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O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / US RaceTronics Heads to Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course for Round 2 of IMSA Prototype Challenge Second in Points

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Photo courtesy of Jeanine Wells

Monrovia, California (Thursday, May 12, 2022) – After a strong debut to the 2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge season at the ROAR Before the 24 in Daytona back in January, the No. 77 Thienes Engineering O’Gara Motorsport / Change Racing / USRT Ligier LMP3 will be back in action this weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course.

American driver Brian Thienes will be making his fifth IPC start having joined the series mid-season in 2021. Thienes has raced both open-wheel and sportscars with success in both disciplines. With a fifth-place finish in just his second start in the Ligier LMP3 and his second-place finish at the Roar Before the 24, Thienes is confident that the new car is the perfect vehicle for continued racing success.

“I am looking forward to round 2 of the IMSA Prototype Challenge,” Thienes said. “US RaceTronics did a good job with the test at mid-Ohio. Patrick and I are well prepared for this race. We look forward to good results this weekend.”

Patrick Kujala (FIN), who celebrates his 26th birthday on race day, has had major successes throughout his 17-year racing career, winning at every level he’s competed in. His first championship, at the age of 9 in the Andalucian Karting Championship series, was just the start. Kujala won the 2012 Juniors championship in Formula Renault, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World and European Championships in 2015, and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo European Pro-Am Championship in 2016 before moving into GT3 cars where he scored multiple wins including the 24 Hours at SPA in 2018. Kujala made his IMSA Prototype Challenge debut with an impressive second-place finish at the ROAR Before the 24 in Daytona in January and is looking forward to getting back into the car this weekend.

“After a good start at Daytona we want to carry that momentum coming to Mid-Ohio,” Kujala said. “The test wasn’t optimal because of the bad weather but on the positive side as a driver we got to drive in all different conditions which is always good.”

Race engineer Peter Jacobs has worked with Thienes and Kujala for many years in both Lamborghini Super Trofeo and now the IMSA Prototype Challenge Series is also looking forward to this weekend’s event at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course. Jacobs expects the duo to be competitive after a good performance at a test earlier this month at the iconic track.

“Over the past two years, Brian Thienes has made huge strides in his driving under the guidance of US RaceTronics,” Jacobs said. “The Ligier 320 is an outstanding race car that suits Brian well; it gives him a great deal of confidence. Patrick Kujala, was an excellent choice as our second driver. Patrick is a very articulate, mature driver with an outstanding understanding of what the car is doing, and what it needs. This makes setting up the car much easier. Our Mid-Ohio test was for the most part under wet conditions, so we weren’t able to explore different options with regards to set up. I still believe, Brian and Patrick will be very competitive on race day.”

If you’re in the Mid-Ohio area make sure to come out and catch all the excitement live. The team will qualify on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 2:40 p.m. and race Sunday morning May 15, 2022 at 9:25 a.m. local time.

About US RaceTronics

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

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

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

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

About O’Gara Motorsport

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

About Change Racing

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

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

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Kansas Preview

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Official Release
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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Heart of America 200, Race 8 of 23, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 14, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Nemechek #Back4More in 2022:

John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team head to Kansas Speedway with momentum on their side coming off their first win of the season at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway last weekend. Nemechek has now strung together four straight top-five finishes dating back to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex. on March 19. With the win, Nemechek jumped three spots in the Camping World Truck Series standings up to second, just 30 points behind Ben Rhodes in first. After seven races, Nemechek leads all drivers in average starting position (7.1) and average running position (7.058), is second in laps led (154) and fastest laps run (49) and ranks third in driver rating (104.2).

The second-generation driver will be making his fifth start at Kansas in the Camping World Truck Series. Throughout his first four starts, he has tallied 16 laps led, three top-five and three top-10 finishes with an average finish of 10.0. While he hasn’t reached victory lane in a truck at Kansas yet, he picked up his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 1.5-mile venue in October of 2018 for Chip Ganassi Racing. He also finished eighth in the Xfinity Series event at Kansas in 2019. In two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas, Nemechek has an average finish of 18.0 and earned a best finish of 17th in the 2020 fall event.

The Toyota Racing driver made his fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season last weekend at Darlington, piloting the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. Nemechek earned the organization’s second career top-five finish, taking the checkered flag in fourth.

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, will be the primary sponsor onboard Nemechek’s No. 4 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Saturday night in Kansas. Mobil 1 will return to the hood of Nemechek’s Toyota for five more races in 2022 starting at Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway on June 4.

Nemechek is a 12-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane the last two seasons with KBM. Across 131 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled four poles, 1,335 laps led, 44 top-five and 70 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 33 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillip’s has been calling the shots for 11 starts at Kansas. In those 11 starts, his drivers have tallied two wins one pole, 198 laps led, four top-five, and five top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.7. He was victorious with Mike Skinner in 2009 and with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch in 2014. Phillips also has one NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Kansas, he was atop the pit box for Christopher Bell’s first series victory in 2017.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
After a tough start to the season, was there more relief or excitement winning at Darlington?
“Relief, there is definitely some excitement there, but more relief after the finishes we had to start the season. It didn’t seem like we were the team that we were last year. We’ve been fast, we were leading laps, we were winning stages, but we weren’t finishing where we needed to. I feel like we finally turned the ship the right way at Darlington and hopefully we can keep the momentum going throughout this eight-race stretch.”

You’ve won at three of the next four tracks that the Truck Series goes to. How much confidence does that give you going into this eight-race stretch?
“I think its huge to get a win to start off an eight-week stretch like this. To be able to win a race and have momentum on your side is huge. I don’t have to have Kyle (Busch, owner) asking me when we are going to win a race — I don’t have to hear that anymore, so that’s nice. We just have to keep on with it. We’ve been really fast all year, we’ve won stages, we’ve led laps, we’ve been in contention all year, we just haven’t been able to finish races. I couldn’t get past two to go there for a while earlier in the year, but luckily, we were able to do that at Darlington and the last few races. Momentum is huge in this sport; I’m looking forward to carrying it through the summer months and having some really good runs. That’s what it is going to take to continue to accumulate some points to go after the regular season championship and try and win some more races. All of our focus is really on the playoffs. Last year I felt like we peaked too early in the season and had a slump through the playoffs and this year we started off kind of slow. Yes, it sucks to start off slow, but hopefully that’s a good omen for the rest of the year.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Twelve-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 131 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled four poles, 1,335 laps led, 44 top-five and 70 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Across 61 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 510 laps led, 17 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-38: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-38 for Saturday’s race at Kansas. Nemechek piloted “38 special” twice in 2021, including his win at Texas Motor Speedway last June where he led 67 laps. Overall, KBM-38 has collected seven wins across 22 career starts. Three with Christopher Bell and one each with Kyle Busch, William Byron, Noah Gragson, and John Hunter Nemechek.

KBM-38 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected five wins, four poles, 696 laps led, 15 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 9.6 across 37 starts at Kansas Speedway.
  • Owner-driver Kyle Busch has collected three wins at Kansas (2014, 2017 and 2021). Noah Gragson led a race-high 128 laps and swept all three stages in the 2018 event and William Byron earned his first career Camping World Trucks victory there in 2016.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (93) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 17 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Amber Balcaen Takes Talladega Momentum to Kansas Speedway ARCA Debut

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KANSAS CITY, Kan: Fresh off her career-best finish in the premier ARCA Menards Series, rookie Amber Balcaen looks to deliver her Rette Jones Racing team a strong top-10 finish in Saturday afternoon’s Dutch Boys 150 at Kansas Speedway.

After finishing a respectable 16th in the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Balcaen set a goal to improve on her first superspeedway race. Mission accomplished.

A competitive No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion kept Balcaen hovering inside the top-15 for a majority of the race. A late-race surge vaulted her to inside the top-10, but an untimely caution that ultimately froze the field, left Balcaen and her Mark Rette-led team with a season-high 12th place finish at the demanding 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Reflecting on her Talladega finish, Balcaen said it is important to continue to improve behind the wheel of her No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion

“It’s really important for me as a rookie to keep progressing forward each race,” explained Balcaen.

“Seeing my improvement from Daytona to Talladega helps increase my confidence and builds positive momentum going into Kansas.

“The goal is always to be better and better every race, and if we can keep doing that then we will be on the right path to success.”

With a strong finish in the books and the superspeedway program completed for the season, Balcaen and her Mooresville, N.C. team look ahead to Saturday’s first intermediate race of the ARCA Menards Series season hoping the momentum continues in the fourth race of the year.

“I am really excited for Kansas,” said Balcaen. “It will be my first time on a mile and a half-track but I am ready for it.”

Set to embrace her first of several mile-and-a-half tracks of the 2022 ARCA season, Balcaen has been taking a calculated approach over the past two weeks to make sure she can execute at Kansas beginning with a combined practice and qualifying session on Saturday morning.

“I’ve been preparing for Kansas but watching videos of past ARCA races, studying in-car camera videos, practicing on iRacing and staying consistent in the gym,” she explained. “All of these elements are important for my debut in Kansas to be as seamless as possible.

“We have just forty-five minutes of track time on Saturday before the race starts, so it’s important for me to take advantage of that track time and apply it and give my team good feedback so we can post a fast lap and start as close to the front as possible.”

Kansas will also be the site of a new partner aboard her No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Fusion. 1st Phorm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri is a high-performance supplement and nutrition that has been a long-time partner of Balcaen’s, however, this weekend, 1st Phorm will increase its commitment and serve as an associate marketing partner for the 100-lap race.

“1st Phorm and I have been partnered for the last eight years but this is the first time they will be on my race car in a larger way. Their brand and core values really align with mine, so it’s the perfect fit. I am a big advocate for fitness and health, so I am excited to have them on the car this weekend.”

As far as the race, Balcaen believes her Rette Jones Racing No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion can contend for a top-10 finish or better.

“A good goal for our team on Saturday is a top-10 finish, but I would be really happy with a top-five,” she said. “I want to have fun like I did at Talladega and keep progressing forward as a driver.”

For crew chief and co-team owner Rette, he is confident that his rookie driver will adapt and find her groove and continue a solid pace in her ARCA Menards Series quest.

“Amber did a terrific job at Talladega,” added Rette. “I am excited to see what she can do on some of these cookie-cutters tracks on the ARCA Menards Series schedule. Kansas is a good placemat to get us ready for Charlotte at the end of the month.

“She’d like a top-10 on Saturday and that would be a good booster for our Rette Jones Racing team and give us even more momentum for the upcoming races.”

Amber Balcaen 05.09.22a.jpg

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their fourth of 20 races this season.

ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com.

The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season.

Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones. 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and Twitter (@RetteJones30).

The Dutch Boy 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the fourth of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. A combined practice and qualifying session begins on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) managing the radio waves beginning at 1:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plan to field a full-time entry in 2022 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) respectively.

The winning ARCA team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

Lawless Alan – Heart of America 200 Race Advance

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Race Advance – Heart of America 200 (134 Laps/201 Miles) | Kansas Speedway

Saturday, May 14 | Kansas City, Kan. | 8 p.m. ET

TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 45 AUTOParkit™ Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, Calif.) | Crew Chief: Darren Fraley

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @lawlessalan25

Alan on making his debut at Kansas Speedway: “Another first time track for us, but that’s one of the challenges of being a rookie, so you have to embrace it. Our AUTOParkit Niece Motorsports Silverado should be pretty good at Kansas this weekend. The intermediate package seems to be really fast – we had a lot of speed at Las Vegas – we had a lot of speed last week at Darlington and it’s exciting to go back to that same style track. Our overall performance has been good so far, I just have to figure out how to stay out of other people’s messes. Once I get that part figured out I think we’re capable of getting the No. 45 up front. I wouldn’t count us out.”

Alan at Kansas Speedway: Alan makes his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Kansas Speedway Saturday night.

On the Truck: Alan will pilot the No. 45 AUTOParkit Chevrolet Silverado Saturday night at Kansas.

Last Time Out (Dead On Tools 200 – Start: 19th / Finish: 26th): Alan and the No. 45 team faced early adversity Friday night when he was sent for a spin in turn three on lap 20 to bring out the caution. Alan rebounded to secure a 24th-place finish in Stage One.

On lap 72 with the end of Stage Two looming, Alan had a right front tire go down and was forced to pit under green for four tires. Fortunately, the caution flag waved two laps later and Alan was awarded the free pass to get back on the lead lap before crossing the line 23rd in Stage Two. Alan continued to battle his way through traffic in the final stage of the night, resulting in a 19th-place finish.

With another top-20 finish, Alan remains the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader heading into Saturday night’s race at Kansas.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About AUTOParkit:

AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time. AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

Follow Lawless Alan on Instagram and on the web: @lawless_alan / www.lawlessalanracing.com

Kris Wright – Heart of America 200 Race Advance

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Race Advance – Heart of America 200 (134 Laps/201 Miles) | Kansas Speedway

Saturday, May 14 | Kansas City, Kan. | 8 p.m. ET

TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 44 Big Dog Energy Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Kris Wright (Wexford, Pa.) | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @KrisOnNASCAR

Wright on making his return to Kansas Speedway: “I am super excited to have Big Dog Energy back on the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado this week. The paint scheme looks amazing.

“Kansas Speedway is one of my favorite tracks – super fast and wide-open, where drafting will be a huge component. We had a lot of potential at the Darlington Raceway, and we are taking the same Chevrolet. So, everyone is positive this weekend. Hoping for a top-ten finish.”

Wright at Kansas Speedway: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series appearance at the Darlington Raceway. The Wexford, Pa., – native has one start at the Kansas Speedway, with a 33rd-place finish on May 1, 2021.

In addition, Wright has two (2020, 2021) ARCA Menards Series starts at the Kansas Speedway with two top-seven finishes. He posted a career-best sixth-place finish on October 16, 2020.

On the Truck: The Big Dog Energy paint scheme returns to the No. 44 Big Dog Energy Chevrolet Silverado Saturday night at Kansas.

Last Time Out (Dead On Tools 200 – Start: 21st / Finish: 32nd): Wright and the No. 44 team made up critical track position at the halfway point of Stage One when the team elected not to pit under caution on lap 22, positioning them in sixth-place on the restart. Wright battled to hold track position the rest of the way in the stage on old tires, resulting in a 26th-place finish.

After running to a 25th-place finish in Stage Two, Wright restarted 21st for the final stage and was narrowly collected in a multi-truck incident in turn four on lap 98, causing right side damage. The No. 44 team worked to make repairs but was forced to take its Chevrolet Silverado behind the wall under NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy, resulting in a 32nd-place finish.

About Niece Motorsports

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About Big Dog Energy

Big Dog Energy, a family-owned natural gas company, has partnered with Kris Wright, driver of the Niece Motorsports No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado, for multiple NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events this season. For more information on Big Dog Energy, LLC, headquartered in Wexford, Pa., visit Instagram (@bigdogenergyllc).

Follow Kris Wright on Instagram and on the web: @KrisOnNASCAR / KrisWrightMotorsports.com

Carson Hocevar – Heart of America 200 Race Advance

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Race Advance – Heart of America 200 (134 Laps/201 Miles) | Kansas Speedway

Saturday, May 14 | Kansas City, Kan. | 8 p.m. ET

TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 42 Premier Security Solutions/Flint Police Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Mich.) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Kansas: “We have a lot to look forward to at Kansas this week. Producing consecutive second-place finishes is big for not only myself, but Niece Motorsports and the No. 42 team, too. It’s really good to show the improvements we’ve made and to have a lot of points in the bank that we did not have three weeks ago. The ability to show our speed at three completely different race tracks over the past month is encouraging and I have a lot of confidence in our intermediate program.”

Hocevar on honoring the Flint Police Department and National Police Week with this week’s paint scheme: “It is a great privilege to be able to honor Captain Collin Birnie during National Police Week this Saturday night at Kansas with Premier Security Solutions. Our No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the names of 12 fallen police officers in the Flint, Mich. community and we’re looking forward to paying tribute to them. I really appreciate all of Premier Security Solutions’ efforts to bring this scheme to the track as well as their commitment to the Flint community. Hopefully we can make them proud with a strong run Saturday night.”

Hocevar at Kansas Speedway: Hocevar makes his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Kansas Saturday night. He ran to a 23rd-place finish in his Kansas debut last season after starting 11th.

On the Truck: Hocevar’s No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet Silverado features a new look this week at Kansas, honoring the Flint Police Department during National Police Week. The navy blue truck proudly displays the Flint Police Department on the hood and the names of fallen Flint police officers on the bed top. Captain Collin Birnie’s name will be displayed above the driver’s side door.

Last Time Out (Dead On Tools 200 – Start: 6th / Finish: 2nd): Hocevar quickly made his way into the top-five Friday night and was a mainstay at the front of the field. Following a four tire stop under caution on lap 20, he made his way back into the top-10 and ultimately crossed the line third at the end of Stage One. The No. 42 team put together one of its best stops of the night during the stage break to position Hocevar on the front row to begin Stage Two and ran behind race leader Ross Chastain for much of the stage. After another four tire stop under caution on lap 76, Hocevar made the pass on Chastain with three to go in Stage Two and went on to claim his first career stage win.

After making adjustments to remedy a loose handling condition under caution on lap 116, Hocevar made his way back up to second-place in the final laps of the race but was unable to chase down race winner John Hunter Nemechek as an electrical issue plagued the No. 42 on the final lap.

Hocevar led twice for nine laps en route to his second-consecutive runner-up finish this season.

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About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About Premier Security Solutions:

Founded in 2013 by a retired Flint Michigan Police Officer, Premier Security Solutions is committed to deflect and deter unlawful activity for their clients, create a safe campus, and provide a secure environment. A company fully committed to community involvement and protection. Premier partners with many community organizations like Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and his G.H.O.S.T. team combatting human trafficking. Premier provides an array of security services, including K-12 school campus, industrial logistics, corporate and event security in addition to a state-of-the-art monitoring center and all types of security training for both law enforcement and civilian trainees. For more information, please visit www.premiersecurity.solutions/

Follow Carson Hocevar on Instagram and on the web: @CarsonHocevar / CarsonHocevar.com

Dean Thompson – Heart of America 200 Race Advance

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Race Advance – Heart of America 200 (134 Laps/201 Miles) | Kansas Speedway

Saturday, May 14 | Kansas City, Kan. | 8 p.m. ET

TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 40 Worldwide Express/GlobalTranz/Unishippers Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Dean Thompson (Anaheim, Calif.) | Crew Chief: Joe Lax

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @deanthompsonr

Thompson on making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut at Kansas: “It’s a big confidence-booster to go to a track for the first time this year that I’ve already raced at. Our Niece Motorsports No. 40 Worldwide Express team is excited to keep the momentum rolling into Kansas with our sights set on a top-10 finish.”

Thompson at Kansas Speedway: Thompson makes his first-career start at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Friday night.

Thompson ran to an eighth-place finish after starting 12th in last October’s ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas.

On the Truck: Thompson and the No. 40 Chevrolet Silverado will have the Worldwide Express/GlobalTranz/Unishippers paint scheme on display for Saturday night’s Heart of America 200 at Kansas.

Last Time Out (Dead On Tools 200 – Start: 33rd / Finish: 14th): Thompson and the No. 40 team’s strategy of staying out while the leaders pitted during the second caution of the night positioned them in ninth-place at the halfway point in Stage One before holding on for a 21st-place finish in the stage on old tires. Thompson continued to battle in the middle of the field in the second stage, crossing the line 26th.

The No. 40 team continued to make adjustments throughout the night and steadily made its way up the leaderboard over the course of several restarts, culminating in a 14th-place finish and his third Sunoco Rookie of the Race honor this season.

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About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About Worldwide Express

Worldwide Express, LLC, is a full-service, non-asset-based logistics provider offering access to industry-leading small package, truckload and less-than-truckload shipping solutions and managed transportation services. The family of brands, comprised of Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, serve more than 120,000 customers spanning from small and mid-size businesses to larger enterprises, with unmatched carrier options and strategic guidance for their supply chains. With an annual systemwide revenue approaching $4 billion, the company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS® Authorized Reseller in the country. Through a selective portfolio of 65+ LTL and tens of thousands of truckload carriers, and powered by proprietary technology, clients benefit from an award-winning, relationship-backed approach to solving their shipping needs. To learn more about the brands, please visit www.wwex.com, www.globaltranz.com and www.unishippers.com.

Follow Dean Thompson on Instagram and on the web: @deankthompson / deanthompsonr.com

Era Motorsport Sails on Points Lead into Mid-Ohio Weekend

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (May 11, 2022) – Era Motorsport has a short drive this weekend from their Indianapolis-based shop to Lexington, Ohio for the fourth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. The team is entering the weekend as the LMP2 class points leaders in the driver standings, ready for the variety of weather the mid-west road circuit may have in store for Sunday’s race.

The team recently traveled to Lexington, Ohio’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for a private test, eager to get practice laps in for drivers Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel, while the engineers obtained valuable data to get the jump on their race weekend set up. Though teams normally opt not to test in rainy conditions, Era Motorsport decided to get a few wet laps in, which may prove beneficial for this weekend’s upcoming event. While Friday’s track activities look to enjoy sunny and clear conditions, Saturday’s qualifying session may have afternoon thunderstorms, followed by a chance of scattered thunderstorms on Sunday, race day.

This will be the first time Merriman has raced at the 2.258, 13-turn road course and the first time since 2019 for Dalziel. Together with the team, the pair have momentum on their side, rebounding from an early retirement in round one at the Rolex 24 At Daytona to back-to-back podium finishes at the Twelve Hours of Sebring and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The team’s second-place finish at Laguna Seca brought the squad to the LMP2 points lead, giving them strong footing to keep moving forward this weekend at Mid-Ohio.

The LMP2 class will account for six of the 24 entries competing in the two-hour and forty-minute sprint race. The GTD Pro class will not be racing in the event, leaving the DPi, LMP2, LMP3, and GTD classes to race for overall and class position on the hilly road course.

This weekend’s on-track activities will be condensed into a three-day weekend, with practice one taking place on Friday afternoon. Saturday will hold practice two and qualifying before the field goes green on Sunday. The Lexus Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio will air live on Sunday, May 15 starting at 2:00 PM Eastern on the USA Network and stream live on Peacock. International audiences can stream on imsa.tv or check IMSA’s International Coverage page.

EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Eastern

Friday, May 13

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Practice 1

Saturday, May 14

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Practice 2

2:05 PM – 2:20 PM LMP2 Qualifying

Sunday, May 15

8:40 AM – 9:00 AM Warm-Up

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Autograph Session

12:55 PM – 1:50 PM Open Grid Fan Walk

2:10 PM – 4:50 PM Lexus Grand Prix at Mid Ohio | Live on USA & Peacock

DRIVER QUOTES

Dwight Merriman

While we don’t know what the weather has in store for us this weekend at Mid-Ohio, we’re expecting to be strong and consistent here. We’re coming off a great run at Laguna Seca, and we’ve also put in both some wet and dry laps to get ready for this weekend. We’ve got some good competition in the LMP2 class, but I’m feeling good about the team we have lined up.

Ryan Dalziel

Daytona was pretty rough on us. We had the early setback, but probably one of the best comeback races we ever had. With 23 minutes to go in fourth, we lost the gearbox. We had a good rebound at Sebring but got a puncture towards the end, otherwise, we would have been in contention. In Laguna Seca, we were strong from when we unloaded. Mid-Ohio is a continuation of that momentum and constant improvement. We try to do as much as we can with Dwight between races. There’s a balance in how hard you push your Am drivers to continue their development and racecraft. We tested at Mid-Ohio a few weeks ago to continue that development, and we were able to get in a couple of dry laps at the end of the day. Everybody likes to win races, but it takes consistency to win championships. Mid-Ohio ranks up there as one of the least enjoyable places in the rain, so hopefully, it stays dry.

About Era Motorsport
Era Motorsport was formed in 2018 with the idea of providing unmatched excellence in historic racing. Just two years later, the team expanded to the world of professional sports car racing, fielding an Oreca 07 in the prolific IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2021, the team went on to win at the iconic Rolex 24 At Daytona, in what was their second attempt competing in the event. Motorsport isn’t just a hobby, it is a way of life: a passion that is in the team’s blood. Whether you find us in the IMSA WeatherTech paddock with modern prototypes or chasing down lap records in our fully restored classic sports cars, or even globetrotting to experience historic F1 at some of the world’s most iconic circuits, Era Motorsport has something for everyone. In 2021, the team secured a prestigious victory at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and also became class champions in the Asian Le Mans Series.

Rebel Rock Racing Looking to Improve Fortunes at Mid-Ohio

By
Official Release
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IMSA Weathertech Lagune Seca 2022

LEXINGTON, Ohio (11 May 2022) – Rebel Rock Racing will be looking to rebound when the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge returns to action with Saturday’s Round 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. Frank DePew and Robin Liddell are coming off 15th-place finishes in the two most recent races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Sebring International Raceway in the No. 71 Urban Grid Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R.

The team, which has demonstrated race-winning execution from both sides of the pit wall, is hoping that the quick turn-around between race events helps bring the squad back to the sharp end of the field as IMSA visits the central Ohio natural terrain road circuit.

“We’re going into this race with our eyes open, and we’re hoping to get out of there with a decent result, without any car damage,” DePew said. “We’re looking forward to getting to the tracks where we feel that we and the car can perform at our best.”

Liddell is hoping for a better showing than last week’s event at Laguna Seca.

“It’s been a short turnaround, but we got the car back to the shop in time and set it up, so that everything’s going ahead of plan,” said Liddell, who doubles in the role of team manager. “We’re a little disappointed with our performance at Laguna, but we’re hoping we should do a little bit better at Mid-Ohio. With that said, we’re not expecting to set the world alight there. We don’t really have the flat-out performance of the car right now, but we are optimistic about doing better than we did at Laguna.”

An uptick in fortunes at Mid-Ohio would be welcomed by the team. In last year’s Mid-Ohio 120, the team lost ground with a spin on Lap 5 and an ensuing pit lane procedure penalty. Liddell came back in the final hour to regain five positions on the way to a 14th-place finish. In 2020, the team missed both races in a doubleheader weekend due to an accident during opening practice.

“Historically, Mid-Ohio isn’t one of the better tracks for our Camaro,” said Depew. “It also hasn’t been one of the better tracks for me, from a performance perspective. We’re hoping to go there and have a good, clean race. If we’re in the top 10 and leave there with an undamaged Camaro, then we’ll be heading to a number of tracks where we believe the car is slightly more competitive and where the team has generally performed well.”

Practice for the Mid-Ohio 120 begins on Friday at 9:15 a.m., with a second one-hour session at 12:45 p.m. (all times ET). GS qualifying is Friday evening at 6:10 p.m. The two-hour race takes the green flag on Friday at 4:05 p.m. (Peacock, live).

Additional updates via:

http://rebelrockracing.co
https://twitter.com/rebelrockracing
https://www.instagram.com/rebelrockracing/

BRYAN CATHCART EAGER FOR SEASON OPENER

By
Official Release
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(May 11, 2022) Bryan Cathcart has been busy preparing for his return to competition in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series which gets underway this coming Saturday at Sunset Speedway near Innisfil, ON. Cathcart will pilot his familiar #71 Dodge at all events this season. This will be the Peterborough, ON drivers first Pinty’s Series races since 2016.

Quote:
“I’m looking forward to getting the season started and sharing the experience with my family at the racetracks. It’s phenomenal to see how the Pinty’s Series has grown, the field of cars this year will be big and with the return to Western Canada and the new event in Newfoundland, it should be a fun year to be part of it” Bryan Cathcart, Driver #71 Dodge

Weekend Race Event Preview
Saturday May 14th
NTN Ultimate Bearing Experience 250
Race one of 13 in 2022
This is the seventh NASCAR Pinty’s Series race at Sunset Speedway

The Track:
.333-mile, paved, semi-banked

Best finish: First race at Sunset

TV & Live Streaming
All races will be streamed live on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and through FloRacing in the United States. Race broadcasts will also air on TSN Sunday May 22 at 4PM Eastern and on RDS2 Saturday June 4th at 7PM Eastern.

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

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