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Great F1 drivers who are passionate about poker

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If you are a speed enthusiast, you will surely know names like Michael Schumacher, Robert Kubica… They are all legendary racers and rich athletes that have built huge fortunes with their success. But did you know, they are also poker enthusiasts? That’s the information that Gumball 3000 & Ignition casino will provide you right below.

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is the most famous F1 driver in the history of speed racing and is the idol of many motorcyclists today. He used to participate in F1 racing for big companies like Jordan, and Ferrari. With his aggressiveness and great driving skills, he won many prestigious awards, becoming the most successful F1 driver of all time with a net worth exceeding $800 million. Even in the years that he didn’t race, Schumacher won $50 million a year from the endorsement. At the height of his career, he was paid a salary of 10 million dollars. At the peak of his career, he was once the highest-paid athlete in the world, not only that, all the products that are represented by the brand name Michael Schumacher are extremely loved by fans. Loved and sold out in an instant.

A very special thing that few people know, is that from a young age, Michael Schumacher had a special love for other sports. But perhaps his destiny chose racing. Therefore, up to this point, when he has won many prestigious awards and has a luxurious life with a record high salary, he shows his passion for gambling, especially poker. He spends his free time playing poker at charity events or tournaments with fellow F1 drivers just like him. Schumacher believes that poker helps him relax, and keep calm during competition.

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica is the second most successful player after Michael Schumacher, he is the most talented Polish athlete to reach the final round of the most prestigious race on the planet – the F1 race. After making a name for himself in small tournaments like Kart, and cycling races in Italy, he decided to join and train for Formula Junior. And here, he has successively achieved success thanks to his skill and professionalism. He is a great driver when consecutively winning prestigious awards and is a formidable opponent to all Formula 1 drivers in the world. Although Robert Kubica has never admitted that he is a good poker player, because to him he is a pro on the speed track, with poker he is just a novice, but that is just recognition. In his personal opinion, everyone who has seen him play poker or his fans have affirmed that he is the best poker player to come out of an F1 driver. Kubica was especially focused on playing poker around 2011 when he had a serious accident and had to take a short break from the race, but with a strong will, he turned to poker as a way to keep his mind clear and responsive.

Giancarlo Fisichella

He started his career at a young age, with his enthusiasm and passion for speed, he won the Guidonia Kart. Then, in order to further develop his buddy’s career, he entered the world’s biggest motorsport, the F1 race, where he gradually settled down and was recognized as one of the strongest drivers of all time. Besides, Giancarlo Fisichella also participates in professional poker tournaments at Melbourne’s Crown Casino in 2009 and is passionate about online poker.

Although they are not professional poker players, they still have a love for this game. And you, which game do you love?

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Texas NXS Advance

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Official Release
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RILEY HERBST
Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: SRS Distribution 250 (Round 12 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, May 21
• Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst comes into Saturday’s SRS Distribution 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth riding a wave of front-running consistency. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) is on a five-race top-10 streak, punctuated by a season-best third-place finish in the Xfinity Series’ most recent race May 7 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. It was his eighth top-10 in the 11 races run this season – tying Herbst for the second-most top-10s this year with fellow Las Vegas-native Noah Gragson – and it has Herbst eighth in the championship standings, 54 points above the top-12 playoff cutline.

• The Xfinity Series was off last weekend, but Herbst was still on. The 23-year-old competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. Herbst wheeled the No. 17 Monster Energy Ford F-150 for David Gilliland Racing (DGR) to a seventh-place starting spot and a 12th-place finish as he furthered his experience on intermediate-style ovals.

• Prior to the Xfinity Series off weekend, racing worlds collided. Herbst, along with his NASCAR Cup Series teammates Chase Briscoe and Cole Custer, spent the day with Haas F1 Team drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher. In a day of speed and fun on the Ford Performance Racing School road course at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, all the drivers were able to get behind the wheel and give rides to Haas Automation customers. F1 Digital released a video recap of the day on their social channels earlier this week.

• The SRS Distribution 250 will mark Herbst’s 88th career Xfinity Series start and his fifth at Texas. Herbst’s best finish at Texas is a pair of 12th-place drives, both of which were earned last year in the series’ two stops at Texas.

• SHR has one Xfinity Series win at Texas. Cole Custer delivered the victory in November 2018, beating Tyler Reddick by .162 of a second.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

There was no weekend off for you. While the rest of the Xfinity Series took a break, you were wheeling the No. 17 Monster Energy Ford F-150 for David Gilliland Racing (DGR) at Kansas. What did you learn by running that race?

“You learn a lot. I was able to drive that truck back at Daytona, and I think there’s a good bit that you can learn and carry over to the Xfinity Series. I’m thankful to DGR for giving me the opportunity to learn. No matter what, it’s more seat time and a way to gain more experience. I’m a big fan of Kansas, and it’s also an intermediate track, which we’ll run this weekend in Texas. While they’re different tracks, I can learn as a driver. In my career, I’ve had limited track time with practice and qualifying going away in 2020, so I’ll take what I can get.”

What are your expectations for Saturday’s race?

“We’re focused on ourselves, and that’s trying to get the No. 98 Monster Energy team to victory lane. Right now, we’re focused on trying to bring the best racecar to Texas and I’m focused on being the most prepared that I can be as a driver. Hopefully, we can lead some laps, run up front, and win some stages. Last year, we were decent there, but struggled to find speed. We’re gathering all of our notes, going to the simulator, and preparing for this race. The plan is to have a solid run at Texas and go for the win, but we’re also preparing for Charlotte next week, which is one of my favorite tracks.”

You’re sort of flying under the radar this year despite a strong start to the season with eight top-10s and being eighth in points. How are you feeling about the team’s performance so far as you’re currently on a five-race top-10 streak?

“The goal this season was always to be consistent. Momentum is everything. It was tough last year, and we knew that if we did what we were supposed to do, we would finish decently. We’re way more consistent, and being able to finish has been huge for this No. 98 Monster Energy team. It allows us to keep moving forward and progressing. Ultimately, we’re moving toward the goal of winning races.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce

Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: DJ VanderLey

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa

Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie

Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood

Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte

Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick

Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

Actor and Recording Artist Jordan Fisher To Perform National Anthem at Indianapolis 500

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, May 19, 2022) – Jordan Fisher, whose accomplishments and accolades span from television to music, Broadway and film, will perform the national anthem before the start of the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Fisher is an actor, producer and musician. He was the first African American to portray the title character of Evan in Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen” and Mark in Fox’s Emmy-nominated “Rent Live.” Named a breakout star in Fox’s Emmy-winning broadcast “Grease Live!”, Fisher also starred in Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Work It,” and the CW’s “The Flash.”

In addition to a duet collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda on Disney’s “Moana” soundtrack, Fisher joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton.” He also won ABC’s 25th season of “Dancing with the Stars” with his partner Lindsay Arnold in 2017. He subsequently hosted “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” in 2018.

“The national anthem is a signature pre-race moment, and Jordan is ready to welcome fans back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a memorable and emotional performance at the Racing Capital of the World,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “This year’s pre-race show will be fantastic, and I know our fans at the track and everyone watching on NBC will be thrilled with the excitement, tradition and pageantry on display as we await the green flag.”

Beyond his accomplishments as a performer, Fisher is an advocate for youth in foster care, continually partnering with nonprofits. He started “Be My Friend” to support dependable communities that build up those in need. Fisher is also an avid gamer who regularly streams on Twitch (@jordanfisher).

Follow Fisher on Facebook @JordanFisherOfficial, on Twitter @jordanfisher, on Instagram @jordanfisher and on youtube.com/jordanfisher. For more information, visit www.jordanfisherofficial.com.

NBC’s live coverage of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 11 a.m. (ET) Sunday, May 29.

Visit ims.com to purchase tickets for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 and for more information on the complete Month of May schedule at IMS.

Premier Chevy Dealers Returns as Presenting Sponsor of Clean Harbors 150 NCWTS Race at Knoxville Raceway

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Official Release
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KNOXVILLE, Iowa (May 19, 2022) – Officials from Knoxville Raceway and Premier Chevy Dealers announced today Premier Chevy Dealers will return as the presenting sponsor of the June 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) tilt at the famed Iowa half-mile dirt oval.

The Clean Harbors 150 presented by Premier Chevy Dealers will mark the second consecutive year the NCWTS has unloaded at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World,” and just the 11th time in series’ 27-year history to see its teams mix it up on a dirt surface.

“The Premier Chevy Dealers are thrilled to continue our partnership with Knoxville Raceway and see another spectacular NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Sprint Car Capital of the World,” said Carl Moyer, Premier Chevrolet group President. “When Premier Chevy Dealers was presented with this opportunity prior to last year’s inaugural race, we knew it was a natural fit. The passionate racing fans in Iowa are loyal Chevrolet customers. More Iowans drive Chevy than any other brand in the state, and this is one more way for us to connect with such a passionate audience.”

The event will be promoted in cooperation with North Carolina-based Spire Holdings.

“Renewing and reinforcing important partnerships like Knoxville Raceway’s relationship with Premier Chevy Dealers is something everyone is very proud of,” said Spire Holdings VP of Strategic Initiatives Joey Dennewitz. “We can’t wait to put on a great show for the 14 greater Des Moines Chevy dealers, their associates, and all the great fans of Knoxville Raceway and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.”

Tickets are now available to purchase online or by calling the ticket office at 641-842-5431. Practice Night tickets are $10. Camping and parking information can be found via the track’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms as it becomes available. To receive up-to-date information about the race, please visit our website.

The Clean Harbors 150 from Knoxville Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, June 18 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Four qualifying races will kick off the broadcast with the 150-lap feature scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. The 13th of 23 races on the 2022 NCWTS schedule will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.


About Premier Chevy Dealers …
The Premier Chevrolet Dealers are made up of 14 Central Iowa Chevy Dealers. These dealers employ thousands of Iowans in the areas of sales, service, parts and dealership and operations. Chevrolet has been the No. 1 selling brand for well over 10 years in the state of Iowa. This group has been a long-time sponsor of college athletics, motorsports, Making Strides against Breast Cancer and instrumental in Pay it Forward campaigns for local first responders, teachers and our military. They are focused on making sure More Iowans continue to drive Chevrolet, more than any other brand of vehicle on the road today.

About Knoxville Raceway…
Located on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Iowa, Knoxville Raceway is a 1/2-mile dirt track that hosts winged CT525, 360 and 410 winged sprint car racing nearly every Saturday night from April to September. The “Sprint Car Capital of the World” also hosts the Knoxville Nationals, sprint car racing’s most prestigious event, every August, as well as the Late Model Knoxville Nationals, 360 Knoxville Nationals and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Knoxville Raceway is the third-largest outdoor stadium in Iowa with 20,377 seats and 33 luxury suites.

Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Looks to Continue Winning Ways at New Orleans Motorsports Park

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Official Release
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Brownsburg, Ind. (May 17, 2022) — After a successful season debut, Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing travels to NOLA Motorsports Park for Rounds three and four of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) North American schedule. The Wayne Taylor Racing stable, which includes four cars across all three classes, looks to continue their momentum on from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

At Laguna Seca, the No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST EVO2 driven by Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal achieved two podiums with one overall victory and a second-place finish. The two veteran drivers are hungry, aiming to sweep this weekend and extend their lead in the Pro Team Championship, where they currently trail the leaders by a single point. While Marcelli has driven the circuit many times, this will be Formal’s first attempt at the high speed, technical track.

Jordan Missig, who missed the season kick-off due to a schedule conflict with his IndyPro 2000 commitment, is eager to jump back in the cockpit of the No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST with co-driver Aidan Yoder. Yoder is coming off an impressive debut as a solo driver In the PRO Class at Laguna Seca.

The current PRO|AM Driver Championship leaders, Ashton Harrison and Tom Long, concluded a strong weekend with one class victory and a second-place finish at Laguna Seca. The resilient driver pairing will be competing in NOLA for the first time, but are eager to experience a new track to extend their advantage in the championship. Ashton is competing in two different series this weekend, splitting her time between LST and GT World Challenge America in the No. 93 Harrison Contracting Company Acura NSX EVO22.

Randy Sellari, the 2020 Lamborghini Super Trofeo LB Cup champion, had a second place podium and tenth place finish at Laguna Seca. He heads to NOLA Motorsport Park seventh place in the AM Class standings, driving the No. 3 JG Wentworth LST.

Practice at NOLA Motorsports Park begins this Friday, May 20th at 8:00 a.m. ET. Race 1 is set for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET with Race 2 on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. ET. All race coverage will be on IMSA.TV.

Kyle Marcelli, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO)
“We’re looking forward to going to New Orleans. Truth be told, I was looking forward to going to the Ozarks as well, but it is what it is. I’ve been to New Orleans a few years ago, I drove the circuit, but dating back a few years, I don’t think the layout has changed. It is a relatively flat circuit with a mix of high and low speed corners and a long straightaway so it should offer some good racing—good overtaking opportunities. It’s going to be business as usual for the Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing group. Danny and I are gelling and working well together, same as our engineers, Jeff and David. This is a championship-contending year for us. We’re back. It’s a very consistent program in terms of the personnel involved. We have a new, upgraded car. It’s full championship mode. I think we left something on the table in Race 2 in Laguna—we could have left there with two wins. Unfortunately, in the second race, we got turned around at the start and we had to claw our way back. Going into NOLA, we need to get pole position, because those points matter, and we need to win the race. That’s our goal.”

Daniel Formal, No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO)
“New Orleans Motorsports Park is a new track for me as we head to the third and fourth round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo season. I’ve watched a lot of onboards and it looks like it will suit my driving style as a fast track that’s very technical. Some corners require you to risk quite a bit, but the surface is very bumpy and slow in other corners. I’ve been to New Orleans for karting many times and have many wins, so I’m hoping to continue that form. Coming off of Laguna with a win and a second-place finish, I’m feeling that the car is very strong and I have a great relationship with Kyle and the team. I’m hoping to achieve great results with the team.”

Jordan Missig, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO)
“I’m very excited to be back with Wayne Taylor Racing and get my Lamborghini Super Trofeo season started at NOLA this weekend. My expectation this year is to pick up right where I left off last year, and that means running up front, getting on the podium, and fighting for race wins. I’m especially excited to be teaming up with my new co-driver Aidan Yoder. His efforts at Laguna Seca showed a lot of promise and that gives me even more excitement to get to NOLA and race alongside him and compete for wins and the championship. Together, we can produce the pace to be very competitive with the other PRO guys. I know we’ll work well together and produce great results for Wayne Taylor Racing. NOLA is a first-time track for me so I’m interested to see what transitions we can make with the new Super Trofeo platform. I’ll learn the track and see how the car can handle. Thank you to WTR for giving me this opportunity in the LST series, and thank you to Autobahn Country Club for coming onboard for another year.”

Aidan Yoder, No. 53 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO)
“NOLA is a track that I haven’t been to in several years. With the limited running available to teams coming into the weekend, I’m confident that the bit of experience I do have will give me a head start and a boost as we get the weekend kicked off. The entire Wayne Taylor Racing squad is coming off of a very strong weekend at Laguna Seca. We have a lot momentum on our side and I’m confident we can bring that with us into New Orleans. Having Jordan back in the car is going to be great. I’m excited for my first race weekend with him this season. He’s going to offer us way more strategy options than what we had at Laguna Seca when I was the only driver in the car. He’s another driver that I can reference data from and gain insight from throughout the weekend. I can look at the experience he has from Lamborghini Super Trofeo and learn way more about the car and how I can apply myself in an elevated way. It will be great to have him back in the car and I’m excited to get the weekend started.”

Ashton Harrison, No. 25 Harrison Contracting with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM)
“After an incredible start to the 2022 LST season, I’m looking forward to trying out a new track and continuing to succeed with Tom, Dave (our engineer) and WTR. Our goal is a championship, so our focus is on doing the best we can at any track we go to. Tom and I work great together as teammates, and I have a good feeling going into NOLA. I am pulling double-duty by contesting SRO this weekend, competing with the No. 93 Harrison Contracting Company Acura NSX EVO22 in GT World Challenge North America. The additional track time will only serve to help me learn the track, get faster and more comfortable throughout the weekend.”

Tom Long, No. 25 Harrison Contracting with Wayne Taylor Racing LST (PRO|AM)
“I’m very excited to take our momentum from Laguna Seca into NOLA this week. In the first event of the season, you always want to have a strong start, and that we did. NOLA is a new track for Ashton and I to learn, and I believe that the relationship we have from years of working together will allow us to optimize our performance very quickly. Combine that with the incredible support WTR provides in preparation and engineering, and we have a platform that I’m very confident in. I’m personally still learning the nuances of this Lamborghini Super Trofeo car, and I couldn’t think of a better scenario for our team this season.”

Trophy Tractor to Support Garrett Smithley in NASCAR Truck Series Return at Texas Motor Speedway with Young’s Motorsports

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FORT WORTH, Tex.: Young’s Motorsports confirmed today that veteran NASCAR driver Garrett Smithley will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series return in Friday night’s SpeedyCash.com 220 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Trophy Tractor, a longtime partner of Smithley will support his efforts aboard the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Trophy Tractor sells and rents heavy equipment nationwide. Best known for their dependability, honesty and integrity.

They know their equipment and offer a buying and renting experience second-to-none in the industry. A brand new, state-of-the-art showroom and equipment yard is currently being built and will open later this year.

“Our team at Trophy Tractor enjoys all things racing and the opportunity to jump on board the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet with Garrett (Smithley) behind the wheel is one we couldn’t pass up,” said Trophy Tractor CEO Jeff Miller.

“The Texas connection to the Young family is a bonus and pretty special. It’s always great to see people from our state doing great things like they are in NASCAR. We’re all excited to get to the track Friday and watch some racing.”

Smithley, a native of Ligonier, Pa. will return to the Truck Series for the first time since the 2020 season and will aim to better his top-15 finish at Texas that he achieved in 2019 piloting the No. 42 Sunwest Construction | Crown Exteriors Chevrolet Silverado fielded by Cook Finley Racing in the Vankor 350.

“I’ve known Tyler (Young, team principal) for a while now, so it will be fun to get to race for him at Texas. Super thankful for Trophy Tractor for making this weekend happen,” offered Smithley. “It’s always fun to go racing with Jeff, Maxx and Louann at their home track!”

From 2015 to 2020, Smithley has nine starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, highlighted by a career-best 14th place finish at Michigan International Speedway in August 2015 driving the No. 63 BRUH | SegPay Chevrolet Silverado for MB Motorsports.

In addition to MB Motorsports, Mills also has also made Truck Series starts for SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt, Cook Finley Racing and Niece Motorsports.

Texas will mark his inaugural debut with Young’s Motorsports.

For more on Garrett Smithley, please like him on Facebook (Official Garrett Smithley) and follow him on Instagram (@GarrettSmithley) and Twitter (@GarrettSmithley).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

The SpeedyCash.com 220 (147 laps | 220.5 miles) is the ninth of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 20, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Qualifying will soon follow from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag later that night shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

US RaceTronics Competing at NOLA This Weekend in Both Lamborghini Super Trofeo and SRO

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Official Release
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O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT Drivers Looking to Add More Points and Podiums

Monrovia, California (Thursday, May 19, 2022) – After successful season openers in Lamborghini Super Trofeo at Laguna Seca and SRO at Sonoma, both O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT teams return to the track this weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park near New Orleans..

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Pro drivers Edoardo Piscopo and Patrick Kujala head into the weekend with a one point lead in the North American Championship after the first round. The pair started on the pole and finished in second-place in the first race of the season Laguna Seca and went on to win the second race of the weekend in the Arrow-sponsored No. 50 Lamborghini of Beverly Hills entry after starting seventh.

SRO Pro duo Steve Aghakhani and Loris Spinelli started their season at Sonoma Raceway last month in their No. 6 SADA Mercedes AMG. The pair, who qualified fourth for Race 1, drove a great race finishing in second place in their first race of the season. The No. 6 started on pole for Sunday’s race, but encountered some difficulties and ultimately finished fifth in class. Regardless of the disappointing finish in Race 2, the pair sits just two points out of second place in the championship and are confident that they’ll have the results necessary to move them up in the points this weekend.

Back over in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, Damon Ockey and Patrick Liddy return in the No. 8 VF Engineering Lamborghini of San Diego. Liddy scored an impressive overall pole for the pair in Sunday’s race, but the duo had some issues in the second half of the race and finished just off the podium. They enter this weekend fifth in Pro Am, but are only five points behind the third-place competitors in their class. Both drivers are looking forward to this weekend and expect to move higher up in the points standing before leaving NOLA.

John Hennessy entered the season as an LB Cup driver, but his speed on the track in early practices had him quickly moved up to AM class. Hennessy scored a podium in the No. 33 Arrow / O’Gara / Change Racing / USRT Lamborghini of Charlotte in his first race in the more competitive class and enters this weekend third in the AM championship. After testing last week at the track, Hennessy is confident he’s looking at another successful race weekend.

Ofir Levy and Jon Hirshberg are also back for this weekend’s competition at NOLA Motorsports Park. The LB Cup duo scored two podium finishes at Laguna Seca in the No. 13 MexiWood / Dakine Lamborghini of Rancho Mirage. They currently sit second in the LB Cup championship, but are only two points behind the leader.

The weekend will be a busy one for the O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT team starting with tests for both Lamborghini Super Trofeo and SRO today. Practice for both series starts bright and early Friday morning followed by qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday, with Race 2 on Sunday. Come out and cheer for your favorite O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT driver if you’re in the area.

Quotes:

Steven Aghakhani – “I’m super excited! We’re finally getting back out in the #6 SADA Systems, Gotham sponsored, US RaceTronics powered Mercedes AMG GT3 at NOLA Motorsports Park. Everyone on the team, including myself, is more than prepared for this upcoming race weekend. Everyone had a very large learning curve at Sonoma and we are ready to go and show what we learned.”

Patrick Kujala – “After a successful weekend at Laguna Seca we will try to carry this momentum into NOLA. Everyone in the team is working extremely hard to get another good result.”

Edoardo Piscopo – “This will be my first time at NOLA. I look forward to learning the track, adjusting the setup to a very different circuit and keeping up the momentum from Laguna Seca. We still have 10 rounds to go therefore consistency is everything.”

Damon Ockey – “Looking forward to our next round at NOLA. We had some bad luck at Laguna with Safety Cars and driver contact but are ready to push forward. Liddy has shown he has the pace, I am a little off pace having been out of the car for 2 seasons.”

John Hennessy – “I suspect with the unpredictable weather conditions, lack of track time for most drivers and the large field, this will be one of our more exciting races this season. My goal is to stay focused, drive a clean race and get on the podium for the Team!”

David Cozart – Team Manager Lamborghini Super Trofeo – “The team is excited and looking forward to the NOLA weekend. A lot of the guys have put in some serious hours over all our US Racetronics programs and have accomplished an extraordinary amount of work in the last couple of months – hats off to them. Our four new Lamborghini Super Trofeo Evo 2’s performed above expectations at the Laguna Seca and we look to carry that momentum forward at NOLA . Having partners like Arrow Electronics, VF Engineering, MexiWood, Dakine, O’Gara Motorsport and Change Racing have given us a strong foundation to launch into the 2022 season to challenge in all four categories of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series this year.”

About US RaceTronics

US RaceTronics (USRT) was founded by Shane Seneviratne in 2005 to compete in the Atlantic Championship, a formula race car series. The team finished 5th in points its first year and continued its success during the succeeding years, ultimately amassing a total of 21 podiums, 7 poles, 5 race wins and finishing 3rd in the 2009 Atlantic Championship. USRT was put on hold after series officials announced the Atlantic Series was put on hiatus.

Seneviratne fully returned to racing in 2015 after receiving an invitation to manage the O’Gara Motorsport entries in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North American (LBSTNA) Series. The team won the Team Championship, Dealership Championship, Pro Championship and Amateur Championship that season.

The success of 2015 reignited Seneviratne’s passion for racing and he relaunched US RaceTronics to compete in the 2016 LBSTNA Series. The team has won multiple North American and World Championships and expects to add to their success as they enter their seventh season in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North American Series.

For more information on how to become a driver with US RaceTronics, learn more about the Series, or attend a race, visit www.usracetronics.com.

About O’Gara Motorsport

O’Gara Motorsport was founded in 2014 by owner Tom O’Gara and celebrated winning the 2015 North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver and team Championships. The team goal is to achieve victories in the Series as well as showcasing the brands of their sponsors both on and off the track. With a vertically integrated platform that starts at the dealership and accelerates to the top levels of professional sports car racing, everyone at O’Gara is dedicated to providing a comprehensive program for anyone, from the casually curious to the dedicated racer.

About Change Racing

Founded by Lamborghini Charlotte CEO and long time real estate developer, John E. Littlefield, Change Racing is the premier championship winning team. Claiming 18 titles in various classes; Change Racing has competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series since its inception in 2013.

Most recently claiming the 2021 Amateur World Championship in Misano, Italy. Change Racing also claimed all SIX 2020 North American Championships, including the Pro, Pro-Am, Am and LB Cup class championships as well as the Team and Owner championships.

NASCAR Technical Institute Wins “Best Place to Work” in Iredell County

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Official Release
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NASCAR Technical Institute Campus President Jennifer Bergeron (left) celebrates with staff after the school was named "Best Place to Work" in Iredell County

2022 “Best of Iredell” Award Recognizes Mooresville Campus’ Commitment to Students, Employees

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 19, 2022) – Universal Technical Institute’s (UTI) Mooresville, N.C. campus, NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech), is proud to announce its been recognized as the “Best Place to Work” (over 50 employees) in Iredell County, in the Mooresville Tribune’s 2022 “Best of Iredell” awards. The recognition comes as the campus prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary in July.

“It’s an honor to receive this award, and I’m excited to be able to celebrate with our staff,” said Jennifer Bergeron, campus president at NASCAR Technical Institute. “UTI’s mission is to serve students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and training for in-demand careers. Knowing that we’re also serving our community by providing them with a great place to work, where employees feel valued, is incredible.”

NASCAR Technical Institute Campus President Jennifer Bergeron (left) celebrates with staff after the school was named “Best Place to Work” in Iredell County

The Mooresville Tribune organizes the “Best of Iredell” awards annually. The top candidates in each award category are chosen through nomination, then community members are encouraged to vote for their favorites. The newspaper announced the category winners in their “Best of Iredell” section on Sunday, May 15.

“Working in education is rewarding in itself, because you’re changing lives,” said Sherrell Smith, executive vice president of campus operations at UTI. “But receiving awards like this is truly a point of pride for us. Our efforts to provide our employees with a positive work environment and great benefits are getting noticed, and that will help us recruit top talent in the future as we continue to grow and diversify.”

The Mooresville campus has approximately 75 employees. Since NASCAR Tech opened in 2002, they’ve expanded their program offerings from automotive and motorsports technician training to CNC Machining and Welding Technology. It was recognized as a 2018-2019 “School of Excellence” by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), UTI’s accrediting body.

For more information on UTI, please visit www.uti.edu.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute’s (NYSE: UTI) mission is to serve our students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and support services for in-demand careers. Approximately 250,000 students have graduated from one of UTI’s 15 campuses located across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas. UTI’s campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), while its employer-aligned technical training programs are offered under four brands: Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute / Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology. For more information and a complete list of all programs offered, please visit www.uti.edu or follow on LinkedIn @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and Twitter @news_UTI.

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Tom Thumb/Albertsons Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Texas Preview

By
Official Release
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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Tom Thumb/Albertsons Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: SpeedyCash.com 220, Race 9 of 23, 147 Laps – 35/35/77; 220.5 Miles
Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (1.5-mile quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 20, 2022, at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Nemechek #Back4More in 2022:

Defending race winner John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 team turn their focus to Texas Motor Speedway for Friday’s SpeedyCash.com 220. In last week’s Heart of America 200 at Kansas speedway, Nemechek brought home a sixth-place finish, marking the fifth straight race that he has finished sixth or better. In that five-race span, the talented wheelman has moved up three spots in the Championship Standings to second and has cut his deficit down to 20 points behind reigning champion Ben Rhodes.

In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition at Texas, Nemechek has six starts. Through his first six starts, Nemechek has compiled one win, 73 laps led, one top-five and two top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8. In 2021, Nemechek started from the pole and led a race-high 64 laps in route to his fourth win of the season. The talented wheelman was also victorious in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas last October, leading a race-high 92 laps behind the wheel of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Camry en route to his second career series victory. Across four career Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile quad-oval he has one win, 98 laps led, three top-five and four top-10 finishes. In two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas, Nemechek has an average finish of 21.7 and earned a best finish of 21st in the 2019 fall event.

Through the first eight races of 2022, Nemechek leads all Camping World Truck Series regulars in average starting position (6.4) and average running position (6.603), is tied for second in top-five finishes (four), and is third in stage wins (three), laps led (157), and driver rating (105.2). Nemechek has also led at least one lap in six out of the first eight events.

Tom Thumb/Albertsons will make their first start in the Camping World Truck Series onboard Nemechek’s No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro at Texas. Albertson Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with over 2,200 stores in 34 states and are committed to making a meaningful difference, one neighborhood at a time.

Nemechek is a 12-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 with KBM. Across 132 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled five poles, 1,338 laps led, 44 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 34 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillip’s has been calling the shots for 20 starts at Texas. In those 20 starts, his drivers have tallied four wins (Clint Bowyer – 2006, Kyle Busch – 2011 & 2014, and John Hunter Nemechek – 2021), 340 laps led, seven top-five, and 12 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.4.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
We are halfway through the regular season; how would you grade your season so far?
“Feel like we are in a decent spot. We don’t have as many wins as last year, but we’re headed in the right direction as the season has progressed.”

You won both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series race at Texas last year; how much confidence does that give you going into Friday’s race?
“I like Texas and have had a lot of success there. It will be different this year being a night race, last year they were both day races but it’s a racetrack I’ve always enjoyed going to. We’re hoping to be able to go back-to-back at Texas in the trucks and get the second win of the year.”

How does Texas compare to the other mile-and-a-half tracks on the schedule this year?
“It’s completely different with the repave. The corners are different from one another, Turns 1 and 2 are flat and super wide while Turns 3 and 4 have more banking and it’s a tighter corner. We don’t race there anymore but the track I would compare it to would be Kentucky.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Twelve-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 131 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled five poles, 1,338 laps led, 44 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Across 61 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 510 laps led, 17 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Tom Thumb/Albertsons Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-56: The No. 4 team will unload KBM-56 for Friday night’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Nemechek piloted KBM-56 once earlier this season at Las Vegas (N.V.) Motor Speedway where he earned the pole and led 23 laps before a late-race incident relegated him to a 25th-place finish. The second-generation driver wheeled KBM-56 in three races in 2021 including his win at Pocono last June.

KBM-56 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected nine wins, three poles, 1,050 laps led, 20 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.0 across 56 starts at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • John Hunter Nemechek picked up the organization’s most recent win at Texas in 2021 leading a race-high 64 laps. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has collected four wins (2010, 2014, 2019 and 2020) while Erik Jones (2015), William Byron (2016), Christopher Bell (2017), and Greg Biffle (2019) have each earned one win.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (93) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 17 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Weekend schedule for Texas

By
Angie Campbell
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The NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on June 13, 2021. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

NASCAR heads to Texas Motor Speedway for a full weekend of racing culminating with the Cup Series All-Star Race Sunday evening.

The Camping World Truck Series will headline the on-track action Friday night followed by the Xfinity Series race Saturday afternoon.

There have been 37 previous All-Star races with 25 different winners. Kevin Harvick (2007, 2015) and Kyle Larson (2019, 2021) lead all active drivers with two wins each. Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have won the exhibition race once.

The Xfinity Series has produced seven different winners so far this season. Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill have secured a spot in the Playoffs with 15 races left in the regular season. There are only five open spots remaining before the Playoffs begin.

Camping World Truck Series drivers Zane Smith (three wins), Chandler Smith, Ben Rhodes and John Hunter Nemechek have locked themselves into the Playoffs. There are eight races remaining in the regular season and six open Playoff spots.

All times are Eastern.

All-Star Race Format

Friday, May 20

4 p.m.: Truck Series Practice (All Entries) – FS1

4:30 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1

6 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – FS1

6:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – FS1

8:30 p.m.: Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 220
Distance: 220.5 miles (147 Laps)
Stages 35/70/147 Laps = 220.5 Miles
FS1/MRN/ SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Saturday, May 21

1:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series SRS Distribution 250 race
Distance: 250.5 miles (167 Laps)
Stages 40/80/167 Laps = 250.5 Miles)
FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

7 p.m.: Cup Series Practice (Combined Open and All-Star) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

7:35 p.m.: Qualifying (Open) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

7:55 p.m.: Qualifying (All-Star) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

8:25 p.m.:  Qualifying – Elimination bracket with mandatory pit stop (All-Star) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, May 22

5:30 p.m.: All-Star Open (20/20/10 Laps) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

8 p.m.: All-Star Race (25/25/25/50 Laps) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

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