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Cadillac claims pole start for 2-hour, 40-minite Mid-Ohio race

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Sebastien Bourdais earns third pole of season in No. 01 V-Performance Academy DPi-V.R

LEXINGTON, Ohio (May 14, 2022) – Cadillac claimed its third pole start in five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races as Sebastien Bourdais recorded a best lap of 1 minute, 10.439 seconds in the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R will lead the field to the green flag for the 2-hour, 40-minute Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio on Sunday, May 15. The will air live on USA Network and stream on Peacock starting at 2 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio will broadcast the race at IMSA.com along with XM 207.

“We had to push really hard really early on the green flag because it was drizzling and I wasn’t sure the lap was going to be good enough, but I nailed a good one,” said Bourdais, who presented Cadillac Racing its first pole in five races at Mid-Ohio since 2018. “The boys did a really good job of giving us some fast cars we got that Cadillac up there. We’re definitely hoping for a clean start and keeping the Cadillac up front throughout the race.”

Earlier this season, Bourdais reset the track records in qualifying on the pole at Sebring International Raceway and the streets of Long Beach, California. He and co-driver Renger van der Zande went on to win at Long Beach. Last May, the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R set the race record lap time of 1:12.188 (112.605 mph).

The sister No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R will start on the outside of Row 2 as Alex Lynn posted a best lap of 1:10.995. Tristan Nunez registered a best lap of 1:11.053 in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R and will start fifth. Tristan Vautier drove the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R to a best lap of 1:11.083 and will start sixth.

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, co-driven by reigning DPi champion Pipo Derani, has finished second the past two years at Mid-Ohio – by a combined margin of less than one second – in the 2-hour, 40-minute races. Derani and Nunez enter the race off a third-place finish May 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Cadillac DPi entries have won two of the four IMSA races this season, including podium sweeps at Sebring and Long Beach, and collected eight podium finishes overall.

Cadillac Racing from the cockpit

No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R

Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais

Bourdais drove in the qualifying session (start first, 1:10.439): “We had to push really hard really early on the green flag because it was drizzling and I wasn’t sure the lap was going to be good enough, but I nailed a good one. The boys did a really good job of giving us some fast cars we got that Cadillac up there. We’re definitely hoping for a clean start and keeping the Cadillac up front throughout the race.”

No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R

Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn

Lynn drove in the qualifying session (start fourth, 1:10.995): “I think overall it was a positive day for us getting P4. Congrats to the sister car for pole position. I think we made big improvements on our side of the garage. We are in a nice position for tomorrow and both myself and Earl are looking forward to a fun race.”

No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R

Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez

Nunez drove in the qualifying session (start fifth, 1:11.053): “I’m not happy with the result; you always want to be further up the grid for the race, especially at a track like this where track position is so key. But the car is quick and I think we had the car for a top three, but unfortunately with the traffic in trying to get a lap I think I might have lost my quick lap with tire life. For me, personally, I’m just feeling more and more comfortable with this car. It’s confidence-inspiring for me to go into this race. I’m feeling really good about tomorrow. We made it happen last race by ending up on the podium from the back and I have no doubt that we can do even better than that tomorrow.”

No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R

Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook

Vautier drove in the qualifying session (start sixth, 1:11.083): “It’s tight. What’s hard is the balance of the car is not out of the window and we’re very close. It’s just frustrating to be P6. I cannot look back and say here’s where I lost it. I feel like I got the most out of it, so that makes it tough. Execution is going to play a lot in the race. We’ll focus on that and try to find a bit more speed.”

About Cadillac
A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Toyota Racing – NCS Kansas Quotes – Kyle Busch – 05.14.22

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Kyle Busch
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

KANSAS CITY (May 14, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch was made available to media prior to the Kansas Speedway race this Saturday:

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

You welcomed your daughter this week. Can you talk about what life has been like adjusting to two children?

“It’s been great. I’m just really thankful for all the blessings that we’ve had over the years – struggles and trying to get where we are today. It’s really meaningful to be able to welcome home our baby girl. Lennix is doing well. Mom (Samantha Busch) is adjusting and doing well, so working on that man-to-man coverage with children. I’m sure that’s going to change as she gets older but enjoying every moment of it thus far.”

Does having the child make you have a different mindset coming into this weekend?

“No, I would say that I feel as though there is a personal life and a racing life, personal life and career, however you want to segregate that. I try to separate those as much as I can. Being able to have that at the track sometimes blends over, but to me, I wouldn’t say having a baby girl makes all of the struggles of the last couple of years go away. We are in a performance-based business and being in a performance-based business means you need to perform and do well and you need to win races. That is still at the forefront.”

What remain the challenges with this car or are you to the point where you are fine tuning?
“I think we are all still learning it. I came here and did the wheel force test, and it went well. The temperature was nothing like it is today, and conditions are completely different. Just each week you try to learn and try to figure out some tricks of the trade or some little things that this car likes or doesn’t like. I felt like we had a decent package for what we had last week at Darlington, and I think what we have here will be pretty good based on how Vegas went and how the test went here.”

Do you think the track will run more like your win in 2016 or your win here last year?

“I would say it’s going to be a blend, but probably more similar to last year. In testing here, there was not a lot of off-throttle time. You are on the throttle a lot. You have a lot drag in these cars, so you are slow on the straightaways. The car has pretty good grip and you can make time being in the gas through the turns. As the track changes or widens out, I feel like the race is going to end up a lot at the top, but this car is really, really bad in directly following the car in front of year. You are going to need somewhere else to go if everyone is at the top. How are you going to pass? So, you are going to have to try something else to make moves on guys. We will see how that goes.”

You’ve had a love-hate relationship with this track. Do you think it will be more track or car you are fighting this week?

“I would say it’s been – you said love-hate, I would go more hate-love. It started out bad and has been good lately. We will hopefully keep that going in our favor. This place was trickier for me with the old asphalt, but since they repaved it, it seems to have come into more where I’m understanding of it. I feel like we’ve got a good shot at continuing that – that good run tradition – and doing well this weekend.”

If Lennix wants to pursue racing, does it matter what her gender is?

“To me it’s exactly what I said with Brexton, if she wants to, by all means, sure go for it, give it a try. I think her mom (Samantha Busch) would say otherwise. ‘Let’s not have another amount of years spent at the racetrack, raising another race car driver.’ That’s still to be determined with Brexton. I think Bobby Labonte’s kid was older when he decided he didn’t want to do it. Matt Martin was older when he decided he didn’t want to do it, so you just never know. We will see what happens.”

You announced this documentary this week. Why did you want to do it?

“I was approached by a group of guys who thought I had an intriguing story and that they wanted to put it out there on how I kind of came in and through the tough times of the 2007-2008 timeframe, 2011 timeframe to the injury of 2015 to winning a championship and winning a championship again in 2019. So, from the highs to the lows to the trials and tribulations, all of that sort of stuff. It’s an interesting piece. It kind of puts it all together. They say it’s long. I think it’s like 100, 110 minutes or something like that, so it’s a little long on the film front, but I don’t think it still tells the whole complete story. You need a lot longer than 110 minutes. I tried to talk them into a Netflix series, but that didn’t’ go anywhere, but I’m excited for it. It’s great. I appreciate it. I’m looking forward to everyone seeing it. I don’t think it’s anything that the avid NASCAR fan doesn’t know, but some causal fans might get a little bit of a better understanding on who I is.”

Do you think this car will put on a good show at Charlotte?

“I don’t know how to answer that question. It’s important that we put on good shows every single week and have great races, that’s a really hard one to have a really great race on and have side-by-side action and have close knit, tight knit racing the entire time, because let’s be honest, it’s a four-and-a-half to five-hour race. 600 miles is a long time. Anytime that you are putting yourself in a side-by-side predicament that’s taking a chance and until it comes down to that final pit stop is when the race really starts. There will be times where we are running around and trying to bide time and save ourselves and our equipment. Unless you want to call it the Coca-Cola 60, it’s going to be hard to sell a 600 as intriguing.”

With four mile-and-a-half races in the Playoffs, how important is getting it dialed in the next few weeks?

“I think we have talked about it as long I’ve been in the sport just with having five or six mile-and-a-half racetracks in the Playoffs through years. Charlotte moving into the ROVAL the last couple, you don’t have that one. It’s important but with our schedule in our sport and this car it’s more important to be more diverse anyways. You’ve got to be good everywhere.”

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About Toyota

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

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

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

CHEVY NCS AT KANSAS: Tyler Reddick Press Conference Transcript

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
ADVENTHEALTH 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 14, 2022

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 BetMGM CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Press Conference Transcript:

TYLER, YOU GUYS COMING OFF OF A REALLY, REALLY GREAT SHOWING AT DARLINGTON. FIRST TIME THERE FOR THE NEXT-GEN CAR, SURE YOU GUYS LEARNED A LOT. WHAT CAN YOU TAKE FROM THAT RACE LAST WEEK GOING HERE TO KANSAS?

“Certainly, just seeing where our pace is on some of the higher speed tracks. Darlington may be just a little bit shorter than a mile and a half, but you know you’re still carrying a good amount of speed around that place. Got the be comfortable with your car running up by the wall. That carries over into a place like Kansas. For me, it was good to have the speed there for Darlington. We did the tire test there and we did the tire test here at Kansas. Both times was pretty happy with what we had for pace out of our vehicles. We will see what happens later today. It’s a little bit warmer than when we did the tire test here, but I definitely feel good about where we left the tire test. Should be a challenging day trying to get everything that you can out of the qualifying lap with all of the different lines that I think are going to come into play.”

TYLER YOU WERE TELLING US EARLIER, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE PEDAL CAR?

“Well, I didn’t do much. My son, Beau, loves the thing. He is always trying to get in it and reach the pedals. He isn’t quite big enough to touch the pedals in it yet, but he always likes sitting it and playing around with it. It’s sitting in his room, so if I get another one hopefully me and him can maybe race each other in them. That’s the motivation today.”

A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPARE THIS TRACK TO VEGAS, BUT YOU COMPARE IT TO HOMESTEAD. IS THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN RUN THE WALL HERE AND FIND THAT SIMILARITY?

“Well, I’ve compared it to Homestead at some point?”

INAUDIBLE

“Well, the three tracks are kind of similar. Oh yes, I did say that. When he mentioned Vegas it kind of got me thinking, because yes you do need to be comfortable running high like at Homestead for this track. In a lot of ways with how much grip that this place has throughout the run and the lack of fall off, you need to be comfortable running the wall like you do at Homestead. I feel like you don’t have to be quite as close to the wall to still get some of the aero effects and be running a good lap and a good time. It is a lot like Vegas in some ways too. The temperatures are going to kind of warmer than we had at Vegas today. Who knows what happens Sunday, weather wise and everything like that? As it cools off, maybe more lanes open up and the bottom catches up and the middle catches up. Today will be really interesting to see who goes where in practice early and where the track state is at going into qualifying. I truly expect a few different strategies of running low, middle or high in qualifying and seeing how that plays out will be interesting today.”

SINCE YOU DID THE TIRE TEST, HOW WILL THIS TRACK RACE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST?

“I don’t think it will be very different. I think it will be more of, I mean I think it will be somewhat comparable to like 2018 Cup racing a little bit and closer to the Xfinity racing. What we saw at Vegas for a race will be very similar in a lot of aspects of how the cars race around each other that we will see a little bit in practice today. It will be a lot like Vegas, but everyone is more comfortable with the cars now a little bit. We’ve learned a little bit more information about the cars, so I think there will be a little bit more aggressive side by side racing. I think a lot of the same trends will be there.”

THIS TRACK IS KNOWN FOR BEING WINDY. HOW DIFFERENT DOES THIS CAR REACT TO THE ELEMENTS LIKE THAT, THE WIND, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS CAR?

“You know, I don’t think I know yet. Certainly, the craziest wind related race that I’ve been a part of was this race here in the fall last year. It was, I don’t even know how to explain it. It was the craziest think I’ve ever done. You get to the middle of Turn 2 and you just get sideways and you think you’re going to crash. You get to the middle of 3 and 4 and it would take off plowing into the corners. It was really wild how much the wind affected that car last year. A little bit smaller spoiler, I think, will help that to some degree. I think the wind gusts could play a role. I don’t know. I didn’t think it was that windy when I was out there a minute ago, but this place the wind can pick up and get gusty, really get blowing. There’s not many places that we go to that the wind moves like it does here. Maybe Vegas a little bit, but the wind will certainly play a role in the balance of the car if it really gets going I feel like above 20 miles per hour or so.”

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE END OF THE MONTH AT CHARLOTTE. COMPARED TO ALL THE OTHER TRACKS ON THE SCHEDULE, GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT TRACK AND THAT RACE TO NASCAR, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THAT RACE PUTS ON A GOOD SHOW WITH THIS CAR GIVEN THE RECENT HISTORY OF LACKLUSTER, NOT VERY COMPETITIVE RACES IN THE COKE 600?

“Well, the few that I’ve participated in you know the weather didn’t really help us much with cooler temperatures with that 550 package that we had with that last car. Just a lot of on throttle time and not really having to search around the racetrack for grip. I believe that the resin and compound has all been scrubbed away from the track. It was when we did our test in the fall and it really helped the track just widen out and we were running all over it pretty quickly in our test. I think the potential is certainly there, but you just never know. I’ve seen a lot of stand out performances by drivers just being on it more than their competition on nights and really putting out statement performances. I think with the length of the race, how challenging the car is to drive, a lot of character and bumps at Charlotte, I think you’re really going to have to really work at it all night long inside the car. It’ll be a challenging race. I think, based off of how the test went, it has the possibility to be a really good event.”

TYLER, A LOT OF GOOD RUNS THIS YEAR. ALSO, A LOT OF HEARTACHE ALONG THE WAY, BUT HOW CONFIDENT DO YOU FEEL THIS WEEKEND KNOWING THAT YOU’RE RUNNING SO GOOD THIS YEAR?

“Very confident. I also have confidence from doing well at this tire test and being very happy with where our car was. Finding out a few more things that we’ve been able to learn and pick up on that we think’s going to be better, so practice for us just like everybody is really important. Really excited to see what our on-track performance is like and how our car drives. Confidence and expectations are high, these types of tracks have been fun for me. They have been good for us as a team too. We are in a good place, we just going to see where we shake out here in that 15–20-minute practice session and go from there.”

WITH A LOT OF OTHER SPORTS IN PLAYOFFS RIGHT NOW AND SEEING SOME GAME SEVEN

SITUATIONS COMING UP, WHAT’S THE MOST PRESSURE THAT YOU’VE FELT RACING IN A CAR? I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP RACES, OR IF IT IS SOMETHING EARLIER IN YOUR CAREER WHERE YOU KIND OF WONDERED HOW MUCH FURTHER YOU WERE GOING TO GET IN RACING.

“In regards to game seven type moments, getting to the final race and battling for a championship or those final restarts of a race kind of like what we had at the end of Darlington, I feel like those moments are almost the most calm and I guess easy to approach mentally and go do for me. It’s more of those maybe game five, game one, game two moments where I feel that real pressure of we really got to get up and go at it. By the time we get to the end of the race, the end of the season, like in the Xfinity championship runs by the time we got to Homestead it was just about getting there. We had the confidence, both teams, if we just got there we would be fine. That’s just a product of having a lot of great people around and all believing in one another. Everyone having the same goal, dream. Those moments for me, having been very stressful, they’ve almost been moments that I look very forward to and I have a lot of fun doing.”

DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

“That it is those earlier ones? Yeah, I don’t know. Even this year, you know in that first round of the playoffs, well last year, the first race was the most stressful. The second one didn’t go very well either, but it was more annoying than anything. By the time we got to Bristol all of the pressure really seemed to be off. We had one task and that was to try to go out there and win and run up front. It made it pretty easy, when you have so much in front of you still and those playoffs start in each round. That first race is just stressful because there’s so many unknowns. You don’t know what’s going to happen. Something could derail your comfortable point cushion you have, so I feel like those moments when there’s a lot of uncertainty after multiples races after those for me are where more of the stress comes from. By the time we get to that final objective it’s pretty straightforward.”

OBVIOUSLY, YOU ARE KNOWN FOR RUNNING THE TOP LINE AT A LOT OF TRACKS. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO RUN HERE AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THE TEST AND HOW DIFFERENT WAS IT WITH THIS CAR?

“I think as we’ve gone down this path of learning about what this car can take, I actually feel like more now than before it’s even more important to not hit the wall. I mean, the steel body if you hit it with the 550 package it was a pretty big detriment. You would lose some downforce, some side force, but you could run the rest of the race. It wouldn’t end your day if you were able to get to pit road soon enough or didn’t hit it that hard. With this car, you don’t have to worry about the body in a lot of aspects of what happens on the racetrack. It’s the suspension underneath it and just if we put a lot of load on these toe links to begin with going through the corner so it doesn’t take a lot to cause them to bend or begin to fail. Some things have to bend right? If the toe link doesn’t bend and something else bends, then it’s better the toe link than something else. If you do bend it, you have that option to come to pit road and maybe lose a lap. If you’re lucky you’ll only lose a lap fixing it, replacing it. I think the risk versus reward is even higher now with the way this car is. I think that’s a good thing. I like that, because more times than not I can run up there and not hit the wall. So, it may seem like I am up there a lot, but I am not making a lot of the huge mistakes and knocking it down that often. It’s a comfortable place for me to be.”

NOT COUNTING ATLANTA, I THINK THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND NORMAL MILE AND A HALF TRACK WE’VE HIT THIS YEAR. YOU HAVE KANSAS THIS WEEK, TEXAS FOR THE ALL-STAR RACE NEXT WEEK AND THEN THE COKE 600. GIVEN THAT WE HAVE FOUR MILE AND A HALF RACES IN THE PLAYOFFS, HOW MUCH EXTRA IMPORTANCE DO YOU GUYS PLACE ON THESE NEXT THREE WEEKS?

“These next three weeks for a lot of reasons are extremely important. They kind of let you know what gains you have made from the west coast swing. Fontana in a lot of ways is a two-mile track, but it races a lot like a mile and a half with the speeds you carry through the corners. Seeing where we’re at and where everyone else has made gains or losses from that west coast swing to now and in this stretch is really important. We have a lot of races in the playoffs with these types of racetracks. It’s important to be good here. There was a time, certainly, where we would put importance on one track over the other and for us as we’ve needed to get better it’s been more about being consistent week in and week out. Not really picking favorites and not having tracks that we don’t look forward to going to, but certainly it’s easy to get motived and easy to get excited coming to a place like this. We do, generally, have a lot of fun racing on them.”

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

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

Caesars Sportsbook Named Official Sports Betting Partner of Indy 500, IMS

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Official Release
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Partnership Includes Exclusive Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza for Upcoming Races at IMS and more

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 14, 2022) – Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (“IMS”) today announced a partnership to make Caesars Sportsbook an Official Sports Betting Partner of the Indy 500 and IMS. The collaboration also makes Caesars Sportsbook a sponsor for the remaining IMS races on the 2022 calendar, starting with the GMR Grand Prix on May 14, and includes the opening of the very first exclusive betting lounge at the Racing Capital of the World.

The Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza will greet spectators on practice and race days during the Month of May providing Caesars Sportsbook app users with an elevated viewing experience, complimentary food and drink, live entertainment and racing games to go along with branded giveaways throughout the course of every race. Additionally, Caesars Sportsbook receives access to IMS logos and marks, digital and social media assets, as well as a variety of exclusive VIP speedway experiences for its users at IMS available through the industry-leading loyalty program, Caesars Rewards.

“The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500 are iconic American sports traditions,” said Eric Hession, co-president of Caesars Digital. “Partnering with one of racing’s most iconic venues and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ provides our customers with unique experiences through Caesars Rewards. This will be an impactful partnership for us that builds upon our commitment to the state of Indiana alongside the investments into our resorts and the communities they serve.”

“We’re extremely excited about this partnership with Caesars and believe their on-site presence – which is a first for our storied facility – will give fans a new opportunity to engage with the on-track action at the Racing Capital of the World,” said Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles. “This is another reason to look forward to an epic and historic Month of May at IMS.”

Caesars has a legacy in Indiana through its best-in-class resorts, including the newly branded Horseshoe Indianapolis, Harrah’s Hoosier Park and Horseshoe Hammond. Most recently, Caesars shared plans for a $39 million investment to expand the casino gaming floor of Harrah’s Hoosier Park shortly following the completion of its significant $33.7 million enhancement and expansion to Horseshoe Indianapolis resulting in 25,000 square feet of new gaming space, including a live World Series of Poker Room with 20 tables.

The IMS partnership includes race day support with video board placements, PA announcements and program ads to promote Caesars Sportsbook. In celebration of the 106th running of the Indy 500, Caesars Sportsbook will offer new customers an exciting promotion: download the Caesars Sportsbook app and make a first-time deposit of $20 to receive $106 in free bets along with entry into the Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza.

Eligible sports fans can download the Caesars Sportsbook app on iOS or Android and earn Tier Credits and Reward Credits with every bet they place redeemable for exclusive benefits and member rates at all Caesars destinations along with once-in-a-lifetime experiences through the Caesars portfolio of resorts and partnerships.

For real-time industry updates and to follow the Caesars empire, players can engage with the Caesars Sportsbook social handle @CaesarsSports on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Caesars Entertainment, Inc.

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) is the largest casino-entertainment Company in the U.S. and one of the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since its beginning in Reno, NV, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s®, Horseshoe®, and Eldorado® brand names. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. offers diversified gaming, entertainment and hospitality amenities, one-of-a-kind destinations, and a full suite of mobile and online gaming and sports betting experiences. All tied to its industry-leading Caesars Rewards loyalty program, the Company focuses on building value with its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to its employees, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. For more information, please visit. www.caesars.com/corporate. Please play responsibly. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-9WITHIT (1-800-994-8448).

RCR Event Preview – Kansas Speedway

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Richard Childress Racing at Kansas Speedway … In 92 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win with Kevin Harvick in 2013. The victory was Harvick’s first at Kansas and it came in dominating fashion with Harvick winning the pole and leading the most laps in the race. In 2021, Austin Dillon claimed a pair of 10th-place finishes at Kansas while Tyler Reddick scored a seventh-place finish in the spring event at the 1.5-mile speedway. Richard Childress Racing has five top fives and 26 top-10 finishes entering this weekend’s race at Kansas.

Introducing the Next Gen … NASCAR’s Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which officially debuted in 2022, is a collaboration of the brightest engineering minds in racing. With technology at the forefront, Richard Childress Racing has played a unique and critical role in helping to bring this new on-track identity to life, working closely with OEMs, other teams and NASCAR to build and test the initial prototype.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Kansas … The AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, May 15 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kansas Speedway … Dillon made his career-first start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway in 2011 and has made a total of 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts the 1.5-mile track, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October 2016. He earned a pair of 10th-place finishes at the track in 2021. He has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning one pole award (2013) and a best finish of second (2012). In three NASCAR Truck Series races, Dillon has earned one pole award (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2014).

Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What is it about Kansas Speedway that you’re focusing on to get to Victory Lane this weekend?

“I think it’s running the top. Everybody is going to be up there running right against the fence and ripping the wall this weekend. From what I heard at the test, the rubber really laid down up there and there was a big difference in speed from the top to the bottom. I feel like I’ve just been focused on making my car in the simulator handle up by the wall. I think the next thing that’s on my mind is where to make a pass; where to attempt to make a pass. When you pull out of line, you have to get yourself clear and then back in line. It will be important to do a good job of making your car have the ability to run against the wall, but also when you need to make a move to slide someone, that it can happen.”


This Week’s BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kansas Speedway … Tyler Reddick will make his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. His first start in the series came in 2019 when he started 21st and finished ninth. In total, Reddick has two top 10s and an average start of 16.4 and average finish of 15.2 He’s completed 99.8 percent of laps attempted. During his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Reddick made three starts at Kansas and finished in the top five in all three of them. He had a best finish of runner-up in 2019. In those three starts, he had an average start of 3.7 and an average finish of 3.0. Reddick also made two NASCAR Truck Series starts (2015 and 2016) and finished 13th in both races.

Roll the Dice with BetMGM … When a legendary global entertainment company joins forces with the world’s largest online betting technology company, the gaming world sits up and takes notice. BetMGM is a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Holdings that is revolutionizing sports betting and online gaming in the United States. BetMGM is the exclusive sports betting division of MGM, both online and in MGM casinos nationwide. BetMGM is also the headline brand for online casino gaming alongside sister brands Borgata Online (New Jersey), Party Casino and Party Poker. We aspire to make unforgettable moments of sports and gaming even more personal, powerful, and fun through unmatched digital technology and evocative player experiences. For more information, visit betmgminc.com.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:

Do you think this weekend’s race at Kansas will be like the race we saw earlier this season at Atlanta?

“I think this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway is going to be a lot like the races we’ve seen at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be a very unforgiving one. There will be a lot of running the wall with little to no room for error. The margin of error is so small and if you make one mistake, you could take yourself and others out of the race. It’s going to be a lot of strategy and deciding when the right time is to take a risk. Certainly, with my driving style, running the wall is going to be a huge part of my race but it’s also important to listen to my crew chief and spotter and weight the risk versus reward. You don’t want to get out there in the first stage and dive into the wall and end up finishing 38th.”

We’re a handful of races into the season. How can you best describe the Next Gen car at this time?

“The Next Gen car is super fun to drive but is also extremely challenging. We’ve seen how much it’s leveled the field for all the drivers. The tracks are so different with the new car, and you’re pretty much using all the practice and qualifying time to take notes and let your team know how the car is running. The practice sessions aren’t very long so you want to use all that time to feel the car and the track out. Our team has gotten out on the track and the car has been completely wrong and then you have to go back to the drawing board and decide what you can and cannot fix. The racing is so competitive and there’s still so much to learn, it makes every weekend even more crucial and also exciting. I think every race is giving the fans a great show.”

Five Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Motorcycle Gear

By
SM Staff
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Photo by Nikolai Ulltang: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-riding-red-sports-bike-529782/

When someone buys a motorcycle for the first time, there is a good chance that the person does not have much experience riding a motorcycle. In fact, they probably have never ridden one before and a few mistakes can turn into bigger problems if they do not learn from their mistakes. Here are five mistakes that you need to avoid when choosing your gear or dual-sport motorcycle.

It’s frustrating to see a bike traded in that’s in need of major repairs. But sometimes it is not a matter of money, but rather a matter of finding a buyer who can make the best use of the bike. This is where the value of the information on this site comes into play.  We have seen many of these bikes trade hands, and in most cases, they were sold at a loss.

Decide on what type of riding you want to do, before buying your dirt bike gear. Different types of terrain will require a different set of gear.

Check the helmet details

It’s true that helmets can be a pain to carry around. But, if you’re on the road for a long time, the last thing you want to do is spend time getting your helmet fixed. Plus, it’s not as if you can buy new ones all the time, so investing in one that will last is worth it.

A lot of people are afraid to wear a helmet because they feel it’s too bulky, but in reality, a visor isn’t all that heavy and a good quality visor will keep you safe. If you don’t believe me, then try wearing one yourself and see what it’s like.

The motorcycle helmet I use is one that is specifically designed to protect me in the event that I fall off my bike. This includes an airbag that deploys in the event of a crash and a chin strap that can be easily released in the event that I need to remove myself from the bike. It’s important to have a helmet that is well-designed and can keep you safe in the event of an accident.

If you’re ever involved in an accident, you’ll want to make sure that you’re wearing a helmet. Even if you’re not involved in a collision, a motorcycle helmet can protect you from injury from flying debris, especially in urban areas.

Keep your riding style in mind

When it comes to motorcycle gear, one thing I learned is that people often buy what they think they should buy, rather than what they really want to wear. It’s always better to get something that fits well and looks good, rather than something that doesn’t fit well and looks terrible.

A helmet is not just about protecting your head, it’s also about looking good. If you’re going to be out riding on the track, it’s important to consider what you’re going to be wearing underneath it. In addition to looking good, a helmet should fit well and be comfortable.

Not Purchasing Boots

It’s easy to purchase all the right equipment and feel confident about your ability to ride in the dirt, but there is a difference between having the right gear and being able to use it. When you purchase the right gear, you can get away with not wearing it, but if you’re not wearing the proper gear, you could get injured.

It’s easy to see why motocross riders wear helmets, as they are required by law. However, it’s also important to consider other protective gear such as boots, gloves, pants, and shirts. Riders who do not wear boots can easily break their feet and ankles, especially when they hit a pothole or loose gravel.

In my opinion, knee braces are the best way to protect your knee while riding. If you ride frequently, you should consider purchasing knee braces. They are a little more expensive than a regular pair of biking shorts, but they will help you avoid injury.

Not Selecting the Right Gear for Your Discipline

The most important thing to remember when it comes to gear is to make sure you choose the right gear. Don’t just buy what looks cool or what you think is going to be comfortable. Think about what you need to do, what the weather will be like, and what your comfort level is with your gear. A lot of people get into the habit of buying whatever they like and then complain about how uncomfortable they feel.

When you’re at the race track, it’s not always about weight and ventilation. Sometimes you want a light, easy-to-manage gear set that won’t break down. This is where Enduro gear comes in. These gear sets are designed to be durable, reliable, and light. They also come in a variety of sizes so you can choose the right fit for your riding style.

The best motocross-specific gear will be the most comfortable set of bike gear you can purchase. It will be lightweight, breathable, and have advanced moisture-wicking materials.

Buying Uncomfortable Gear

If you are a new rider, your first purchase should be a helmet. While you may think that a full-face helmet is the best option, this is not the case. A good rule of thumb for beginners is to start with a half-face helmet. You should also invest in some gloves and boots, but make sure that these items are comfortable.

Final Verdict 

We are here to help you avoid these common mistakes and teach you about the proper way to look for, purchase, and wear your motorcycle gear. 

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to make their own stock picks. This is a bad idea because you will not be able to pick the best stocks. You might think you know what you’re doing, but you don’t know the market like a professional does. So, you’ll end up with a portfolio that is not diversified and may even be too concentrated.

Frost Avoids Trouble, Claims First Indy Lights Victory at IMS

By
Official Release
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AA9I1071.JPG

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 13, 2022) – Swerving left and right down the front stretch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, screaming into his radio, Danial Frost’s perseverance was about to pay off with the checkered flag displayed.

After finishing second three times in 2021, the Singapore native claimed his first career Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory at the IMS road course Friday evening in Race One of the Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He led 27 of the 35 laps in the in the No. 68 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing car.

“I can’t even speak at the moment for the result I just got,” Frost said while trying to catch his breath in Victory Lane. “I’ve been working so hard to get to it. Finally getting that number one victory, it means a lot to me. I thank my team, I thank my sponsors, I thank everyone for this amazing result today.”

Hunter McElrea finished second, 1.5449 seconds behind Frost, in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport entry. His teammate, Sting Ray Robb, placed third in the No. 2 Andretti Autosport car.

Frost’s path to victory came with the challenge of managing the eventful first seven laps.

The first lap ran under caution due to polesitter Linus Lundqvist and outside polesitter McElrea bringing the field to the green too slow. Then, on their second attempt, Lundqvist launched ahead of the 14-car field, while others behind him darted two- and three-wide before diving into Turn 1. Those included Christian Rasmussen, who darted to the outside of McElrea and made the pass for second. Then, he set his sights on Lundqvist.

His quest for the lead only took a lap and a half as he was able to hunt down Lundqvist and make the pass for the lead in Turn 7. The next two laps saw the top-four cars – Rasmussen, Lundqvist, McElrea and Frost – staying within a car length of each other.

Then, on Lap 5, Lundqvist tried to slide back underneath Rasmussen for the lead into Turn 1 but the two made contact at the apex, causing Rasmussen to spin and damage both cars. The incident brought out the only full-course caution of the race and handed McElrea and Frost the top two spots for the restart.

“It was pretty hectic at the start,” Frost said. “I saw the front two guys battling hard, and I think it was inevitable that was going to happen.”

When the race restarted on Lap 8, McElrea pulled ahead with the lead, but Frost kept him within reach. The next time around, Frost built enough of a run to maneuver around McElrea for the lead into Turn 1.

Benjamin Pedersen’s potential podium hopes vanished on Lap 12 when Matthew Brabham locked his brakes on his trajectory into Turn 1 and ran into the side of Pedersen, causing him to spin in the grass. That allowed Robb to move into third, where he would end up finishing for the second straight race.

While the top three cruised to the podium, Rasmussen and Lundqvist put on a show to charge their way through the field to end the race in fourth and fifth, respectively. Lundqvist will again have the best seat in the house to try and win again at Indianapolis when he starts from the pole of Saturday’s Indy Lights race.

Frost will start sixth in Race 2, but until then he’s soaking in his first victory.

“It’s Indy; it’s the home of racing,” Frost said. “It’s very special to get this win here. I always dreamed of winning here. I’ve been close before but never P1. It’s always a great feeling.”

The Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Saturday afternoon for Race 2 of the doubleheader weekend. The race will be televised live at 1:15 p.m. (ET) on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES: GMR GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS – QUALIFYING RECAP WITH QUOTES AND TRANSCRIPTS

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GMR GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS
ROAD COURSE AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP
MAY 1, 2022

WILL POWER PUTS CHEVY ON POLE FOR GMR GP AT INDY ROAD COURSE
NTT P1 AWARD IS 64TH OF POWER’S CAREER

INDIANAPOLIS – Team Chevy completed the first step of the month of May with five drivers earning spots in the Firestone Fast Six and Team Penske driver Will Power capturing his 64th NTT P1 Award. The driver of the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet will lead the field to green for Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix on the Indy Road Course.

Today’s pole is the first for Power this season and his sixth on the Road Course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On Saturday, Power will go for his sixth victory on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course layout as Chevrolet looks to collect its 100th win with the 2.2 little twin turbocharged direct injected V6 purpose-built engine used exclusively in the NTT INDYCAR Series.

The remaining four Team Chevy drivers in the Firestone Fast Six will start as follows:

Josef Newgarden, No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet 3rd

Conor Daly, No. 20 BitNile Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet 4th

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

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 VUSE Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet 6th

Alex Palou will start second alongside Power.

Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 14 from the Indianapolis Road Course. The race will air live on NBC, the Peacock streaming service and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160). Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

TEAM CHEVY QUOTES

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE – POLE WINNER: “That is the fun of this series. It’s so tight. When you get a pole these days, you know you’ve done a really good job. The team has done a great job. I’m super stoked. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a pole on a road course. Yeah man, I worked hard for that one!”

YOU’RE THREE SHORT OF MARIO ANDRETTI’S RECORD OF CAREER POLES: “I feel so privileged to get so close to him. I never thought I’d get there. Yes, three away… he’s an absolute legend of the sport. It would be such an honor to match or surpass him. To be up there with names like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt is something I wouldn’t have imagined when I started my career.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 PPG CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE – QUALIFIED THIRD: “It was a good day here at the GP of Indy and qualifying day at IMS. We qualified P3 and our teammate Will Power is on the pole, which is fantastic. I feel a little bad because I felt like our car was capable of winning the pole. We missed it by literally half-a-tenth so I’ll put that on me. I didn’t get everything out of the car. It was really capable and everyone did a great job. The strategy was right. Now we can focus on tomorrow. We’ve got two cars in the top-three. We’ll see if we can race from there with PPG and Team Chevy.”

CONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING – QUALIFIED FOURTH: “In the previous run, we had just given up a little bit out of Turn 13 and we finally nailed it. We were up on our best lap. The tires are going off pretty quick here so you have to nail it on that first lap. We tried to get a little too much from it. You’re fighting for a tenth-of-a-second around here. Being two-tenths off Will Power for a pole position at Indianapolis, he’s one of the best to do it here. It feels great. This team has done a lot of work and I don’t think they’ve gotten the credit they deserve so far this year. We’ve not had a great start to the season but there’s a lot that hasn’t been their fault or our fault at all as a group. This is where we want to be moving forward and it’s a great way to start May, for sure.”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 McLAREN VUSE CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP – QUALIFIED FIFTH: “We had a very good day today. We didn’t quite get it done in the Firestone Fast Six. We were as quick as anybody on fresh reds but we missed it a little bit on used reds. I think we could have been a bit faster but in the end, we didn’t have enough for pole. I’m happy that we are starting toward the front, that’s important in IndyCar. I’m also happy to have Felix up there with me. We are going to look to have a good race tomorrow.”

FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 McLAREN VUSE CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP – QUALIFIED SIXTH: “It’s a good qualifying streak for the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. It’s always frustrating when your last lap isn’t good, I screwed it up in the last corner. It felt like we were really good on the new tires but we took a lot of life out of them. I think we had a little bit more today but it was another solid qualifying, which is what we need. It will be fun.”

CALLUM ILOTT, NO. 77 DYNAMIC EDGE CHEVROLET, JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING – STARTING SEVENTH: “I knew it was going to be close, so it’s a bit of a shame but overall that was a much more rewarding run. I tried everything. We made a mega effort. I just drive at the end of the day, and that’s what I’m paid to do. Where we’ve come from, it’s more about putting it together and building the team together. It’s the small differences in getting it right. We’ve got a good road-course guys. These guys put together a mega effort to make it happen but there’s still a lot more to come. I think we’ve only just started the development. Hopefully we can do a bit more later on.”

FIRST TEST WITH THE TEAM AT INDY LAST YEAR AND RUNNING A SPORTS CAR RACE IN THE FALL: “You can get an idea about how to race around here in a GT car, although it’s massively different. That was a long race and this one will be more of a sprint. We’ve got a lot to learn. The race pace is something we need to improve quite a bit. The first stint at Barber was really good, so we’ll see here.”

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 SNAP-ON CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE – QUALIFIED 11TH: “The Snap-On Chevy felt awesome. I just made one mistake on that first lap on red tires. That’s key and that’s everything. We did two laps there and the second lap wasn’t fast enough. It’s so tight that you can’t afford to let go of that. It’s unfortunate for Snap-On and Team Chevy but I think we have a fast car. It might rain tomorrow so we’ll see. You’re always trying to get every inch but you get punished more if you miss it. That’s the beauty of IndyCar racing. It’s so competitive I’m upset but I also know we have a fast car. It’s just a matter of putting it together. Unfortunately this time we didn’t but we’ll keep pressing on and be proud of where we’re at.”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BUILDING TOMORROW CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING – QUALIFIEID 15TH: “I honestly don’t know. We were fastest on the blacks by a mile in qualifying here, right now. We went to reds and I was honestly pretty happy with the car and pretty happy with my lap. I’m very confused about being eighth right now. We’ll have to look into it. I don’t know what we did wrong. There are a few little tweaks that could have been better. I have no words for it. We should have at least passed through. There are some things we have to improve for tomorrow. I don’t know what went wrong here.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 6 ARROW McLAREN SP CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP – QUALIFIED 23RD: “It’s hard because we didn’t do any testing. I’ve been out of this car for a year. I’ve been racing different things but everything I’ve driving the last five years has had traction control. So you get the snaps but you know the traction control is going to catch you. Here you get the snap and nothing is going to catch it. I’m a little behind the car there, but we are making steps. The car drives a lot better than last year. Everyone with the Lucas Oil car has done a great job. I screwed up my lap on reds. I could have done a better job but it’s hard. I got one lap in practice and one lap in qualifying, and that’s all the red running before the race. We’ll have 85 laps tomorrow and we’re probably going to do 70 laps on reds.”

KYLE KIRKWOOD, NO. 14 ROKIT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – QUALIFIED 22ND: “Not our best qualifying. We were just outside the top-20 and starting alongside Scott Dixon. The car actually felt really good. I thought we had the time in it. We were a lot better on blacks than we were on reds, and I’m not sure why that is. We’re going to go to the drawing board to figure that out. There is some weather on the way for tomorrow and we’re hoping that will shake things up. We have a great group of guys here and we’ll work to get this car back toward the pointy end of the field.”

TATIANA CALDERON, NO. 11 ROKIT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – QUALIFIED 25TH: “It was a busy day today. We had a little issue in Free Practice One so I missed a little bit of running, but we managed to make some good steps in Free Practice Two. In qualifying, I think we are closer to the pace. Hopefully we have some good weather tomorrow and we can fight for some positions. I’m starting just behind Juan Pablo Montoya, so that’s going to be quite a good race.”

DALTON KELLETT, NO. 4 K-LINE INSULATORS CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – QUALIFIED 26TH: “A bit of a tough qualifying session for the team overall. We’re not starting where we want to but we’ve made some improvements in the cars. This has historically been somewhere where we have struggled. There are some things we can learn tomorrow and figure out. We have a warmup tomorrow to work on the car and go from there. That’s the gameplan. Last year was a bit of a red (tire) race with three stops so we’ll be working on some mileage to see what we have for race pace.”

POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPTS:

WILL POWER

CONOR DALY

THE MODERATOR: Joined by the pole setter for tomorrow’s GMR Grand Prix. 64 career poles and counting. Sixth on the IMS Road Course where he has won a total of four races from pole position here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. By the way, it’s the fifth different pole winner in 2022 for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver of the No. 12. Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Congratulations, Will. 64 and counting. How does this one feel?

WILL POWER: Pretty good. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a pole on a road course. Super stoked to get that one. As usual, it was crazy close with everyone.

If you look at practice, it was six-tenths. I think it was 23 cars, so couldn’t leave anything on the table. Any time you get a pole on this series these days, you’ve done a really good job. I think the team and everyone has put it together because any time you are leaving anything on the table, one-tenth moves you a lot of spots.

Q. Literally saving the best for last. Did you know on that final lap that maybe I’ve got what it takes to win pole here?

WILL POWER: No, I didn’t. I did my absolute best and put it all together and didn’t know where it would stack up. I just knew it was not that far off my quickest time on new tires. I thought it was a pretty good time to have done on used tires. So, yeah, it was a good lap.

Q. Will, a couple of times on the podcast I’ve asked you about a pole record, and you said that you honestly didn’t know whether you had three poles left in you to catch them. Do you really believe that, especially after a day like today where you were able to come back? I mean, that was vintage Will Power out there today.

WILL POWER: Yeah, it was. I mean, no, I don’t disbelieve it. It has become incredibly hard to get poles. It’s just a different guy each week who gets it all together, so it is hard.

It’s hard to get more than two a year. Two or three you would be doing a good job. Yep, we’ll keep chipping away. Don’t really think about it all that much. I just try to do the best I can, and I know it’s there. I know there’s that record there, but honestly, I feel pretty blessed to have got so close. I never expected to get that close, but, yeah. To be amongst Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt in pole records is something I never expected.

Q. Will, I think I’ve asked you this 100 times, but I’m going to ask it 101. What is it you summoned when it comes to running the fastest lap on a weekend? What comes over you? Can you explain to people why it’s so important to be the fastest guy on the track even though everybody else is trying to do the same thing? What do you think is special that comes over you?

WILL POWER: I’m going to say to put a really good lap together in this series there is just so much that goes into it before you even get in the car or just throughout practice and everything before you even get to qualifying, and then it’s up to you to really dig deep and put it together.

But, yeah, I mean, I originally early in my days I used to say anyone can learn to do this, but after 20 years of high-level driving or more, I don’t believe that anymore. I think you have to have some sort of fire in the belly, which you see so many drivers have that in this series now. You see it in Formula 1 and in every series. Just some guys have that whatever it is in them and some don’t.

The people that don’t may be exceptional in another area, but, yeah, it’s everything about looking at data and the video and putting all that in your mind, but then when it comes down to the nitty gritty, you’ve got to put it together, and it takes a lot of everything to do that.

Q. When did you know or notice that you had that in your career? When did you notice that you could be special in that regard especially?

WILL POWER: It’s never a point. You are digging and clawing whole career trying to stay in the right. I would say when I was in Champ Car or World Series by Renault, I was very good at putting laps together. It wasn’t really any particular time that I thought —

I’m not really any faster than I was when I was 17 years ago, honestly. I’m not. I’m the same pace. You have just added so much more to your tool box of putting things together and weekends together and knowledge of the car and setting it up. The ultimate speed in you, you see it in kids as early as go-carts. You just can pick them.

Q. I wanted to ask, on that final run we saw you a bit more than one-tenth up, and then there was a little kind of twitch, and it dropped to half one-tenth up. Did you think that it all disappeared at that point?

WILL POWER: Where was the twitch? In 7?

Q. Yeah.

WILL POWER: I actually backed 7 up more to be better through 8, 9, 10, which I hadn’t been in the previous rounds. I slowed the minimum of 7 down. I probably got more of an exit, which might have been a twitch, but it was a pretty neat lap. It was pretty neat.

I can’t really fault anything on that lap. If anything, I felt like I under-drove 4 where I had struggled as well. Yeah, not really — I can’t go back to that lap and fault it anywhere.

Q. Then I wanted to ask, obviously, we saw on second lap on the reds, like in fall-off by anything up to three-tenths or whatever.

WILL POWER: Yeah.

Q. If it stays dry tomorrow and it stays hot tomorrow, is tire life going to be a major factor, or is it going to be more down to fuel?

WILL POWER: Tire life. Definitely going to be a typical race here where if you can hold to the tires a bit better, you’re going to race well.

Q. Top four all four of your races this year. Now a pole. Do you feel like you’re driving as good now as you ever have?

WILL POWER: Yeah, I’m right there. Right there. It’s so competitive these days. You can’t leave anything to chance. You can’t just rock up.

Like I said, before you ever even get to the race track let alone qualifying for the race, there’s just so much that has gone into it with simulated time, video, data, and analysis. It’s endless.

Yeah, I’m there with a lot more experience. I’m still as quick as I was. I just have so much more available if my toolbox.

Q. 64. You’re now three shy of Mario. Do you savor these now as you get them since they’re harder to come by?

WILL POWER: I do, yes. Yes, I really, really enjoy them. I know that you don’t even know if you’ll get another one, so you’ve got to be — any win or anything I get in this series now I feel very bless and happy to have got it because it’s tough. Obviously, I’m not 20 anymore either. Yep, got to keep digging.

Q. You’ve got a few rough starts to the year the past couple of years, but this year you are consistently good. Is there anything that’s different that you can pinpoint this year?

WILL POWER: Not really. I mean, man, when I look back at the previous two years, it’s just so many weird things that happened. Whether it’s a spark plug gone bad or at the 500 we had a brake issue or the car doesn’t start at Detroit. These sort of things really hampered me the last couple of years and even before that in 2021 was the same. ’20 was the same.

I just felt like if we could just put a season together of kind of not being the best, just mistake-free. Don’t have to be the quickest on pit lane. Don’t necessarily have to be the quickest on track. I feel like we could be riding the championship home.

Q. Not necessarily anything you or the team is doing differently. Just kind of working out that way?

WILL POWER: No. I’m for sure more of a mature driver. There’s no question. That’s just slowly happened over 17 years of INDYCAR, so I make less mistakes and know when to go, when not to go more than I used to. There will be a little bit of that playing into it as well.

Q. For tomorrow would you welcome the rain if it comes?

WILL POWER: It will be what it will be. I don’t mind driving in the wet. I think that the tires have been a bit iffy lately. Sometimes you get a really good set. Sometimes you don’t.

A dry race for us would be good. To start at the front, that’s what you want. A very straight forward race. Unfortunately for fans, you want a boring race. No yellows or anything. Just straight forward.

Q. Will, last year Team Penske had their issues at the 500. They spent a lot of time trying to figure out what went wrong and things like that. Put a lot more focus on it to fix it. Is it difficult to remember, hey, we still have this race to go on? We can’t focus on the big oval just yet. We still have 90 laps to run on Saturday before we look at going down this main straightaway southbound.

WILL POWER: Yeah, exactly. You don’t even give the oval a thought right now. Saturday night, that’s when you start the whole switch-over, but yeah, it’s not even a thought. We know we’ve done our homework for the oval. If we’re not quick this time, I don’t know what it would take.

Q. Is there anything you can particularly pinpoint to your success here at the road course in Indy?

WILL POWER: No. It’s a track I really enjoy. There’s nothing particular. I’ve struggled here before as well. Obviously, I’ve had a lot of good days, but definitely clicks with me. It’s quite a technical track. Very European style, which I enjoy. Yeah, nothing more.

Q. Obviously, INDYCAR have introduced these new LED light panels for the flags and stuff. What’s your thought on that?

WILL POWER: My thought? Yeah, actually, I experienced them once already. Very bright and good, yeah. Definitely a good system to adopt and hopefully that brings some more control of the yellow situations where eventually maybe they can leave the pits open or do some blue flag stuff.

Q. As you continue to rewrite the record books, I just wonder what it means inside a team such as Team Penske and what it means to Roger and Tim to have a driver of your caliber helping contribute to the history of Team Penske?

WILL POWER: Honestly, I feel so lucky to have had a career and a team like that. You are given a car week in and week out that’s capable of pole positions and race wins, so you can’t — man, I have so much appreciation for that at this late stage in my career having been in the series for so long.

I think struggling at Indy last year gives you an understanding of what some people go through all the time, and just fortunate to have a team that can have a struggle like that and go away and come back and I feel like rectified immediately just because they’re so resourceful. Just have quality people. Yep, very fortunate. Very fortunate.

Q. It’s hotter today than usual in Indy. How much of a bearing has that had on setup and keeping the tires alive?

WILL POWER: Yeah, it definitely changed the setup from this morning when it was cooler. Definitely was a lot more difficult than the two sessions. The second practice and qualifying. It changed the car quite a bit, so you had to chase that.

Q. And how important will the out lap be tomorrow, of course, not to take too much of the tire life too early?

WILL POWER: It’s going to be a tight race if it’s as hot as this tomorrow and doesn’t rain. Yeah, that always plays a bit of a part around here. I think the tires always drop off, and I think tire selection plays a big part as well. Yeah, it’s kind of tough starting up front because tire selection. You are kind of in a tough position. Especially the pole sitter.

Q. You said several things that make you sound like you’re old. You keep talking about being experienced. Also, frankly, I expected more jovial Will Power in here today.

WILL POWER: I was on the radio.

Q. Was this pole a relief or fun?

WILL POWER: It was fun. No, I was very emotional on the radio or very ecstatic. Yeah, you have to remember you have a race tomorrow. You don’t want to use up any of that. You don’t want to use too much of your mojo up just celebrating a pole position, but any time I get one these days, I’m so happy. So, so happy.

Q. Is that part of it that you have had all these poles, and you want to focus on races?

WILL POWER: I actually have focused more on races, especially this year, going into this year. Maybe the last two years. Just really perfecting how to approach a race and tire deck and all the little things that add up.

Q. It sounds like it’s more of a mental thing of not getting too excited on Saturday or Friday.

WILL POWER: I was always a bit that way. You just know how the races go. I am extremely happy. I am. It’s so difficult to get a pole these days in this series, so I am over the moon.

Even if the race doesn’t go well, I’ll come away from this weekend knowing that I added to that pole list and ticked another box for the season, you could say.

THE MODERATOR: Driver of the Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, Conor Daly, joins us after his best qualifying effort of the season starting fourth. I know you are just trying to catch your breath, Conor. How happy are you with starting fourth tomorrow, top-row finish?

CONOR DALY: It’s much nicer fighting with these guys than not. You know what I mean? As Will Power says all the time, some of the most talented drivers in the world. I truly right now.

When you have a good qualifying, especially at — this is an incredible track. I truly believe that. It’s so close. It’s insane how the gaps are so small. It’s nice to be able to just put three solid runs together.

Would have been nice to maybe be on the front row, but I just had one moment on the lap, and that’s all it takes. It’s still a great day for us.

Q. As the fastest driver most of today, were you surprised or shocked that Will was able to get it at the very end the way he did?

CONOR DALY: A lot.

Q. 64 careers.

CONOR DALY: The math is correct on that.

Q. Alex, surrounded by a lot of bow ties up front. Do you feel there’s a big difference between Honda and Chevy right now? You’re the only one in the top seven.

CONOR DALY: You’re the only one, bro.

Q. For both of you, as close as this field is and time charts and in practice, do you feel a lot of strategy is going to come into play if it stays dry?

CONOR DALY: I think it always does, right? And everyone is so close here and so competitive, so we hope to be the smartest people out there, right?

When you are this close to the front, all you need is just one lap, but whether it’s an in-lap or out-lap to kind of change your race. I hope it stays dry now that we’re starting up front. But if it’s wet, we do have less spray starting up front, so that’s nice.

CONOR DALY: Who knows?

Q. Conor, I think you qualified sixth for this race last year, eighth for the August race. What is it about the IMS Road Course that you seem to grasp so well for qualifying?

CONOR DALY: It’s a great question. The Ed Carpenter Team has a great handle on this circuit for sure. We have done a lot of work on the simulator here as well, but I’ve obviously — there’s no question I’ve struggled with this generation of car.

There’s certain places where every driver has there better tracks and their worse tracks. Apparently here I remember how to drive. I don’t know. It’s one of those things that this car here just it feels fast. You can drive it fast, and it does what I want.

So I feel like it’s been a difficult window to find at other circuits, but for whatever reason here, it suits my style more than a few other places for sure.

CONOR DALY: It is the jacuzzi, yes. That too.

CONOR DALY: Oh, man, yeah. I feel good. (Laughing).

Q. Last year your race almost ended before it really got started with the collision at turn one. Any special good luck charm or thing you’re going to try to do to keep everything away from you this year?

CONOR DALY: Who knows, man? Me and luck at this place and getting — I don’t know. It’s interesting. We’re just going to go charge down to that first corner and avoid all the other people with four tires on their car, and hopefully the people avoid me too. I don’t know. We’ll see.

You can’t hope for anything. You’ve just got to do your best to pass the guys in front of you, and I’m going to just hope that he gets a nice jump, and we can follow each other down in turn one nicely.

Q. When watch qualifying, and everybody is sliding all over the place in different spots, but then you wind up so close. That doesn’t seem like it makes any sense. You would think if everybody is slipping and sliding, you would have a big gap. How does that happen?

CONOR DALY: I think everyone is, honestly — it’s such a high level I think here that even though everyone is driving on the edge, I think everyone has realized that here you have to be on that limit to be fast.

In no way today have I ever been happy or comfortable, but that’s how you have to go fast here. You know what I mean? It’s interesting.

About Chevrolet

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

Power Takes NTT P1 Award for GMR Grand Prix in Last Seconds

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 13, 2022) – Will Power won the NTT P1 Award for the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, earning his 64th career INDYCAR SERIES pole on his final qualifying lap Friday afternoon.

Power’s best lap was 1 minute, 9.7664 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. Australian Power is just three poles shy of tying the all-time INDYCAR SERIES pole record of 67 set by Mario Andretti.

“This series, it’s so tight,” Power said. “So, to get a pole these days, you know you’ve done a really good job. And the team has done a great job. I’m super-stoked. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a pole on a road course. I worked hard on that one.

“I feel so privileged to be so close to him (Andretti). To be up there with names like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt is something I wouldn’t have imagined when I started my career.”

This was Power’s first road or street course pole since the 2020 season finale at St. Petersburg, Florida, and he became the fifth different pole winner in five NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season.

Live coverage of the 85-lap GMR Grand Prix starts at 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Reigning series champion and current points leader Alex Palou will share the front row with Power after his best lap of 1:09.8090 in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda.

Power’s teammate, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, will start third after a lap of 1:09.8343 in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Conor Daly earned his best starting spot of the season by qualifying fourth at 1:09.9063 in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet.

Pato O’Ward, who led the afternoon practice, will start fifth after a best lap of 1:10.0546 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, with his teammate Felix Rosenqvist rounding out the Firestone Fast Six at 1:10.0605 in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Callum Ilott continued his impressive season with the one-car Juncos Hollinger Racing, qualifying seventh in the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet as the top rookie in the field.

The list of drivers who failed to advance from the first round of qualifying could form a wing of an INDYCAR SERIES Hall of Fame as some teams and drivers were flummoxed by air temperatures in the high 80s and track temperatures tickling 130 degrees.

Indianapolis 500 winners Takuma Sato (13th), Alexander Rossi (16th), Helio Castroneves (19th), Simon Pagenaud (20th), Scott Dixon (21st) and Juan Pablo Montoya (23rd) all didn’t make the second round. NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners Colton Herta (14th), Rinus VeeKay (15th) and Marcus Ericsson (18th) also didn’t advance from Round One.

Weekend schedule for Kansas 

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by Simon Scoggins for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series head to Kansas Speedway this weekend while the Xfinity Series enjoys a week off from competition.

Saturday afternoon the ARCA Menards Series will kick things off with the Dutch Boy 150 at 2 p.m. followed by the Truck Series Heart of America 200 at 8 p.m. The Cup Series will close out the racing activities Sunday at 3 p.m. with the AdventHealth 400.

Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano lead all active Cup Series drivers with three wins each at Kansas.

Crafton is the only active driver in the Truck Series this weekend that has been to victory lane at Kansas. And if the past is any indication, it’s almost anyone’s race to win. In 23 races, there have been 19 different race winners.

You can tune in to Press Pass for additional live coverage including post-race and driver interviews throughout the weekend.

Saturday, May 14

10:45 ARCA Practice/Qualifying – ARCA Race Center
Noon: Truck Series Practice – FS1
12:30 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1
2 p.m.: ARCA Dutch Boy 150 – FS1/MRN
5 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
5:35 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying– FS2/MRN/SiriusXM

8 p.m.: Truck Series Heart of America 200
Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 30, Stage 2 ends on Lap 60, Final Stage ends on Lap 134
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $716,932

Sunday, May 15

3 p.m.: Cup Series AdventHealth 400
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 80, Stage 2 ends on Lap 165, Final Stage ends on Lap 267
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $7,117,591

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