratcliff returned to the Xfinity Series for the 2021 season as a crew chief for the No. 20 Toyota Supra team piloted by Harrison Burton, the reigning Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year who won four races during his rookie campaign. Despite being absent at Darlington Raceway in September due to COVID-19 protocols and enduring a winless season, the new duo achieved a consistent season highlighted with nine top-five results, 21 top-10 results and a spot in the Xfinity Playoffs before finishing in eighth place in the final standings.

For this season, Ratcliff was assigned to lead JGR’s No. 18 Toyota Supra entry that has been piloted by Trevor Bayne, Drew Dollar, Connor Mosack, John Hunter Nemechek, Sammy Smith, Ryan Truex and Bubba Wallace. Through the first 16 events of 2022, Ratcliff has led the No. 18 team to a pole, four top-five results and seven top-10 results as they are situated in 10th place in the Xfinity owners’ standings. The No. 18 entry, which is coming off a 24th-place run at Road America with newcomer Sammy Smith, is set to be piloted by Ryan Truex for this upcoming weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Through 499 previous appearances, Ratcliff has achieved one championship, 55 victories, 33 poles, 167 top-five results and 266 top-10 results while working with 22 different competitors.

Ratcliff is scheduled to call his 200th Xfinity Series event as a crew chief at Atlanta on Saturday, July 9, with the event’s coverage to occur at 5 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Legends and Bandolero Drivers Red, White and Cruise to Victory at the Cook Out Summer Shootout

By
Official Release
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  • Wyatt Coffey (Beginner Bandits), Kaeden Ballos (Bandolero Outlaw), Joel Smith (Young Lions), also victorious in Round 5 of Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway
  • The Boston Reid & Company Pro and Masters division Round 5 features were postponed to next week due to lightning in the area.
  • Round 5’s fireworks show was canceled due to inclement-weather and rescheduled for Champions Night on Aug. 2. Spectators should save tickets from tonight for a discounted $5 admission on Aug. 2.

CONCORD, NC (July 5, 2022): While Mother Nature took the fireworks out of the sky, the drivers put a show on the track for Round 5 of the Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway presented by Cabarrus Brewing. Connor Zilisch (VP Racing Semi-Pro division) and Darren Krantz Jr. (Bandolero Bandits) were among the drivers claiming stars and stripes victories one day after the Fourth of July.

Zilisch Outruns the Rain in the VP Racing Semi-Pro Competition

The VP Racing Semi-Pro feature showcased Trevor Wester’s speed as he led the competition for the first six laps until a restart gave Connor Zilisch room to take control. The second caution of the night gave the lead back to Wester who maintained it for five more trips around the frontstretch quarter-mile. On a third restart, Zilisch took the inside corner of turn two at lap 12 to pass Wester for good in a race to outrun the weather. Lightning in the area caused the race to be called at lap 19, giving Zilisch the win.

Krantz Jr Battles Bandolero Bandits for Second Win

In the Bandolero Bandits division, Hudson Canipe started at the front with an intense battle behind him among Ben Morabito, Darren Krantz Jr. and Beckham Malone. Canipe maintained his lead until lap 16 when Owen Zacharias blew a tire to bring out a yellow flag. Canipe and Morabito battled side by side after the restart before contact sent Canipe spinning sideways and out of contention. On the subsequent restart, Krantz Jr. passed Morabito for the lead off turn 4 on lap 18, then cruised to victory for his second Cook Out Summer Shootout win.

Krantz Jr. is now five for five in podium finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway this summer including a first place win in Round 2.

Cook Out Summer Shootout fun continues with Round 6 on Tuesday, July 12. “Night of Games” at America’s Home for Racing will feature a full slate of fun and games with thrilling Legend Car and Bandolero action. Next week’s schedule will also include weather-postponed Boston Reid & Company Pro and Masters division features from tonight’s schedule.

TICKETS:

Cook Out Summer Shootout entry is $10 for adults and kids 12 and under are FREE. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, by calling 800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets.

KEEP TRACK:

Follow all the thrilling Cook Out Summer Shootout action using the hashtag #WeCreateLegends. Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Top 10 in each division of Tuesday’s races (unofficial results):

Beginner Bandoleros: 1. Wyatt Coffey, 2. Aidan Zschiedrich, 3. Jeffery Beck, 4. Delaney Gray, 5. Mason Roberts, 6. Camden Truett, 7. Ava Grace Tobias, 8. Jack Smith, 9. Gavin Holland, 10. Jakob Peterson

Bandolero Bandits: 1. Darren Krantz Jr., 2. Ben Morabito, 3. Bryson Brinkley, 4. Beckham Malone, 5. Colt Johnson, 6. Hudson Canipe, 7. Mardy Roberts III, 8. LaQuan McCoy, 9. Carson Cauble, 10. Owen Zacharias

Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Kaeden Ballos, 2. Bobby Gossett, 3. Hunter Morgan, 4. Phoenyx Kimball, 5. Killian McMann, 6. Jacob Bradley, 7. Josh Shine, 8. Nathan Lyons, 9. Randy Phillips, 10. Gracie Crocker

Young Lions: 1. Joel Smith, 2. Ethan Nascimento, 3. George Phillips, 4. TJ Decaire, 5. Taylor Corum, 6. Trevor Cline, 7. Carson Haislip, 8. London McKenzie, 9. Layton Harrison, 10. Season McElearney

VP Racing Semi-Pro: 1. Connor Zilisch, 2. Lucas Vera, 3. Trevor Wester, 4. Austin MacDonald, 5.Sean Abell, 6. Carson Brown, 7. Eloy Lopez, 8. Joshua Horniman, 9. Cameron Murray, 10. Dawson Sutton

Boston Reid & Company Pro: Postponed to next week due to weather-impacted track conditions.

Masters: Postponed to next week due to weather-impacted track conditions.

Hunt Brothers Pizza Racing: Kevin Harvick Atlanta Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Atlanta Advance
No. 4 Hunt Brothers® Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 19 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 10
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), comes into Atlanta Motor Speedway on a three-race streak of top-10 finishes. It began with a fourth-place drive June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and continued with back-to-back 10th-place finishes June 26 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and last Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Harvick is currently 11th in the championship standings, but when it comes to playoff eligibility, he is 17th, one spot shy of the 16-driver playoff field. Eight races are left before the NASCAR Playoffs are set, and at the remaining venues before the 10-race playoffs begin, Harvick has totaled 19 wins, including three at Atlanta.

● Atlanta, however, is a new animal. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured over the winter. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. NASCAR Cup Series drivers competed on the new layout for the first time back in March, where Harvick finished 21st.

● Sunday’s Atlanta 400 will mark Harvick’s 34th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta – the most of any active driver – but only his second on the new configuration. In his 32 starts on the old layout, Harvick led the way with a series-high nine top-fives, 16 top-10s (tied with Kurt Busch), 1,348 laps led and 10,127 laps completed. Who is the all-time leader at Atlanta? That’s none other than Richard Petty. They call him “The King” for a reason: 65 career Cup Series starts at Atlanta with six wins, 22 top-fives, 33 top-10s and 1,827 laps led with 17,513 laps completed.

● Harvick’s first NASCAR Cup Series win at Atlanta was the first of his career, and it came a little over 20 years ago on March 11, 2001. The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 was just Harvick’s third race in a Cup Series car. He started fifth in the 325-lap contest and led twice for 18 laps, including the final six. But Harvick had to earn the win on the final lap and hold off a then three-time champion in Jeff Gordon. Harvick succeeded, outdueling the eventual 2001 series champion to take the win by a scant .006 margin of victory – the seventh-closest finish in NASCAR history.

● Of course, the backstory to that first win is significant. Harvick wasn’t just driving any racecar when he won at Atlanta. He was driving the racecar that less than a month earlier had been piloted by the sport’s titan, Dale Earnhardt. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Team owner Richard Childress tabbed Harvick, who was racing for him in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, to pull double-duty and take over Earnhardt’s Cup ride. The No. 3, made iconic by Earnhardt, was changed to the No. 29 and Harvick made his Cup Series debut Feb. 25 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. Harvick started 36th that Sunday at Rockingham, but rain washed over the 1.017-mile oval just 51 laps into the 393-lap race. The race resumed at 11 a.m. ET on Monday, whereupon Harvick drove to a solid 14th-place finish. He then traveled to Las Vegas on Tuesday, married his wife, DeLana, on Wednesday, and was back in a racecar on Friday, competing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series events at Las Vegas. After finishing eighth on Sunday to score his first career top-10 in the Cup Series, Harvick headed to Atlanta where the first of his 58 career Cup Series wins was secured.

● Harvick’s two other NASCAR Cup Series wins at Atlanta came with SHR. In February 2018, Harvick won the Folds of Honor 500. He led eight times for a race-high 181 laps on his way to defeating runner-up Brad Keselowski by an impressive 2.690 seconds. Harvick’s most recent Atlanta victory came in February 2020 in the Folds of Honor 500. Harvick again led the most laps, pacing the field four times for 151 laps en route to an even greater margin of victory – 3.527 seconds over Kyle Busch.

● Harvick is also incredibly good at Atlanta outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has five Xfinity Series wins at the track, including four in his last six starts at the 1.54-mile oval, the most recent of which ended in victory – February 2018 when he walloped the field in his Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang, leading four times for a race-high 141 laps and cruising to the win with a 4.183 margin over second-place Joey Logano. In 17 career Xfinity Series start at Atlanta, Harvick has 11 top-fives and 13 top-10s with 973 laps led. And in his two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Atlanta, Harvick has a win and a second-place finish. He finished second in his Truck Series debut at Atlanta in March 2009, where he led four times for a race-high 68 laps before coming up .122 of a second short of beating Kyle Busch for the win. But in Harvick’s Truck Series return to Atlanta in March 2010, he dominated by leading twice for a race-high 100 laps and this time besting runner-up Kyle Busch by 1.308 seconds.

● The 2022 season marks the 13th year of partnership between Harvick and Hunt Brothers Pizza. The nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry has sponsored Harvick for years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Hunt Brothers Pizza joined Harvick fulltime in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2019 and has been a mainstay in NASCAR’s premier division ever since. With more than 8,000 locations in 30 states, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers original and thin-crust pizzas available as a grab-and-go Hunk A Pizza®, perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, or as a customizable whole pizza that is an exceptional value with All Toppings No Extra Charge®. Hunt Brothers Pizza is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and is family owned and operated. For additional information, visit www.HuntBrothersPizza.com or download the app.

● Said Harvick about his more than decade-long partnership with Hunt Brothers Pizza: “Our fans are pretty loyal to the brands that are on our cars. Many of my pictures come from the standees in the store. People take selfies next to them. There are a number of reasons you have sponsorships – you want that brand recognition, the brand integration. Hunt Brothers Pizza is a very family-oriented company and we’re a very family-oriented group. Those relationships you build through the years with brands that recognize and reflect what you believe in are few and far between. We’ve grown with the Hunt Brothers Pizza brand. They’ve grown with us and have been very loyal to us, and I think our fans are very loyal to Hunt Brothers Pizza. It’s fun to see that brand recognition and that understanding of loyalty and partnership. You realize how many Hunt Brothers Pizza stores there are as you drive to racetracks.”

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang

There were a lot of unknowns when the NASACAR Cup Series raced at Atlanta earlier this year. After 500 miles on the reconfigured layout back in March, what are your thoughts for your return visit this weekend?

“It’s just a superspeedway race on a mile-and-a-half racetrack. Things just happen a lot faster, so the decisions have to happen faster, the cars move around a lot more, the corners come up a lot quicker. A lot more just seat-of-your-pants, just, ‘Go here, go there, do this, do that.’ And I think that the way the lines formed and moved and everything happened, you just had to get used to a different style of race than we’ve had before.”

Did the new Atlanta perform like Daytona and Talladega, or was the Atlanta race its own animal?

“It’s got some characteristics of superspeedway racing in the way that you wind up in a pack and you’re holding it wide open. But the way that the bumps and things are there, and the way you have to go into the corner, and the way the race developed, there wasn’t near as much pushing and shoving as there is at Daytona and Talladega.”

How was the grip level at Atlanta, and with a full race weekend under its belt, do you expect it to be better this weekend?

“It’s definitely going to be hotter. Turns three and four were a little bit edgy, but you’re probably going to want just a touch of downforce in your car just to try to make up for some of the heat and lack of grip that’s going to come with just the time of year and the temperature.”

You prepared for Atlanta by spending a decent amount of time on the simulator. How accurate was the sim to what you ended up experiencing when you started turning laps on the real thing?

“It’s a little bit different. You can kind of work on your car and kind of drive around, but the draft is so much faster than driving by yourself. You have to go a lot off of your eyes and just what you see, and the racecar itself is definitely more of a feel thing than anything. So in the end, you have to validate the sim by what you feel in the car and try to make those things as close as possible.”

No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Kevin Harvick
Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith
Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer
Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Stephen Doran
Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey
Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard
Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Richie Bean
Hometown: Bradford, Vermont

Mechanic: Nick DeFazio
Hometown: Orange, California

Tire Specialist: Jamie Turski
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Hodges
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell
Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Drew Blickensderfer to call 400th Cup event as crew chief at Atlanta

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR.

A significant milestone achievement is in the making for Drew Blickensderfer, crew chief for Aric Almirola and the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By participating in this weekend’s Cup event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Blickensderfer will call his 400th race as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series. 

A native of Mount Zion, Illinois, Blickensderfer, who grew up interested in racing and had a brief career as a modified racer before relocating to North Carolina and working as a crew member for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Bill Davis Racing and Roush Racing, became a crew chief for the first time during the 2006 Xfinity Series season when he worked atop the pit box of the No. 50 Roush Racing Ford team driven by Danny O’Quinn Jr. He then remained as an Xfinity crew chief for the newly named Roush Fenway Racing in 2007, where he led the No. 17 Ford team to his first two career victories as a crew chief with Matt Kenseth piloting the ride. After commencing the 2008 season as a crew chief for the No. 17 entry, where he went to Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Kenseth in March, he made a mid-season swap to Roush’s No. 60 Ford team that was being piloted by Carl Edwards. With Edwards behind the wheel, Blickensderfer led the No. 60 team to seven victories and a runner-up result in the 2008 Xfinity drivers’ standings.

In 2009, Blickensderfer graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series to work as a crew chief for the 2003 Cup champion Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion team. In his first appearance as a Cup crew chief, Blickensderfer achieved his first career win in the rain-shortened 51st running of the Daytona 500, which marked the first 500 victory for both Kenseth and Roush Fenway Racing. The duo then went two-for-two early in the 2009 season after Kenseth held off Jeff Gordon to win at Auto Club Speedway during the following weekend. Their flawless start to the season, however, came to an end during the following weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when Kenseth retired in 43rd place, dead last, due to an early engine failure. Then for the remaining 23 regular season events, the No. 17 team led by Blickensderfer only achieved seven additional top-10 results as they slipped out of the top-12 postseason cutline during the regular season finale at Richmond Raceway in September and resulted with Kenseth failing to make the Cup Series Playoffs for the first time in his career. Kenseth and Blickensderfer went on to record three top-three results during the final 10 events before finishing in 14th place in the final standings.

Early in the 2010 Cup Series season, Blickensderfer was replaced by veteran Todd Parrott despite guiding Kenseth to an eighth-place result during the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 in February. Seven months later, he returned as a crew chief for David Ragan and the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion team, beginning at Kansas Speedway. Blickensderfer served as Ragan’s crew chief for six of the final eight scheduled events as they achieved a season-best result of eighth place at Texas Motor Speedway in November before Ragan finished in 24th place in the final standings.

Blickensderfer remained as Ragan’s crew chief for the 2011 Cup Series season. During the 53rd running of the Daytona 500, Ragan was in position to win until he was penalized for a late restart violation, where he swapped lanes from the top to the bottom prior to reaching the start/finish line to restart the event. The penalty sent him to the rear of the field as he ended up in 14th place in the final running order. Blickensderfer and Ragan then recorded four top-10 results, including a runner-up result in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, during the following 15 scheduled events. They also managed to earn a victory in the non-points All-Star Open at Charlotte in May that allowed Ragan to compete in his first All-Star Race, where he finished eighth. Then when NASCAR returned to Daytona in July, Ragan redeemed himself by claiming the Coke Zero 400 and notching his first career victory in NASCAR’s premier series. The victory also snapped Blickensderfer’s 57-race winless drought dating back to February 2009. For the remainder of the season, however, the duo earned only three additional results in the top 10 and did not make the Playoffs as Ragan fell back to 23rd place in the final standings.

For the 2012 Cup season, Blickensderfer transitioned from Roush Fenway Racing to Richard Childress Racing, where he served as a crew chief for veteran Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Chevrolet Impala team. The duo earned a fifth-place result during the 54th running of the Daytona 500 before finishing sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway three races later. Despite achieving a runner-up result at Daytona in July, Burton and Blickensderfer struggled with consistency as they did not make the Playoffs. Then with three races remaining to the season, Blickensderfer moved to Richard Petty Motorsports to serve as crew chief for Australia’s Marcos Ambrose and the No. 9 Ford Fusion team. During the three-race stint, the new duo managed a season-best result of 13th place during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November before Ambrose finished in 18th place in the final standings, one spot ahead of Jeff Burton. By then, Blickensderfer surpassed 100 career events as a Cup Series crew chief.

Blickensderfer remained as Ambrose’s crew chief for the following two seasons. During the two seasons, the duo earned a pole, three top-five results and 13 top-10 results with Ambrose’s best points result being 22nd in 2013. Their best on-track moment during the two-year stretch was at Watkins Glen International in August 2014, where Ambrose settled in second place following a late battle with eventual winner AJ Allmendinger.

Ten races into the 2015 Cup Series season, Blickensderfer was a crew chief for Sam Hornish Jr., who replaced Ambrose in the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion but finished no higher than sixth place at Talladega Superspeedway in early May. After being replaced by veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion in May, Blickensderfer did not return as a Cup Series crew chief until late into the 2016 season, where he worked atop the No. 43 RPM Ford Fusion pit box piloted by Aric Almirola. Appearing in seven of the final eight scheduled events, Almirola and Blickensderfer finished no higher than eighth place, which occurred at Talladega in October, before Almirola finished in 26th place in the final standings for a second consecutive season. By then, Blickensderfer surpassed 200 Cup career events as a crew chief.

Remaining as Almirola’s crew chief, Blickensderfer commenced the 2017 Cup season with a fourth-place result in the 59th running of the Daytona 500. Nine races later at Talladega in May, however, Blickensderfer was hit with a three-race suspension and a $65,000 fine due to Almirola’s fourth-place car failing post-race inspection. By the time Blickensderfer returned atop the No. 43 paddock, Almirola was absent and recovering from injuries sustained from a harrowing wreck at Kansas Speedway in May. At Pocono Raceway in June, Blickensderfer worked with Bubba Wallace, who finished 26th in his Cup debut. After spending the following four scheduled events working with Wallace and road-ringer Billy Johnson, Blickensderfer reunited with Almirola at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. The duo, however, could not generate on-track consistency for the remainder of the regular season stretch as they missed the Playoffs. They went on to finish in the top 10 three times during the final 10 events before Almirola settled in 29th place in the final standings.

For the 2018 Cup Series season, Blickensderfer was paired with Bubba Wallace, who took over the No. 43 RPM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and contended for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. During the 60th running of the Daytona 500, Wallace rubbed fenders with Denny Hamlin to earn a strong runner-up result by a nose. Blickensderfer and Wallace would proceed to finish in the top 10 on two additional occasions for the remainder of the season as Wallace settled in 28th place in the final standings and a runner-up to the Rookie-of-the-Year title behind William Byron. 

In 2019, Blickensderfer departed Richard Petty Motorsports and joined Front Row Motorsports to serve as a crew chief for Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang team. The new duo earned a strong fifth-place result during the 61st running of the Daytona 500 before earning one additional top-five result at Talladega in October and finishing in 27th place in the final standings. By then, Blickensderfer surpassed 300 Cup career events as a crew chief.

Despite finishing in 16th place during the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 in 2020, Blickensderfer and McDowell doubled their top-10 results from the previous season to four and boosted their final standings result by four places to 23rd.

Then in 2021, Blickensderfer etched his name as a two-time Daytona 500 winning crew chief and returned to Victory Lane after McDowell dodged a multi-car melee on the final lap to take the lead at the moment of caution and claim his first victory in his 358th career start in NASCAR’s premier series. The Daytona 500 victory along with four additional results in the top 10 during the 26-race regular season stretch were enough for McDowell to claim a spot for the 2021 Cup Playoffs, which marked Blickensderfer’s first postseason appearance as a Cup Series crew chief. The duo’s run for the title, however, came to an early end during the Round of 16 after McDowell finished 37th, 28th and 24th respectively. Finishing no higher than 16th place twice during the final seven events, McDowell settled in a career-best 16th place in the final standings.

Following a three-year stint at Front Row Motorsports, Blickensderfer announced his departure from the team in December 2021. A month later, he was announced as a crew chief for Almirola, who was set to retire as a full-time competitor following the 2022 season, and the No. 10 Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing. The move marked a reunion for both the crew chief and the driver since 2017. Through the first half of the 2022 Cup season, Blickensderfer and Almirola have achieved two top-five results and five top-10 results. Despite being ranked in 12th place in the regular season standings, they trail the cutline to qualify for the 2022 Cup Playoffs by 47 points with eight regular season events remaining to the schedule.

Through 399 previous appearances, Blickensderfer has achieved four victories, four poles, 26 top-five results and 68 top-10 results while working with nine different competitors.

Blickensderfer is scheduled to call his 400th Cup Series career event at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 10, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Hedda Hosås looks ahead to JBXE debut

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Official Release
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It has been quite a journey for Hedda Hosås in Extreme E so far. We caught up with the young Norwegian ahead of her debut for Jenson Button’s JBXE.

Extreme E: How do you feel to be competing this week in Sardinia?
Hedda Hosås: I am really excited to be back and taking part in the double-header this week. I’m looking forward to getting in the car and seeing what we can achieve as a team and hopefully pick up some good results.

XE: How did the chance to drive for JBXE happen?
Hosås: It was through my role at Veloce Racing, as the team’s reserve driver. They have allowed me to take part in Sardinia and it’s a great feeling. It is a great opportunity for me to get back out there and it is a chance to learn even more on track in Extreme E. I got a taste for it in NEOM at the first round and now I can’t wait to get back out there. JBXE have also shown a lot of faith in me and I am looking forward to racing this week.

XE: How have you settled into your new team?
Hosås: Everyone has been great and really welcoming. I think Kevin [Hansen] and I make a really good combination so I am excited to see how we do out on the track.

XE: You started out in the series by being nominated for the rookie test, before becoming a Championship driver, then a reserve driver for Veloce Racing prior to competing for them earlier this season. You are now at JBXE – it has been quite a journey for you in Extreme E! How does that feel?
Hosås: It was a special feeling to take part in my first Extreme E race in NEOM. It was challenging as I hadn’t had as much time in the car as the others, but it was nice to get behind the wheel. It has definitely been an interesting journey with Extreme E so far, but I’ll keep doing my best and see what happens.

XE: What were your main thoughts on getting behind the wheel of the ODYSSEY 21?
Hosås: As I was stepping in for Christine [GZ] in NEOM it was perhaps not the best opportunity to show my true speed in the car. There was also quite a lot of pressure, too, as I was having to learn very quickly. I can’t wait to get out there in Sardinia and really push the car.

XE: What do you feel are the main challenges in Sardinia for the double-header and what are your overall expectations?
Hosås: The course is quite rough so it will be a difficult terrain. That makes it challenging for us, but I am really looking forward to it and will do my best. The plan for us over the course of the week is to get faster and faster, and hopefully that will lead to a positive performance and good results.

To learn more about Extreme E, visit – www.Extreme-E.com

Are payday loans exploiting poor people? Research Review from GreendayOnline shows what the truth is

By
SM
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Photo by Blogging Guide on Unsplash

There have been a lot of controversies lately around payday loans and whether or not they exploit poor people. Some people say that payday loans are a necessary evil, while others claim that they are nothing more than a scam designed to take advantage of the most vulnerable members of our society. In this blog post, we will take a look at some research on the subject and try to get to the bottom of what is really going on.

The payday loan industry is a $40 billion dollar business in the United States. 

Payday loans are marketed as a quick fix for an unexpected financial emergency, like a medical bill or car repair. What payday loan customers typically don’t know is that these loans come with very high-interest rates and fees. 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reports that the average annual percentage rate (APR) for a typical two-week payday loan is almost 400%. This means that for every $100 borrowed, the borrower has to pay back $140 in just two weeks. 

If they can’t make the payment, they have to take out another loan to cover the first one, and so on. This cycle of debt can be difficult to break free from.

So do payday loans exploit poor people? 

The answer is complicated. 

There are some who say that payday loans are a form of exploitation because they target low-income individuals who may not have the means to repay the loan. Others argue that payday loans provide a valuable service to those who need cash in a pinch and that most borrowers are able to repay their loans without getting trapped in a cycle of debt. 

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. 

While there are certainly some predatory lenders out there, there are also many people who use payday loans responsibly and pay them back without any problems. 

If you’re considering taking out a payday loan, make sure you do your research and only borrow from a reputable lender. 

And be sure to read the fine print so you understand all the terms and conditions before you agree to anything. 

What are some of the dangers of taking out a payday loan?

The biggest danger of taking out a payday loan is that you could get trapped in a cycle of debt. If you can’t repay the loan when it’s due, you’ll have to take out another loan to cover the first one. And if you can’t repay that loan, you’ll have to take out yet another loan, and so on. This cycle of debt can be difficult to break free from.

A Pew Charitable Trusts study found that most borrowers use payday loans to cover recurring expenses, not unexpected emergencies.

And while it’s true that many payday loan customers are struggling financially, research shows that most borrowers are actually employed and have steady incomes. In fact, the majority of payday loan customers say they’re satisfied with their experience.

So what’s the truth about payday loans? Are they a predatory form of lending that exploits the poor? Or are they a helpful financial tool for people who need them? The answer may surprise you. While it’s true that payday loans can be expensive, the truth is that they’re not always a bad deal. In fact, for many people, they’re a helpful financial tool.

Here’s what you need to know about payday loans:

-They’re not just for people with bad credit. Anyone can get a payday loan, regardless of their credit score.

-They’re expensive. The average APR on a payday loan is around 400%. That means if you borrow $100, you’ll need to pay back $140 in two weeks.

-They’re easy to get. You can apply for a payday loan online or in person, and you’ll usually get your money within 24 hours.

-You might be able to get a better deal if you have good credit. If you have good credit, you may be able to find a payday loan with a lower APR.

-They’re not always the best option. Payday loans should only be used as a last resort, because they can trap you in a cycle of debt.

If you’re considering taking out a payday loan, make sure you understand all the risks before you sign on the dotted line. And remember: payday loans are not a solution to long-term financial problems. 

In the meantime, it’s important for consumers to be aware of the risks involved with payday loans and to take steps to protect themselves from falling into debt traps.

GreendayOnline’s financial expert Tarquin Nemec, list down a few key things to keep in mind if you’re considering a payday loan:

– Payday loans should only be used as a last resort. If you find yourself regularly relying on payday loans tomake ends meet, it’s time to seek out other financial options.

– Payday loans come with high fees and interest rates. Make sure you can afford to repay the loan before taking one out.

– Payday loans are typically for small amounts of money. If you need a larger loan, consider alternatives such as personal loans or lines of credit.

– Payday loans have short repayment terms, typically two weeks or less. This means you’ll need to be able to repay the loan quickly. 

– Payday loans are typically unsecured with a post-dated check or electronic access to your bank account. This means you could end up overdrawing your account if you’re not able to repay the loan on time.

If you do decide to take out a payday loan, make sure you understand all the terms and conditions before signing any paperwork. And remember, always borrow responsibly!

Payday loans have been getting a lot of bad press lately. Critics say that they exploit poor people by trapping them in a cycle of debt. But what does the research say? Let’s take a look at the evidence.

A recent study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that four out of five payday loan borrowers roll over their loans or take out new loans within two weeks. This suggests that many people are struggling to repay their loans on time.

The study also found that the average payday loan borrower spends $520 per year on fees and interest. This is a significant amount of money, especially for low-income households. So it’s clear that payday loans can be expensive and can trap borrowers in a cycle of debt. But what about the argument that they provide a valuable service to people who need access to cash?

There is some evidence that payday loans can help people in financial emergencies. A study by the Federal Reserve found that one-third of borrowers use their loans to pay for unexpected expenses like car repairs or medical bills.

However, the study also found that most people who take out payday loans are not in financial distress. In fact, the majority of borrowers have higher incomes and education levels than the general population.

So it’s not clear that payday loans are necessarily exploiting poor people. While they can be expensive and may trap some borrowers in a cycle of debt, they also provide a valuable service to people who need access to cash.

What Are the Earning Capacities of the White Label Project?

By
SM
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Photo by Kvnga on Unsplash

Two main qualities entrepreneurs chase in business are handling simplicity and high profitability. They imply that a project is self-sufficient and requires minimum influence after an initial configuration to bring stable money.

The iGaming industry has a perfect scenario for such an operation. Besides, it is extremely cheap to establish due to professional assistance from service suppliers. White Label casino integration is an innovative method of business elaboration, suitable for experienced and novice entrepreneurs.

Specialists at 2WinPower want to introduce to you the profitability potential of the concept and explain how to obtain it beneficially.

What is a White Label Scheme and How to Set It Up?

Like in other spheres, this type of business configuration is based on being in a close partnership with a parent company. Upon concluding an agreement, an operator receives major elements for setting up a functional gaming platform.

What a parent company supplies on a White Label basis:

  1. Official working permit. The iGambling industry heavily depends on the legality of its activities. In some countries, it is allowed to offer gaming services while in others — it is not. A parent company introduces a sublicence to an entrepreneur for an official operation on the dedicated territory.
  2. Entertainment software. The process of game integration is the most expensive during web casino creation. Under a White Label cooperation, a venturer gets a package of entertainment from a provider to satisfy the needs of the audience.
  3. Tech and legal support. In the majority of cases, the solution is ordered by novice participants of the sphere. They have limited experience and require regular consultancy from a parent company. By upkeeping a round-the-clock connection with a provider, the understanding of the sphere and its peculiarities results in profitable platform management.

These aspects are all delivered on an expert basis. However, an operator still has to dedicate substantial effort and time to configure certain elements on his side.

What an entrepreneur has to prepare on a White Label basis:

  • A suitable website. An operator designs a portal to have the delivered software properly integrated.
  • Casino branding. This rent-based type of collaboration implies offering gambling services as a new company on behalf of a service provider.
  • Platform advertising. All promotional activities should be organised by an operator according to marketing relevance and legality in the target region.

The joint efforts of an entrepreneur and a provider result in a functional gambling environment.

How Profitable a White Label Casino Can Be?

Before trying to understand potential earnings, it is necessary to clarify the price of the service. Upon resorting to a provider, the cost of a rent-based solution equals $15,000–25,000. This is a one-time price for the possibility to develop a White Label brand.

Apart from an initial payment, an entrepreneur will have to make monthly deductions in the form of around 60% of the revenue. This is the price for using gaming programs. All other earnings go to the venturer, and it is in his liability to decide how to use them.

The profitability of a White Label iGambling platform depends on:

  1. The scale of an advertising campaign. The more promotional methods are used, the bigger the audience will be involved in the participation process. As a result, the number of deposits will be increased.
  2. The relevance of entertainment and design. The best casino brands have different versions of portals with unique games. This is made to satisfy individual audiences. A new operator has to refine available resources for a particular region.
  3. Frequency of updates. The majority of gamblers do not like engaging in the same activity all the time. Changes and improvements are necessary to retain solvent clients. This preserves the income rate and shows the progress.

The profitability of a White Label project depends fully on the operator’s efforts. The more resources and time are dedicated, the better the result will be. The earnings can not be compared to an individual operation. However, with enough attention, a rent-based portal can bring its owner substantial money in around a year to become a separate brand without depending on anyone.

Where to Find a Lucrative White Label Casino Supplier?

The earning capacity of such a gambling operation also depends heavily on the parent firm. If it is a renowned casino brand with years of experience on the market, an administrator is most likely going to succeed with such a guide. Consequently, poor industry participation and suspicious activities will only bring failures and waste of resources.

One of the renowned market representatives with astounding popularity is 2WinPower. The gambling aggregator has been operating on the market for over 20 years offering White Label possibilities for entrepreneurs. Its other services have also been heavily ordered and used by operators internationally.

More information on cooperation with the firm can be obtained via:

  • Skype: twowinpower
  • Telegram: @Win2Power
  • e-mail: info@2wpower.com

Chris Buescher – Atlanta II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Travis Peterson
Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 60-100-100
NASCAR Cup Race at Atlanta – Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The weekend format and schedule in Atlanta features a lone qualifying session on Saturday, similar to the schedules employed at Talladega and Daytona.

· Teams will qualify in single-car format Saturday at 11:35 a.m. ET, with the top-five in each round advancing to the final round to determine the pole sitter.

Buescher at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Buescher makes his ninth start at Atlanta this weekend where he has three top-10s. He most recently ran seventh there this spring, matching his best finish prior in the fall of 2021. He also ran ninth in 2019.

· Overall he has a 17.3 average finishing position and has completed all but one lap dating back four events.

· Buescher has a career-best qualifying effort of 13th in 2020, and a 21.9 average starting position overall.

· He also finished fourth in the Xfinity Series there in 2015, one of his three NXS starts for RFK.

Travis Peterson at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Peterson was on the box as lead engineer for Buescher’s P7 finish at Atlanta this spring.

· Peterson has been paired with Scott Graves as lead engineer for multiple seasons, working with drivers Ryan Newman, Ross Chastain, and Matt Kenseth. He was crew chief for Kenseth at the 2018 season finale in Homestead, as the No. 6 team finished sixth to close that campaign.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Atlanta:
“The new asphalt is right on a razor’s edge, and the spring race was so tense the whole race. We’ve learned some stuff that will make it more comfortable going back, but it’ll still be tough with both the surface and the temperatures. As we say all the time, momentum is huge in our sport, and we’ve been up and down with it, so it’s time to turn it up and keep the solid finishes coming as we progress through the summer.”

Last Time Out
Buescher put together another impressive on a road course, finishing sixth Sunday at Road America for his fifth top-10 overall and second-straight on a road course.

On the Car

Fastenal, in its 12th season with RFK in 2022, makes its 11th appearance with the No. 17 this weekend. In its early days with RFK, Fastenal originally was a partner with the No. 99 team before moving over to the No. 17 team since. They were also the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity Series entry that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Fastenal will feature top suppliers MSA, ND Industries, Greenfield Industries, 3M and Nord-Lock, Inc. on Buescher’s Mustang as he competes this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalCompany.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

Brad Keselowski – Atlanta II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski
Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 60-100-100
NASCAR Cup Race at Atlanta – Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The weekend format and schedule in Atlanta features a lone qualifying session on Saturday, similar to the schedules employed at Talladega and Daytona.

· Teams will qualify in single-car format Saturday at 11:35 a.m. ET, with the top-five in each round advancing to the final round to determine the pole sitter.

Keselowski at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Keselowski makes his 16th start at AMS this weekend, a track where he has two wins at with an average finish of 15th. He ran 12th in the spring race.

· Keselowski won at the 1-mile track first in 2017 after starting fifth, and again in 2019. Overall he’s led laps in eight different Atlanta races, and finished inside the top-10 on nine occasions.

· He finished top-10 in six-straight races from 2015-2020, including the pair of events he won. Outside the two victories, he has one runner-up result (2018), a third-place run (2012) and three ninth-place finishes.

· Keselowski has a 14.8 average starting position at Atlanta with a career-best effort of P2 in 2014. Overall he’s started inside the top-10 five different times.

· He also made eight Xfinity Series starts with six top-10s, including two P2 finishes. He also made four Truck starts.

Matt McCall at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· McCall is one of the most recent Cup winners at Atlanta, leading Kurt Busch and the No. 1 team to victory in 2021. The team led 144 laps en route to McCall’s third Cup win overall.

· Overall he has four top-10s on the Atlanta surface with a P3 finish in 2019, and a sixth-place run a year later.

· McCall has an impressive 9.8 average qualifying effort with five starts inside the top-10, including a career-best second in 2016 with Jamie McMurray.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Atlanta:
“This race was obviously an experience back in the spring, and I think in some ways was a lot of folks expected, but in some way surprised us, as well. It’s definitely fast and racy, but it’s challenging with the new surface and figuring out how to navigate it as a Superspeedway. Excited to have our friends at Solomon Plumbing back on the car, and can’t wait to put on a great show for those folks and everyone come Sunday.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski unfortunately had mid-race issues at Road America and lost multiple laps to the leaders, ultimately finishing 33rd in the Kohler Generators Ford.

On the Car

Solomon Plumbing returns to the No. 6 machine for its third primary race. They originally joined the RFK fold as the primary for the Bristol Dirt race and Gateway.

About Solomon Plumbing
We specialize in plumbing and fire services for new development, construction and complete remodeling. We are the developer’s choice to provide turn-key plumbing and fire solutions from start to finish. This includes multi-unit housing, high rise buildings and complete residential developments. We are committed to fulfilling your plumbing and fire needs with honesty and integrity, exceeding your expectations for service, quality, and value.

Solomon Plumbing has been developing long term business relationships across the United States with a strong reputation for high quality craftsmanship and service commitment. Contact us today to discuss your next project.

Corey Heim – No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Mid-Ohio Preview

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Official Release
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Corey Heim: Driver, No. 51 JBL® 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 (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

The Story on Corey:

Corey Heim heads to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Saturday for his first road course start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season. Heim, who turned 20 on Tuesday, will be looking to bring home a little birthday week bonus at the 2.258-mile road course with it being the final race of the Triple Truck Challenge. The Georgia native cashed in on an extra $50,000 with his win at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway for the first leg of the Triple Truck Challenge. If he is able to get to victory lane on Saturday and win two of the three events, his bonus would increase to $150,000.

Saturday’s event will mark the first time that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has raced at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course, but will be Heim’s third trip to the track. The Toyota Racing Development driver captured the pole and went on to finish seventh in last year’s ARCA Menards Series event at Mid-Ohio. To get more track time before Saturday’s Truck Series race, Heim raced in the Trans Am Series TA2 division at Mid-Ohio on June 26. He started 16th and finished eighth in the 38-lap event. He has one road course start in Truck Series action, an 18th-place finish at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International last year.

Across seven Truck Series starts this season, Heim has produced two wins, 61 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 18.6. The Georgia native picked up his first career Truck Series victory in just his fifth start earlier this season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and was also victorious at Gateway. He has led at least one lap in four of his seven starts this season and qualified inside the top five for each of his last five starts.

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

Heim is competing for the 2022 Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. Despite only having competed in seven of the 14 events so far this season, he sits second in the standings, eight points behind Lawless Alan. Heim will look to join three other KBM drivers that have won the award, reigning winner Chandler Smith, William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015).

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

Mardy Lindley returned to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. Lindley has led his team to six wins since coming to KBM at the start of the 2021 season, including two with Heim and one with Kyle Busch this year. In 2021, his drivers produced three victories, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Lindley has called the shots for five races on road courses in Truck Series action recording one win, two top-five and two top-10 finishes. Kyle Busch collected the victory last month at Sonoma Raceway.

JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound, returns to KBM for an eighth season and will be the primary sponsor on Heim’s Toyota for 11 races this season including Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio.

Corey Heim, Driver Q&A:
Corey Heim | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Preview
What are your expectations heading into your first road course start of the season?
“I feel like our expectations are really high for this weekend. I’ve really made it a point to improve with these style of races – made a couple TA2 starts in the past year, including recently at Mid-Ohio. I’ve been there in a TA2 car and an ARCA car just getting laps and it’s the same course, so I’m hoping it’ll translate well. Really looking forward to it.”

You had a pole and a top-10 finish at Mid-Ohio in the ARCA Menards Series last year. Do you feel that the trucks will drive similar?
“I think it will be pretty similar based on all the sim work I’ve done in the last couple of months with my KBM team. Our JBL Tundra TRD Pro has been really good in sim and I feel like that has been a point of emphasis this year, as far as when we are really good in sim and I feel good about it, it translates very well to the real world as well. So, if it all translates well again, I think we’ll be really good.”

The 51 team had a near-win at COTA and a win with Kyle at Sonoma. Does that give you confidence heading into this weekend?
“For sure, Kyle (Busch) should’ve won COTA and did win Sonoma and think he led the most laps in both those races and had a lot of success. It’s definitely a privilege to be able to race a road course race with these guys with how fast they’ve been this year and hopefully that translates over for me as well.”

Corey Heim Career Highlights:

  • Picked up first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 19, 2022 in just his fifth start. Across 10 career starts has two wins, 63 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 18.2.
  • Made three Truck Series starts in 2021 with a best result of 11th coming at Martinsville Speedway in October.
  • Finished runner-up in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2021 after collecting six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.
  • Across 40 career ARCA Menards Series starts has eight wins, 659 laps led, 29 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.4. Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.

Corey Heim’s No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-71: The No. 51 JBL team will unload KBM-71 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. This is the same Tundra TRD Pro that KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch led 45 of 75 laps with en route to victory at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway last month. Busch also led a race-high 31 laps with it earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex., but was relegated to a third-place finish after getting run over the course on the first lap of the second NASCAR overtime. John Hunter Nemechek finished second with KBM-71 in its maiden start last year at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

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 Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet
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