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Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 05.18.22

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: May 16-22, 2022

· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Texas Motor Speedway – May 20-22

PLANO, Texas (May 18, 2022) – It is time for the annual All-Star race at Texas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Cup Series, while the Xfinity Series and Truck Series also take to the track in Fort Worth this weekend.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS| NCWTS

Toyota six-for-six… All six of Toyota’s drivers have already qualified for the main event – the All-Star Race – and will not need to come through the All-Star Open to earn a spot in the field. Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. are automatically in the field by being former Cup Series champions, along with Denny Hamlin as a former All-Star Race winner. Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace earned their spots by driving to victory lane last season.

Busch adds another victory… Kurt Busch added another milestone to his incredible career as he drove a Toyota Camry TRD to victory lane for the first time at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. It was the second win for second-year team, 23XI Racing. He is the third different Toyota driver to win this season (Hamlin, Kyle Busch).

Six Toyotas in the top-10… All six Toyota drivers drove to top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway, marking the first time six Camrys have finished inside the top-10 since August 2017 at Watkins Glen International. Toyota also placed four Camry TRD’s in the top-five, which is the ninth time in Toyota’s NASCAR history that has occurred. The last time was at Sonoma Raceway in June 2019.

54 team looking for third straight win at Texas… Ty Gibbs is looking for his first Texas Motor Speedway victory, but his team is looking for their third straight Xfinity Series win. The No. 54 team won both races at Texas Motor Speedway last season with Kyle Busch and John Hunter Nemechek behind the wheel. Overall, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has won the last three Xfinity Series races, and five of the last six, at Texas Motor Speedway.

Earnhardt and Sam Hunt Racing coming off big moments… Jeffrey Earnhardt and Sam Hunt Racing are reunited for three of the next four events on the Xfinity Series schedule – with both coming off memorable races. Earnhardt finished a career-best second at Talladega, while Nemechek drove the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra to a fourth-place finish at Darlington.

Toyota continues to hold majority of Truck Playoff berths… Toyota drivers continue to show strength in the Camping World Truck Series with the manufacturer holding down seven of the 10 available Playoff berths as the Truck Series hits the halfway point in the regular season. Toyota drivers currently in Playoff positions are Ben Rhodes, Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, Christian Eckes and Matt Crafton.

Nemechek strong at Texas… John Hunter Nemechek is excited to head to Texas Motor Speedway as he is riding a streak of five consecutive top-six finishes in the Truck Series. Nemechek won in both the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series at Texas one season ago, beating former Cup Series champion Chase Elliott by three seconds to score the Truck Series victory.

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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.

HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer NASCAR All-Star Advance

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Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
All-Star Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points race)
● Time/Date: NASCAR Open at 4:30 p.m. ET, All-Star Race at 8 p.m. ET, on Sunday, May 22
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● NASCAR Open Laps/Miles: 50 laps/75 miles
● NASCAR Open Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Stage 3: 10 laps
● All-Star Race Laps/Miles: 125 laps/187.5 miles
● All-Star Race Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 25 laps / Stage 2: 25 laps / Stage 3: 25 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer and his No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will have four chances to be part of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race field for the second year in a row when he first takes to the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth during Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Open. The 24-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, is one of 16 drivers on the entry list for the non-points, 50-lap Open. He can join the field of 20 drivers already locked into the $1 million-to-win All-Star Race – including SHR teammates Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola and Chase Briscoe – by winning one of the Open’s three stages. He can also automatically advance to the non-points All-Star Race field by winning the NASCAR Fan Vote.

● A year ago, in the first All-Star Race weekend ever held at Texas Motor Speedway, Custer was locked into the main event by virtue of his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory in July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. It was his second career All-Star Race, and he qualified fourth and finished 14th. The July 2020 race win at Kentucky also locked Custer into the 2020 All-Star Race, which was held in August at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. He finished 16th in that event.

● Custer has three points-paying Cup Series outings at the 1.5-mile Texas oval. His best finish there was 14th in November 2020 after an accident ended his day prematurely in the July race. He finished 19th there last November.

● Custer was victorious at Texas in the November 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, one of his six outings there in that series. He has three other top-five finishes and an eighth-place result in his most recent Xfinity Series visit to Texas in November 2019.

● In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition at Texas, Custer has a best finish of ninth in the November 2016 race, driving the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry.

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

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

You’re attempting to make the NASCAR All-Star Race field for the third year in a row. What was your experience like in your first two outings?

“It’s unbelievable to be a part of the All-Star Race and it’s something that you can never take for granted because you never know if you’re going to be in it every single year. So we’re going to go all out to make it for the third year in a row. The chance to go for a million dollars and the possibilities of winning that and how that would change your life is definitely huge. To have that chance is unreal, so we’re not going to hold anything back.”

How do you think having the All-Star Race at Texas compares to when it was a staple at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway?

“If you want to see some cars going really fast, then Texas is the place to go. I mean, it’s just a big track, a lot of grip, a lot of speed. We’re just going as hard as we can pretty much the whole lap and the whole race. I think from what we’ve seen this year with the NextGen you can expect exciting racing from the first lap through the last. These stages are short and there’s no time to hang around in the back.”

What is it about Texas that makes it that way?

“Texas is just fast, wide open, and you’re trying to get as much speed as possible out of your car. It’s a place where you’re on the gas and on the throttle so much that it means a ton to have that car that can just make more speed than everybody else, and you’re going to see people trying to get there as soon as possible.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter
Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

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

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

JR Motorsports — NXS Texas Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
RACE: SRS Distribution 250 (167 laps / 250.5 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 21, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 1 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend on a hot streak. He is fresh off top-five finishes in five of the last six NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
• Mayer battled to a hard-fought fifth-place finish in the previous race at Darlington Raceway. Mayer improved 13 spots in the final three laps to secure the top-five result.
• The 18-year-old has 12 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length and has earned two top-five and four top-10 finishes.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Jarrett Chevrolet
• Josh Berry has one start at Texas, which he made in 2021. Berry started 28th and finished 19th.
• In 21 starts at tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Berry has earned two wins, seven top-five and 10 top10 finishes while pacing the field for 152 laps.
• The colors of Jarrett Logistics are on board the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend at Texas. This is the first of three primaries for the company headquartered in Orrville, Ohio.
• The 31-year-old currently sits fifth in the championship standings, 93 markers behind the series leader.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson enters this weekend’s race on a tear, having finished first, fourth and second in the past three NXS events. That’s an average finish of 2.3.
• In six career starts at Texas, Gragson has two top-five and three top-10 finishes and has led 56 laps. Over his last three starts there, Gragson has an average finish of 4.0.
• Following his most recent run at Darlington, 38 of Gragson’s 78 career top-10 finishes in the NXS have come at tracks from 1-2 miles in length. Five of those have come so far this season.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 hellowater Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has scored three top fives in his last four NXS starts at Texas, including a runner-up result in this race last season.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier ranks first in laps led (193), quality passes (723), green flag passes (984), laps run inside the top 15 (3,567) and fastest laps run (169) at Texas.
• The No. 7 Chevrolet will have a different look this weekend with hellowater coming on board for the first of two NXS races in 2022.

William Byron
No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet
• 2017 NXS champion William Byron returns to JRM this week in the team’s No. 88 Chevrolet with HendrickCars.com. It will be his first NXS start since the championship season.
• Byron has made two starts at the 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth and has earned two top-10 finishes with a best finish of seventh coming at this race in 2017.
• In 17 starts at tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length, Byron has raced to one win (Phoenix), seven top fives, 12 top 10s and 119 laps led.

Driver Quotes

“This Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team is on quite a roll as of late. The guys have been bringing me a great car each week and the results are really showing. We’ve been in the top five a lot lately and have been putting together great points days. If we can keep doing that then there’s no reason this team can’t be in Victory Lane soon.” – Sam Mayer

“We came really close last year here in Texas with this No. 7 team and hopefully we can replicate that same success again this weekend. Texas has been a good track for us the last couple of times we’ve been here and I have all the confidence that we will have that same speed when we hit the track for practice on Friday with our hellowater Chevrolet.” – Justin Allgaier

“Texas is a track I don’t have much experience at but I know Bummy (Mike Bumgarner, crew chief) and this entire Jarrett team will unload with a fast car right off the truck. It’s the first race for everyone at Jarrett on the No. 8 and I know a bunch of them are coming, so hopefully we can show them a great time in Victory Lane this weekend.” – Josh Berry

“This Bass Pro Shops team has been really strong lately, and we’ve got some clear momentum going. Luke Lambert and the guys on the crew have been giving me great Camaros and we’re taking advantage of it. We’ve come close at Texas in the past, and I’d like nothing better than to take that next step this weekend and get another victory for our No. 9 team.” – Noah Gragson

“I’m looking forward to being back with JRM. It’s been since 2017 since I raced for them. It’s going to be cool to work with some of the guys again that I knew over there from that year and I’m excited to work with Jason (Stockert, crew chief). Hopefully I’ll be able to get my bearings in an Xfinity car again and get the feel for it quickly.” – William Byron

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Texas: JR Motorsports has competed at Texas Motor Speedway a combined 89 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the organization has tallied one win, 24 top fives and 55 top 10s. The company’s win came in 2014 with Chase Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet.
• Trackside Live Q&A: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Noah Gragson will be making an appearance at the Trackside Live stage for a Q&A at 2:45 p.m. JRM spotters Brandon McReynolds, Eddie D’Hondt, Jason Jarrett and Tyler Monn will also be making an appearance at the Trackside Live stage at 4:15 p.m. local time.
• #GetSpicy: Everyone deserves a little spice in their life. That’s why Hellmann’s is partnering with actress and comedian Casey Wilson to help us all Get Spicy! The contest is simple – all you have to do is tweet out a tip on how you spice up your life by using #getspicy and either #hellmannscontest or #bestfoodscontest. Together, Casey and Hellmann’s will pick their favorite Spicy tip to feature on limited edition bottles. The spicy tip winner will also be treated to a Spicy night out on the town in the nearest city to home including dinner for two at the restaurant of their choice plus hotel accommodations. Fans can tweet out their spicy tip until May 22, 2022 and Hellmann’s along with Wilson will choose two grand prize winners on June 3, 2022.

A Look Back at Gilliland’s Rookie Season to Date

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Official Release
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Review as First Phase Team Goes into All-Star Event in Texas

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 18, 2022) – This weekend, Todd Gilliland and his No. 38 First Phase Ford team travel to the Texas Motor Speedway for NASCAR’s All-Star race weekend. Gilliland will compete in the All-Star Open in hopes of winning of the race stages or race to advance to Sunday night’s All-Star race. This will be the rookie driver’s first All-Star Open event.

The NASCAR Cup Series season has completed 13 races in its 2022 schedule. Gilliland has a best finish of 15th. He has five top-20 finishes. The team has had fast cars at both Daytona and Talladega, but late race accidents have wiped out top-10 or top-15 finishes. Gilliland is behind Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric in the rookie battle and ahead of his friend Harrison Burton.

Gilliland talks about his season going into the All-Star break.

“It’s been up and down, but I think we knew it was going to be like that going into the season,” said Gilliland. “The competition in the NASCAR Cup Series is just a big step above anything else. It’s going to take a little bit to learn the car, some of the tracks, and how we race in the Cup Series. I know I have to be patient, but it’s tough.

“Going into the summer, I want to see myself work on qualifying and work on getting better during the races. I want to take top-20 runs and finish top-15 and take top-15 runs and get us into the top-10. We are going to work hard on that because I know that we’re capable. We’ve proved it, but now it’s going to be time to take that next step.”

Gilliland and the No. 38 First Phase Ford team will be supported by First Phase this weekend and throughout various races in the summer and fall. The new credit card from CURO Credit, LLC, issued by The Bank of Missouri, provides pathways to financial freedom for people with unestablished or imperfect credit.

ABOUT CURO

CURO Group Holdings Corp. (NYSE: CURO) is a full-spectrum consumer credit provider across the U.S. and Canada. The Company was founded in 1997 by three childhood friends in Kansas to meet the growing consumer need for short-term loans. Today, CURO operates a robust, omni-channel platform providing comprehensive credit solutions to help customers achieve their financial goals. CURO’s decades of experience with alternative data power the underwriting and scoring engine, mitigating risk across the full spectrum of credit products. CURO operates under a number of brands including Speedy Cash®, Rapid Cash®, Cash Money®, LendDirect®, Flexiti®, Avío Credit®, Opt+®, Revolve Finance®, Heights Finance, Southern Finance, Covington Credit, Quick Credit and First Phase. Our diversified product channels allows us to meet the changing needs and preferences of our customers.

ABOUT FIRST PHASE

First Phase is a new credit card issued by The Bank of Missouri that provides pathways to financial freedom for people with unestablished or imperfect credit. It’s a powerful tool that can provide flexibility and help fuel the next chapter of their financial future. First Phase is the doing business assumed name of CURO Credit, LLC, whose ultimate parent company is CURO Group Holdings Corp (NYSE: CURO).

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Sato Surges to Top of Opening Day at 228;
Ganassi Cars Dialed In

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Official Release
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0K3A2990.JPG

Racing Legend Johnson Third in First Day of Practice for Indy 500 Debut

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 17, 2022) – Takuma Sato ripped off a lap of 228.939 mph in the final five minutes Tuesday to lead the opening day of practice for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Sato used the benefit of an aerodynamic tow on the 2.5-mile oval to lead the speed charts by more than 1 mph in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda. Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon was second at 227.768 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, leading four Chip Ganassi Racing drivers in the top six.

“We had a big tow,” Sato said. “In Happy Hour, if you have new tires, I think you can do that. I’m pretty happy today.

“To be honest, this morning wasn’t as smooth as we wished. We had to go back to the garage and check up on lots of things because there was something we were not very happy with. But in the end, in the afternoon we quickly turned on good speed. I’m very happy with the 51 car. Dale Coyne Racing did a good job.”

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson opened preparations for his first start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” by ending up third at 227.722 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Johnson was an NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie last season but only competed on road and street courses. He made his INDYCAR oval debut March 20 at Texas Motor Speedway.

“We have a really good race car,” Johnson said. “It’s just trying to work through extremes for me. What is a low trim setting? What’s a high trim setting? What’s mechanically tight? What’s mechanically free? Just trying to work through some of those big-picture things.

“All in all, a really good day. I feel like where we ended in this session gives me a lot of confidence for working forward.”

Marcus Ericsson was fourth at 227.094 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing, with Rinus VeeKay rounding out the top five at 226.995 in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet.

Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou completed the Chip Ganassi Racing domination of the top of the speed chart, ending up sixth at 226.973 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Veteran practice was divided into two sessions, with two hours of running in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Dixon was fastest this morning at 227.119.

VeeKay was the fastest driver without an aerodynamic tow, with a top solo lap of 221.551 mph. Ed Carpenter was second on the no-tow list at 220.869 in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet, with Johnson third at 220.724.

Thirty-three drivers combined to turn 3,229 incident-free laps under sunny skies during the two veteran practice sessions today. Veteran Stefan Wilson completed his refresher test during a midday session in the No. 25 DragonSpeed/Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet and then participated briefly in the afternoon open practice session.

Dalton Kellett turned 149 laps in the No. 4 K-LINE AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet, more than any other driver.

Practice resumes from noon-6 p.m. (ET) Wednesday (live on Peacock Premium), with PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying this Saturday and Sunday. The 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 29.

Day 1: Meyer Shank Racing Indianapolis 500 Practice Report

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Official Release
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#06: Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Indianapolis, Ind. (17 May 2022) – Opening day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Indy 500 Practice was greeted with crystal clear blue skies and warm temperatures. Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) completed the two-session practice day with Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves finishing out the day 13th and 22nd fastest.

Helio Castroneves, No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda:

Top Speed: 224.928 mph

No Tow Speed: –

Total Laps: 131

It’s been nearly 365 days since Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) and Helio Castroneves clinched the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500. In record-tying fashion, Castroneves claimed his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory last year. Today, the hunt for his fifth win officially began with opening day of Indy 500 practice getting under way.

The focus of the first session of the day, set aside for Indy 500 veterans only, was to check all of the boxes early on after putting the No. 06 back on the 2.5-mile speedway after an unfortunate incident during testing last month. Castroneves completed 33 laps to set up the No. 06 Indy Car ahead of the afternoon session.

Immediately, group running began as Castroneves utilized pack running to test out the No. 06 Honda in traffic. Castroneves finished out the day with the most laps completed – 131 – as he heads into the second day of practice on Wednesday.

“Today was a good start to the week,” said Castroneves. “We focused on eliminating the issues that we had during the test. We had a little accident during the test, so we wanted to make sure that all of the new pieces were working just fine, which they were. And then we went on to our normal program – running in a pack and in traffic, we tried a bunch of things today. We just keep checking all of the boxes so that we can keep moving forward tomorrow.”

Simon Pagenaud, No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda:

Top Speed: 225.897 mph

No Tow Speed: 215.066 mph

Total Laps: 110

Coming off of a thrilling second place finish at the GMR Grand Prix just three days ago, Pagenaud was eager to turn the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda over to its speedway set up and begin testing for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500. The 2019 Indy 500 winner headed into the month fully set on clinching his second 500 mile victory.

Similarly to Castroneves, Pagenaud focused on setting up a baseline during the two-hour morning session, completing just 15 laps ahead of the afternoon session. The final three hours saw Pagenaud run several long runs in traffic. With rain anticipated for Wednesday, Pagenaud was pleased with the early progress following his 110 laps on track on Tuesday.

“I think it was a super satisfying day today,” said Pagenaud. “I feel very comfortable in the car. We got some good ones in at the end, managed to get in full stints already on day one. I’m overall really happy with the car. We obviously still have some more tuning to do for race day, but it’s an extremely good first day, so I’m excited. We obviously have some weather coming this week, so this work today was very important going forward. I’m super excited and the team’s doing great. Magnificent vibe here, and we’ll see what we can do in the next few days.”

BLAINE PERKINS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes: Texas Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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BLAINE PERKINS
No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: SpeedyCash.com 220
Date: Friday, May 20, 2022
Venue: Texas Motor Speedway
Track Description: 1.5 mile(s)
Race: 147 laps / 220.5 miles

Don’t Mess with Texas … This week will mark Blaine Perkins’ track debut with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Speedway Stats: The Bakersfield, Calif., -native has four combined NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts on speedways (tracks 1 to 2-miles in length).

BLAINE PERKINS STATISTICS

QUOTE WORTHY

Blaine Perkins, driver of the No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado for CR7 Motorsports

On the Texas Motor Speedway:
“I am excited to be making my first trip to the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. The entire CR7 Motorsports team has been working hard these past few weeks – as we are in the busiest stretch of the season. We are all looking forward to having a good run this weekend at Texas (Motor Speedway), and to be able to carry that speed throughout the rest of the year”

CR7 Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2018, the Statesville, N.C.,-based organization has logged 55 starts with three drivers, Grant Enfinger, Colby Howard, and Codie Rohrbaugh. CR7 Motorsports has collected three top-five finishes (Daytona, Talladega, Austin) and eight top-10 finishes, and has logged an average starting position of 24.0 and an average finishing position of 23.1.

CR7 MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS

CR7 Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Texas Motor Speedway … This weekend will mark CR7 Motorsports’ fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile oval track located in Fort Worth, Texas, also known as No Limits, Texas. The organization posted a team best 17th-place finish at the track on November 2, 2018 with team owner Codie Rohrbaugh. The four previous starts at the Texas Motor Speedway have earned CR7 Motorsports an average starting position of 23.3 and an average
finish of 23.0.

Catch the Action … The SpeedyCash.com 220 at the Texas Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, May 20, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS Texas at 7:30 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8:30 p.m. (ET). Practice and qualifying for the ninth event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Follow CR7 Motorsports’ on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit CR7 Motorsports’ Twitter page – @CR7_Motorsports, and on Instagram at @cr7motorsports. “Like” CR7 Motorsports on the official Facebook page at facebook.com/CR7-Motorsports.

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.BlainePerkins.com or connect with Blaine Perkins on Facebook (OfficialBlainePerkins), Twitter (@BlainePerkins21) or Instagram (@blaineperkins21).

Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 Drivers and Team Retake IMSA WeatherTech GTD Championship Lead at Mid-Ohio; Winward Racing Secures First Top-Five Finish of the Season

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Official Release
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LEXINGTON, Ohio – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams persevered through a hot and hard-fought IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Race Sunday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to secure a pair of positive results despite several challenges. The No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 and co-drivers Stevan McAleer and Mike Skeen reclaimed the IMSA WeatherTech GT Daytona (GTD) team and driver championship points leads while the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 team and drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis secured their first top-five finish of the 2022 season.

In a two-hour-and-40-minute race run in hot and humid conditions, both Korthoff and Winward showed solid pace and an even stronger ability to shake off some in-race setbacks.

The competitive performance showed from the drop of the green flag when McAleer jumped to the lead from his outside front row starting position. McAleer led the first 33 laps before pitting from second place one hour into the race to hand off to Skeen.

After a well-executed stop by the Korthoff team, Skeen returned to the race and continued to battle for the lead in the top five. He was less than 30 minutes into his race-closing stint when he returned to the pits from third place for a suspected cut left-front tire.

Another solid stop by the team quickly put Skeen back in the race but the No. 32 was now deep in the GTD top-10 after the unscheduled stop under green-flag conditions.

The Winward No. 57 also moved off to a good start before encountering some trouble of its own. Starting driver Ward worked his way up to fifth place but spun off course late in the first hour and lost several positions despite quickly rejoining the race.

Both teams entered the race’s final hour down in the GTD running order but determined to make up as many positions as possible. Winward’s closing driver Ellis passed Skeen for position just four laps from the finish and the two Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries took the checkered flag in sixth and seventh place respectively.

A few hours after the race finish, however, the competitor that took the checkered flag first failed post-race technical inspection and Winward and Korthoff joined the rest of the GTD field in officially being moved up one position.

The fifth-place result is Winward’s best finish in what has been a challenging season while Korthoff’s move up to sixth place gave the GTD title contenders even more championship points.

The No. 32 team and drivers left Mid-Ohio back on top of the GTD team and driver championship standing after out qualifying and finishing three race positions ahead of their nearest challenger.

Topping the championship standings following the year’s opening races at Daytona and Sebring, the Korthoff No. 32 team and drivers proved they are legitimate championship contenders by stepping up to lead the points race again for the second time this season.

McAleer and the No. 32 team hold a 12-point advantage over the second-place team and drivers heading into the next race at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park, June 3 – 4, as part of the Detroit Grand Prix.

Mike Skeen – No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We had a great start with Stevan leading a bunch in the first hour. We had a really strong car, and the team gave us a great Mercedes-AMG GT3 with great pace for the weekend. We were really looking for a good finish, hopefully being on the podium again, but, unfortunately, we lost a tire and had to pit. That put us on the back foot a little bit, but we just kept fighting through it, getting a little creative with strategies and the guys kept executing in pit lane. In the end we were able to get through it with some decent points, retake the championship lead and salvage a good finish.”

Philip Ellis – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s been a very unlucky season so far. Quite a frustrating one because we have always had great pace, and the drivers, team, pit stops and strategy have all been on point too. So far, we have yet to really put it all together, and even in the Mid-Ohio race it didn’t work out perfectly like we hoped it would. In comparison to this year’s other races, however, Mid-Ohio was a lot cleaner and the result shows. It’s definitely something to build on. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 performed quite well. It seems to suit the track nicely. It’s a very flowing track, my first time there, but I really enjoyed it in the car. I had a good time on the race track. We were fast but couldn’t really do the fuel savings some of the cars around us did, but for sure it was a good performance from the car. I hope we carry that to Detroit and through the rest of the season.”

Rhodes to make 150th Truck career start at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images.

A significant milestone start is in the making for Ben Rhodes, the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. By competing in this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway, Rhodes will make his 150th career start in the Truck circuit. 

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Rhodes made his inaugural presence in the Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway in March 2014. By then, he was contending for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title for Turner Scott Motorsports. Driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado for TSM, Rhodes started 12th and finished eighth in his series debut. He returned for three additional events throughout the 2014 season (Dover International Speedway in May, Bristol Motor Speedway in August, and Phoenix Raceway in November). During this span, he earned a season-best fifth-place result at Phoenix.

After winning the 2014 K&N Pro Series title before campaigning on a part-time basis for JR Motorsports during the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Rhodes earned a full-time ride in the Truck Series with ThorSport Racing for the 2016 season, where he campaigned for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Piloting the No. 41 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport, he commenced his rookie Truck season with a seventh-place result at Daytona International Speedway in February followed by a sixth-place run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After starting on pole position for the first time in his career at Martinsville Speedway in April, where he finished 16th after spinning late, Rhodes was placed in the prime position of winning his first Truck event at Kansas Speedway in May. Running in second place behind veteran Johnny Sauter on the final lap, he made a bold move beneath Sauter in Turn 3 and ended up turning Sauter’s truck as both competitors veered into the outside wall with the finish in sight. Instead of a possible trip to Victory Lane, Rhodes settled in 18th place, a lap down.

As the 2016 Truck Series progressed, Rhodes received two more opportunities of winning his first Truck event: Iowa Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway in June. At Iowa, he settled in fourth place following a two-lap dash to the finish. At the World Wide Technology Raceway, he settled in second place behind Christopher Bell following another two-lap dash. The strong results, however, were mingled with inconsistent results throughout the summer as Rhodes failed to make the 2016 Truck Playoffs. He managed to record four top-15 results during the seven-race Playoff stretch before concluding his first NASCAR Truck season in 14th place in the final standings.

Remaining at ThorSport Racing for the 2017 truck season while sporting the number 27 alongside his Toyota Tundra, Rhodes was battling for the victory on the final lap at Daytona in February until a bump from teammate Grant Enfinger entering the backstretch sent Rhodes sideways and triggered a multi-truck wreck that sent his other championship teammate Matt Crafton barrel-rolling in the air. Despite the accident, Rhodes limped home to a 12th-place result. He rallied during the second event of the season at Atlanta by finishing fourth, but fell back to 20th during the third event of the season at Martinsville. 

Then at Kansas in May, Rhodes led 25 laps and was running away with the lead over Kyle Busch when his engine blew up with eight laps remaining, which forced the Kentucky native to retire his truck in the garage. He rebounded during the following four events by finishing in the top 10 before finishing outside of the top 10 during the ensuing three. After finishing in the top 10 in three of the following four events, which includes a second-place result at Pocono Raceway in July, Rhodes was still in contention to earn a spot for the 2017 Playoffs. By finishing sixth at Chicagoland Speedway in September, which marked the conclusion of the 2017 regular season stretch, he secured the eighth and final transfer spot to the Playoffs in a tie-breaker over Ryan Truex, who finished fourth despite starting on pole.

Following a seventh-place result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September to commence his Playoff run, Rhodes earned his first elusive Truck Series career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after storming to the lead with eight laps remaining and fending off Bell by 0.066 seconds. The victory earned Rhodes and his No. 27 ThorSport Racing Toyota team a spot in the Playoff’s Round of 6. After finishing ninth and 18th during the first two Round of 6 events, his title hopes evaporated at Phoenix Raceway in November after he was turned by Playoff rival Austin Cindric during a restart with 22 laps remaining and wrecked along with teammate Matt Crafton. Rhodes went on to conclude the 2017 season in 19th place at Homestead-Miami Speedway after running out of fuel in the closing laps and in fifth place in the final standings. By then, he doubled his overall top-10 results to 12 compared to five in 2016.

Rhodes returned to ThorSport Racing for a third full-time season in 2018 as he also reunited with the number 41 alongside his truck. By then, ThorSport swapped manufacturers from Toyota to Ford. Despite finishing fourth at Daytona in February, Rhodes’ crew chief, Eddie Troconis, was suspended for one event and fined $5,000 after Rhodes’ No. 41 Ford was found to be too low during the post-race inspection process, which also resulted with a 10-point dock in the driver’s and owner’s standings.

Through the first 11 events of the 2018 Truck season, Rhodes had collected a total of four top-five results and was coming off a runner-up result at Chicagoland Speedway. Then at Kentucky Speedway in July, he claimed his second career victory after leading the final 24 laps and beating Stewart Friesen by nearly a second. The victory guaranteed Rhodes a spot in the 2018 Truck Playoffs, who capped off the regular season stretch with back-to-back top-10 results. During the Round of 8, however, he finished 14th, fourth and 16th respectively, which were enough to eliminate him from title contention early. Managing two additional top-five results during the final four scheduled events, Rhodes settled in eighth place in the final standings as he led a career-best 232 laps throughout the season and earned an average-finishing result of 9.9.

Remaining at ThorSport Racing for a fourth full-time season in 2019 with his number changed to 99, Rhodes was battling for the win at Daytona when he got clipped by Gus Dean with two laps remaining and was collected in a multi-truck wreck, which left him with a 14th-place result in the final running order. He rebounded during the following 10 events by posting three runner-up results, five top-five results and eight top-10 results. Rhodes, however, earned only one top-10 result during the final five regular-season events and failed to return to the Playoffs. He managed to record four top-10 results during the postseason by settling in ninth place in the final standings.

In a similar fashion to 2019, Rhodes’ 2020 season started with being involved in a late multi-truck wreck while contending for victory. At Atlanta Motor Speedway in June, he made his 100th Truck Series career start, where he went on to finish ninth. Three months later at Darlington Raceway, Rhodes persevered over an overtime battle with rookie Derek Kraus to snap a one-year winless drought and score his fourth Truck Series career victory. Returning to the Playoffs, he transferred from the Round of 10 to 8 despite posting a single top-five result at Talladega Superspeedway in October. Rhodes’ 2020 title hopes, however, came to an end after finishing 20th, 20th and second respectively in the Round of 8. He went on to cap the season in seventh place in the final standings with a career-high nine top-five results, 14 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.0.

Prior to the 2021 season, ThorSport Racing returned to fielding Toyotas following a three-year partnership with Ford while Rhodes remained as the driver of the No. 99 truck. In his return to piloting a Toyota, Rhodes overtook Corey Roper on the final lap and edged Jordan Anderson by 0.036 seconds to win at Daytona. He then backed it up by winning at the Daytona Road Course event over Sheldon Creed. From there, Rhodes utilized consistency that included three additional top-five results and nine additional top-10 results before making his fourth appearance in the Truck Series Playoffs. 

Respective finishes of third, 34th and ninth allowed the Kentucky native to transfer from the Round of 10 to 8. After finishing second, 13th and seventh respectively in the Round of 8, Rhodes emerged as one of four competitors to transfer to the Championship Round at Phoenix Raceway in November and battle for the title. During the finale, Rhodes overtook title rival Zane Smith with nine laps remaining and was able to finish in third place, but claim the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship over Smith, John Hunter Nemechek and teammate Matt Crafton. With the accomplishment, Rhodes became the 19th different competitor to win the Truck title as he delivered the fourth drivers’ championship and first owners’ title to ThorSport Racing. His championship season was one to remember as he recorded two victories, eight top-five results, a career-high 16 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 9.3.

Through 149 previous starts, Rhodes has achieved one championship, six victories, five poles, 46 top-five results, 82 top-10 results, 1,005 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.4. He currently leads the 2022 Truck Series regular-season standings on the strength of winning the Bristol Dirt Course in April along with achieving six top-10 results through the first eight scheduled events.

Rhodes is set to make his 150th career start in the Camping World Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, May 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: All-Star Race

By
Official Release
-

Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, May 22, 2022
1.5-Mile Oval
8:00 PM ET
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 9th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: Kyle Larson, who has 11 points-paying wins since the beginning of 2021, has an automatic berth into Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Last June at the 1.5-mile Texas facility, Larson battled Brad Keselowski and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott late before maneuvering into first and leading the final eight laps to capture the $1 million payday. It marked the second win for the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the annual exhibition race where no championship points are awarded.

GRAND OPENING: In 2019 when the event was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Larson won the NASCAR All-Star Open to gain entry into the All-Star Race, then led the final 13 laps to capture the victory in the annual exhibition. The Elk Grove, California, native has won the last two all-star events he has started.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Along with his victory in the all-star event in June, Larson led 256 laps – including the final 218 – to capture the 334-lap points-paying race at Texas in October. The victory earned him a spot in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, which Larson ultimately won to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

ANIMAL STYLE: In five starts in the exhibition race, Larson owns an average finish of 5.4 – the best average of any driver that has more than two starts in the annual event. Larson is currently tied with Kevin Harvick as the only active drivers with multiple victories in the All-Star Race, each with two.

SECOND THAT: Larson ranks second this season in top-five finishes with six, trailing only Ross Chastain who has seven. Larson has a victory at Auto Club Speedway, runner-up finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, fourth-place finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt) and Talladega Superspeedway and a fifth-place result at Richmond Raceway.

IT’S A HOME GAME: Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team will wear their “home” white uniforms at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships nearby, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to two of them. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.

PATRIOTIC PAINT SCHEME: On Tuesday, HendrickCars.com unveiled a patriotic livery that will appear on the No. 5 entry at Charlotte Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend. To view the paint scheme and to learn more about Hendrick Automotive Group’s priority to hire veterans, please visit HendrickCars.com.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 1st

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

THE STARS ALIGNED: In 2020, Chase Elliott earned his first career NASCAR All-Star Race victory, claiming the checkered flag after dominating at Bristol Motor Speedway. Elliott won stages two and three before crossing the finish line first in the final stage to earn the $1 million prize. The event was the only All-Star Race held on a short track and on a Wednesday. The driver of the No. 9 was the third-youngest all-star winner at 24 years, 7 months, 17 days.

ALL-STAR STATS: Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will make his seventh consecutive appearance in the All-Star Race this weekend. Elliott’s 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship and All-Star Race win locked him into the event for the remainder of his full-time career under current rules. In his six previous All-Star Race starts, he has a 6.0 average finish – second-best of active drivers with at least two starts. The 26-year-old driver has finished in the top 10 in five of his six All-Star Race appearances and led in each of the last three races for a total of 74 laps.

BACK IN THE LONE STAR STATE: The All-Star Race is returning to Texas Motor Speedway for the second consecutive year. In this event in 2021, Elliott ultimately drove to a third-place result in the final round after winning the race’s fifth round. In addition, the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS pit crew had a lightning-fast green-flag pit stop during the fifth round, earning the team the pit crew challenge victory and its $100,000 payout. Through 13 races this season, the No. 9 pit crew has the best average time at 11.708 seconds for four-tire pit stops in the Cup Series.

FATHER-SON DUO: With Elliott’s 2020 victory, he and his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, joined Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the only father-son combinations to win the All-Star Race. The Elliotts have won two of the three all-star events not held at Charlotte Motor Speedway – Bill Elliott won it driving his No. 9 car at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1986 when he led all but one of 83 laps.

TEXAS STATS: Elliott has made 11 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway in points-paying events. Elliott garnered two top-five finishes, six top-10s and led a total of 44 laps in those starts. He collected his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 1.5-mile track in April 2014. In five Xfinity Series starts there, the 2014 Xfinity Series champion has accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s.

NO. 9 IS TOPS: Halfway through the regular season, Elliott continues to hold the Cup Series points lead, now by 52 markers over Ryan Blaney. Including a tie earlier in the season, this marks the ninth consecutive week the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has been atop the standings. Through 13 races, Elliott and the No. 9 team have nine top-10 finishes – tied for most in the series – and lead the field with an average finish of 10.8.

1.5-MILE PERFORMANCE: This season on 1.5-mile tracks, Elliott has two top-10 efforts in three starts, finishing ninth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and sixth at Atlanta. He was on his way to a third top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway last weekend when a flat left-rear tire caused him to spin, taking him out of contention. In 68 points-paying starts at mile-and-a-half facilities, Elliott has led 881 laps and earned two victories (Charlotte and Kansas), 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 37 top-10s.

A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will get flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15, and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 4th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available in the Texas Motor Speedway media center on Friday, May 20, at 4 p.m. local time.

HALFWAY THERE: Halfway through the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, William Byron is continuing to have a career-best year. In 13 races, Byron has scored two wins, four top-five finishes with 569 laps led across 10 of the 13 races, three stage wins and 13 playoff points accumulated. The wins, laps led, stage wins and playoff point totals are the most for the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through 13 races in his Cup Series career. He is currently fourth in the driver point standings and is locked into the Cup Series playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. In 2021, he picked up the win at the third race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway – his first on that configuration. He went on to collect seven top-10 finishes across nine races on 1.5-mile tracks throughout the season. This season, the Cup Series has raced at three 1.5-mile tracks: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. Byron scored a win at Atlanta and a top-five finish at Las Vegas. In the most recent race of the season at Kansas, he led 25 laps before a flat tire left him with a 16th-place finish. In fact, since the start of 2021, Byron has nine top-10 finishes on tracks of that length.

LOCKED IT IN: Sunday will mark Byron’s fourth start in the NASCAR All-Star Race but for the second time in his Cup Series career, Byron heads into the event already locked in due to his wins at Atlanta and Martinsville Speedway earlier this season as well as his Homestead-Miami win in 2021. Needing to race his way into the all-star event in the past, Byron has gotten the job done in the Open qualifier races in 2019 and 2020. Across his three All-Star Race starts, Byron has two top-10 finishes. His best showing came last year when he led the most laps (30), had the lowest cumulative finishing position across the first four rounds and scored his best finish of seventh after being shuffled from the front row for the final 10-lap dash.

TWO-FOUR: The No. 24 has scored a win in the All-Star Race three times – tied for the second-most wins by a car number in the exhibition event, all coming with Jeff Gordon. If Byron were to end up in victory lane this Sunday night, the No. 24 would be tied for the most wins in all-star history with the No. 48 at four victories.

TRUCKIN’ IT IN TEXAS: Byron’s success at Texas Motor Speedway started almost six years ago in his first start at the 1.5-mile oval with crew chief Rudy Fugle on the pit box. Starting from the sixth position, the then-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie led six laps before capturing the checkered flag becoming the youngest to ever win a Truck Series race at Texas.

TEXAS TOUGH: Texas is a track that Byron has always ran well at throughout his entire NASCAR career, even if the statistics don’t always reflect that. In seven Cup Series starts at the Lone Star State track, Byron has three top-10 results, including a track-best finish of second last fall. Byron also has four other starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with an average finish of 3.5 in two Truck Series starts and 8.0 in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races.

FUGLE HAS ‘NO LIMITS’: While Sunday will mark crew chief Fugle’s second Cup Series all-star event, the Livonia, New York, native is no stranger to success at Texas. In last year’s race, Fugle led Byron and the No. 24 team to a seventh-place result after leading the most laps. Fugle also has one other Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile track, where the No. 24 team battled for the win in the final stage before crossing the finish line in the runner-up position last fall. The veteran crew chief has 18 other starts at Texas, with all but three of those coming in the Truck Series. He has visited victory lane at the “No Limits” track five times in the Truck Series – the most for him at any track on the circuit – most recently in 2019 where he swept both races. Of those five wins, one includes a victory with Byron in June 2016. In his 15 Truck Series starts, Fugle’s drivers have also racked up seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s with 493 laps led.

TEXAS TWO-STEP: Byron is pulling double duty at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. In addition to Sunday’s race, he’ll drive the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon. The 24-year-old driver earned his Xfinity Series championship with JR Motorsports in 2017 and garnered four wins with the team. Byron’s primary partner in the Cup Series, Axalta, will also serve as an associate partner on his Xfinity Series car.

LIBERTY U IS BACK: For Sunday’s All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty University is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Greg Ives

Standings: 8th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

KANSAS RECAP: Alex Bowman notched his eighth top-10 finish of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway last Sunday. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 finished the first stage in 10th and the second stage in 15th before tallying a ninth-place result at the 1.5-mile track. In his other starts this season on that track length, Bowman won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and placed 10th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

THROUGH 13: Bowman continues to show his consistency in one of his best years in his Cup Series career. Through the first 13 points-paying races in 2022, Bowman has one win (Las Vegas), three top-five finishes, eight top-10s, and has the second-best average finish in the series at 11.8. After his front-running finish at Kansas, Bowman is currently scored eighth in the regular season points standings, 89 markers behind teammate and leader Chase Elliott.

ALL-STAR SPECIAL: As a result of Bowman’s four wins in 2021 (Richmond Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Martinsville Speedway) and his one thus far in 2022 (Las Vegas), the 29-year-old driver is locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday. In his last three appearances in the unique event, Bowman has placed inside the top-10 in all races, with his best all-star finish coming last year where he crossed the finish line in sixth.

BOWMAN IN THE LONE STAR STATE: In his 12 points-paying starts at the Texas circuit, Bowman has garnered two top-five finishes. The most recent of which came in October 2020 with a fifth-place run in the No. 88 Chevrolet. In his two appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas, Bowman started on the pole for both races.

IVES AT TEXAS: Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, has 13 starts atop the Cup Series pit box in the Lone Star State with five top-five finishes and six top-10s at the 1.5-mile venue. His best finish as the crew chief came in April 2016 with Dale Earnhardt Jr., where the duo notched a runner-up result in the No. 88 Chevrolet.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Bowman returned to his racing roots once again, racing his No. 55 Ally sprint car for Alex Bowman Racing at Bridgeport Motorsports Park in Swedesboro, New Jersey, with the World of Outlaws. He will also make an appearance at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio, on Friday with the World of Outlaws. Fans can watch Bowman race live at Attica on DirtVision.com this Friday.

BEST FRIENDS: Halfway through the 2022 Cup Series regular season, Bowman and primary sponsor Ally, have donated a combined $67,600 to Best Friends Animal Society and a network partner in each race market they have visited this year. Each week of the race season, Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and a local network partner. This weekend, Bowman and Ally will make a charitable donation to Operation Kindness, a no-kill shelter in Carrollton, Texas.

TAKE ME TO THE LEADER: In last year’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports led 68 of the 100 laps run – the most its ever led in a single all-star event. All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers won a stage prior to Kyle Larson winning the race.

TERRIFIC 10: Hendrick Motorsports has won the All-Star Race 10 times, which leads all organizations. That total is more than second and third place in all-star wins combined.

HIGH FIVE: Five drivers have accounted for Hendrick Motorsports’ all-star victories. Jimmie Johnson leads the way with four wins (2003, 2006, 2012, 2013), which is also the most among all drivers in all-star history. Jeff Gordon is next with three wins (1995, 1997, 2001). Terry Labonte (1999), Chase Elliott (2020) and Larson (2021) each have won the event once. The Johnson, Gordon and Labonte victories all came at Charlotte Motor Speedway, while Elliott won at Bristol Motor Speedway and Larson won at Texas.

BACK-TO-BACK TRIUMPHS: Elliott and Larson’s wins in 2020 and 2021 stand as one of two times that Hendrick Motorsports has won the all-star event two straight times and one of four times that an organization has won back-to-back in this event. Johnson accomplished it in 2012 and 2013 and is one of two drivers to win the event in consecutive years with Davey Allison being the other in 1991 and 1992. To date, no driver or organization has won three all-star events in a row.

FROM ALL-STAR TO TITLE TOWN: The All-Star Race winner has gone on to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship 12 times in the sport’s history. Hendrick Motorsports has accomplished that seven times, including in the years of its last three all-star victories. Gordon’s wins in 1995, 1997 and 2001 came in title seasons. Johnson’s wins in 2006 and 2013 were during championship years. More recently, Elliott and Larson won this event ahead of their championship coronations.

PIT CREWS TAKE CENTER STAGE: This weekend will showcase the pit road athletes of Hendrick Motorsports. During the elimination, head-to-head bracket portion of qualifying on Saturday night, teams will perform a four-tire pit stop adjacent to their competitor and race off pit road and around to the start/finish line with the winner to the line advancing to the next round. This format will be used to go from eight drivers to four drivers with the final pairing determining the pole position. Following stage two of the All-Star Race, teams will be required to perform a four-tire stop and the driver/team with the shortest time on pit road (pit in to pit out) without any penalties will win the pit crew competition. The winning team will restart fourth for the final stage as long as that team finishes 15th or better in stage three.

MIDWAY MARK: At the midway point of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Hendrick Motorsports has five wins in 2022 – the most in the series. The organization is the fastest to have its entire four-car lineup win in one season as it achieved that in the first 11 races of the season.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the all-star format: “The format sounds exciting. It’s always interesting because it seems like the format is different each year. I’m sure (crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and the team will study to see what strategy may work the best – but I’m sure that strategy is trying our best to win the first segment so we can start on the pole for the final one. Hopefully we can get another all-star win.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on last year’s winning strategy: “We studied on what we needed to do (to win), but our car was not what it needed to be for most of the race. At the end of every stage, we were doing huge changes to try to free it up because we were so tight in traffic. We started on the pole – I believe by random draw – and we were okay out front in the first stage but we couldn’t pass at all in the second stage. I got worried. Kyle got worried. But it all worked out okay because we were in good position (for the restart) going into the final stage – which is all you can ask for. No matter all the studying we did and could do, it didn’t change the fact we didn’t have a good car in traffic and needed to adjust on it and make it better.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on competing in the All-Star Race: “I’m glad that NASCAR has started rotating this event some. I think that’s what this event was initially designed to do. To give fans in the different regions a special event and I think that’s really cool. It’s more like what other forms of sports do. I’m hoping that next year they switch it up and head somewhere else after being back in Texas for the second year. It’s not exactly one of my best tracks, but we did put in a pretty good effort last year and the pit crew was able to get the job done. Hopefully with this year’s format, it will be entertaining for the fans and we can put on a good show for them.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on building a notebook for the playoff visit to Texas: “Last year was good, we were able to win the pit crew competition. I was really happy for all the guys and the effort they put into the pit stops. I feel like they don’t often get the recognition they deserve for how good they are. The race was good for us last year. I felt like we had a shot to win. For us this week, going back to Texas is just about this new car. Being able to try some things and it’s a race that doesn’t pay any points, so we can be a bit more aggressive in trying some different setup configurations and trying to learn some stuff.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on how the NASCAR Xfinity Series race should help him for Sunday’s All-Star Race: “Texas (Motor Speedway) is a track I found success at early on in my career in both trucks and Xfinity but I feel like I’ve struggled just a little bit to get the same results on the Cup side of things. That’s part of why I’m excited to get back in an Xfinity car this weekend and see how it races compared to when I was in one last a few years ago. I feel like those cars relate similarly to the Next Gen car and hopefully that will give us some extra notes that we can use not only for the All-Star Race on Sunday but also for when we go back to Texas in the fall.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on what challenges teams will face at Texas Motor Speedway: “I’m interested to see how the Next Gen car will race this weekend at Texas (Motor Speedway). In the past, we have ran high downforce packages for the All-Star Race but this year we will not only run lower downforce but the Next Gen car as well. Add in the fact that both ends of the track are so different from each other, it’s going to make it a challenge on your approach to setting the car up and changes you make throughout the weekend. With us using the same tire this weekend as we did last weekend in Kansas and at Las Vegas, I think that gives us a good starting place at least when it comes to what changes we can make with air pressure and the fine line on how the car reacts. That’s where practice is going to be the most help since the All-Star Race is broken up into mini races essentially and you don’t have a ton of chances to make big swings and recover by the end.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how his season has gone so far: “Greg and I have spent a lot of time working together to get more consistent and we have accomplished that. We are happy with the fact that we have eight top-10s but we both feel like we should have a few more wins. Our team has worked very hard to continue to get better and we feel like we are learning more about the Next Gen car, but we are always looking for more. Greg and I are ready to go to Texas this weekend and continue to get better and try to take home the $1 million check.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his approach to the race at Texas: “Texas Motor Speedway is a tough track to get the car dialed in with both ends of the track different from each other in banking and shape. I think it’s a great place to have the All-Star Race in that respect, but it makes for a long day if you can’t get the car set up for the track. Alex (Bowman) has found success at the track, having a couple of top-fives and top-10s, so it should be a fun weekend. We are going to go out there and learn a lot at the unique track and continue to build on our success this year.”

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