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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES – INDIANAPOLIS 500: QUALIFYING RECAP

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING FULL PACKAGE
MAY 22, 2022

RINUS VEEKAY PUTS CHEVROLET POWER ON FRONT ROW FOR 106TH INDIANAPOLIS 500
SEVERE WEATHER COMPLICATED FAST FRIDAY

RINUS VEEKAY POSTS THIRD-FASTEST FOUR-LAP AVERAGE QUALIFYING SPEED TO PUT CHEVROLET ON FRONT ROW FOR THE 106TH INDIANAPOLIS 500 ON SUNDAY
BOSS AND TEAMMATE ED CARPENTER WILL START FOURT
A TOTAL OF 16 CHEVROLET-POWERED DRIVERS WILL START

INDIANAPOLIS (MAY 22, 2022) – And…now we race. After an exciting Top-12 qualifying round, followed immediately by a record-breaking Firestone Fast Six, the field is now set for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. Team Chevy’s Rinus VeeKay laid down the third fastest time and will start on the outside of the first row with a four-lap average of 233.385 MPH.

The driver of the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet will lead a 16-car contingent of Chevrolet 2.2 liter V6 twin turbocharged powered drivers in Sunday’s 106th Indianapolis 500.

VeeKay’s boss and teammate Ed Carpenter also transferred from the top-12 to the Firestone Fast Six. Behind the wheel of the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet, Carpenter laid down the fourth fastest four-lap average of 233.385 mph to nail down the inside of the second row.

Scott Dixon won the pole with the second fastest four-lap average in track history – 234.046 mph. Alex Palou will start in the middle of the front row. The second row is completed by Marcus Ericsson in the middle and Tony Kanaan outside.

The remaining Team Chevy drivers from the Top-12 flight were:

Pato O’Ward, No.5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet – Seventh

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet – Eighth

Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet – 11th

Romain Grojean, Takuma Sato, will start ninth and 10th with Jimmie Johnson starting 12th.

The remaining 11 Chevrolet-powered drivers start as follows:

Josef Newgarden 14th

Santino Ferrucci 15th

JR Hildebrand 17th

Conor Daly 18th

Callum Ilott 19th

Sage Karam 22nd

Scott McLaughlin 26th

Kyle Kirkwood 28th

Dalton Kellett 29th

Juan Pablo Montoya 30th

Stefan Wilson 33rd

The 200-lap 106th running Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge around the famed 2.5-mile oval is scheduled to take the green flag Sunday, May 29th at 12:45 pm EDT with flag-to-flag coverage on NBC.

TEAM CHEVY QUOTES

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN RACING TEAM WITH BITNILE CHEV/ROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “I’m very happy with qualifying. Looking at yesterday, I think I and many people expected me as a hot prospect for the pole. I gave it all I had out there. We could’ve maybe found some speed to get second in qualifying, but Scott (Dixon) was just very fast and a little bit out of our league! I’m very proud that Ed (Carpenter) and I are very fast. Fastest Chevy in Indy 500 qualifying, third year in a row. Happy me!”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 33 ALZAMEND NEURO CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING:

“We’re in a really good spot for next week. Not ultimately where we wanted to be, but at the same time, it’s great that Rinus is starting third, then fourth for me! That’s the same as last year, so I’ve got a little deja vu here. It’s great to be able to put some Chevrolets in the fight and show off the hard work and dedication of the ECR crew and have a BitNile and an Alzamend Neuro up front. We’re in a good spot for next Sunday and we can do work from there!”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW McLAREN SP CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN SP:

“I was extremely happy with my car man. I think it’s probably the best balance that we’ve had in qualifying. We need to dig into what really happened and why we randomly just lost speed from one day to another. It’s the same on the 7 side. We’ll just look at that, but the 5 guys did a great job. They gave me a great car. We just kept getting better and better, so I’m really happy and this is a great position for the race. It’s so, so long; 500 miles. Yeah, I’m not worried. This is a great spot to work from.”

FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 VUSE ARROW McLAREN SP CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP:

“Mixed feelings I’d say. I don’t think we could have been in the top-six today. I think Pato (O’ward) showed that. We had some issue this morning. We lost a lot of speed and kind of have to go to plan C into qualifying to change all of our gears and everything to match the lower speed that we suddenly had. We still don’t know why we lost speed, but we are pretty happy to be P8 instead of P12 I’d say. That’s kind of what it felt like when we started the day. It was a good run. I think we did everything we could with our run and honestly pretty gnarly, so good fun. Yeah, third row. I mean you can win from there, we’re good.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:

“Really stoked to get the Verizon 5G Chevrolet in the Top-12. I would love to make a run for the pole, but we are so much better than we were last year, we will focus on improving our race car and be ready for Sunday. We have strong Chevy power so I’m looking forward to a good race.

Rinus Veekay

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everybody. Wrapping up qualifying for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Again, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, and Rinus Veekay make up the front row.

Joined as well by Rinus VeeKay, drives the No. 21 machine for Ed Carpenter Racing.

Just some opening thoughts, and I’ll begin with this. So many accolades coming with today’s qualifying run, but we can confirm that this is also the quickest front row in Indianapolis 500 history with a four-lap average amongst the three at 233.643 miles an hour. That just edges out the 96 front row at 233.233 miles an hour. Pretty fast, right? Congratulations.

Rinus, we’ll start with you. You’re the one paying attention. Just your thoughts on being back in the front row. Obviously, a second front row for you in the Indianapolis 500.

RINUS VEEKAY: Very proud to be in the front row again. Haven’t qualified worse than fourth in my three qualifying attempts at the 500, so very proud of that, especially at my age.

Yeah, I think as a team, we maximized everything we had. We made all the right decisions, and I had the best car I’ve had in qualifying weekends during the Fast 6 qualifying, so that shows how on point we were today. The car was fast.

Q. How do you go out there and go 233, 234 miles an hour?

RINUS VEEKAY: Well, I was actually pretty nervous for today. I knew there was, well, many people counted on me to go for the pole position, so we were very fast yesterday. Of course, a bit lucky with the draw and driving in cold conditions, but, yeah, having to go two times today was not ideal.

The first run just, like Scott’s, was very much on the limit. I could stay flat, but turn four was, yeah, very close to disaster, but stayed flat. Then we changed the car. Took some downforce out for the Fast 6 and really matched the balance of how I liked it. I was more comfortable in my Fast 6 run than my Fast 12 run.

Q. One more for Rinus. How do you break through that gaggle of Ganassi guys and win the race?

RINUS VEEKAY: Well, try to count on my experience that I got in Texas and in the race here last year. Of course, I was very pumped leading the race last year, and I think the second or third lap, but it really only counts at lap 200, so really I think we have to make sure we stay out of trouble, stay in the top five always, and yeah, just make sure we save some cars for the end.

Q. Real quickly, for Rinus. When you see those numbers pop up for him and you are sitting there, because you’re not racing against each other. He is out there running; you guys are watching. What is it like, I guess, to know you can’t go back out there and do it again?

RINUS VEEKAY: It’s unique about Indy 500 qualifying. I think really after my run and knowing Scott wasn’t going to go out, I expected him to improve my time. And, yeah, seeing his first lap, I knew it was going to be very, very hard for him to actually make a mistake and finish and qualify behind me.

Q. For all three of you: There were two eight-minute “work periods” with a two pray lap in between. How much were you able to adjust your cars from the first run to the second run to fine-tune them that much more to the Nth-degree?

RINUS VEEKAY: I think we made some minor changes. Really some balance changes, but nothing crazy on the car. We knew what we had was pretty good. We didn’t have to step too far away from what we had, so we basically tried to straighten out the balance a little bit, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

ALEX PALOU: (Speaking Spanish).

Q. I have one question for Rinus. If you could for the benefit of the assembled media, could you pronounce your full name and the name of your hometown?

RINUS VEEKAY: So my full name is Rinus van Kalmthout, and the name of my hometown is Hoofddorp.

THE MODERATOR: That might be the easiest question of the month. Well done.

RINUS VEEKAY: I knew that just from when I could talk.

Q. The format of having to do two four-lap runs in basically less than two hours to win the pole, it seemed like that was somewhat born of there being 33 cars and no bumping, but now that you guys have done it, even if they had more than 33 cars, should they keep this kind of format?

RINUS VEEKAY: I think it’s around even. Everything has its positive and negative sides, but I think it definitely brings more excitement, especially when there’s no bump day, but I think for the drivers it’s more nerve-wracking. If I could choose, I would go back to fast lane qualifying.

Q. Obviously, got a question for the young man from the village in the Netherlands. Rinus, second front row start in a row. Your third time in the Fast 9. Is there anything you learned from the first two times in terms of process and mental prep to get yourself ready and in the zone for today and those very important qualifying runs?

RINUS VEEKAY: I think I definitely have learned from my past two qualifying runs in the previous years. Of course, I have kind of done this before, and I have had a very sketchy moment last year in 2021.

It’s not going to be easy to qualify high up the order, so you’ve got to be at the edge, and sometimes people go over the edge to find the sweet spot. I think I felt really comfortable finding that sweet spot. I was never this encouraging of a team to go further on trimming, and I think confidence-wise it definitely felt very cool in the car.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll wrap things up. I’ll throw out one more stat for everyone. We’ve been crunching the numbers. Based on the 32 qualifying speeds this year, this is also the fastest field in Indianapolis 500 history. Just eclipsing last year’s speed. This year’s speed average 231.023 miles an hour. Last year was 230.294.

A little bit of history this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Congratulations to the fastest front row in 500 history. Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, and Rinus VeeKay. Thanks, everyone.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

120569-1-1878 2022-05-23 00:06:00 GMT

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.

Wright Motorsports Shows Determination and Grit in New Orleans

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Official Release
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AVONDALE, La. (May 22, 2022) – Wright Motorsports had high hopes heading into the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park, entering the weekend as points leaders in the Pro/Am class. Drivers Charlie Luck (Am) and Jan Heylen (Pro) had strong momentum on their side after winning back-to-back races last month at Sonoma Raceway, but attrition plagued the team in New Orleans, resulting in a challenging weekend.

“Racing is never easy, but some weekends are harder than others,” said team owner John Wright. “With incredibly humid and hot weather, everyone on our team really had to put in the extra effort. We had a great comeback in race two after a tough race one, and we were able to accumulate some additional points for the championship.”

Charlie Luck and the No. 45 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R took the green flag for race one from fifth place in the Pro/Am class. The fight between Luck and the other amateur drivers produced just as much heat as the atmosphere and contact with another car left the No. 45 Porsche stopped on track. Able to restart the machine, Luck continued, but the Porsche showed enough damage to the front end that the car had to go back to the garage for repairs. Though the team lost all hope of winning the race, the championship points battle was on everyone’s minds, knowing the title could very well come down to just a few points at the end of the year. Luck rejoined 13 laps down, and completed his stint with no further issues.

He pitted during the mandatory ten-minute window, bringing the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R in for fuel, new tires, and a new driver. Jan Heylen took over for the final 45 minutes, and had an uneventful drive to the checkered flag, staying out of the way of his competitors, just looking to score points for a 10th place finish at NOLA Motorsports Park.

Due to the incident from the day before, the No. 45 Porsche was forced to start from the rear of the 17-car field. Heylen took the green flag surrounded by competitors in the Am and Pro/Am classes. He produced a strong launch on Sunday afternoon, climbing up to 12th overall in his opening laps. His pass on the No.91 Lamborghini of Corey Lewis brought him into the top-ten overall, and sixth in class, running the fastest laps of his competitors. He pitted from sixth, handing the Porsche over to Luck during the 10-minute window for the mandatory stop. Luck joined the race with 30 minutes left on the race clock, and immediately put himself in a six-car battle for third place in the Pro/Am class. Luck and his competitors flowed through the course, and as Ziad Ghandour in the No. 9 Lamborghini and George Kurtz in the No. 04 Mercedes battled side-by-side in turn 13, Luck took advantage of the situation and saw his opportunity to pass the pair to take fourth place. As he completed the pass, Luck was the victim of contact from the Mercedes, sending the Wright Porsche off course. He was able to continue and earn a sixth-place finish in the Pro/Am class.

The GT World Challenge America series races next in Danville, Virginia for rounds five and six of the championship, June 17-19. For more information, visit wrightmotorsports.com.

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
We had one heck of a come from behind in race two. Jan started absolute dead last and went all the way to sixth in his stint and then I took over and went to third in class before George Kurtz spun me out. There are some days when you drive and give it everything you’ve got, and you don’t finish exactly where you want, and this is one of those days. Then there are some days when it’s not quite as hard. We did all we could, and Wright Motorsports did a tremendous job repairing Saturday’s damage to be ready for today.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
This was not the best weekend. Today was a good recovery from where we were yesterday. A good weekend in terms of learning and Charlie’s learning curve – that’s what we’re here for. We’re going to go to the next race having learned from the little mistakes we made here and get better. I’m sure that the next couple of races coming up are going to be better suited for us and the car, and I’m looking forward to that. Good job by the whole team, it was a tough weekend and they all put in a few extra hours this weekend.

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Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Dixon Shatters Indy Pole Speed Mark, Earns Fifth Career ‘500’ Top Spot

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Official Release
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6G7A8581.JPG

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 22, 2022) – Scott Dixon further cemented his legend as one of the greatest-ever INDYCAR SERIES drivers, earning his fifth career Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge pole Sunday with the fastest four-lap average speed for a pole sitter in the century-plus history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

As the last driver on track in the Firestone Fast Six, six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon delivered the drama with a four-lap average speed of 234.046 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon, from Auckland, New Zealand, earned a $100,000 for the NTT P1 Award and is just one shy of four-time Indy winner Rick Mears for the most poles in “500” history.

“That’s what this place is about; it’s so amazing,” Dixon said. “It’s crazy. This PNC Bank No. 9 crew and Honda, they brought it today. Just so happy for everybody.”

Dixon’s run broke the all-time pole record speed of 233.718 set in 1996 by Scott Brayton. Arie Luyendyk set the all-time four-lap qualifying average speed record of 236.986 in 1996, but his run came on the second day of qualifications and wasn’t eligible for the pole.

Chip Ganassi Racing earned its first 1-2 start at Indianapolis since 2008 – when Dixon earned his sole victory in the race from pole and Dan Wheldon started second – as reigning series champion Alex Palou qualified second at 233.499 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon and Palou led four Ganassi drivers in the Firestone Fast Six final qualifying session.

“To get five of our cars into the fast 12 and four into the (Firestone Fast) Six, I hope Chip has a smile on his face.,” Dixon said. “That definitely deserves a smile.”

Rinus VeeKay took the last spot in the front row for the second consecutive year, qualifying third at 233.385 in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet fielded by Ed Carpenter Racing.

This is the fastest front row in Indy 500 history, with an average speed of 233.643, breaking the record of 233.233 set in 1996.

ECR owner-driver Ed Carpenter will start fourth in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet after his run of 233.080.

Chip Ganassi Racing put four of its five drivers in the first two rows. Marcus Ericsson will start fifth after a run of 232.764 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan qualifying sixth at 232.372 in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The third and fourth rows were set during Top 12 qualifying, the first time-trial session of the afternoon.

Row three will consist of Pato O’Ward (seventh) in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, Felix Rosenqvist (eighth) in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and Romain Grosjean (ninth) in the No. 28 DHL Honda. Formula One veteran Grosjean will be the highest-starting and fastest “500” rookie in the field.

The fourth row features two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato (10th) in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda, 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power (11th) in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and “500” rookie Jimmie Johnson (12th) in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Dixon opened the two rounds of qualifying today by leading the Top 12 qualifying session, for the 12 quickest drivers during qualifying Saturday, with a four-lap average speed of 233.510. VeeKay was second at 233.429.

Johnson produced the biggest show for the fans – and elicited the most gasps from pit lane – during Lap 1 of his four-lap run. His car veered toward the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2, and he narrowly avoided contact with a major power slide at 230 mph, keeping control of his machine and finishing his run.

“Just trying to find that right balance in the race car,” Johnson said. “These guys are so good at what they do. In these trickier conditions, I just need more experience.”

Up next is a two-hour practice session for all 33 starters from 1-3 p.m. (ET) Monday, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Then it’s on to the final practice before the race, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, May 27 on Miller Lite Carb Day.

The 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 29, with live coverage starting at 11 a.m. on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Stewart-Haas Racing: NASCAR All-Star Race and All-Star Open

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR All-Star Race and All-Star Open
Date: May 22, 2022
Event: NASCAR All-Star Race and All-Star Open (non-points events)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (1.5-mile oval)
NASCAR All-Star Race (125 laps, broken into four stages (25 laps/25 laps/25 laps/50 laps):

● Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

● Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

● Stage 2 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

● Stage 3 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

Note I: Race extended beyond its scheduled 125-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Note II: The All-Star Race was comprised of drivers who won a points-paying race in 2021 or 2022, fulltime drivers who have previously won the All-Star Race, fulltime drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series championship, and drivers who advanced from the All-Star Open.

SHR Finish in NASCAR All-Star Race:

● Aric Almirola (Started 8th, Finished 12th / Running, completed 140 of 140 laps)

● Kevin Harvick (Started 15th, Finished 17th / Running, completed 140 of 140 laps)

● Chase Briscoe (Started 11th, Finished 18th / Running, completed 140 of 140 laps)

All-Star Open (50 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/10 laps):

● Race Winner: Daniel Suárez of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)

● Stage 1 Winner: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., of JTG Daugherty Racing (Chevrolet)

● Stage 2 Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)

● Fan Vote Winner: Erik Jones of Petty GMS (Chevrolet)

Note: The All-Star Open was the undercard event to the All-Star Race, where non-qualified drivers attempted to race their way into the All-Star Race by winning any one of the race’s three stages or by winning the fan vote.

SHR Finish in All-Star Open:

● Cole Custer (Started 10th, Finished 7th / Running, completed 50 of 50 laps)

SHR Notes:

● Harvick has made an appearance in every single All-Star Race in his 22-year career, the most of any active NASCAR Cup Series driver.

● This was Briscoe’s first All-Star Race.

Race Notes:

● Ryan Blaney won the All-Star Race with a .266 of a second margin over runner-up Denny Hamlin.

● This was Ford’s 13th win in the All-Star Race. Its 12th win came via Harvick in the 2018 All-Star Race.

● The All-Star Race featured four lead changes among four drivers – Blaney, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric and William Byron.

● Twenty-four drivers comprised the 38th running of the All-Star Race.

Next Up:

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to points-paying racing on Sunday, May 29 with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The race gets underway at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Toyota Racing NCS Post-Race Recap — All-Star 5.22.22

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Official Release
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HAMLIN CLAIMS RUNNER-UP RESULT IN ALL-STAR RACE
Late-Race Restart Gives Hamlin a Chance in Controversial Finish

FORT WORTH (May 22, 2022) – Denny Hamlin finished second in Sunday night’s NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race at Texas Motor Speedway. Hamlin pitted for two tires in his final pit stop giving him a run at the leaders. When the final caution flag flew with one lap remaining, eventual race-winner Ryan Blaney had taken his window net down and was unable to secure it before the final restart. While Hamlin had a run on the outside of Blaney in the final lap, he was not able to make the pass and was forced to settle for a second-place result.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Texas Motor Speedway
All-Star Race

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Ryan Blaney*
2nd, DENNY HAMLIN
3rd, Austin Cindric*
4th, Joey Logano*
5th, Daniel Suarez*
10th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
14th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
16th, BUBBA WALLACE
21st, KYLE BUSCH
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

What did you need on the final restart and what are your thoughts on the window net situation with Ryan Blaney?

“I just needed to stay beside the 12 (Ryan Blaney). You know, it’s tough because he deserved to win the race, but if you mess up and you break a rule – not intentionally, but there’s rules and we have rules in place for safety. My crew chief is taking four weeks off because of safety. I nearly crashed him off of turn two when I got squeezed there. If I send him into traffic and he’s got no window net, then what right? Luckily, that didn’t happen and NASCAR avoids another controversy because there wasn’t a wreck in a car with no window net.”

Do you think Ryan Blaney should have been black-flagged?

“That’s the rule. I don’t know what we’re talking about here. This is not a judgement call by me. This is just, that’s the rule. It’s unfortunate for him. Very, very unfortunate for him, but it’s the rule. You have to play by the rules.”

How was your race overall tonight?

“Our car was good. We lost the handle there with a couple runs to go and just started getting really loose. The further up front we were, the looser we got. We had an opportunity and I got right where I wanted to be on the 12 (Ryan Blaney) there and I got to his outside and he just kept forcing up, up, up and I just couldn’t quite stay there. I think he was going to come up not matter what and we were probably going to crash because he knew we were in a bad spot. I got a really good run through one and two and I couldn’t ask for much more there. I just didn’t have Daniel (Suarez) pushing me down the frontstretch and unfortunately with that, I couldn’t get up beside him as far as I needed to.”

Was the final caution your only chance to beat Ryan Blaney?

“I thought that it was an opportunity, otherwise the 12 was going to win the race and he was probably 100 yards from it, I don’t know. I’m just frustrated that we have a rule. It can’t be a convenience rule. We’re taking four weeks off, my crew chief is, because of safety. I almost wrecked (Ryan) Blaney off turn two and he had no window net up so what happens when I wreck him and we go head-on into him. We’ve got a problem then. It’s just frustrating because we just have no consistency in our officiating.”

Should NASCAR have let him come to pit road and put the window net up and allow him to regain his position on the race track?

“Then you’re changing the rules. You can’t change the rules. Why? Because you feel bad for the guy? I’ve had race-winning cars for the past four weeks and I’ve had stuff happen to me. That’s doesn’t mean they’re going to say, ‘Well, you should have won the race so we’ll give you the win.’ It doesn’t matter. You can’t make-up rules.”

Do you feel Ryan Blaney should have had to come to pit road?

“That is the rule, it’s a rule. This is not a Denny Hamlin judgement call. This is a play by the rules call.”

Can you talk about the call to only take two tires on the final pit stop?

“I mean, it was the best shot we had to win. Honestly, they gave me good track position and that’s all I could ask for. We had a fast race car. We lost the handle a little bit there on the last couple of runs really. We started getting really loose, but I got the opportunity I wanted and couldn’t ask for much more than that.”

How frustrating is this result due to the circumstances at the end of this race?

“Again, we just ask to play by the rules. If you tell us what the rules are, we’re going to play by them. You can’t just change them, I mean you can if you own the series, but it’s not fair to the other competitors. If you make a mistake and he (Ryan Blaney) clearly made a mistake and he should have won the race, but if you make a mistake, you have to play by the rules. And if it breaks a rule then you have to abide by it and the results are the results. There are many races that have been lost because someone makes a mistake. Just because morally he should have won doesn’t mean you should win.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Crunchy Cookie Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 21st

How do you describe what happened in the incident that ended your race?

“I just got a flat tire off of four, right-rear is flat. Unfortunate for our guys at Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota, M&M’s. We had a really fast race car, great race car and had led all the laps up to that point obviously. Disappointing to not be able to go out and race for a million bucks.”

Did you see Ross Chastain coming behind you before the accident?

“No.”

What were you feeling in the car before the accident?

“Just when I got to the exit of four, the right-rear went down. I was trying to limp it around and get it to the bottom of the track. Just got ran over. I don’t know, just tough day for our M&M’s Camry, it was superfast. Just real proud of the guys, everything we had and we were doing it right. Just not able to go out and race for a million bucks right now. Pretty disappointed.”

Did you have any indication before the tire went down?

“No.”

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About Toyota

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

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

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

CHEVY NCS AT TEXAS ALL-STAR: Post-Race Notes and Quotes

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES
MAY 22, 2022

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
5th DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1
6th ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
7th AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ANDY’S FROZEN CUSTARD CAMARO ZL1
11th WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1
19th RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER / WISE CAMARO ZL1
20th ERIK JONES, NO. 43 FOCUSFACTOR CAMARO ZL1
22nd ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

23rd CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1
24th KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Ryan Blaney (Ford)
2nd Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
3rd Austin Cindric (Ford)
4th Joey Logano (Ford)
5th Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet)

The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next Sunday, May 29, at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the Coca-Cola 600 at 6 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 5th

“I felt like we were pretty fast. Everyone at Trackhouse Racing – the 99 team, the 1 team, everyone has been doing a very, very good job building fast racecars. I feel like at one point, we were probably one of the best cars out there. Right down to the very end, we probably were not. We were at a disadvantage on tires, as well.

It was a huge fight. We started in the back, fought all the way to the top-10 or something like that and then tires changed. I’m just happy with the result. Hopefully we can close the deal next week in the Coca-Cola 600.”

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1 – Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident during Stage Two of the NASCAR All-Star Race.

YOU HIT KYLE (BUSCH) AT ABOUT 185 MPH. WHAT DID THAT FEEL LIKE?

“It felt like the driver of the No. 1 car chose the wrong lane to get in. Our Worldwide Express Chevy was tight all night and we were just managing the tightness. I saw Kyle (Busch) have an issue with a tire down. I guessed left and I should have guessed right.

It was a big hit into Kyle. It was a tough break, but we had a fast car.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 – Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident during Stage Two of the NASCAR All-Star Race.

WHAT DID YOU FEEL, SEE OR THINK ABOUT THAT?

“I saw the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) had a problem; and then I saw the No. 1 (Ross Chastain) hit him really hard. I just didn’t give him enough room. I knew he was going to go straight; I just didn’t realize he was going to go that far right that quick. I just kind of misjudged it. It was really avoidable on my end. I just kind of messed up and didn’t get the gap shot quick enough.

Hate it. I thought our No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy was surprisingly pretty good for me and Texas (Motor Speedway), so I was pretty excited about it; looking forward to getting going and seeing what we had here towards the end. I thought we were sitting in a really good spot with strategy and things like that. We’ll try again next week.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident during Stage Two of the NASCAR All-Star Race.

“Just had a right front tire let go. I got moved up, but I don’t really think that made the (tire) wear any worse. It just let go in the center and took off. I hate that it happened. I feel like our car was good enough, depending on restarts since you can’t pass at all, especially the leader anyways.

We’ll move on and look forward to the Coca-Cola 600, and hopefully put on some good racing there.”

TEAM CHEVY QUICK RACE NOTES:

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE: STAGE ONE

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (All-Star Open Stage One Winner); Daniel Suarez (All-Star Open Race Winner); and Erik Jones (Fan Vote Winner) transferred to the NASCAR All-Star Race, giving Chevrolet nine drivers of the 24-car field.
The 25-lap Stage One went caution free, with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team leading Chevrolet in third. William Byron (4th), Ross Chastain (6th) and Chase Elliott (10th) rounded out the Team Chevy top-10.

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE: STAGE TWO

Varying pit strategies were seen throughout pit road at the conclusion of Stage One. No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 Crew Chief, Cliff Daniels, opted not to bring Larson down pit road, giving him an outside second row starting spot to start Stage Two.
Kyle Larson suffered a flat right front tire, with damage ultimately taking the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 out of the race.
Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain were involved in an accident on lap 49, ending the day for both Camaro ZL1’s.
In an overtime finish for Stage Two, William Byron led Chevrolet with a third-place finish. Joining Byron in the top-10 of the Stage included Daniel Suarez (4th) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (8th).

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE: STAGE THREE

A caution that flew with just three laps to go in Stage Three, pit strategy came back into play among teams. The No. 99 Camaro ZL1 and No. 24 Camaro ZL1 both came down pit road, giving Suarez and Byron a fifth and sixth-place restart position, respectively.
With a green-white-checkered finish to end Stage Three, Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1 team led Chevrolet with a runner-up finish.
William Byron joined Suarez into the Team Chevy top-10 in sixth.

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE: FINAL STAGE/POST-RACE NOTES

The fourth and final stage of the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race consisted of a 50-lap run.
A caution on lap 104 replaced the scheduled competition caution. The top four cars of the field stayed out, including Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1 team.
Going green for the remainder of the race, three Camaro ZL1’s placed in the top-10 of the final running order, including Daniel Suarez (5th), Alex Bowman (6th) and AJ Allmendinger (7th).

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Ryan Blaney Wins NASCAR All-Star Race

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
All-Star Race | Sunday, May 22, 2022

Ryan Blaney Drives Mustang to Victory in NASCAR All-Star Race

  • Ryan Blaney’s All-Star race win marks the first career All-Star victory for the driver.
  • Ford has now won the All-Star Race 13 times.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famers Davey Allison and Mark Martin each won it twice.
  • Blaney joins teammate Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick as active Ford Cup Series drivers with All-Star wins with Ford.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES ALL-STAR RACE WINNERS

1986 – Bill Elliott
1991 – Davey Allison
1992 – Davey Allison
1994 – Geoffrey Bodine
1996 – Michael Waltrip
1998 – Mark Martin
2002 – Ryan Newman
2004 – Matt Kenseth
2005 – Mark Martin
2011 – Carl Edwards
2016 – Joey Logano
2018 – Kevin Harvick

Ford Finishing Results
1st – Ryan Blaney
3rd – Austin Cindric
4th – Joey Logano
8th – Chris Buescher
9th – Brad Keselowski12th – Aric Almirola
15th – Michael McDowell
17th – Kevin Harvick
18th – Chase Briscoe

Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang

“We were cruising there and I just wanted to get to the white to have it covered and then the caution came out off of four. I thought it was like any other race. That rule was never kind of relayed to us. I already took my window net down and everything. My left arm is worn out from trying to get that damn thing back up. I got it rigged up enough to where it halfway stayed. I appreciate NASCAR for not making us come down pit road to fix it and letting me get it clipped back again to where we could stay out there. This Mustang was a rocketship. I am really glad we ended up winning that after that last caution. I am so proud of everybody. Tonight will be fun.”

HOW KEY WAS TRACK POSITION? “It was huge. I felt like I was good on restarts, it just felt like the bottom launched better. It was a lot about the push and luckily the last restart Austin (Cindric) gave me a great push, almost too good of a push because he kind of had me jacked sideways. I missed the corner but was able to get up in front of the 11. The push was huge. Control of the lane was big, but a good push definitely helps out.”

THREE PENSKE FORDS IN THE TOP FOUR, HOW DOES THAT FEEL? “I feel like some guys had trouble tonight but I felt like our car was probably the fastest all night, honestly. The 18 and 5 both looked good but I felt like we were right up there with them. We kind of came here with a little bit of a new mindset on things to try and how to do things and it is nice to know that worked and our car was really fast, so hopefully we can build on this.”

Wreck Leaves Burton 13th in NASCAR All-Star Open at Texas

By
Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team wound up being spectators at the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway after being unable to advance to the main event from the All-Star Open.

Burton qualified ninth for the Open, which saw the winner of each of the three Stages advance to the main event, along with the winner of the fan vote.

He finished eighth in the opening 20-lap run, then made a pit stop before the start of the second 20-lapper.

Starting from the rear he worked his way forward and again finished eighth.

The Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team opted to stay on the track during the break between the second and third Stage. That put him sixth at the drop of the green flag, but his bid for the win was short lived as he was collected in a crash with Tyler Reddick on the second lap.

Burton officially finished 13th on the day, but the team was able to get 42 laps of race experience on the 1.5-mile Texas track, which will be beneficial heading into team’s next event – the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway next Sunday.

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About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change & maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator & electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension & steering, wheel alignment, belts & hoses, lamps & bulbs, wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services. Ford employs approximately 187,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.

*See seller for limited-warranty details.

Wood Brothers Racing

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

A Beginners guide to online motorsport betting

By
SM
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Do you like watching motorsports? Do you place bets on your favorite teams or drivers? If so, then you may be interested in online motorsport betting.

Motorsport betting is a type of gambling that involves predicting the outcome of a motor race and placing a bet on the result. It is one of the most popular types of gambling, and millions of dollars are wagered on motorsport races every year.

If you are new to online gambling, then you may be wondering how to go about betting on motorsports. In this article, we will provide a beginner’s guide to online motorsport betting. We will discuss the different types of bets that can be placed, as well as some tips and strategies for successful betting.

Where do you place motorsport bets? 

The Internet is saturated with online bookmakers that offer motorsport betting. It can be hard to know which bookmaker to choose, but we recommend doing some research before you place your bets. If you are into online gambling Canada, then you know that some digital casinos also add motorsport bets to their portfolio.

You should look for a bookmaker that offers competitive odds, a wide range of markets, and good customer service. You may also want to consider signing up for an account with a bookmaker that offers bonuses and promotions. There is a $1 minimum deposit casino in Canada that allows you to gamble without investing too much upfront, which is also a big plus.

Of course, we don’t even need to mention online security – the betting platform you choose should have robust security measures in place to protect your personal and financial information. That includes deploying advanced cybersecurity technologies, such as encryption, firewalls, and secure socket layers.

The basics of motorsport betting

When you bet on motorsports, you are essentially predicting the winner of a race. There are three main types of bets that can be placed:

  • A win bet: This is where you predict which driver or team will win the race. If your prediction is correct, then you will win the bet.
  • A place bet: The second type of bet is a place bet. This is where you predict which driver or team will finish in which position. 
  • Podium finishers: The final type of bet is a podium finish. This is where you predict which three drivers or teams will finish in the top three positions.

You also need to understand the odds when you bet on motorsports. The odds are the probability of an event happening, and they are expressed as a number. For example, if the odds of a driver winning are 2/1, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $2 if the driver wins.

Focus on events that you know the best if you are wondering about the best competitions to place your bets on. Motorsport racing has been a popular sport since the very early days of automotive production, and today there is a wide variety of motorsport competitions that you can choose from. 

One of the most popular is Formula One, which features open-wheel cars racing at high speeds on purpose-built tracks. Another popular option is NASCAR, which focuses on stock car racing and is especially popular in the United States. 

For those who prefer off-road racing, there are a number of options to choose from, including desert racing, rallycross, and even truck racing. Whatever your preference, there’s sure to be a motorsport competition that’s right for you.

How to bet responsibly

Before we wrap up, we want to offer some advice on responsible gambling. When you bet on motorsports – or any other type of gambling – it’s important that you do so responsibly. This means setting a budget and sticking to it. 

It also means only betting with money that you can afford to lose. You should never invest more money than you can afford to lose, as this could lead to financial problems. Besides that, the golden rule of betting is not to chase your losses. 

This means that you should never try to win back money that you have lost by gambling more. If you follow these tips, then you can enjoy motorsport betting without putting your financial well-being at risk.

The bottom line

Motorsport competitions are some of the most popular events to bet on. If you are new to motorsport betting, then we hope that this article has provided you with some useful information. 

By following the tips in this article, you can get started with online motorsport betting and potentially win some money. Be sure to gamble responsibly, and good luck!

Mario Andretti praised former Indy driver Juan Pablo Montoya

By
SM
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Former NASCAR, Indy, and Formula 1 Mario Andretti spoke about what was on his mind when it came to the Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya. The 46-year-old from Bogota has become one of the most important South American drivers in history and still remains a mighty force on the track and one of the best options for sports betting when it comes to racing. The winner of the 1978 Formula 1 Drivers Championship, spoke during the first Miami Grand Prix about the former Williams driver to Colombian newspaper El Tiempo in an exclusive interview.

Andretti said, “Montoya has been a very successful man”. He went on to say, “He taught us all with his versatility, he has won in Formula 1, he has won in sports cars, he has won in Indy, he has also triumphed in Nascar… so I think he has triumphed in all the great disciplines. There is no doubt that he loves the sport very much. Other racers decide to specialize in only one area of motorsports, but he has shown his talent in the various categories. He is a very complete driver. I always enjoyed following his career, he is a great guy”.

“He looks so good, he honestly doesn’t look [46 years old]”, commented the great champion on Montoya’s vitality and physical shape “Every time he goes out there, he is amazing. I’ve always liked his character, he has a great personality”. Andretti, who was at the Miami Grand Prix with Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi and the Colombian as ambassadors, joked about Montoya’s omnipresence: “The impact of Juan Pablo Montoya is huge. In Miami, for example, he is almost everywhere. Juan Pablo Montoya has everything to continue winning more titles in his career”.

Montoya may very well face his own 17-year-old son on the track who is part of the Telmex Claro team that races on the Italian Formula 4. Sebastián recently placed eighth place in the two Monza GP starts and was able to climb to the podium for being amongst the best of the rookies. The young driver is tenth of 37 drivers in the general classification.

Andretti also spoke about the work of his son Michael (who was teammates with Ayrton Senna during the 1993 Formula 1 season) about the work he’s carrying out to have their own Formula 1 team in 2024, Andretti Global. “We are working for that”, said the 82-year-old Andretti. “The idea is to be competing in a year and a half. We do not yet have official permission from the International Automobile Federation, but we are doing everything to make the dream come true”.

About what role he could take on in the organization, he was very relaxed: “I am very proud of Michael’s ambition, and I will support him in any way I can. I don’t need a job, but you know what? Nobody loves this sport more than me. So I’m committed and I love it”.

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