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MSR Kicks Off Big Fourth of July Weekend with Races at Mid-Ohio and CTMP

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

Pataskala, Ohio (29 June 2022) – The holiday fireworks will be starting a day early for Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) this weekend with the Ohio-based team racing in two countries on July 3 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMSA WeatherTech SportCar Championship.

The MSR IndyCar squad heads into the weekend with a home track advantage racing at Mid-Ohio for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2023 Civic Type R. The MSR IMSA program will continue its fight for the DPi championship at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The weekend kicks off a busy month for the MSR IndyCar team, which races five times in four weekends in July. It also marks the second-consecutive round for the sports car team, traveling from Watkins Glen International to another historic venue, the former Mosport Park.

Meyer Shank Racing’s Castroneves, Pagenaud both winners at Mid-Ohio

Driver Lineup:

Helio Castroneves: No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda

Simon Pagenaud: No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda

Tune in:

Sunday, July 3, 12:30pm ET, NBC

SiriusXM Ch. 160

MSR is still looking for its first IndyCar podium at its home track, where it has three podiums in IMSA competition. MSR drivers, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud are both former winners at Mid-Ohio, located north of the MSR headquarters in Pataskala.

Castroneves is a two-time CART winner in four races at Mid-Ohio, scoring victories in 2000 and 2001 after qualifying second in both events. Castroneves also raced in 11 INDYCAR events at the Lexington-Ohio circuit, with three podium finishes (second in 2008 and third in 2007 and 2010) and two poles in 2007 and 2008.

Pagenaud has competed in 12 INDYCAR SERIES races at the 2.4-mile circuit, winning from the pole in 2016 while placing second in 2013 and third in 2015.

While MSR’s Jack Harvey had the fastest lap of the event in the 2021 Honda Indy 200, his three pit-stop strategy resulted in a 19th-place finish. Harvey finished seventh in the 2020 event.

Driver Quotes:

Helio Castroneves:

“Mid-Ohio is a fun place – an awesome place. I remember a long time ago when I won two races there in a row in 2000 and 2001. It was so cool. The place is up and down with straightaways that aren’t completely straightaways, but it’s very challenging because the surface changes so much from the beginning of the weekend to the end of the weekend. It’s a fun place when you have a great set up, so I’m looking forward to it especially with MSR being right there from Ohio. Simon and I are going to do everything we can to make sure we bring phenomenal results.”

Simon Pagenaud:

“I’m super excited for Mid-Ohio as it’s a home event for Meyer Shank Racing. It’s also a Honda track, so there’s a lot of things that go in our direction. I look forward to being there because it’s an amazing track with very high speed corners and lots of flowing speeds on the technical side with the elevation as well. I look forward to being there as I’ve had great success in the past. Hoping we can execute and have a great weekend at Mid-Ohio.”

Meyer Shank Racing Carries Momentum to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Driver Lineup:

Tom Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis: No. 60 MSR Acura ARX-05 DPi

Tune In:

Sunday, July 3, 3:00pm ET, NBC/Peacock

SiriusXM Ch. 207

Meyer Shank Racing returns to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) after a two-year absence due to the pandemic for the two hour, 40-minute event.

Meyer Shank Racing’s last outing at CTMP saw Trent Hindman and Mario Farnbacher race to a second place finish in GTD onboard the Acura NSX GT3. The team has an additional GTD second place finish in 2017. The 2016 edition of the event saw the MSR Ligier JS P2 finish third with Ozz Negri and John Pew.

Oliver Jarvis is the reigning DPi race winner at CTMP having scored a victory in 2019. Tom Blomqvist has one race start at the 2.459-mile circuit which saw him finish fourth in the GTLM class.

MSR remains in the thick of the battle for the IMSA DPi title, following last weekend’s round at Watkins Glen International where MSR currently sits second by 17 points. The team opened the season by winning the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona, joined by Castroneves and Pagenaud. The team placed fifth in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

After this weekend, only the races at Road America (August 7) and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (Oct. 1) remain on the 2022 DPi schedule.

Driver Quotes:

Oliver Jarvis:
“Now that we’ve reset after Watkins Glen we are ready for CTMP this weekend. It’s been a few years since we’ve all raced there, but it’s a track that I like quite well. Having won there in 2019 definitely gives you a boost of confidence heading into the weekend. Hopefully we can have another good weekend and get that first win for the tea.”

Tom Blomqvist:
“Watkins Glen was definitely a tough race, but we know that the Acura is fast and that should help us going into CTMP. I really love the track and I think it should suit the Acura well. We’re getting towards the end of the championship and the battle is so close, so now is when we really need to put our heads down and focus on getting that first win. The guys have been working so hard, so we’re going into the weekend with one goal in mind – to win.”

Jeff Hensley Returns to GMS Racing to Serve as Crew Chief for Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 Team

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Official Release
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STATESVILLE, NC: This week, GMS Racing announced that it would be welcoming veteran Crew Chief Jeff Hensley back on top of the pit box for the No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet driven by Grant Enfinger in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

As one of the most respected crew chiefs in the garage, Jeff Hensley brings vast knowledge from a career spanning over 35 years in the sport. In total, Hensley has amassed 18 Truck Series wins and 11 Xfinity Series wins, and was the championship winning crew chief for the 1990 Xfinity Series season. He was previously with GMS Racing for two seasons in 2016 and 2021, serving as crew chief for drivers Spencer Gallagher, Chase Purdy, and AJ Allmendinger.

Hensley is optimistic about a change in scenery, stating “I am grateful for the opportunity to return to GMS Racing and reunite with Grant. We have great chemistry, and Grant is a driver that I have a lot of respect for on and off the racetrack. We have high hopes for the remainder of the 2022 season, and we have a team capable of contending for wins on a consistent basis. I look forward to showing our strength in these final eight races of the year.”

Keen followers of the series will remember that this will not be the first pairing between the two. Hensley and Enfinger have worked well together in the past, as the duo won five races during a four season span from 2017-2020. Ironically, the last time these two personalities worked together, they made the final round of the playoffs and competed against three GMS Racing teams for the championship. That year in 2020, Enfinger earned his best points finish to date, finishing fourth in the overall standings.

Enfinger looks forward to working with a familiar face once again, stating “Jeff and I have had success together in the past, and I’m looking forward to having him back to call the shots for the remainder of the season on our Champion Power Equipment Chevy. We know each other well so we should be able to pick up where we left off a couple years ago.”

The newly reunited duo will make their first on track appearance at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 on Saturday, July 9th. Enfinger currently sits ninth in the NCWTS points standings in a season highlighted by three top-fives and seven top-10 finishes, and is eyeing his fourth playoffs appearance. The No. 23 GMS Racing team is positioned in eleventh in the team standings, and is actively pushing to make a run at making the owners’ points playoffs with just two races left in the regular season.

ABOUT CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT:

Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.

ABOUT GMS RACING:

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

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Busch Light Apple Racing: Kevin Harvick Road America Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Road America Advance
No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Road America 250 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 3
● Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
● Layout: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 62 laps/250.98 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 32 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The Road America 250 Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, serves as the third of six road-course races on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The series’ first road-course race came on March 27 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, where Kevin Harvick finished 11th. In the series’ most recent road-course race June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Harvick finished fourth. The three remaining road-course races after Road America are July 31 at the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Aug. 21 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, and Oct. 9 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval.

● Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America will mark just the third time NASCAR’s premier division has competed at Road America. Prior to last year’s race, it had been 65 years since the Cup Series first raced at the road course located 65 miles north of Milwaukee. The genesis of racing at Road America began in the early 1950s when sports cars raced on the streets in and around Elkhart Lake – until the Wisconsin state legislature banned racing on public roads. So, Clif Tufte, a civil engineer and racing enthusiast who was president of the Elkhart Sand and Gravel Company, went to work. He organized a group of local citizens and leaders of the Chicago region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and they collectively developed plans and sold stock to build a permanent road course. It helped that Tufte’s company just happened to own 525 acres of virgin land outside the Village of Elkhart Lake. Ground was broken for Road America in April of 1955 and the track’s first SCCA national race weekend was held on Sept. 10, 1955. At 4.048 miles in length and with 14 turns, the track is virtually the same today as it was when it was first laid out. The natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area was utilized for the track, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines, making it one of the most challenging circuits in the world. The first Cup Series race at Road America was on Aug. 12, 1956. An estimated crowd of 10,000 braved terrible weather to watch the event, which was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock driving a Mercury for car owner Bill Stroppe. Flock led 17 of the race’s 63 laps, making just two pit stops en route to his victory. Flock won with an average speed of 73.858 mph and did it in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 50 seconds. It was his fourth victory of the 1956 season and he claimed it with a 17-second margin over second-place Billy Myers

● The second NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America was much nicer. Full sun and warm temperatures created a festive atmosphere for last year’s Fourth of July race, which was won by Chase Elliott with an average speed of 86.271 mph in 2 hours, 54 minutes and 33 seconds. Harvick finished 27th as he fought an ill-handling racecar that was loose in the right-hand corners and tight in the left-handers.

● Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, has made a total of 51 NASCAR Cup Series starts on road courses. He has 21 starts at Sonoma, 20 at Watkins Glen, four at the Charlotte Roval, two on the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, two at COTA, and one apiece at Road America and the road course at Indianapolis. He has scored two wins – Watkins Glen in 2006 and Sonoma in 2017 – along with 11 top-fives and 25 top-10s with 195 laps led.

● When Harvick scored his first road-course victory at Watkins Glen in 2006, he had to beat his current team owner to do it. Tony Stewart – the “Stewart” in Stewart-Haas Racing – had won the past two NASCAR Cup Series races at the 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course and was poised to capture a third straight win as he was leading Harvick with four laps to go in the 90-lap race. But Harvick, who had already led once for 24 laps, passed Stewart on lap 87 as the two drag-raced down the frontstretch and into turn one. Harvick held onto the lead despite Stewart in his rearview mirror, earning a margin of victory of .892 of a second.

● Harvick’s second career road-course win also had a connection to Stewart. When Harvick won at Sonoma in 2017, he gave Stewart-Haas Racing its second straight victory at the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course. The winner in 2016? None other than Stewart. It ended up being his 49th and final NASCAR Cup Series victory as Stewart retired from NASCAR racing at the conclusion of the season.

● Harvick’s last road-course win was his first in a Ford. When Harvick won at Sonoma in 2017, he became the 83rd different driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race behind the wheel of a Ford. Harvick has now won 23 Cup Series races with Ford, which makes him one of only 13 drivers to win 20 or more races with the manufacturer. He is currently tied with Rusty Wallace and Carl Edwards for 11th on the all-time Ford win list.

● Harvick has four road-course wins outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. Two came in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2007 and Watkins Glen in 2007 – and two were in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – Sonoma in 1998 and Sonoma in 2017. Harvick’s K&N Series win at Sonoma in 1998 was three years before his Cup Series debut on Feb. 26, 2001 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham.

● All of these statistics and anecdotes make Harvick the apple of one’s eye at road courses, which is fitting since the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion will race the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang at Road America. Busch Light Apple is a crisp, refreshing, apple-flavored lager with a touch of sweet on the front end and a clear, beer finish on the back end. It is available for a limited time only NATIONWIDE for its LAST YEAR EVER in 12-, 24- and 30-packs at a store near you.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang

What were your overall thoughts last year racing at Road America?

“Being in that part of the country and seeing the way that the Cup Series was taken to by the fans, and seeing all the fans – I mean, they were hiding between the trees, campers, all over the place. It was definitely a lot of fun to see all the people, and just a neat place to be during that time of the year.”

At 4.048 miles in length, Road America makes for a long lap. How do you navigate it?

“I haven’t spent a lot of time at Road America, but the thing I did take away from last year is there are a lot of heavy braking zones. So, I think that’s still going to be the ticket to passing – making the time into the heavy braking zones and being able to out-brake somebody.”

You ran the NASCAR Xfinity Series race last year at Road America in addition to the NASCAR Cup Series race. How valuable was that time on Saturday to better prepare you for Sunday?

“Just being able to make laps and being able to memorize the racetrack is something that’s important. The more laps, the better, but the cars were quite a bit different, so some of it helped, some of it hurt.”

Because a lap is so long at Road America, pit strategy is a big factor, and your pit strategy can be undone by an untimely caution simply because there is so much real estate there for someone else to bring out a caution when you’re on pit road. Is Road America a race where your crew chief, Rodney Childers, truly is your co-pilot because he has a view of the race you don’t?

“They definitely have a better view, but I think stage racing has taken some of that out of play because you have to put tires on at the end of those stages because Road America does eat the tires up pretty good. It’s such a long lap that you have to think so far ahead, but the stages have definitely minimized the strategy that comes with it because of where the stage ends fall.”

Do we need actual stage breaks with full-course cautions on road courses?

“In my opinion, there should be no stage breaks. I think the stages should be rolling laps and when the stage ends, the stage ends, and you score points on that lap. But I think that the stages, and all the extra cautions, especially at a place like Road America, they just take away from the race.”

No. 4 Busch Light Apple 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

No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Racing: Road America Race Advance

By
Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Road America Advance
No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Road America 250 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 3
● Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
● Layout: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 62 laps/250 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 32 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After 17 races this season, Almirola is the only driver in the NASCAR Cup Series without a DNF (Did Not Finish). He has completed all but five laps of the 4,650 run this year – a 99.9 percent completion rate.

● Last year at Road America, Almirola led one lap and finished 14th. Almirola has 30 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with two top-10 finishes and a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, five top-20s at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a best finish of 12th, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best finish of 14th, and a top-12 finish in the non-points Busch Clash in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course. Almirola’s most recent road-course race proved to be a success when piloted the No. 10 Ford to a 14th place finish at Sonoma, but was one of the highest points earners of the day.

● Points: Almirola arrives at Road America 12th in the driver standings with 443 points, 143 out of first.

● Haas Automation, founded by Gene Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets. Also represented on the No. 10 car will be team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020.

● Almirola’s career: In 405 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 89 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.

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

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

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

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You don’t consider yourself a road course ace, but you were one of the highest points earners at Sonoma three weekends ago. Are points the strategy at road courses this year?

“Yes and no. We came to Sonoma with a good car and I felt good about it, but feeling good about it means a top-10 or top-five run. I didn’t grow up road-course racing like some of these guys. Drew Blickensderfer (crew chief) put us on a great strategy and we were really good on the long run, so we were able to capitalize on stage points each stage. We knew if the race went long enough without a caution, we would have a shot at top-10 or top-five, but a caution came out in the middle of our long run. We still finished fourth and were credited 38 points, which is the equivalent of winning the race with no stage points, so if we get the opportunity to do that, we’re going to take it.”

What do you do to prepare yourself for road courses?

“Well, there are two ways to train that are very important – mentally and physically. Mentally, we have Ford Performance, who allows us to use high-tech simulator technology that helps us dial in our road-course skills. We typically do that on Tuesday or Wednesday before a race. It refreshes us on the course layout and gives our team some simulation notes to use. The physical side is just as important because road-course racing is very physically demanding on the core, neck, arms, lower legs. And, on top of that, it’s the middle of the summer, so it’s going to be hot. I feel that I have an advantage there because I do a lot of cycling and a lot of heat training in the summer. At Sonoma, we gained three or four spots in the closing laps, so I look forward to those long runs where I may have a physical advantage.”

No. 10 Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

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

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Rusty Davidson
Hometown: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

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

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

HighPoint.com Racing: Chase Briscoe Road America Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Road America Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Road America 250 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 3
● Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
● Layout: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 62 laps/250 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 32 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for the third of six road course events on the 2022 season schedule. Sunday’s race marks Chase Briscoe’s second Cup Series start at the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course.

● The HighPoint.com driver started 35th and drove his way to a sixth-place finish a year ago this weekend at Road America. It was his second of three top-10 finishes in 2021. In total, Briscoe has nine Cup Series starts on road courses with three top-10s. He finished 13th in his most recent road-course race June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

● The 27-year-old racer from Mitchell, Indiana, picked up two Xfinity Series wins on road courses – his first career Xfinity Series victory was in the series’ inaugural race on the Charlotte Roval in 2018. He also fulfilled his childhood dream of kissing the historic Yard of Bricks when he scored his fifth win of the 2020 season on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

● Briscoe finished among the top-10 in all but three of the 10 road-course races in which he competed in the Xfinity Series. And in his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start on a road course – the 2017 race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario – Briscoe finished seventh in a Ford F-150.

● Briscoe is 18th in the driver standings following last weekend’s 34th-place finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. He currently holds a spot in the 16-driver playoff field by virtue of his March 13 win at Phoenix Raceway.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You had an off weekend to reset before jumping back in for a 10-week run for the playoffs, but you had a tough outing in Nashville last weekend. What is the focus the next nine weeks?

“I’m just kind of stressed out with the situation in the playoffs, truthfully, and we have nine weeks until the playoffs start. We just need to really focus on making the playoffs. Just because we have a win, it doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed at all with how many winners we’ve had right now. So I think we just need to try to take these next nine races and use them as a practice for the playoffs and try to execute. I’ve done a terrible job as far as executing on days we have good car. There have been multiple races we could’ve won that we threw away. You get three races in each round of the playoffs and if you have one bad race, you’re kind of done for the playoffs. I just need to do a better job as a racecar driver of understanding that and trying to capitalize. Come playoff time, you’re not going to be able to shoot yourself in the foot and continue on like nothing happened.”

How do you stay grounded and focused on what’s ahead?

“Johnny (Klausmeier, crew chief) and my team, I feel like, do a really good job of that. I feel like, internally, I kind of do try to do the same. I just don’t have a ton of experience in the playoff format. You know that I’ve only done it three years now and that was on the Trucks and Xfinity levels. So at the Cup level, obviously, it’s way more intense, way more cutthroat. So I don’t know, I feel like I’ve not done a great job in the past in the lower series of doing the playoff run. So I just need to do a better job, at the end of the day. And I feel like if we if I do a good job, my team puts a car under me and people who make me capable of running up front and trying to win races. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and limiting mistakes.”

Road America is a track where you have to be very careful. If you get off track, it can really cost you. How much does that affect how you approach the race?
“There are so many opportunities to make a mistake. It’s a 14-turn course, so it’s hard to mentally stay in the game there just because there are so many opportunities to make a mistake and each turn is so different. You have some really fast ones, some heavy braking zones, some tight corners, and the tires wear out so much there that you really are changing what you’re doing each lap and each corner. It’s a very challenging track, but that’s why I like going there. It does wear you out. It gets like a slick, worn-out dirt track, as weird as that sounds, but that’s why I like it. I just like the feat of trying to wrestle a 4-mile road course. It’s huge. It takes over two minutes to run the racetrack, so I just enjoy the challenge of racing there and trying to get these cars to do what you want each lap, with every turn. It’s a lot of fun and, when it pays off, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter
Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink
Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Road America Advance

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
Road America Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Road America 250 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 3
● Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
● Layout: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 62 laps/250 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 15 laps / Final Stage: 32 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are going road-course racing for the second time in the last three events and the third time this season when they take to NASCAR’s longest racetrack – the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – for Sunday’s Cup Series event.

● Sunday’s 62-lap, 250-mile race will be Custer’s 93rd Cup Series start, his 12th on a road course, and his second at Road America. He qualified 15th and battled a loose-handling racecar to a 17th-place finish in last year’s first Cup Series appearance at the track in 65 years and just the second ever. Custer’s best previous Cup Series finish on a road course was ninth in the October 2020 race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval en route to that year’s Rookie of the Year honors. He qualified sixth for his most recent road-course outing June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and was battling for a top-10 finish in the closing laps before getting spun in turn 11 and having to settle for 21st.

● Custer will also make his third NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance of the season behind the wheel of the No. 07 SS Greenlight Racing Ford Mustang during Saturday’s Henry 180. In his 13 previous Xfinity Series outings on road courses, Custer finished outside the top-10 just once with a best result of third in this year’s March 26 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. He was fourth in the 2018 Xfinity Series race at Road America and has two other top-10s there. Custer’s first Xfinity Series outing in the No. 07 Mustang this year resulted in a victory from the second starting position Feb. 26 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

● Custer also has top-10s in all three of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series outings on road courses, all at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. His best was his most recent, a second-place run from the pole with a race-high 39 laps led in the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry in 2016. He also made three starts apiece on the road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen in NASCAR K&N Pro Series competition, with best finishes of third in the 2016 East Series race at Watkins Glen after having qualified on the pole there the previous year, and fourth in the 2019 West Series race at Sonoma.

● Riding along with Custer and his SHR Mustang is team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

You’ve had some of your best outings at Road America when you raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and you and your fellow competitors enjoyed racing there for the first time in the Cup Series last year. How do you feel about heading back this year?

“I’m really excited for Road America. It’s a really prestigious road course in our country and I think it’s a place where, if you have any bad tendencies, it’s going to show up at Road America. You have so many different corners, there are so many hard corners, it just brings out some of the best road-course racing.”

How do you think the NextGen cars will fare at Road America this weekend?

“Obviously, the NextGen cars are very different, but we’ve seen so far that they’re very well suited for road-course racing. I think Road America is a track that’s really tough – it’s a really tough road course. Like I said, if you have any bad tendencies, they’re going to show up there. But with how well the NextGen cars race on the road courses, I think you’ll see a lot of guys doing well out there. It should be even more competitive than we’ve seen so far.”

One of the track’s nicknames is “America’s National Park of Speed,” and the fans there are known to be among the most passionate in all of motorsports. How do you like that aspect of racing there?

“Those cheese lovers, they might be out of control (laughs). It’s awesome to go up there. Just hardcore race fans, people who live and die by that racetrack, and I think it’s really cool to see people who are that passionate about the sport.”

At just over 4 miles, a lap around the 14-turn Road America layout is the longest on the Cup Series schedule, each lap somewhat of a “road trip” in itself. If you could go on a road trip with anyone, who would that be, and why?

“That’s a good question. I think a lot of people are probably going say Dale Earnhardt. He’s really iconic in our sport, somebody who I think would be fun to talk to about what it was like back when he first got going and how much the sport’s changed, and what he thinks about it now. I think it would be a really interesting conversation.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Skyler Schlotterback
Hometown: Knoxville, Iowa

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter
Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

JR Motorsports — NXS Road America Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Road America
RACE: Henry 180 (45 laps / 182.16 miles)
DATE: Saturday, July 2, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 2:30 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 2 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Jockey/Accelerate Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer, a native of Franklin, Wis., heads to his home track of Road America as he makes his second start at the 4.048-mile road course.
• Mayer continued his hot streak last week in Nashville as he has now finished in the top five in eight of the last 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races dating back to COTA in March.
• With last week’s top-five finish, Mayer has the second-most top fives (8) in the NXS, one shy of teammate Noah Gragson’s series-leading nine.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Military Appreciation Chevrolet
• Josh Berry heads to Road America this weekend where he’ll make his first start at the 4.048-mile road course.
• In three starts on road courses in the NXS, Berry has one top five and two top 10s. His best finish of fourth came earlier this season at Portland International Raceway.
• Chevrolet is the primary partner this weekend as the No. 8 team runs a special red, white and blue patriotic military scheme to celebrate the July 4 weekend.
• Berry’s average finish of 13.0 on road courses is the best of any style track in the NXS for the 31-year-old.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson heads to Road America this weekend with a pair of top-10 road-course finishes on his resume this season. The Nevada native was fourth at COTA and ninth at Portland.
• Over his career on road courses in the NXS, Gragson has logged eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including fourth-, sixth- and ninth-place efforts at Road America.
• Gragson has been a winner on road courses in his NASCAR career, earning victories in three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier makes the return to Road America fresh off a trip to Victory Lane last weekend in Nashville.
• In 10 previous starts in Elkhart Lake, Allgaier has scored one win, two top fives and five top 10s.
• Allgaier’s lone victory at the 4.048-mile road course came in 2018 after the veteran driver started 11th and led 14 laps en route to the win.
• Overall, in 41 starts in his NXS career on road courses, Allgaier has earned three wins, 12 top fives and 25 top 10s.

Miguel Paludo
No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Miguel Paludo, a native of Nova Prata, Brazil, returns to JRM and the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet this weekend in Road America.
• Paludo scored a ninth-place finish in his first 2022 start for JRM at COTA earlier this season.
• In four previous starts for JRM in the NXS, the seven-time and defending Porsche Carrera Cup Champion has scored a best finish of seventh, coming at the road course at Daytona International Speedway in 2021.
• Paludo has made one previous start at Road America in the NXS, coming in 2012.

Driver Quotes

“It will be great to head home this week and see some family and friends I normally wouldn’t get to see. This race last year didn’t really go as planned but I know this Jockey team is going to unload a car on Friday that has a lot of speed and hopefully we can continue our streak of finishing towards the front.” – Sam Mayer

“Road America has always been a track that I’ve enjoyed being at and a place where JR Motorsports has had a lot of speed. We had a strong run in Portland and I feel like we can have that same speed again this weekend. It’s a big weekend for BRANDT with Miguel (Paludo) returning as well, so hopefully we can both be up front and battling for the win on Saturday.” – Justin Allgaier

“It’s my first time heading to Road America but we have been in the sim practicing this place so I am ready to go when we practice on Friday. Having that extra seat time during practice will help out big time for this Chevrolet team. We’ve put Nashville behind us and we’re heading into this weekend with a lot of confidence that we will have a good run.” – Josh Berry

“We’ve had good speed on road courses in our Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet, and we’ve always run well at Road America. It’s a big place, but it’s fast and it’s fun. As we get into the heat of the summer, this is where we can build for the playoff run, and we’re really clicking as a team thanks to Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and all the guys.” – Noah Gragson

“It feels great to get back behind the wheel of this No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and I can’t thank everyone at BRANDT and JR Motorsports enough. Hopefully we can keep our car clean all race long and be in contention for the win in the end. I can’t wait to get there and see what we can do.” – Miguel Paludo

JRM Team Update:

• JR Motorsports at Road America: JR Motorsports has competed at Road America a combined 37 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 4.048-mile facility, the organization has tallied one win, 10 top fives and 20 top 10s. Justin Allgaier brought home the lone win for the organization during the 2018 season after leading 14 laps.
• Benefitting the Gary Sinise Foundation: During the Summer for Heroes Giving Campaign from June 1 – August 31, Tire Pros customers can donate an amount of their choice on the designated Gary Sinise Foundation donation page. Their goal is to raise $1.5 million to support our nation’s heroes. Donate now.
• Jockey: To support local communities and deliver the comfort you deserve, Jockey’s Made in America collection is 100 percent grown and
sewn right here at home. Shop the 4th of July Flash Deals now. Use code: Jockey20 for 20 percent off your entire order.
• Spicy Mayo: Hellmann’s Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing is proudly made with real, simple ingredients like real chili peppers, cage-free eggs, oil and vinegar. This spicy mayo is the ideal condiment for spicing up wraps, adding flavor to sandwiches, grilling juicy burgers, mixing creamy dips, and preparing fresh salads. Deliciously Spicy, 100% Hellmann’s. Try a new recipe today.

Baja Vida Beef Jerky to Serve as Primary Partner of Matt Hagan’s

By
Official Release
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Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car at NHRA Midwest Nationals

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (June 29, 2022) – Baja Vida Snacks has partnered with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, with the California-based company highlighting its line of all-natural Baja Vida Beef Jerky on the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car of three-time champion Matt Hagan.

Baja Vida Snacks will serve as the primary sponsor of Hagan during the NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. The sky blue car design will feature Baja Vida Snacks on the sides of Hagan’s 11,000-horsepower machine with Baja Vida Beef Jerky emblazoned on the nose. For all other races, Baja Vida Snacks will be featured in an associate partner position on each side of the rear wing.

“Racing is an adventure, and nothing stirs the senses quite like an 11,000-horsepower Funny Car going more than 330 mph in a thousand feet,” said Will Dryden, general manager, Baja Vida Snacks. “It’s visceral and vibrant, and the fans are immersed in the culture. The NHRA is a great place for Baja Vida to be, and we have an excellent partner in Tony Stewart Racing to help showcase our lineup of Baja Vida Beef Jerky to fans who are as passionate about racing as we are about creating delicious, quality food.”

Baja Vida Snacks was formed in 2019 with products influenced by the culture of the Baja Peninsula, where freshness and adventure abound. Its line of beef jerky has been a staple since the company’s inception, all of which are Baja inspired and support “The Flavor of Adventure”. Baja Vida Beef Jerky launched with five core flavors – Traditional, Lime & Serrano, Sweet Orange, Salsa Fresca and Churro. Two additional flavors were added in 2021 – Crackin’ Pepper and Street Taco. Baja Vida Snacks also offers a variety of beef sticks, dried mangos and seasonings.

Made to be a part of the adventure, Baja Vida Snacks are delicious, satisfying, and easy to take on the go. They’re also lower in sodium, made with little to no sugar, are gluten free, have no MSG, no preservatives and no added hormones or nitrates. Baja Vida Beef Jerky can be found online at BajaVida.com. Come August, Baja Vida Snacks will also be available at all Menards locations.

“We’re proud to have Baja Vida Snacks join our race team. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality fits perfectly within our organization,” said team owner Tony Stewart. “In racing, we’re always on the go, so having a healthy snack that’s packed with protein and tastes good is a must-have. We keep Baja Vida Beef Jerky stocked in our transporters and at our shop. It’s never out of reach.”

Hagan, a winner of three Funny Car events so far this season to put himself in the thick of another championship run, is already a fan of Baja Vida Snacks and its beef jerky, in particular.

“I’ve had the privilege of sampling a variety of flavors of Baja Vida Beef Jerky,” Hagan said. “They offer bold flavors and their products contain preservative-free ingredients to help fuel my body before strapping into the car. I’m looking forward to Baja Vida Snacks joining us here in the world of drag racing because there’s nothing else like it.”

The Championship Fight Continues this Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park

By
Official Release
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Brownsburg, Ind. (June 28, 2022) – After an incredibly close win at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, the current 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship leaders will compete at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for one of the final sprint races of the season. Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque will pilot the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 in hopes of taking the team to victory lane for the fourth time this season coming off of a thrilling win at Watkins Glen.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta team has achieved plenty of success at the 2.459-mile, 10-turn permanent road course with one win, two pole positions, and four podium finishes in their six years of competing at this historic circuit. With CTMP is making its return to the IMSA calendar after a pandemic-imposed hiatus, the team plans on picking up where they left off, once again being cheered on at Turn 3 by employees and families of the Konica Minolta Canadian branches.

Ricky Taylor’s last win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park was with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2015, his resume also includes three pole positions and four podium positions.

“It’s great to be back in the championship lead. Filipe gave us some great momentum going to Mosport,” said Ricky Taylor. “Mosport is a very challenging race. And going there after a few years off will be very exciting. It’ll be WTRs first time there with an Acura, so we need to do our best to prepare a good car to kick the weekend off on the right foot.”

This will be Filipe Albuquerque’s third time competing at the track, but first time in an Acura. Albuquerque has one top-five finish and is looking to continue the momentum after a stellar weekend at Watkins Glen International.

“We are coming from an amazing weekend with a great feeling from the team,” enthused Filipe Albuquerque. “There is not much time to rest. The boys have to prepare the car because it was a bit wrecked from the last race. I’ve never been to Mosport with this car, but I’m sure Ricky will bring me up to speed. We are always helping each other, so I’m not worried about that. We want to win. That’s our way of racing. We need to win but also finish ahead of the 60 because the points on the championship. We’ll see how it goes, but we are super happy and motivated.”

“This is the first race that I’ll be missing in many years,” said Wayne Taylor. “I’m going to South Africa to visit my family that I haven’t seen for three years. This is the only time that I can go given that we have the new LMDh car coming, and we’ve got racing and testing still to do. This is the only time that I can make it which is sad because this is such a big Konica Minolta race. I think it’s going to be a really good track for us. I’m excited and I don’t know what it’ll be like being in another country while my team and son are racing. I don’t know how I’m going to handle that! I’ll certainly be texting the team the entire weekend. It’s nice going into a race weekend like this being ahead of the championship. The one thing that helps is that you have the last pit stop, so you’ll be the first car out of the pits and can make up decent track position. Track position is everything and now we can try and use that for ourselves this weekend. I’m excited, I’m just a little sad that I won’t be there. But I have a good team of people, Travis runs a good show, the whole team can operate without me.”

Practice for the two-hour, 40-minute sprint race begins this Friday, July 1st at 2:40 p.m. ET. Green flag for the two hour and 40-minute sprint race will wave at 3:05 p.m. ET. Full coverage will be available on NBC and Peacock beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET.
ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports, Hammer Nutrition and CIT.

New Hampshire Standout Derek Griffith Ready for NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at NHMS

By
Official Release
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Hudson, N.H. native Derek Griffith made his NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) debut at Richmond Raceway on April 2, 2022. He'll make his third NXS start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 16. Photo Courtesy: Sam Hunt Racing/Daylon Barr

Hudson, N.H. native Derek Griffith will make his hometrack NASCAR debut at the Crayon 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16.

By Kyle Souza, Owner of Souza Media
Special for New Hampshire Motor Speedway

LOUDON, N.H. – Derek Griffith grew up racing at the short tracks of New Hampshire, and now, is ready to take his talents to the big stage in his home state. On Saturday, July 16, Griffith will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Crayon 200 at “The Magic Mile,” driving for Sam Hunt Racing in what will be his third race of the season with the growing operation.

In his two starts with Sam Hunt Racing earlier in 2022 – the first two of his NXS career – Griffith gained valuable experience he will put to the test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). He’s run the 1.058-mile oval before in a Super Late Model, but is excited for the challenge of the NXS and is hoping to make the hometown fans proud.

There are certainly going to be a large number of Derek Griffith fans in attendance as part of a full weekend as NHMS becomes the center of the NASCAR world.

“I know the Xfinity Series car is going to race a ton differently than a Late Model, but I love Loudon,” Griffith said. “Hopefully that and my experience there falls into my favor. I just want to have a good showing. I have to do my job the best I possibly can. I’ve got a couple of starts in the car with this team, so now I know how things work. I know what I need to bring to the table.”

Outside of racing, Griffith is a business owner of Northeast Auto Imports in Hudson, N.H. Not only does Griffith work in the state, he spends his day-to-day life serving customers of the Granite State and beyond.

On top of that, Hudson Speedway will be the primary sponsor of the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for the Crayon 200. Griffith and Hudson Speedway operator Ben Bosowski have worked together to promote the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts facility, and showcasing the track on the car in the NXS is a huge step forward.

“Derek’s driving speaks for itself,” Bosowski said. “It’s all a Cinderella-type story. The hometown kid goes to New Hampshire Motor Speedway with his hometown track on the side of the car as sponsor. It’s one of those stories that you don’t hear much out there anymore. Very rarely do all of the pieces come together like this. It will be a great moment for all of us.”

Derek’s goals in the 200-lap race will be simple: to go out there, finish all the laps and come home with a strong finish. It won’t be the last time the New Hampshire standout competes on the NXS circuit this season either. He has more races planned with Sam Hunt Racing.

“I am beyond pumped to be able to race in the Xfinity Series at NHMS,” Griffith said. “Being able to race there was a big determining factor in trying to find a ride in the Xfinity Series, not even just for me and my family, but for Hudson to be on the car, close to where the track is. It’s going to be awesome to have my friends, my family and everyone else there at the track. I have it circled as what should be a highlight moment of my racing career.”

New England’s NASCAR weekend gets underway Friday, July 15 with Friday Night Dirt Duels Presented by New England Racing Fuel at The Flat Track and continues with Doubleheader Saturday on July 16, featuring the Crayon 200 NXS race and Whelen Manufactured in America 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race. The grand finale of New England’s biggest race weekend is headlined by the Ambetter 301 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, July 17.

Be sure to check NHMS.com/Events/NASCAR-Cup-Series/Schedule/ often, as the schedule will be continuously updated as race weekend approaches.

Fans can find more information on Derek Griffith by visiting DerekGriffith.com and following Derek Griffith Motorsports on Facebook for updates including race-day updates from “The Magic Mile.”

Tickets:

Fans can log on to NHMS.com for tickets and more information on the weekend’s lineup of action-packed racing. Tickets for Friday Night Dirt Duels Presented by New England Racing Fuel are just $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Doubleheader Saturday tickets start at just $45 for adults while kids 12 and under are free. Sunday’s Ambetter 301 tickets start at just $59 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), Twitter (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

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