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No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Charlotte 600 Race Advance

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Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Charlotte 600 Advance
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 14 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 29
● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/600 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● 600 Miles of Remembrance: The Memorial Day weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.)Motor Speedway is one of the most patriotic events in sports, honoring fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This weekend, Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Smithfield Foods, and Aric Almirola will honor Pfc. Adam Lee Marion of the North Carolina Army National Guard, who was killed during an attack on his forward operating base in Baghdad, Iraq,in 2008, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The connection comes from spotter Joel Edmonds, who knew Marion at a young age and is a friend of Marion’s father.

o Marion was with the 171st Engineer Company of St. Pauls and was the operator of a “Husky” vehicle, which led convoys to clear improvised explosive devices. Marion participated in more than 100 route-clearance missions in the Baghdad area.

o In September 2007, a week before departing for Iraq, Marion received a “Freedom Isn’t Free” tattoo on his biceps.

o Marion enlisted in the National Guard in March 2007 and joined the 883rd Engineer Company as a combat engineer. He graduated basic training and combat engineering school in July 2007.

o In 2018, 10 years after his death, the National Guard Readiness Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was renamed in Marion’s honor – to the Pfc. Adam L. Marion Readiness Center.

o Marion had a passion for helping children and, during high school and college, he volunteered and worked at the Children’s Center of Surry in Dobson, North Carolina. He would bring kids home from the Children’s Center for Christmas and carried that same passion overseas to connect with children while in Iraq. Since his passing, there has been more than $1.1 million raised via the Pfc. Adam Marion Memorial Golf Tournament, from which proceeds benefit the Children’s Center of Northwest North Carolina. On April 28, the 14th annual iteration of the tournament hosted more than 250 participants.

o Marion was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terror Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Combat Action Badge, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Overseas Service Bar.

● Almirola and the Smithfield Ford team showed speed at 1.5-mile venues earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he crossed the finish line sixth, two weeks ago at Kansas Speedway, where he qualified seventh and ran inside the top-10 until a mechanical issue put him two laps down, ultimately finishing 26th, and last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth where he qualified eighth for the NASCAR All-Star race and finished 12th.

● History at Charlotte Motor Speedway: In 16 starts, Almirola has one top-10 finish and has led four laps.

● Points: Almirola arrives at Charlotte 12th in the driver standings with 322 points, 153 out of first.

● Almirola’s career: In 401 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 27 top-five finishes, 88 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.

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

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

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

● Smithfield Foods, Inc., headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Its 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” Smithfield is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including its industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across its entire U.S. value chain by 2030. Smithfield believes in the power of protein to end food insecurity and has donated hundreds of millions of food servings to local communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan’s Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.SmithfieldFoods.com, and connect on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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

How cool is it to honor members of the military who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom this Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte?

“This is the coolest weekend all year. Being able to race and pay tribute to the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for me to live in the greatest country in the world is really cool. My dad was in the Air Force, so I know firsthand what the families have sacrificed. There are men and women who wake up every day and fight for our freedom and some of them lay down their lives for us. We get to do really cool things and I get to drive a racecar for a living without the worry of being attacked. We take it for granted that we live in a safe and free country. Honoring the military members who paid the ultimate sacrifice this weekend is the least we can do. We’re honoring a friend of my spotter Joel Edmonds, so there is an extra special connection. Adam’s family will be there this weekend, too. I can’t wait to meet them and hope we can keep his name up front all day.”

What do you think about your paint scheme for this weekend?

“Man this has to be my favorite one as far as looks go. That red, white and blue striping is just beautiful. We have run this similar scheme before, but it looks even better with the number placement. I’m glad Smithfield kept this one going for us and the fans.”

What does it take to win the Coke 600?

“It’s a hundred miles longer than any other race we run, which provides a challenge in and of itself. On top of that, there is an extra stage, which gives us the opportunity to earn more points. The cars have less grip when the sun is out and they tend to slip and slide a lot more. As the sun goes down, the track gets more grip and we start going faster. That’s one of the very unique things about this race. What you have from a driveability and balance standpoint from the racecar at the beginning of the race is not what you have at the end. You’re trying to figure out what it takes to get your car to win at the end and you have to be good at all facets because there are a lot of points to be made.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

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

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Rusty Davidson
Hometown: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

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

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

Motul powers Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing to iconic P2 finish at Bathurst 12 Hour

By
Official Release
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12h Bathurst 2022 - Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour - Intercontinental GT Challenge Round 1 - Foto: Gruppe C Photography
  • Motul features on Bathurst podium with Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing
  • Mercedes-AMG GT3 uses Motul’s range of high-performance lubricants to make epic comeback
  • Motul lubricants maintain engine and gearbox reliability despite challenging weather conditions

Singapore, May 23, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Official AMG Performance Team, Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing took part in the world-famous Bathurst 12 Hour held from the 13th to the 15th of May 2022 with Motul as the factory-supported team’s exclusive lubricant partner. The #91 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished in a brilliant second place, only 8 seconds adrift in the round-the-clock endurance classic, despite starting from the back of the grid. Changing weather conditions was the story of the day, as the Motul-powered car performed exceptionally well and held reliability for the entire 12 hours on Mount Panorama Circuit.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 car used the iconic Motul 300V 5W40 Power lubricant for the V8 engine. The race was particularly challenging with the engine having to be pushed to the maximum for 12 hours on an undulating circuit forcing the race car to literally climb up a mountain over 250 times. It is imperative to have a high-performance engine lubricant when battling cars from different manufacturers and constantly driving at high RPM. Along with that, the GT3 cars go through about 40 gear changes per lap over the 6.2km circuit, accounting for almost 10,000 gear changes over the duration of the race. The Motul Gear Competition oil played a particularly important role in ensuring that the gearbox remains reliable and the car remains competitive as the team bid its efforts for the win. The team also used products from Motul’s Care range, such as the Brake Clean and Wheel Clean to keep the Motul-liveried car looking good every time it went out on track.

For Motul, this achievement is all the more significant, being featured on the podium of the Bathurst 12 Hour, an iconic endurance race globally. This race is renowned for being notoriously challenging and to win the team needs to have an entire package with the best drivers and the best car. The 300V has proven that it is compatible with the Mercedes-AMG engine through this incredible podium success. This lubricant is the same formulation that is available for purchase for everyday road users off the shelf. Users can take benefit from the racing-grade performance and reliability that has been tried and tested in a race-winning car at Australia’s most prestigious endurance event.

QUOTES

Carlo Savoca | Chief Marketing Officer, Motul Asia Pacific

“Big congratulations to Mercedes-AMG on the 1-2-3 here at Bathurst! I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at the Bathurst 12 Hour. To see a Motul-powered car on the podium, and coming from the back of the grid is nothing short of a historic accomplishment. I want to thank the Craft-Bamboo Racing team for showing trust in our products and displaying what Motul is capable of at one of the most demanding and challenging endurance events globally. Our goal is to give our customers the best products possible and this podium is a testament to what we strive towards.”

Darryl O’Young | Team Director, Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing

“Our race car powertrain takes tremendous punishment on a circuit like Mount Panorama. With the track running up and down a mountain, the steep climb up and the fast twisty downhill sections really push the gearbox and engine to their limits. Being in between narrow walls also brings up both engine and gearbox temperatures adding even more stress to components. Now to do that for 12 hours straight is tough, and that requires tremendous trust in our lubricants to deliver both power and reliability. We are proud to have Motul as our official partner, as we work hand in hand with the same passion and commitment to take victory at some of the biggest race events in the Asia Pacific region. We missed the big win by a mere 8 seconds this year, but we can be proud of the achievement nonetheless.”

About Motul

Motul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity. Motul offers a whole range of products for everyday car use, including the 8100, H-tech, RBF series, ATF, CVTF and DCTF among others. Motul products ensure all parts of the car are kept in pristine condition to extract maximum performance and reliability.

Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. In 2021, Motul launched the newest iteration of the 300V with revolutionary technology, setting a new benchmark for high-performance lubricants.
Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for several championship winning racing teams.

Motul is committed to its growing business presence in Asia Pacific. Over the years, the company has expanded operations significantly. Currently it has 3 major manufacturing facilities and 2 R&D centres across the region to cater to the ever-growing demand. These centres focus on refining the lubricant technology for Asian climate and driving conditions, which are vastly different from Europe.

MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd
1A International Business Park, #06-03
Singapore 609933
www.motul.com

What Are Light Bars And What Are The Benefits Of Using Them On Cars

By
SM
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unsplash.com

The consequences of technical growth can be observed everywhere nowadays, including in the lighting industry. LED headlights and taillights are becoming more common in vehicles, and they are quickly gaining popularity among many motorists. 

This product has a slew of advantages that place it ahead of the other two types of headlights, halogen and HID, however, like anything else in life, it has some drawbacks. Read on to discover the benefits of LED light bars on cars and decide if they are the right thing for you.

LED lights provide superior lighting quality

When it comes to illumination, LEDs will never let you down. They emit powerful lights, allowing you to drive securely even on uneven surfaces. The environment may appear dim during the rainy season, which is why you need a reliable set of lights. LED lights are also handy for driving at night in hazy or dusty conditions.

It’s not just that they illuminate better, but you can choose any color you want that is not restricted for use on motor vehicles. For example, you can get a low profile amber led light bar for your car roof if you would want to, but you couldn’t get blue or red ones because that’s the police’s signature. So, if you are looking to mount a light bar on your car, make sure to consult local authorities before doing so.

They are incredibly effective

LED lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including spot and floodlights. You may also locate them in combos, which improves their use efficiency. If you’ve been driving with incandescent bulbs, you may have discovered that a few of your fellow motorists have converted to LED. Truckers have always preferred incandescent light bulbs, but they are way paler in comparison to LEDs, which are exceedingly bright. You do not need to utilize multiple light bulbs to achieve the desired effect. 

LED light bars use very little energy

One of the common misconceptions about utilizing bright lights is that they use a lot of electricity. This is why some people prefer incandescent bulbs, believing they are saving electricity. Unfortunately, they are incorrect, particularly when it comes to LED lights. LEDs have become the favored choice of light in houses over the years due to their energy efficiency. They provide powerful and bright light while consuming little energy. They guarantee that your battery lasts longer when utilized in vehicles than incandescent lights.

They are long-lasting

Many people are aware of LED lights, which use halogens to intensify high-quality white light beams. You may be relieved to learn that LED light strips and bars are built to the same standards. They now have a long lifespan, approximately 60,000 hours when actively used. Furthermore, even if exposed to the sun for an extended period of time or driven in the rain for hours, extreme weather conditions will not destroy automotive LEDs. 

LED light bars are also resistant to wear and tear since they can endure deterioration caused by dust and stones. These lights are shock and vibration resistant if you travel on difficult terrain on a daily basis. As you can see, they are not only economical but also provide excellent value for money. Because they are long-lasting, you can see the purchase of these bars as a small investment for your car.

They are economical and might help you save money

LED lights are less expensive than other types of lighting. You may acquire them on a shoestring budget and yet reap the benefits. They also endure a long period, which allows you to save even more money. You don’t have to worry about the cost of maintenance with LED lights because they don’t need to be replaced as frequently as incandescent bulbs. 

The regularly used bulbs, on the other hand, have a significant danger of burning, which means you must replace them every time they overheat. The best solution to this problem is to keep spare bulbs in your trunk, so you don’t stress when some of them stop working. This way you will save time and won’t get stressed.

Final thoughts

Many people rely on LED lights, particularly those who drive trucks or construction vehicles or have to travel off-road to get home. If you reside in the desert or frequently travel on sandy roads, LED lighting bars will undoubtedly benefit you. With their assistance, you can see your surroundings clearly.

Palou Sets Practice Pace as Ganassi Power Parade Continues

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 23, 2022) – Alex Palou finished a close second in the 2021 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and qualified second Sunday for this year’s race, but he jumped to the top spot in practice Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, continuing a magical Month of May for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou led with a top lap of 229.441 mph in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was the pacesetter of four Ganassi team cars in the top five.

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon, who earned the NTT P1 Award for his fifth Indy 500 pole Sunday, was second at 229.000 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and “500” rookie Jimmie Johnson was third at 228.467 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato was the only non-Ganassi driver inside the top five, fourth at 228.381 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda fielded by Dale Coyne Racing with RWR. Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 228.017 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as Honda-powered drivers swept the top five spots on the 2.5-mile oval.

Chip Ganassi Racing drivers occupied four of the top six spots in qualifying, with all five of its drivers in the top 12 of the starting grid for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge this Sunday (11 a.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden was the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver, sixth at 226.962 in the No. 2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet.

Veteran Dalton Kellett became the first driver during “500” practice or qualifying this month to make significant contact with the wall. At 2:27 p.m., Kellett did a half-spin in Turn 1 and made heavy contact with the SAFER Barrier with the left side of his No. 4 K-LINE/AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet. The car incurred heavy damage, but Toronto-area native Kellett was unhurt in the accident.

All 33 drivers in the starting field participated in the session, which featured plenty of traffic. The field combined to turn 2,602 laps in just two hours, with Sato leading the laps completed column with 106.

The 2.5-mile IMS oval will stay quiet until Friday, when the Miller Lite Carb Day practice takes place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. It’s the final session before “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday.

Charlotte Motor Speedway Debuts 2022 NFT Collection Ahead of Coca-Cola 600 Weekend

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Official Release
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  • America’s Home for Racing drops first NFTs of its 2022 collection starting today, exclusively on the first digital marketplace for race fans
  • This week’s unique NFT offerings include Poster Series, virtual die casts, commemorative tickets and more
  • Visit RaceDayNFT.com for more details

CONCORD, N.C. (May 23, 2022) – Charlotte Motor Speedway fans can celebrate the historic 63rd running of the Coca-Cola 600 and own a rare digital memento from race week by grabbing some unique NFTs available on RaceDayNFT.com this week.

Beginning today, fans can purchase Charlotte-themed NFTs via RaceDayNFT.com, Speedway Motorsports’ original digital marketplace for race fans. An NFT (non-fungible token) is a digital collectible (such as a video or image) that is officially licensed and recorded on the blockchain to demonstrate proof of ownership.

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s full 2022 collection on RaceDayNFT.com include the following scheduled drops:

  • Monday, May 23, 1 p.m.: 500 animated CMS Poster Series NFTs. $5
  • Wednesday, May 25: 100 Speedway Children’s Charities tokens. All proceeds will benefit Speedway Children’s Charities. $50
  • Thursday, May 26-Sunday, May 29: 500 CMS-themed virtual die-cast NFTs. $10
  • Sunday, May 29: 5,000 commemorative Charlotte ticket NFTs. FREE for Sunday ticketholders on a first-come, first-served basis and 250 also available for $5 for all other customers. (NOTE: Commemorative tickets are not valid for race entry.)
  • “The Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend is a truly unique event in NASCAR, so what better way for fans to remember their experience than with a unique NFT,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “NFTs are one of the hottest items in the collectible world, with Charlotte Motor Speedway and the entire Speedway Motorsports family leading this innovative marketplace. We look forward to sharing our collectible Coca-Cola 600-themed souvenirs throughout the week.”

In partnership with GigLabs, Speedway Motorsports created RaceDayNFT.com, the original motorsports NFT marketplace for race fans in 2021.

RaceDayNFT.com is built on the environmentally friendly Flow Blockchain, home of other leading sports NFT projects including NBA Top Shot and NFL ALL DAY. The site is also linked with Dapper Wallet, which allows customers to conduct NFT business with credit cards as well as multiple currencies including popular cryptocurrency options such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Speedway Motorsports uses GigLab’s proprietary NFT Bridge platform to create and operate its NFT marketplace. NFT Bridge helps brands remove the complexity of smart contracts, blockchain integration, NFT design and management and event services.

Visit RaceDayNFT.com for more details.

The full May 27-29 Coca-Cola 600 weekend schedule includes:

Friday, May 27: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (8:30 p.m., FS1, Motor Racing Network)
Saturday, May 28: Alsco Uniforms 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race (1 p.m., FS1, Performance Racing Network)
Sunday, May 29: Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race (6 p.m., Fox, Performance Racing Network)

TICKETS:
Tickets to the Coca-Cola 600 start at just $49 for adults. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10 with a paying adult. For tickets to all of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s events, including the 63rd running of the Coca-Cola 600, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets.

FOLLOW US:
Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s events during its 60th anniversary season by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

WIGHT MOTORSPORTS FIGHTS FOR EVERY POSITION AT CTMP

By
Official Release
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-Watson scores top ten in road course debut

(May 23, 2022) Wight Motorsports Inc (WMI) arrived at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the first road course event of the 2022 NASCAR Pinty’s Series season and experienced a little bit of everything during the weekend including: a vicious rainstorm that cancelled qualifying, fast race laps by their five drivers with four of five finishing higher than their starting position and some frustration with issues that prevented better results.

As expected, Andrew Ranger was quick in the #27 car during practice, this despite a power steering issue. Brand Watson and Glenn Styres were quick studies learning the challenging road circuit while Mark Dilley and TJ Rinomato went about the session in a businesslike manner.

Qualifying was cancelled due to weather which presented another challenge for the WMI drivers. Each racer worked hard and improved their position during the race. Watson gained seven spots during the race claimed a satisfying eighth place finish. Despite difficult and changing track conditions Dilley and Rinomato improved four positions from the start and Styres gained seven spots during the race.

QUOTES:
“Great job by Brandon once again this week. He really dug in and worked hard; the results showed with a top-ten finish”.
“Just a fluky thing with Andrew, he’s so good at CTMP, he would have been fighting with the leaders at the end, just had a mechanical issue after hitting a bump in corner five”.

“Once again the rest of the guys gave everything they had too, TJ had his best finish here, Mark gave it his all and Glenn did very well in his first trip here, he made some gains all weekend”.

“All the cars came back in good shape, nothing major and we’ll use the time before the next race to come back even stronger”.
-David Wight, WMI Principal

WMI TEAM RESULTS:
Watson eighth, Dilley 15th, Rinomato 16th, Styres 18th, Ranger 24th

TV & LIVE STREAMING
The CTMP race will be broadcast Saturday May 28th at 4PM TSN and Saturday June 4th at 7PM on RDS2. All races are streamed live on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and through FloRacing in the United States.

NEXT EVENT:
Round three of the 2022 season will see the WMI teams back in action at the Autodrome Chaudière in Vallee Jonction, QC on Saturday June 11th.

The 2022 NASCAR Pinty’s Series will consist of 13 total races in five provinces with a mixture of oval tracks, road and street courses.

Race fans can get the latest information regarding WMI and the drivers on these social media channels:

Wight Motorsports Inc Twitter @Wightmotorsport Instagram @wightmotorsport

Brandon Watson: Instagram @brandonwatson_9

Mark Dilley: Twitter @MarkDilley9 Instagram @markdilley

TJ Rinomato: Twitter TJ_Rinomato Instagram @tjrinomato

Andrew Ranger: Twitter @AndrewRanger51 Instagram @andrew_ranger27

Glenn Styres: Twitter @GlennStyres Instagram @glennstyres

Crawford Continues His F3 Podium Run in Barcelona

By
Official Release
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Jak Crawford #5 Prema, during the round 3 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, Spain on May 20 - 22, 2022. // Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202205210150 // Usage for editorial use only //

BARCELONA (22 May 2022) – Jak Crawford had another competitive weekend in FIA Formula 3 competition, taking a pair of strong points-paying finishes at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for Prema Powerteam. After three weekends, Crawford is third in the standings with 50 points, just 12 back from the leader.

While the 17-year-old Red Bull Junior Team driver matched his career-best finish with a second place finish, it was a controversial and disappointing outcome after Crawford had been forced off track while passing for the lead on the 12th of 20 laps. He came up only 1.2-seconds shy of victory, turning the fastest lap of the race.

“Race 1 was a reverse grid (he started third), so I knew I had a chance for a podium, or even a win,” said the Texan, who took second on lap five. “Once I got into second, I was really pushing to get into first, and I got ran off with a move I didn’t really agree with. I thought it should have been penalized – or at least a warning.”

Crawford went to the outside in his bid for first, but the race leader took away his line. Crawford had to take evasive action, hitting a sausage curb which briefly launched his front then rear wheels into the air. He came down with the rear tires sliding still able to continue, but was 1.5-seconds in arrears.

“After that, my tires were destroyed, and I was not able to attack for first,” he continued. “That was a real shame.”

Starting ninth in Sunday’s feature race, the Texan had a good start and executed a pair of passes to take a sixth-place finish in a 24-lap event slowed by two safety car periods.

“Today, I had a really good start and got up into sixth quickly,” Crawford said. “After that, it was a boring race. Everyone was running in a DRS train and unable to overtake with all the safety cars and everything.”

Crawford just celebrated his 17th birthday and is now putting his age and experience to use in the FIA F3 competition, making key strides not only in the races, but also in the critical qualifying sessions, which can still spring late surprises. After running sixth midway through Friday’s qualifying, he fell to ninth as he encountered heavy traffic on what he hoped would be his best laps.

“It was a difficult qualifying session,” Crawford said. “Even though I had good speed, I had traffic in the final sector of my lap. I think I could have been top-four, for sure, if not better.”
Coming off a double-podium in Round 2 at Imola, Crawford is regarded as one of the top drivers to watch in the highly competitive series.

“The confidence is really high right now,” Crawford said. “I’ve done four good races in a row now, and I’m feeling confident with the car. Even though we’re only one-third of the way through the season, I think it could be a really good year. We’re third in the championship and we will be pushing to get up there. It’s super unpredictable on what can happen in these races. We’ll have to keep it clean and consistent, and making the most of the result.

“I was quite happy with my performance this weekend. We just need to fix the qualifying luck.”

Round 4 of the 2022 campaign will be July 1-2 at Silverstone.

“I’ve done one test day there and I do like the track,” Crawford said of the British venue. “It’s really fun to drive, so we’ll see how it is in the F3 car.”

Buescher Races His Way into All-Star Race, Finishes 8th

By
Official Release
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Buescher Earns Stage Two Win in Open, Advances through to Main Event in Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 22, 2022) – Chris Buescher powered his way into the All-Star Race Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway, winning stage two of the All-Star Open to advance into the main event, ultimately earning an eighth-place finish in the star-studded 110-lap sprint in his home state.

Single-car qualifying set the field for the preliminary Open event, with Buescher putting down the fifth-fastest time to earn a solid starting position for Sunday. With the stages of the Open set for 20-20-10 laps, each stage winner and the Fan Vote winner would advance through to the All-Star Race.

After a P2 finish in stage one, Buescher restarted sixth for the second segment. A yellow would come out on lap 25 with the Fastenal Mustang in fourth, as he restarted third on the ensuing green flag. With the stage two end nearing in nine laps, Buescher took advantage of the low side in the second row to power to the lead, a position he would hold until the stage end to advance through.

The native of nearby Prosper, Texas, rolled off the grid near the tail end for the All-Star Race, but flipped his track position early as crew chief Scott Graves kept the Fastenal machine on track during the opening stage break. He restarted eighth in the second stage and held onto the track position throughout the 20-lap segment to finish ninth.

After a restart in the same position, Buescher again maintained pace and improved one spot through the third stage and would hold onto the momentum throughout the chaotic closing laps to finish eighth.

The NASCAR Cup schedule heads home to Charlotte Motor Speedway next week, with the annual Coca-Cola 600 set for 6 p.m. ET Sunday night (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90).

Keselowski Drives to Ninth-Place Finish in All-Star Race

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Official Release
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Kohler Generators Ford Improves Nine Spots in All-Star Event

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 22, 2022) – Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 team put together a solid evening in the All-Star Race Sunday, advancing through the field to a ninth-place finish in the Kohler Generators Ford Mustang.

Track position dominated much of the night as pit strategy came into play more than once, including near the end of the 110-lap event. After starting 18th, Keselowski finished the first stage in 21st.

Stage two saw a pair of yellows including one vicious wreck that sent the race to red flag conditions. The stage end went to NASCAR Overtime rules, as each stage had to end under green-flag conditions, a rule specific to this year’s All-Star event.

By lap 75 he had worked his way to 11th, and ended the third stage in 12th. He would roll 12th to start the final stage of 50 laps – the longest of the night – and worked his way inside the top-10 with 20 to go. Ultimately, he held onto the position to bring home the top-10 in the Kohler machine.

The NASCAR Cup schedule heads home to Charlotte Motor Speedway next week, with the annual Coca-Cola 600 set for 6 p.m. ET Sunday night (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90).

Auto Parts 4Less and ChannelAdvisor Partner with GMS Racing’s Jack Wood at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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STATESVILLE, NC: GMS Racing’s Jack Wood is proud to announce the continuation of a multi-race partnership with Auto Parts 4Less. The partnership will be on full display on the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RST at the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend.

Earlier this season, the team announced a multi-race partnership with Auto Parts 4Less, starting their relationship at Darlington Raceway. As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series makes its annual stop at “America’s Home For Racing”, the partnership will now shift its focus to feature cobranding between Auto Parts 4Less and ChannelAdvisor, a global leader in the e-commerce industry.

ChannelAdvisor is a leading multichannel commerce platform whose mission is to connect and optimize the world’s commerce. For over two decades, ChannelAdvisor has helped brands and retailers worldwide improve their online performance by expanding sales channels, connecting with consumers across the entire buying cycle, optimizing their operations for peak performance, and providing actionable analytics to improve competitiveness. Thousands of customers, including many in automotive parts and accessories, depend on ChannelAdvisor to securely power their e-commerce operations on channels such as Amazon, eBay, Google, Facebook, Walmart, and hundreds more.

As a reminder, AutoParts4Less.com offers consumers a unique online purchasing experience similar to Amazon, where sellers compete to win the ”buy box”. Each seller competes on several key factors such as price, ship times, and seller ratings which in turn drives the greatest value to their buyers.

“We’re excited to partner with the Auto Parts 4Less Group and the opportunity to showcase our partnership at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.” said Derek Conlin, VP, Global Business Development at ChannelAdvisor. “ChannelAdvisor has a long history of helping automotive brands and retailers reach buyers searching for automotive parts and accessories and through this partnership, we look forward to enabling our customers to expand their eCommerce sales with the Auto Parts 4Less Group.”

“I look forward to building upon our pre-existing relationship with Auto Parts 4Less by introducing ChannelAdvisor to the NASCAR industry. After learning about ChannelAdvisor’s e-commerce platform, I believe that they have the opportunity to create some significant business opportunities with other partners in the sport, which is huge in today’s B2B-driven landscape. I appreciate having their support behind my GMS Racing team and I as we compete in the upcoming race at Charlotte,” said Wood.

The No. 24 Auto Parts 4Less / ChannelAdvisor Chevrolet Silverado RST will make its on-track debut in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on Friday, May 27th. Be sure to stay in touch with Jack Wood by following him along across all social media platforms at his official handle @DriverJackWood.

ABOUT THE 4LESS GROUP, INC.:

Auto Parts 4Less Group is the world’s first dedicated marketplace for automotive parts only, finally an easy to use website for only automotive parts! All automotive parts needs – car, truck, boat, RV, power sports, motorcycle, etc. Visit AutoParts4Less.com to view our full selection of parts for every type of vehicle!

ABOUT GMS RACING:

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

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

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