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Zane Smith in, Buescher out for inaugural Cup Series event at Gateway due to COVID-19

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images.

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing announced a shakeup to one of its two-driver roster for this weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. 

Chris Buescher, coming off his wild rollover wreck during last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at at Charlotte Motor Speedway, will not be competing at Gateway due to testing positive for COVID-19. With Buescher absent, Zane Smith, a full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor for Front Row Motorsports, will be piloting Buescher’s No. 17 Acronis Ford Mustang on a one-race deal for this upcoming weekend.

Smith, a 22-year-old native from Huntington Beach, California, will be making his inaugural presence in the Cup Series, having made 11 previous starts in the Xfinity Series, 38 starts in the ARCA Menards Series and 56 starts in the Camping World Truck Series. He is currently campaigning in his third full-time season in the Truck Series, but first with Front Row Motorsports following a two-year run with GMS Racing. 

Through the first 10 scheduled Truck events, Smith has achieved three victories (Daytona International Speedway in February, Circuit of the Americas in March and Kansas Speedway in May), five top-five results and eight top-10 results as he is ranked in third place in the regular season standings as he pursues his first NASCAR national touring series championship.

With Smith filling in for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing at Gateway, Buescher will set his sights for his return next weekend at Sonoma Raceway scheduled for June 12.

Zane Smith is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 5, with the event’s coverage to occur at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Carson Hocevar – Toyota 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Race Advance – Toyota 200 (160 Laps/200 Miles) | World Wide Technology Raceway

Saturday, June 4 | Madison, Ill. | 1:30 p.m. ET

TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Mich.) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Saturday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway: “Our No. 42 Premier Security Solutions team is ready to continue our stretch of strong runs this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. [Crew chief] Phil Gould and the rest of our crew have consistently put together fast Chevrolet Silverados week-to-week and this weekend will be no different.”

Hocevar at World Wide Technology Raceway: Hocevar makes his third career start at World Wide Technology Raceway Saturday afternoon. Hocevar ran to a 15th-place finish in his track debut in 2020 before producing a top-10 showing with an 8th-place finish during his rookie season in 2021.

On the Truck: Hocevar will pilot the No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet Silverado Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway with associate sponsorship from Worldwide Express and GMPartsNow.

Last Time Out (North Carolina Education Lottery 200 – Start: 4th / Finish: 16th): Hocevar led twice for race-high 57 laps in Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and held just over a six-second lead when Jesse Little and Tyler Ankrum brought out the caution in turn three with four laps to go.

Hocevar chose the inside lane for the final restart with the No. 17 of Ryan Preece on the outside as the two led the field into turn one for the first attempt at overtime. The two ran side-by-side on lap 136 when Hocevar got loose and slid up the track into Preece, damaging both vehicles and bringing out the caution.

The No. 42 team worked to repair ride side and rear damage to their Chevrolet under caution and salvaged a 16th-place finish following the second and final overtime attempt.

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About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About Premier Security Solutions:

Founded in 2013 by a retired Flint Michigan Police Officer, Premier Security Solutions is committed to deflect and deter unlawful activity for their clients, create a safe campus, and provide a secure environment. A company fully committed to community involvement and protection. Premier partners with many community organizations like Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and his G.H.O.S.T. team combatting human trafficking. Premier provides an array of security services, including K-12 school campus, industrial logistics, corporate and event security in addition to a state-of-the-art monitoring center and all types of security training for both law enforcement and civilian trainees. For more information, please visit www.premiersecurity.solutions/

Follow Carson Hocevar on Instagram and on the web: @CarsonHocevar / CarsonHocevar.com

NCS AT GATEWAY: Team Chevy Advance

By
Official Release
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TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
ENJOY ILLINOIS 300 PRESENTED BY TICKETSMARTER
WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY
MADISON, ILLINOIS
JUNE 5, 2022

RACE #15 – WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

In a season full of new with the competition debut of the Next Gen car, this weekend adds another unknown element for teams of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) to face. For the first time in the series’ history, World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) will be the host of NASCAR’s premier series for the Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter. The inaugural trip to the 1.25-mile oval located just east of St. Louis, Missouri, marks the only new points-paying venue on the NCS schedule for 2022. Last season, four new venues made their debut on the NCS schedule, all of which were won by Chevrolet drivers:

· Circuit of The Americas: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

· Nashville Superspeedway: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

· Road America: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

· Indianapolis Road Course: AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Joining the NASCAR Cup Series for a trip to the Midwest is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with the Toyota 200; the series’ 11th race of the 2022 season. While World Wide Technology Raceway may be new to the NCS, it’s familiar territory for the NCWTS. The series debuted at WWTR in 1998, competing through 2010, and later returned to the schedule in 2014. Within that timeframe, WWTR has hosted 21 NCWTS races. Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading 11 victories, including the inaugural event when Rick Carelli drove his Chevrolet-powered machine to victory lane. On that list of wins includes a streak of the last five, the most recent by Sheldon Creed when he drove the No. 2 GMS Racing Silverado to the win of the NCWTS Playoff Opener that was held at the track in 2021.

NXS HEADS TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST

The NASCAR Cup Series isn’t the only series to face the challenges of a new track this weekend. For the first time in NASCAR Xfinity Series history, teams will make the venture to the Pacific Northwest to Portland International Raceway (PIR) for the Pacific Office Automation 147 on Saturday, June 4. The 1.97-mile, 12-turn road course will mark just the second road course race for the series thus far in 2022.

Earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas, notable road course master, AJ Allmendinger, drove his No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS to his 11th-career NASCAR Xfinity Series win; and his first of the 2022 season to secure a Playoff berth. In the last 10 road course events in the NXS, AJ Allmendinger leads all drivers with four wins, nine top-five’s and 116 laps led.

While it’s a new track to the series, Allmendinger already has success at the Oregon road course circuit, where he won the 2006 ChampCar race held at the venue. This weekend’s trip to PIR will be Allmendinger’s first time back to the track since that triumph. Following Saturday’s NXS race at PIR, Allmendinger will head back east to join the NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, pulling double duty for Kaulig Racing.

GOING FOR SIX-IN-A-ROW AT PORTLAND

In another dominant day for Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Camaro SS captured its fifth-consecutive victory when Josh Berry powered the JR Motorsports No. 8 Camaro SS to victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was a special win for the Chevrolet team as it marked the organization’s first-ever win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the hometown track for JR Motorsports. Berry took the Stage One win, going on to lead a race-high 89 laps en route to his second win of 2022 by an impressive 18.039 seconds over the runner-up finisher.

Berry’s win was celebrated by a strong day posted by all of his JR Motorsports teammates. Of the five drivers that led laps in last Saturday’s event, four of them came from JR Motorsports, totaling 190 laps led of the 200-lap race. Joining Berry in the stage win category, Justin Allgaier picked up the Stage Two win to give JR Motorsports its 10th-consecutive stage victory; a feat that extended the series record the Chevrolet team accomplished at Kansas Speedway.

Chevrolet had seven drivers finish inside the top-10, including three of the top-five positions. JR Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Jordan Anderson Racing were all represented in the top-10 at the conclusion of the 200-lap event. Now sitting at eight wins in 13 races, Chevrolet has posted double the win count of its manufacturer competitors.

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger maintains the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver points lead by 33-points over fellow Chevrolet driver, Noah Gragson. Four Chevrolet drivers make up the top-five in the standings, with seven rounding out the top-10. Chevrolet also remains in the lead of the NXS manufacturer standings by 57-points over second.

SILVERADO RST LOOKING TO GO BACK-TO-BACK

In a thrilling overtime victory, Ross Chastain drove Chevrolet to its second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of the season. Chastain took the victory after fellow Chevrolet driver, Grant Enfinger, pushed Chastain past John Hunter Nemechek on a final lap run to take the checkered flag by 0.102 seconds over Enfinger to give Chevrolet a 1-2 finish. The win marked Chastain’s fourth-career NCWTS win and his first at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval.

Chastain’s Niece Motorsports teammate, Carson Hocevar, was a key storyline driver of the night. The 19-year-old driver’s first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win has been on the horizon in recent weeks and Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway looked to be his night. Hocevar had led a race-high 57-laps ahead of the first attempt at an overtime finish. Battling to keep the lead following the restart, contact with the second-place truck took Hocevar out of contention, resulting in a 16th-place finish.

Heading into the World Wide Technology Raceway weekend, Hocevar leads Chevrolet in the eighth position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver points standings. Grant Enfinger, who drove his No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST to his third top-five finish in the last four races, sits in the ninth spot in the driver standings to round out the Team Chevy top-10.

NEW TO THE SERIES, FAMILIAR TO SOME DRIVERS

World Wide Technology Raceway may be a new track to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, but some drivers won’t be getting on-track for the first time. With The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series having history at the track, a variety of drivers in NASCAR’s premier series already have wins at the Illinois venue on their resume. Of that elite list includes Chevrolet’s Ross Chastain and Justin Haley.

In the year that Ross Chastain came home runner-up in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings (2019), Chastain drove his Niece Motorsports Silverado to victory lane at World Wide Technology Raceway that June, marking his second-career win in the series. WWTR also holds a special spot in Justin Haley’s career, where Haley scored his first-career NCWTS win at the track in June 2018.

STANDINGS CHECK

Already tapped as the longest race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, last Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 made the record books as the longest race in NASCAR’s history; with two overtime finishes pushing the race to 413-laps/619.5 miles. In a race that saw 18 cautions and 31 lead changes, the final running order saw four Camaro ZL1’s battle to top-10 finishes, with Tyler Reddick leading the charge for Chevrolet in sixth-place.

Of the 13 drivers who led laps in the crown jewel event, six of which were Chevrolet drivers, totaling 346 laps led for the Camaro ZL1. The top-four drivers with the most laps led came from the bowtie brigade, with Ross Chastain topping the charts with a race-high 153-laps led in his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1.

Chevrolet drivers also performed a sweep in stage wins – (Chase Elliott; Stage One winner); (Daniel Suarez; Stage Two winner); and (Ross Chastain; Stage Three winner) – bringing Chevrolet to a manufacturer-leading 15 stage wins in 2022 thus far. Each of the race’s 100-mile markers also saw a Camaro ZL1 out front: Chase Elliott (100 mile; 200 mile); Daniel Suarez (300 mile); Ross Chastain (400 mile; 500 mile); and Kyle Larson (600 mile).

With 14 NASCAR Cup Series events in the books, here’s a look at the points standings:

· For the 10th-consecutive week, Chase Elliott remains in the top spot of the NCS driver standings, with a 34-point lead over fellow Chevrolet driver, Ross Chastain.

· Chevrolet drivers make up five of the top-10 in the NCS driver standings, with Elliott leading Ross Chastain (2nd), William Byron (7th), Alex Bowman (8th) and Kyle Larson (9th).

· All five of those drivers have recorded wins already this season to take a spot in the 16-driver NCS playoff field.

· Chevrolet continues to lead in the NCS manufacturer standings, with a 26-point lead over second.

BOWTIE BULLETS

· Of the active NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have previously won at World Wide Technology Raceway in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, two of which are Chevrolet drivers:

Justin Haley, GMS Racing Silverado in the NCWTS (2018)

Ross Chastain, Niece Motorsports Silverado in the NCWTS (2019)

· With 14 NASCAR Cup Series races complete in the 2022 season, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS wins (7), top-five’s (36), top-10’s (67), laps led (2,230) and stage wins (15).

· Chevrolet led 346 of the 413 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend, with Ross Chastain leading a race-high 153 of those laps. This marks the most laps that Chastain has led in a single event in his six year NASCAR Cup Series career.

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr. posted a seventh-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600, extending his top-10 streak to four-consecutive races. This feat marks not only the longest streak of Stenhouse’s NASCAR Cup Series career, but the most for JTG Daugherty since they entered NCS competition in 2009.

· Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 15 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins: Tyler Reddick 2 – (Fontanax2)

Alex Bowman 1 – (Las Vegas)

Ross Chastain 3 – (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte)

William Byron 3 – (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)

Daniel Suarez 2 – (COTA), (Charlotte)

Chase Elliott 3 – (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte)

Kyle Larson 1 – (Bristol)

· Of the three NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have recorded multiple wins this season, two come from the Chevrolet camp: (Ross Chastain – COTA, Talladega), (William Byron – Atlanta, Martinsville).

· Chevrolet leads the driver points standing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chase Elliott remains in the top position in the NCS standings with a 34-point advantage over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the NXS standings by 33-points. Chevrolet also remains atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings.

· With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships; 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships; and 821 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.

TUNE IN

FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 5. FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200 at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 4. Live coverage of both events can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pacific Office Automation 147 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 4. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR DRIVERS AT GATEWAY?

“The heat of course. No matter what time of day, it will be hot and couple that together with heavy braking. I think of that track a lot like a yo-yo. You build up speed through turns 3 and 4. It’s flat but it is a wider turn so you have a lot of speed off turn 4. You get down to turn 1, you really have to slow the car down and that creates a lot of heat in the brakes, and causes the tires to slide. Creating the momentum in 3 and 4, to make a pass in turn 1, out brake somebody and slide up in front of them, downshift, and all of that work coupled with the heat and humidity that we’ll have there. You’re going to have to be on it to make it through a whole Cup race there. I was worn out after the truck race and that’s a lot shorter.”

TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE RACING AT GATEWAY:

“I’ve raced twice at Gateway. Start and parked a truck in 2018. I went back in 2019 and won the race which is unheard of. I’m looking to build off of the base I have there and with this current car, we will be shifting. We were shifting with the trucks so we will be with the car. The weather, it’s summertime, the chances for a late afternoon storm and a green track to race on and the challenges that presents.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 GET BIOETHANOL CAMARO ZL1

YOU’VE COMPETED AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY IN THE NASCAR TRUCK SERIES, BUT IT’S BEEN A FEW YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WEEKEND?

“Like everyone else, I’m not sure what to expect. It’s been a long time since I’ve raced at Gateway in the NASCAR Truck Series. I remember we did okay in the race, but a lot can change about a track in 12 years. I do think our Richard Childress Racing team has performed well this season, and a mile-long track like World Wide Technology Raceway will play into our strengths. I’ve been spending time on the simulator to prepare for the race, and I feel ready and excited to get there.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

LARSON ON PREPARING FOR THE INAUGURAL WWTR RACE:

“I’ll watch some (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series races on YouTube – probably the most recent truck races and maybe some old Xfinity races. It looks like a cool track and I’m sure Cliff (Daniels, crew chief of No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1) and the team have been using every tool and resource possible to ensure we have a good package when we unload there.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

DANIELS ON PREPARING FOR THE FIRST RACE AT THE MADISON, ILLINOIS, TRACK:

“The trucks just raced there last year or the year before, and I have been watching that race today. We also have data from a wheel-force tire test a few weeks ago, so we have data and in-car cameras from that – all OEM’s do. That data is super valuable just to help understand our simulation tools and how those match up to what we saw on the track data. Then we try to understand the nuance of the track and compare it to similar tracks we’ve been to with a Next Gen car, which would probably be Phoenix (Raceway). Fortunately, we do have the 50-minute practice on Friday to really tune on the car. It’s not a lot of time, but it’s enough to get a good feel for things.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CAMARO ZL1

“There are a lot of unknowns this weekend at Gateway for sure. This is the first Cup race there with the Next Gen car. We’ve spent a lot of time in the SIM preparing for this race but I’m sure once we get on the track there will be other things we’ll need to work on. This practice on Friday afternoon is extremely important to get our 3CHI Chevrolet driving good. I’m excited for this new challenge.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1

ELLIOTT ON HEADING TO THE 1.25-MILE OVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME:

“I think anytime you head to a new track it’s tough. You can do everything to try to prepare, but you’re not really going to know until you make those first laps in practice. We’re getting a little more track time than we do at most tracks so that will help give us an opportunity to try to figure some things out ahead of Sunday. There are a lot of unknowns, but I’m looking forward to heading there and seeing what we can do.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1

GUSTAFSON ON RACING AT THE ST. LOUIS-AREA TRACK:

“We’re just going to have to be prepared to adapt. We’ve been looking at our notes from Phoenix (Raceway) and Richmond (Raceway) and trying to put them together as we’ve been anticipating what to expect. I don’t really think anybody is going to be able to hit it right off the truck, so that’s where you’re going to have to be able to adapt and adjust. Whoever does a good job of that is going to be fast. Chase always does great at providing feedback and telling us what he needs out of the car, so hopefully we’ll be in a good position heading into Sunday.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

BYRON ON HIS THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEKEND:

“I don’t know what to expect this weekend really. I think Gateway will race similar to how Phoenix (Raceway) does. We had some speed there earlier this year so I think we have a good starting point, plus we have a full 50-minute practice this Friday to really feel things out. It’s been a few years since I’ve raced there, and when I did, we had a good race going and led a bunch of laps. The last few weeks we haven’t gotten the results we’ve wanted despite leading laps and running up front. This weekend is a good chance for us to turn that around heading into the summer stretch of the season.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1

FUGLE ON WHAT HE THINKS IT WILL TAKE TO WIN ON SUNDAY:

“Gateway may be a mile-and-a-quarter long but it races more like a short track with long straightaways. So far this season with the Next Gen car, we have been fast on those style tracks so that gives us confidence heading into this weekend. It’s a unique track that’s tough to figure out and those are the challenges I enjoy as a crew chief. I think it’s safe to say that track position is going to be a major factor this weekend and that pit stops are going to be a major key to that. We’ve really improved on pit road the last few weeks, so that gives me confidence as well. You always go to the race track wanting to win, but with this being the first Cup Series race there, everyone wants to be able to say that they were the winner of an inaugural event.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP CAMARO ZL1

YOU’VE BEEN TO WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY BEFORE, BUT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE CUP SERIES HAS RACED AT THE TRACK. TALK ABOUT THE TRACK AND WHAT YOU EXPECT THIS WEEKEND.

“I’m looking forward to getting there. World Wide Technology Raceway is a fun track. I’ve been there a few times in Trucks. It’s always a great crowd, so that’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s kind of a, I always think of it as a big Martinsville, but it does race a little different from that. Turns one and two are pretty tight and turns three and four are pretty big sweeping corners. I know they’ve paved it since the last time I was there, so that will be quite a bit different. It will be fun to get there with the new car, new venue. I always enjoy switching it up in the Cup Series and going to new tracks with these cars. Obviously, I think World Wide Technology Raceway is going to be a good one for us. It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be a tough weekend. I know it’ll be warm there. I’m excited to get there and see what these cars do there.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 SUNNYD CAMARO ZL1

“It will be interesting this weekend because you can downshift so easy. Shifting wise, there are two different corners like Phoenix Raceway. We’ve been working hard and hope we have improved our short track program. We’ll continue learning and working on it throughout the race weekend. We want to keep our good runs going and have a solid performance for SunnyD and Kroger in our Camaro on Sunday.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

BOWMAN ON HIS CONSISTENCY THIS SEASON:

“I am happy that we have been able to finish in the top-10 as much as we have, but I think we are capable of more. Our goal was to be more consistent this year and we are achieving that – now we need to stay consistent and move our aim to higher finishes. We have been close to the front at the end of races and have been able to make a few passes when it counts. Just need to find a way to be in the front of the pack and contend for more wins. I am proud of the effort every week from our guys, and we will continue to work hard and try to knock off a few more wins this year.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

IVES ON HOW HE IS PREPARING FOR THE RACE AT THE ILLINOIS-BASED TRACK:

“Our short track package is pretty good – we have run well at Richmond (Raceway) and Martinsville (Speedway). We will lean on our notes from those tracks and what I have learned from conversations with Rudy (Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1). He has run there in the (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series and though they aren’t Cup cars, it helps us with how the track will progress through the race and what to expect the racing to look like as the day goes on.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1

CAN YOU TAKE MOMENTUM FROM SUNDAY NIGHT TO ST. LOUIS?

“I know we can. Trackhouse Racing is building rocket ships for Ross and I. We didn’t get the finishes we wanted in Charlotte, but we are learning and I believe they will come soon. This weekend is a different type of track, but I am very confident we’ll have good cars there.”

GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST

“I am heading into this weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway with a lot of confidence. Charles and all of GMS Racing team have been putting in so much effort, and I feel like it’s starting to pay off. Gateway is a track that falls right in my wheelhouse, and knowing the team’s successful history here, I am ready to capitalize on a great race. We have been showing some signs of great improvement over the past few weeks, and I feel that we should be able to contend for the win this weekend.”

JACK WOOD, NO. 24 TWO FRIENDS GOLF SILVERADO RST

“I’m really looking forward to going back to Gateway, I earned my first top-10 finish there last year, so there’s definitely some high hopes to go back there and have a solid run. It’s going to be nice to go back to somewhat a short track, which is similar to what I grew up racing on. We are still waiting to find that race to turn our season around, but there is a lot of confidence in this No. 24 team, so we are going to put our heads down and give it all we’ve got with our Two Friends Golf Chevy.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 40

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2022 STATISTICS:

Wins: 7

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 2,230

Top-five finishes: 36

Top-10 finishes: 67

Stage wins: 15

Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)
Ross Chastain (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte)
William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)
Daniel Suarez (COTA), (Charlotte)
Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte)
Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 821 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 725

Laps led to date: 243,566

Top-five finishes to date: 4,174

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,622

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,155

       Chevrolet: 821

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 814                                                         

       Ford: 714

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 166

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks World Wide Technology Raceway Preview

By
Official Release
-

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

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Toyota 200, Race 11 of 23, 160 Laps – 35/35/90; 200 Miles
Location: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Ill. (1.25-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 4, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ the Facts:

John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team head to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Ill. for race No. 11 of the 2022 Camping World Truck Series campaign. Nemechek is coming off a third-place finish at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway this past weekend, extending his top-10 streak to a career best seven races. The second-generation driver continues to hold the top spot in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings and has extended his lead to seven points over reigning champion Ben Rhodes.

In addition to leading the point standings through the first 10 races of 2022, Nemechek leads all Camping World Truck Series regulars in poles (four), average starting position (6.7), and average running position (6.771). He is also ranks second in driver rating (105.9) and third in laps led (171).

Saturday’s race will be the first of three races in the Truck Series Triple Truck Challenge, with an extra $50,000 on the line for the winner. The remaining two races of the Triple Truck Challenge will be June 24 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and July 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. If a driver can win two of the three races, they will be awarded an extra $50,000 totaling $150,000 and if the same driver wins all three races, they earn a $300,000 bonus bringing the total to $500,000. Nemechek took advantage of the program last season, collecting an extra $50,000 for his win at Charlotte.

The North Carolina driver has made six starts at Gateway in Camping World Truck Series action. Nemechek was victorious at the 1.25-mile facility in June of 2017 while driving for family-owned NEMCO Motorsports. In his first six starts, Nemechek has tallied one win, 100 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.2.

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, will adorn the hood of the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway. Mobil 1 returns as the primary sponsor of Nemechek’s Toyota for four more races in 2022; June 18 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, June 24 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, July 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and Oct. 1 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Nemechek is a 12-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 and 2022 with KBM. Across 134 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled six poles, 1,352 laps led, 45 top-five and 73 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 33 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillips has called the shots for eight starts at Gateway in Camping World Truck Series action. In those eight starts, his drivers have tallied one win (Mike Skinner – 2009), 13 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
Is Gateway a unique track?
“Gateway is unique. They repaved it not long ago, so it has quite a bit of grip now. Definitely a little bit different with the spec motor compared to the built motors that we used to run, but overall, the same race track. I really enjoy going to Gateway, you use quite a bit of brake there, you shift some and I would call it a big short track.”

Are you excited about the Triple Truck Challenge coming back this year?
“I’m very excited about the Triple Truck Challenge this year – it’s a great thing that Marcus (Lemonis) and everyone at Camping World does to put a little extra money on the line for us series regulars. We were able to capitalize on it last year and bring home an extra $50,000 — hopefully this year we can bring home the whole thing. This No. 4 team has really been hitting our stride recently and now we just need to turn our top fives and top 10s into more wins and start to build up our playoff bonus points as we get closer to the end of the regular season.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Twelve-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports and returning to victory lane with KBM in 2021 and 2022. Across 134 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled six poles, 1,352 laps led, 45 top-five and 73 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Across 61 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 510 laps led, 17 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-58: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-58 for Saturday’s race at Gateway. Nemechek piloted KBM-58 once earlier this season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway where he brought home a fourth-place finish. In 2021, Nemechek produced three of his series leading five wins with this Toyota at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, Richmond (Va.) Raceway, and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch also produced a victory with this Tundra TRD Pro at Charlotte in 2019.

KBM-58 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have tallied two wins, 422 laps led, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.9 across 26 starts at Gateway.
  • Christopher Bell was victorious at the 1.25-mile track in 2016 and Darrell Wallace Jr., won the 2014 event.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (93) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 17 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

No Place Like Home: Team Chevy Ready for Detroit

By
Official Release
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Will final race on Belle Isle be win No. 100 for Chevrolet V6 engine?

DETROIT (June 2, 2022) – Chevrolet will race on home ground this weekend as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on Detroit’s Belle Isle for the final time in Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. It’s the seventh round of this year’s championship with Team Chevy continuing its push for a landmark victory in the series.

The next win for Chevrolet will mark its 100th since it returned to INDYCAR in 2012 with its 2.2-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine. There might be no better place to do it with the GM Renaissance Center overlooking the racetrack and Chevy’s history at the venue.

Chevrolet has won two of the past four races on Belle Isle and seven times since 2012. This year’s race marks the first time for a single INDYCAR race on Belle Isle after doubleheaders for the last nine years – except for the 2020 event that was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With four wins on the season, Chevrolet leads the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer championship, as it has since claiming victory in the season’s first race at St. Petersburg.

This weekend’s race will be the final one on Belle Isle as the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix will move to a new 10-turn, 1.7-mile layout through the streets of downtown Detroit.

“Racing in Detroit is important for everyone at Chevrolet and General Motors,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet Program Manager for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “There are so many employees in Detroit who touch this program in some way that never get a chance to see the end result of all their hard work. So it’s great to race in front of them and give them a good show. It’s great from that perspective, but also to continue the long tradition of open-wheel racing in the Motor City. We’re looking to rebound from Indianapolis in a strong way, and getting our 100th win with the 2.2-liter V6 would do the trick.”

Eleven Chevrolet-powered IndyCars are set to tackle Belle Isle this weekend – including Santino Ferrucci filling in for Callum Ilott in Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Chevrolet-powered IndyCar. One of the leading contenders will be Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 McLaren Chevrolet from Arrow McLaren SP. He won the second of two races on Belle Isle a year ago and is coming off a runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 to go along with a win earlier this year at Barber Motorsports Park.

Team Penske teammates Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Shell Chevrolet) and Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet) already have claimed street circuit victories this year – McLaughlin at St. Petersburg and Newgarden at Long Beach.

He and Team Penske’s Will Power, in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet, are among the other previous Belle Isle winners for Team Chevy. Newgarden was victorious in 2019 and Power won in 2014 and 2016.

While on Belle Isle, Team Chevy fans can enjoy all that the Chevrolet display, located in the heart of the Meijer Fan Zone inside the circuit, has to offer. Included in the display activities will be six Q&A sessions with some of the star Chevrolet drivers and personalities.

Friday

• Noon: Chevrolet Women in Racing Forum

• 1:00 p.m.: Arrow McLaren SP – Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist

• 2:00 p.m.: Ed Carpenter Racing – Rinus VeeKay, Conor Daly

• 2:30 p.m.: Team Penske – Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Will Power

Saturday

• 2:15-2:30 p.m.: Juncos Hollinger Racing – Santino Ferrucci and Callum Ilott

Sunday

• 1:00 p.m.: A.J. Foyt Racing – Dalton Kellett, Tatiana Calderon, Kyle Kirkwood

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 8 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:

• 2023 Corvette Z06 Coupe and Convertible

• Corvette Stingray R concept

• Corvette Stingray 70th Anniversary Edition

• Chevrolet electrical models Bolt EV, Bolt EUV and Silverado EV

• Additional Chevrolet models such as Bolt EUV Premier, Blazer RS, Silverado 2500 HD, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Trailblazer ACTIV, Silverado 1500 MCM RST, Traverse High Country Redline, Tahoe Z71, Camaro ZL1, Camaro SS, Equinox RS and Colorado Bison ZR2

• A cutaway chassis of the 2023 Corvette Z06

• An opportunity to receive a 2022 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix t-shirt

Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 5 from the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The race will air live on USA, the Peacock streaming service and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160) beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

TEAM CHEVY QUOTES

CONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “Detroit is still one of the best street courses on our schedule. It’s a classic venue and the home of Chevrolet as well! Having scored a podium there in the past, the goal is to do that again. We’re on a great streak of momentum right now and I don’t see any reason why we won’t be able to continue that. I’m very excited with the good points we’ve gotten recently and our movement up in the championship standings and ready to get going again!”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN RACING TEAM WITH BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “I am very excited to go to Detroit! We had a really good year there last year, finished second in the first race and qualifying third for Race 2. I think we can do that again, or even be one step higher on the podium! We have a very good car and I believe we put the Month of May behind us. We’ll work hard on the next few races, which are very important. I am also looking forward to trying some Coney dogs.”

SANTINO FERRUCCI, NO. 77 DYNAMIC EDGE CHEVROLET, JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING: “Although I am happy to be back in the car, it’s unfortunate for Callum under the circumstances. I hope his hand heals really quickly and he is back on track soon. I’m just here to help with the team and see if we can get them a really good result and bring in some different knowledge from my experience in Detroit. I am looking forward to having some fun and carrying the momentum I have from Indy. I can’t thank the guys over at Juncos Hollinger enough with in trusting me this weekend and hopefully it goes really smoothly.”

BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR

· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after six races

· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing

· 3: Team Chevy drivers in this year’s race who have won on Belle Isle: Will Power (2014 and 2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Pato O’Ward (2021)

· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP

· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating back to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg

· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012

· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012

· 7: Wins on Belle Isle for Chevrolet-powered teams since 2012

· 9: Wins from pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver

· 13: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 10 with Chevrolet

· 18: Wins by Roger Penske-owned entries in the Indy 500 since 1972

· 25: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer

· 39: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver

· 99: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012

· 108: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012

· 171: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

ARRMA RC Introduces Replica Body of Zane Smith No. 38 Ford F-150

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 2, 2022) – ARRMA today introduced a limited edition No. 38 Ford F-150 NASCAR Truck body for the 1/7 Infraction 6S BLX. The body is a fully licensed replica of the ARRMA sponsored Front Row Motorsports truck to be driven by Zane Smith this weekend at the World Wide Technology Raceway. Only 1,500 pieces will be produced. The Infraction is an 80-plus mile per hour RC.

The body comes silkscreened with a matte finish to match the Infraction Blue “Stars and Stripes” style livery and is pre-cut with all decals pre-applied to exactly match the full-size truck. A separate NASCAR style rear wing with hardware is included. As Smith noted earlier this week about the scheme and the Infraction:

“This truck looks awesome,” exclaimed Smith. “I have been bashing my Infraction and it is cool to see the inspiration come to life on our race truck and now on an RC body. It is just sick to see, and being a huge fan of RC and ARRMA, I’m excited to race this truck this weekend. I’ve been looking forward to it, and I can’t wait to hit the track.”

Fans can go to www.horizonhobby.com to pre-order now.

Smith will take to WWT Raceway on Friday for practice and qualifying. The team will then race the ARRMA No. 38 Ford F-150 on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

ABOUT HORIZON HOBBY

Horizon Hobby was founded in 1985. Since then, Horizon Hobby has become the global leader in RC products and accessories. Horizon Hobby is committed to delivering innovative products and providing an exceptional customer experience. By forging strong relationships with RC hobby consumers, retailers, and manufacturers around the world, Horizon Hobby has built the best brands in the industry. Horizon Hobby has locations in the United States, Germany, England, and China. The company is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Rossi inks multiyear deal with Arrow McLaren SP, beginning in 2023

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by James Black (Penske Entertainment).

A day after revealing himself to be a free agent for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series season, Alexander Rossi has a new team to call home after announcing that he has inked a contract to drive for Arrow McLaren SP on a multiyear basis, beginning in 2023.

The 30-year-old Rossi from Nevada City, California, is currently campaigning in his seventh full-time IndyCar season with Andretti Autosport, where he is ranked in 11th place in the drivers’ championship standings on the strength of three top-10 results through the first six scheduled events, including a fifth-place result during last weekend’s 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The announcement comes a day after Andretti Autosport revealed that Rossi would be replaced by Kyle Kirkwood, the reigning Indy Lights champion who is now a rookie IndyCar competitor this season for AJ Foyt Enterprises.

“First, I want to thank everyone at Andretti Autosport for an incredible seven years,” Rossi said. “It has been a great ride with an awesome team, and it has been an honor to race for the Andretti name and for Michael for so long. The time has come for a new challenge, with a team that is growing in the sport. I look forward to contributing to the development of Arrow McLaren SP and helping them reach the top. I see the commitment this team has to each other and to me, and I’m looking forward to getting started. It’s time for me to race for another one of motorsport’s biggest names: McLaren.”

Rossi joins the McLaren Racing family with a bevy of success across different motorsports regions, including five starts in Formula One and victories in the GP2 Series, Formula BMW Americas and the World Final, the 2021 Baja 1000 and the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona. He became a full-time IndyCar competitor in 2016 after signing with Andretti Autosport and six races into his rookie season, he utilized fuel strategy to win the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 and notch his first career victory in the IndyCar Series. He went on to achieve six additional victories and a total of six poles and 25 podiums to his resume through May 2022 with a best points result of second place in 2018. He also holds a current average-finishing result of 9.7.

Rossi’s move to Arrow McLaren SP will mark his first time competing for a new time in the IndyCar Series, where he will be a teammate to Pato O’Ward as part of the team’s plans to expand to three cars for next season. O’Ward, who is ranked in second place in this year’s championship standings on the strength of winning at Barber Motorsports Park in early May and finishing in second place during last weekend’s Indianapolis 500, inked a contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP nearly a week ago to remain with the organization through 2025.

“As we look forward to 2023, we are looking for a driver that will be a great fit and bring experience to the team,” Taylor Kiel, President of Arrow McLaren SP, said. “Alex is a driver who knows what it takes to succeed in this sport and will strengthen our talented driver line-up. He shares the same winning mindset that I see every day across Arrow McLaren SP and I think we will find a lot of success together in the years to come.”

“Alex is a proven race winner and an Indianapolis 500 champion, who shares our desire to win,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “It is essential that we put the right talent in place, both inside and outside the car, so we can consistently compete for championships and race wins as a team. He is someone we have had our eye on for some time and we’re excited to see what he’ll do as a part of Arrow McLaren SP.”

Announcements regarding Arrow McLaren SP’s third and final driver as part of the three-car lineup is yet to be determined.

With his racing plans for next season and beyond set, Rossi sets his focus for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series event at Belle Isle Circuit for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, June 5, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Hendrick Motorsports to enter three Xfinity Series races in 2022

By
Official Release
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HENDRICKCARS.COM TO SPONSOR NO. 17 ON ROAD COURSES

CONCORD, N.C. (June 2, 2022) – With primary sponsorship from HendrickCars.com, Hendrick Motorsports will enter three NASCAR Xfinity Series road-course races in 2022. The limited schedule will mark the first time in more than a decade that the 14-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning team has competed on the circuit.

Hendrick Motorsports will field its No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro on July 2 at Road America with Kyle Larson, July 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with Alex Bowman, and Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen International with William Byron. The three drivers have a combined 17 wins at the Xfinity Series level.

“Our drivers are always looking for more opportunities to compete,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “We believe the additional road-course experience on Saturdays (in the Xfinity Series) will translate well to Sundays (in the Cup Series). It will be exciting to see the No. 17 return to the racetrack for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ll do everything we can to take it back to victory lane.”

HendrickCars.com is Hendrick Automotive Group’s online destination for new and pre-owned vehicle shopping, locating centers for service and collision repair, exploring career opportunities, and learning about vehicle investment protection. It also sponsors Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team, NHRA champion Greg Anderson and other racing efforts at the grassroots level.

“It will be special to see the No. 17 back in action for Hendrick Motorsports,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “It’s a great chance for Kyle, Alex and William to gain more time on the road courses and to do even more with our HendrickCars.com sponsorship. I’m looking forward to running the Xfinity Series again.”

The three-race effort is headed by crew chief Kevin Meendering, who has three wins, 39 top-five finishes and 77 top-10s in the Xfinity Series. As a crew chief with JR Motorsports, he led driver Elliott Sadler to top-five results in the series standings from 2016-2018, including two second-place showings. Meendering and Sadler won the Xfinity Series regular season championship in 2017.

The No. 17 car number has a rich history with Hendrick Motorsports. NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip drove it to nine wins for the team from 1987 to 1990, including in the 1989 DAYTONA 500. The car number was also driven by Ricky Hendrick in various races, including in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2000 and 2001. The HendrickCars.com paint scheme will be based on the No. 17 truck driven by Hendrick during his 2001 rookie season.

Hendrick Motorsports most recently entered a race in the Xfinity Series on Feb. 14, 2009, at Daytona International Speedway, where driver Tony Stewart went to victory lane in a HendrickCars.com-sponsored Chevrolet. The organization has 26 wins and one driver’s championship (2003) in the series.

ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (285) and laps led (more than 76,000). It has earned at least one race win in a record 38 different seasons, including an active streak of 37 in a row (1986-2022). The team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP:
Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 94 dealership locations, 21 collision centers and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.com.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Fighting for Fifth Le Mans Crown

By
Official Release
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TOKYO, June 2, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing puts its long unbeaten run on the line when it aims for a fifth consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours victory in the 90th running of the legendary French endurance race on 11-12 June.

Since winning the team’s first Le Mans crown in 2018, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has won every subsequent race at La Sarthe, making history in the process by adding a new fastest race lap to its existing qualifying record, as well as becoming the inaugural Hypercar winners last year with the GR010 HYBRID.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez aim to defend their Le Mans crown in the #7 GR010 HYBRID, following an emotional first victory last year. They arrive in France fresh from a first win of the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season in a dramatic 6 Hours of Spa in early May.

In the #8 GR010 HYBRID, Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley are multiple Le Mans winners, with three and two wins respectively. For 2022 they race alongside Ryo Hirakawa, who has competed twice in the LMP2 class at Le Mans but is making his debut in the top class.

This year’s Le Mans represents the first for Kazuki Nakajima in his new role as Vice Chairman of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe. The three-time Le Mans winner and 2018-2019 World Champion plays a vital part in team management on and off the track, strengthening operations and fostering a professional family atmosphere following the spirit of Team Founder Akio Toyoda.

As the third round of the 2022 WEC season, Le Mans offers double points and a chance for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to jump to the front of the manufacturers’ and drivers’ standings following a close start to the year in the Hypercar class against strong competition from Alpine and Glickenhaus.

This year’s race marks a significant milestone for Toyota’s involvement in endurance racing; the team’s first hybrid LMP1 car, the TS030 HYBRID, made its WEC debut at Le Mans in 2012. Over the subsequent decade, the team has participated in 72 WEC races, won eight World Championships (four manufacturers’ and four drivers’), 36 races and earned 31 pole positions.

Toyota’s heritage at Le Mans dates back to 1985 and that history will be celebrated when Kazuki Nakajima gets behind the wheel of the TOYOTA TOM’s 85C Group C car to bring the winners’ trophy on to the starting grid as part of the pre-race ceremonies. Kazuki’s father Satoru drove the car to 12th place 37 years ago.

Before that, the team faces an intense week of preparation, which starts with the official test day on Sunday 5 June. That is the only opportunity all year for competitors to test their cars on the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe, which is a unique mix of public roads and permanent circuit.

Lessons learned from test day will guide the team as they rebuild and refine the cars for five hours of practice and a 60-minute qualifying session on Wednesday. Thursday sees a further five hours of practice, either side of the 30-minute Hyperpole session at 8pm CEST, when TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will challenge for a sixth consecutive pole position.

The 90th Le Mans 24 Hours will begin at 4pm CEST on Saturday, when 62 cars and 186 drivers participate in the highlight of the endurance racing calendar.

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7):

“Le Mans is the big target for the whole team and we have prepared intensively to be ready for the challenge. Even though we have won the race for the past four years, there are always difficulties, and situations when we need to solve problems. That happened in the race last year but, thanks to the efforts of the team and drivers, we found a solution and finally the #7 car won the race. Mike, Jose, me and the whole #7 crew had waited a long time for that moment, so it was very special, particularly because the #8 crew made it a one-two. This season we have also had some difficulties and it was a pity for the #8 to retire in Spa. The engineers have looked in detail at the issue and we believe it will not happen again. So I am sure we are ready for Le Mans; we go there with confidence and optimism. I am sure we will be part of an exciting race for the fans.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7):

“I will never forget the feeling last year when our #7 car won Le Mans. Kamui, Jose and me had been fighting for such a long time to achieve that, always pushing and preparing ourselves for the big race. It’s an incredible emotion to stand on the top step of the podium for the first time but when you’ve experienced that once, you want to be back there again. It will be harder than ever because the competition is very close this year in Hypercar, but I know how strong this team is and I am sure we can fight for victory again.”

Jose Maria Lopez (Driver, car #7):

“The team has worked intensely since the chequered flag in Le Mans last year to be strong for this year’s race. Thanks to everyone in Cologne and Higashi-Fuji who are pushing so hard to make sure we are prepared and ready to fight for the win. Anything can happen at Le Mans so it’s impossible to be confident; we just have to do our job without mistakes, execute a clean race and see where we are at the chequered flag. It should be an exciting fight with Alpine and Glickenhaus, so I’m sure it will be a great occasion for the fans.”

Sebastien Buemi (Driver, car #8):

“I always look forward to Le Mans because it is the highlight of the season; we work so hard all year for this race. It’s a privilege to have won the race three times already but that doesn’t change my motivation or emotions; every year I go there with a big determination to win. It’s such a challenging race and so many things are out of a driver’s control; the weather, safety cars, full course yellows and lapped traffic all have an influence. But we know the whole team has to be focused, without any mistakes, and this will give us the chance to challenge at the front.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8):

“Le Mans is such a special race, with so much history and a really unique atmosphere. I fell in love with this race the first time I raced at Le Mans in 2012 and I’ve had some incredible memories since then. In many ways it is a brutal event for the whole team because the days before the race are long and hard, then a 24-hour race is always a unique challenge. Just to get to the end of such a race is a credit to every team and driver who manages, but of course we are aiming for more than that. We all aim to extend TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s winning run in Le Mans.”

Ryo Hirakawa (Driver, car #8):

“I am really looking forward to my first Le Mans as part of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. When I first raced at Le Mans, in 2016 I was so impressed by the atmosphere and the number of fans; it is a really special event and it’s an honour to be part of it. Spa was a difficult race for our car, and disappointing for me that I didn’t have the chance to do any laps in the race. Everyone in the team has worked hard to address that issue and make sure we are well prepared for Le Mans, so I hope for a strong race and a close fight at the front.”

Chevrolet teams seek to continue successful first half of season

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET AT NEW HAMPSHIRE

What: NHRA New England Nationals
When: Friday, June 3-Sunday, June 5
Where: New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations at 7 p.m. ET June 5

Chevrolet teams seek to continue successful first half of season
Pro Stock rejoins the schedule; John Force Racing building momentum

DETROIT (June 1, 2022) – Following her “Wow!” weekend in Houston, Camrie Caruso immediately wanted to get behind the wheel of the Sand Haulers of America Chevrolet Camaro SS.

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock schedule curbed those plans – but not her desire to succeed – for six long weeks.

Caruso’s coming out party April 24, highlighted by her inaugural No. 1 qualifier honor and fender-close runner-up finish to four-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in a similar Camaro SS, garnered nationwide attention and further fueled the 24-year-old, third-generation driver’s aspirations in the technically challenging and ultra-competitive class.

“I want to be racing every weekend possible. But we have a simulator at the shop that I’ve been in and we have been out testing, so we try to stay on top of things and stay on top of the progress that we have made to make sure that we are going into Epping with our full potential and we leave nothing on the table,” she said. “We are pleased with testing and excited to see what Epping brings.

“Houston was an amazing race, but we want more success.”

Though the NHRA New England Nationals this weekend in Epping, New Hampshire, will be Caruso’s sixth Pro Stock event, her talent and fierce persona behind the wheel are partly drawn from years of competition experience in junior dragster, Super Comp, Top Dragster, Top Alcohol Dragster and even Pro Outlaw 632.

Augmenting the pursuit of her dream has been Caruso’s family, which has expanded this year with Jim Yates coming on board as her crew chief.

“The family support is awesome; I wouldn’t be able to do it without it and I wouldn’t really want to either to be honest. It’s always been a family thing, and Tony (Wilson) and Jim have made themselves part of the family as well. We’re lucky to have them and have the team that we do all around.”

Entering the NHRA New England Nationals seventh in the Pro Stock standings, Caruso has short- and long-term goals.

“I’m excited to go back; we’ve always had good luck at Epping so we’ll see how it goes,” Caruso said. “We have to make sure we’re on our A game every single run, make sure you’re not making any mistakes.”

As for the remainder of the season: “We are going after the championship. That is our main goal. We want to get wins and have more No. 1 qualifiers – we want all of that, but a championship is what we want to accomplish, and I don’t see why we wouldn’t be able to.”

The John Force Racing contingent, which has recorded seven victories across Top Fuel (Brittany Force with three) and Funny Car (Robert Hight with three and John Force with one), is looking to continue its consistency of solid runs. Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, and Hight, who drives the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, both visited the winner’s stage at the last stop on tour.

Force paces the Top Fuel standings, while Hight is second in Funny Car points. John Force, who turned the top qualifier honor in the four-wide event at Charlotte into victory in the PEAK BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, is fourth in the standings. He won at Epping in 2021. Austin Prock, a semifinalist at Virginia two weeks ago in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, is fifth in the Top Fuel standings.

Hight’s win May 15 at Virginia was the 150th for Chevrolet in Funny Car competition.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (three-time winner this season; first in points; won the 2017 New England Nationals): “Our Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team heads to Epping coming off a win in Virginia. We’re ahead of ourselves this season with three wins under our belt already. We’re hoping for another New England win,” Force said. “We’re all on the same page and really pulling together as a team and it’s showing on the race track. Our momentum is good, our energy is in the right place, and we’re pumped to get to the track this weekend.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener): “I’m excited to get this weekend kicked off. The two-week break has seemed like an eternity. New England Dragway has a lot of history so I’m amped up to be back in the seat of my Montana Brand / RMT dragster and working with my guys. We’re really starting to hit our strides. I think our package will have a good shot at winning the New England Nationals. Last year I went to the final as a crew guy, so maybe we can better that by one as a driver.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and Charlotte four-wide winner; 2021 winner at Epping): “Love being in New Hampshire. It’s a great place to race. Epping has been good to me in the past. Winning there last year in front of those great fans, they really do come from all over to see us, it was a great feeling. I’m excited to be going back to New England Dragway, to be back in the seat of my PEAK Chevy. Two weeks off has been painful, time to go to work and get this BlueDEF Camaro in another winner’s circle.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; second in points; holds both ends of the track Funny Car records, set in 2017): “It’s been a long two weeks since winning in Virginia. I’m glad we got to spend the time celebrating but I’m ready to get back into my AAA Chevy. When you’re on a roll, you want to carry that momentum over and just keep going. I’m hoping we can do that heading to Epping. I’ve never won there so I’d like to check that off my list. With two weeks away from a race track, I know this AAA team is ready to get back to it.”

PRO STOCK

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville): “To say I’m ready to get back on track would be the understatement of the year so far for our Rad Torque Systems / KB Racing Chevrolet Camaro team. That five-week hiatus from the NHRA schedule allowed me to bracket race, which keeps me sharp, but I miss being behind the wheel of my Pro Stocker. After two races with weird bad luck things happening with our car, I’m ready for a big rebound in Epping this weekend.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; seeking to become second pro driver with 100 wins): “It’s been a long break; it almost feels like a second offseason, but I think that was good for us. We needed time to work on our stuff, and we feel we’ve used our time wisely. We’ll be a better race team when we show up at Epping.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville): “I am super excited to get back in the Pro Stocker. It’s been the longest five weeks of my life. We’re ready. The team did a bunch of improvements engine-wise. I’m ready to go race.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Phoenix): “It was a long break but we put it to good use. We switched to this new RJ Race Cars Chevrolet earlier in the season and it just takes time to get all the parts and pieces to work together. These cars are all handmade one at a time and they each have their own personalities. Obviously, the more runs you can make, the more data you gain. We mostly focused on the clutch system and matching it to the power the guys in the engine shop have been building for us. Pro Stock is so competitive so every thousandth of a second you find is huge.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, SAND HAULERS OF AMERICA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “Houston was a great weekend for the Sand Haulers of America team and I was really going for that win light in the final. Our whole team has a lot of confidence and our Titan Racing Engines have shown we can race with anyone. My crew chief Jim Yates has been very helpful and the support I get from my family is a big help too.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

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