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Rheem® and Kevin Harvick Chasing a Cure While Chasing Another Win at Darlington

By
Official Release
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Pretty in Pink
Rheem® and Kevin Harvick Chasing a Cure
While Chasing Another Win at Darlington

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (April 20, 2022) – As Kevin Harvick chases a fourth NASCAR Cup Series victory at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in the May 8 Goodyear 400, Rheem will promote its Chasing a Cure campaign to support cancer research by adding a touch of pink to Harvick’s No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang.

On the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, the pink-and-black design Harvick will sport at Darlington is a throwback to the liveries Harvick ran in October 2011 and October 2012 when Rheem first launched its Chasing a Cure campaign. In the 2022 edition, the primary beneficiary is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with the No. 4 Rheem/Chasing a Cure Ford Mustang serving as a call to action for fans to support pediatric cancer research by visiting StJude.org/Donate. Meanwhile, Rheem’s Heart of Comfort program will donate $25,000 to St. Jude.

“When Rheem first got involved in NASCAR racing, Kevin, his wife DeLana, and our late friend Sue Karli, were three key foundational building blocks on which today’s Rheem Racing program is built. They were also critical to conceiving and nurturing the original Rheem Chasing a Cure campaign,” said Ed Raniszeski, executive director, Rheem Motorsports. “Having that beautiful pink paint scheme back on the track with Kevin at the wheel is truly what we believe the spirit of the Darlington Throwback Weekend on Mother’s Day is all about.”

Darlington also serves as a milestone for Rheem. America’s No. 1 water heating brand and major air conditioning and heating manufacturer is commemorating its 15th year in racing, and the Goodyear 400 marks its 500th race as a NASCAR sponsor.

“Bringing together our NASCAR sponsorship, our history with Kevin Harvick, and our community giving program on our 500th race makes Darlington Throwback Weekend very special for Rheem,” said Michelle Caldwell, senior manager, marketing, Rheem. “We’re proud to support St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we ask our fans to join us in Chasing a Cure.”

Darlington marks the second of three races where Rheem is the primary partner for Harvick and the No. 4 team in 2022. Harvick carried Rheem to a 12th-place finish in its debut with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) on March 6 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After Darlington, Harvick will drive the No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang again Sept. 11 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

The pairing has reunited Rheem with Harvick, a relationship that began in 2007 when Harvick won the Daytona 500 in dramatic fashion, beating NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin for the victory by .02 of a second in a frantic, green-white-checkered finish. It led to Rheem serving as a primary partner for Harvick’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), in 2008. Rheem’s debut with KHI came on May 2, 2008 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway where Harvick finished second in the Lipton Tea 250. Harvick delivered Rheem its first victory as a primary sponsor on Feb. 27, 2010 when he won the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas. Rheem aligned as a primary partner with Harvick in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2011 and stayed with him through the 2013 season before Harvick joined SHR in 2014.

“It’s been 15 years since we first started working with Rheem and it’s great to be back with them,” Harvick said. “The NASCAR fan is their customer, and we’ve worked really hard to understand that relationship to ensure Rheem gets a good return on its investment. This year kind of throws it back to how it all began with Rheem being a primary sponsor on one of my racecars. I’m proud to carry their colors again in 2022.”

About Rheem:

Founded in 1925, Rheem® innovates new ways to deliver precise temperatures while saving energy, water and supporting a more sustainable future. Rheem is America’s No. 1 water heating brand with products available in more than 80 countries. Paloma Co., Ltd.® of Nagoya, Japan, acquired the iconic Rheem brand in 1988. Today the company’s portfolio of premium brands include Rheem®, Raypak®, Ruud®, Eemax®, Richmond®, Splendid®, Solahart® and EverHot™ as well as commercial refrigeration brands Russell®, Witt®, ColdZone® and Kramer®, which are part of the Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG®) division and, most recently, Friedrich, an industry leader in high-end air conditioning solutions.

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 90 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at StewartHaasRacing.com and on social at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Brad Keselowski – Talladega I Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Castrol Carbon Neutral Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski
Race Format: 500 miles, 188 laps, Stages: 60-60-68
NCS Race at Talladega – Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The weekend at Talladega features single-car qualifying only for the Cup cars, which will take place Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET.

Keselowski at Talladega Superspeedway

· Keselowski enters the weekend as the winningest active driver at Talladega with six Cup wins, and is tied for second on the all-time list with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon.

· Since 2014, Keselowski has four wins – two each in the spring race and two each in the fall race. He is the defending race winner from last spring, and in the fall finished runner-up, one of his 13 top-10s at the track all-time in 26 starts.

· Overall, Keselowski won at Talladega in 2009 (spring), 2012 (spring), 2014 (fall), 2016 (spring), 2017 (fall) and 2021 (spring).
· He also made five NXS starts at the 2.66-mile track with one in (2010) in the No. 22 entry.

Matt McCall at Talladega Superspeedway

· McCall is back on the box this weekend, and will call his 15th Cup race at Talladega. In 14 starts he has five top-10s and a 20.6 average finish.
· McCall’s best Cup finish at Talladega came back in 2017 with Jamie McMurray in the spring event finishing second. He’s also run fourth twice, once with McMurray in 2016, and again with Kurt Busch last fall.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Talladega:
“For me, obviously Talladega is a special place in my mind and always will be. It is a place of unknowns in a lot of cases, but fortunately I’ve been able to be very successful there now with six victories, which is a hard feat at any one track. We all know most of Sunday is about survival, but we also know our Superspeedway cars at RFK consistently perform at a high level. Proud to have Castrol on board with us and help carry the carbon neutral and sustainability banner as we try and go for yet another Talladega victory.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski finished 11th in the Easter Sunday Bristol dirt race after running inside the top 10 in much of the 250-lap event.

On the Car

As part of its ongoing initiative with the first carbon neutral race car and RFK’s sustainability mindset, Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 team will be in the all-white scheme throughout the weekend, and with it wear all white crew shirts and firesuits. RFK became the first carbon neutral NASCAR race team in 2021.

The initiative is part of Castrol’s ongoing relationship with RFK and is another step toward supporting its partners in achieving their lower carbon ambitions. Prior to the race on Sunday, Castrol will lead a community-wide clean-up with Keselowski and other RFK personnel in Oxford, Alabama, helping to recognize Earth Day. Fans are encouraged to post pictures to Instagram of their own clean-ups with the hashtag #DrivingForChange for a chance to win Keselowski’s firesuit.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves consumers in over 140 countries. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ – a premium synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE ® line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com/us.

Amber Balcaen and Rette Jones Racing Ready to Take on Talladega Superspeedway

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Official Release
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TALLADEGA, Ala.: After more than a month’s sabbatical, Amber Balcaen and Rette Jones Racing’s quest for the 2022 ARCA Menards Series championship leads to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200.

Balcaen in her first full season of driving duties aboard the No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion invades the final superspeedway race of the 2022 season looking to utilize the experience of her Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway debut in February and deliver her first top-10 finish of the season.

“I am super excited to race at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend,” said Balcaen.

“This break between Phoenix and Talladega has seemed long, so I’m more than ready to be back in the No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion with the Rette Jones Racing crew.

“I am especially excited for Talladega because after having a race under my belt from Daytona, I now know what to expect for a superspeedway race. I also love the fundamentals of superspeedway racing. I love the rush of going fast and being in the draft.”

Knowing that the same basics apply between Daytona and Talladega, Balcaen believes the experience that she amassed during the 80-lap season-opener earlier this year at Daytona will improve her craft on Saturday.

“After competing at Daytona, I know what it feels like to be in the draft,” she explained. “I learned how to manage the air and speed in the cars whether I was in a small draft of cars or huge draft of cars. I’m planning to showcase and apply everything I learned at Daytona to Talladega, which makes me very optimistic for the race.”

After an early exit in the most recent ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway last month, the Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada native is still taking solace knowing she’s moved inside the top-10 in the ARCA championship standings and hopes the third race of the year will help her continue her climb forward.

“I have taken this month’s break to really prepare for this upcoming season,” Balcaen said. “I have been spending a lot of time in the gym, on iRacing and on my mental game. I feel very optimistic about the busy upcoming stretch of races as well as the rest of the ARCA season.”

As far as Talladega is concerned, Balcaen believes her Rette Jones Racing No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion is plenty capable of a top-10 finish.

“I would like a top 10 finish at Talladega which I think is a very manageable goal,” she said. “I want to have fun like I did in Daytona 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 really did a good job at Daytona,” added Rette. “She learned a lot, kept our No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion out of trouble and delivered a solid finish. She is more than capable of improving on Daytona at Talladega on Saturday.

“With no qualifying before the race, we’ll have to make sure we get her comfortable in the draft because she’ll be likely starting in the eye of the storm and it’s going to be important to get her in a position where she can quickly and decisively move forward and ride a lot of the race until she’s in a position to make a move at the end of the race.

“She’d like a top-10 on Saturday and that would be a good boost for our Rette Jones Racing team and give us some great momentum for Kansas Speedway next month.”

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their second 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.

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 General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. 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.

No. 10 Smithfield/IHOP Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Talladega Advance

By
Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Talladega Advance
No. 10 Smithfield/IHOP Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Geico 500 (Round 10 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 24
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile Superspeedway
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/250 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● History at Talladega: In 24 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Aric Almirola has one win, nine top-10 finishes, five top-fives, and has led 71 laps at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega, Almirola visited victory lane in May 2017.

● With his third-place finish in the June 2020 race at Talladega, Almirola tied the record of eight consecutive Talladega top-10s set by Dale Earnhardt Jr., from April 2001 to October 2004. Despite seeing his streak come to an abrupt end thanks to a multicar accident on lap 57 of the October 2020 race on the 2.66-mile oval, Almirola’s average finish in his last 10 Talladega outings is 11.1 – best in the NASCAR Cup Series.

● Almirola has already shown strength in the NextGen car at superspeedways this year. In the season-opening Daytona 500, Almirola had a strong run before crossing the finish line fifth. Last month, on the newly repaved and reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway oval, which now races like a superspeedway, Almirola led six laps before he was spun while leading the inside lane, ultimately damaging the car and placing him 22nd.

● Almirola finished 23rd in Sunday night’s Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway dirt race. It was his best finish in two dirt-race starts at the track.

● Points: Almirola arrives at Talladega 12th in the driver standings with 237 points, 87 out of first.

● Almirola’s career: In 397 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 27 top-five finishes, 88 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.

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

● IHOP will adorn the No. 10 Smithfield Ford this weekend with a specialty paint scheme. IHOP is launching the International Bank of Pancakes, the brand’s first loyalty program designed to spread joy to guests. Unlike other banks that keep their fortunes under lock and key, IHOP is opening the vaults to share the wealth and spread happiness with its most loyal guests. To sign up, customers can create an account on IHOP.com or through the IHOP Mobile App. Guests can earn PanCoins – digital tokens they can redeem for rewards. Every $5 spent equals one PanCoin, or one pancake. Three PanCoins equal one Short Stack of Buttermilk Pancakes, while five PanCoins equal one Full Stack. PanCoins are housed on the Stack Market, where they can be traded for a coupon to use on a variety of tasty assets. In addition, Almirola’s name is replaced with “The PanCoin Man” on the door frame of his racecar.

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

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

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

You had success at the season-opening Daytona 500 and you ran up front at Atlanta. How confident are you heading to Talladega?

“We’re as confident this year as ever. We’ve run up front at Daytona and Atlanta this year. We had a shot at the Daytona 500 win at the end there, and we were in a position to race for a win at Atlanta before we were taken out toward the end. If we can continue to avoid the inevitable wrecks, we’ll be there again. I have no doubt about that.”

What is your favorite memory of your career?

“I would say so far to date, my highlight was winning in 2018 at Talladega. It was my first win for Stewart-Haas Racing. It was the first win for Smithfield since joining Stewart-Haas Racing. It happened in the playoffs, coming off of a race where I felt like I should have won at Dover and I didn’t. And then we rebounded and backed it up with a win at Talladega and it catapulted us into the next round of the playoffs, where we eventually went on to finish fifth in the points championship. So it was a phenomenal year and that race at Talladega was a very pivotal moment.”

Stewart-Haas Racing dominated that 2018 Talladega race. Why was that?

“So often you go into a race weekend, especially at a superspeedway where you have a plan and you start thinking about, like, ‘Alright, this is this is our plan. This is when we’re going to pit together. This is what we’re going to do on the racetrack together.’ And rarely does that ever work out, right? It never pans out. We show up and we all start racing for ourselves and we don’t work together at all. So that was an incredible weekend to where we showed up and we had incredibly fast racecars, which made it way easier to work together. And then we started the race with all of us working together and kind of dominating the race, and we realized, ‘This is going to pay off, like, this is going to work out and pay off. So we need to stay to this plan,’ and I think that’s really what helped it. Oftentimes, when you come up with a plan and you start working together and the next thing you know, you find yourself in the middle of the pack, you’re like, ‘Oh, this isn’t working,’ and you abandon the plan, you jump ship. So for the fact that we had fast racecars and our plan was working and we were dominating the race, it made it very easy to stay to the plan.”

No. 10 Smithfield/IHOP Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

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

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Rusty Davidson
Hometown: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

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

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

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS WAVES GREEN FLAG ON MULTI-RACE PARTNERSHIP WITH RAZE ENERGY BEGINNING WITH GEICO 500 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (April 19, 2022) – Spire Motorsports and RAZE Energy are pleased to announce a multi-race partnership beginning with Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway where RAZE Energy will serve as the primary sponsor of Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

The GEICO 500 will mark the first of several races in 2022 where RAZE Energy products will be showcased aboard Spire Motorsports’ entries.

RAZE Energy, the 2021 Energy Drink Brand of The Year as awarded by “Stack3d”, and 2021 Clash of the Cans winner is the only energy drink created based on input from its consumers.

RAZE Energy “insiders” suggest flavors, taste test, vote and then contribute to the graphic design process prior to new a product launch. The process, which determines how flavors are selected, relies on feedback from over 5,000 insiders.

Following that process, RAZE Energy releases limited edition flavors every month.

White Peach will be featured aboard LaJoie’s No. 7 machine and is RAZE Energy’s first limited edition to be named a permanent flavor. RAZE is manufactured and bottled in its Orlando, Fla., headquarters to ensure superior quality and consistency.

“Our entire team is thrilled to unveil the RAZE Energy partnership with Spire Motorsports
this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway,” said RAZE Energy Founder Chris Wagner. “When it comes to marketing, there is no bigger stage. Talladega always puts on exciting races, and I’m thrilled to see this program afford us the opportunity to reach millions of loyal NASCAR fans. With White Peach being voted our first limited edition to become a permanent flavor, it makes great sense to showcase that product on Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend to kick off the program.”

Nine races into the 2022 NCS season, LaJoie has notched one top-five and four top-20 finishes. The 30-year-old Concord, N.C., native recorded a career-best fifth-place finish in the series most recent restrictor-plate race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In eight previous starts at the legendary 2.66-mile Talladega, Ala., tri-oval, LaJoie has earned one top 10 and three top 20s, including a venue-best seventh-place finish on October 14, 2019.

Meanwhile, Spire Motorsports will leverage its collective experience with Good Hemp and Diamond Creek Water to help position RAZE Energy as one of the newest and most attractive beverages in the category.

“We have a great opportunity to introduce Raze Energy to the most loyal fan base in sports at one of NASCAR’s most iconic venues this weekend,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Chris Wagner and his team over the last few months and we’re both eager to see what the future holds for RAZE Energy. Our teams share tremendous synergy and collectively, we see this program as a like-minded partnership. Corey does a great job at restrictor-plate races so Talladega is the perfect track to roll out the program.”

The GEICO 500 from Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, April 24 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 10th of 36 races on the 2022 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2022, Spire Motorsports will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries. Corey LaJoie will drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s premier series for the entire 2022 campaign while Josh Bilicki and Landon Cassill will split time in the team’s No. 77 entry. The team will also field a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

Debunking Myths About Sports Concussions

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SM
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Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

While a concussion is a frequent sports injury, there is conflicting information on the causes, risk factors, and healing process. The increased attention these serious injuries are getting in the media has parents and coaches asking what more they need to know about concussions. A practical place to start is debunking some common myths about a sports concussion. 

You Must Be Hit in the Head to Have a Concussion

A concussion occurs due to the force that presses the brain against the hard skull. That can happen with a direct hit to the head, but that force can come from other places, too. A blow to the face, for example. 

It can also result from shaking as force hits another part of the body or from whiplash-like injuries. For instance, the brain can move about and bang into the skull’s interior when the upper body takes a forceful hit or movement. An example of this is a vehicle accident or when being violently shaken.

A Helmet Will Protect Against a Concussion

Helmets are protective equipment that can prevent skull fractures or more catastrophic injuries, such as a bleed in the brain. They cannot, however, ensure there will not be a concussion. 

If you imagine that the brain sits floating in liquid inside a jar, you get a better idea of how concussions happen. When someone slams a jar of pickles down on a table, everything inside bounces off the side. That is what happens to the brain when there is a jolt or hard hit. The helmet will not stop that force from slamming the brain against the inside of the skull. 

You Must Be Unconscious to Have a Concussion

Some people lose consciousness after sustaining a concussion. Most concussions, however, do not result in loss of consciousness. For example, a 2015 study found that only nine percent of people who experience a concussion lose consciousness. 

That same study found that: 

  • 87% of people have a headache. 
  • 77% have balance problems and dizziness
  • 62% have brain fog
  • 30% have some level of amnesia, usually regarding the trauma

As these numbers indicate, there are more common symptoms than unconsciousness. 

Leaving Due to a Sports Concussion Lets the Team Down

The choice to leave a game is difficult for most athletes, whether they experience a sports concussion or some other injury. However, keep in mind that players who choose to continue with a potential concussion put themselves at risk for much more severe health problems. Therefore, being off the team permanently is a more significant concern. 

Symptoms of a Concussion Start Right Away

Concussion symptoms might emerge soon after an accident, but they can appear the next day or even two or more days later. In fact, younger athletes are more prone to experience delayed onset of signs and symptoms.

It Is Okay to Return to the Game After the Symptoms Stop

Nothing could be further from the truth. Any athlete at risk of concussion should remain out of the game to prevent further injury. They should not return to training until a healthcare provider rules out concussions. 

When someone experiences a concussion, diagnosed or not, the recommendation is to wait at least three weeks before returning to play. After that, follow the rules provided by the sports organization and the healthcare team’s recommendations. 

Place Bet Online at 12Play Free SGD Credit Online Casino

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SM
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If you aren’t well acquainted with what 12Play is and what you can get from the platform, this post should give you a quick rundown.

What are the available bonuses and promotions on 12Play?

Besides everything, the bestselling feature of this website is the diverse availability of games. You get to choose from different kinds of bonuses, which make the games and chances of winning a lot more interactive. 

Some of the most popular bonuses and promotions on the free SGD credit online casino include:

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  • Sports bonuses – if you are particularly indulging in sports games in the online casino at 12Play, you get to choose from a variety of options, especially with the games that you can indulge in. 
  • Casino bonus – much like the staple sports bonuses, the casino bonuses are applicable and particularly dedicated to the online casino games that are available on the platform. If you want to try your luck at the different casino games but don’t want to splurge out, this is where you can save a lot of coins.
  • Slot bonuses – if you want to indulge in the different slot games on 12Play but don’t want to waste all your money on them, make use of the available slot bonuses for making the maximum win.
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  • Special bonuses – lastly, they have special bonuses which are available at random and sporadically. Most of them are available on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, which is always a fun experience to indulge in from time to time. Also, they have referral bonuses if you want to reel in some better chances of getting extra money.

12Play is a trusted and accessible Singapore-based online 4D lottery platform that offers you access to a variety of online casino games too. If you are considering indulging in their website, these are some of the most common types of bonuses and promotions they offer.

CRISPR Gene Editing Successfully Injected to Treat Rare and Deadly Disease

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SM
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Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

A preliminary trial of a new way to use gene editing technology to fight disease produced exciting results. For the first time, researchers were able to show that it was safe and effective to use the CRISPR gene editing system directly inside patients’ bodies. This was a breakthrough because in previous CRISPR trials, patients’ cells had to be removed from their bodies, edited in the lab, and then infused back in. This new in-the-body technique, scientists believe, could have wide applications for treating a variety of genetic diseases.

In the trial, conducted by the companies Intellia Therapeutics and Regeneron, six people with a rare genetic disease called transthyretin amyloidosis were each given a single treatment of CRISPR therapy. All the study participants improved, and those who received the highest dosage improved the most.

Transthyretin amyloidosis is caused by a mutation in what is known as the TTR gene. Not everyone who has the mutation will get the disease, but those who do usually develop symptoms when they are adults. Symptoms get worse over time, and the disease is ultimately fatal.

The TTR mutation causes the liver to produce a misshapen protein that folds up the wrong way, clumps together, and damages various parts of the body, especially nerves and the heart. Because the disease is caused by the production of a single malformed protein, it was a great candidate for testing gene editing technology. If CRISPR therapy could stop the gene from directing the production of the badly formed protein, the progression of the disease could be stopped and maybe even reversed.

How CRISPR gene editing was used

The CRISPR system consists of two substances – an enzyme, called Cas9, that cuts the DNA, and a piece of RNA, called the guide, that carries the enzyme to the desired spot on the genome. In this trial, Cas9 snipped the DNA in the gene that produced the problematic protein. The cells’ natural healing processes took over to repair the cut, but there were often mistakes in the repair process. These mistakes disabled the gene and prevented it from making the bad protein. 

One significant challenge that researchers faced was to keep the Cas9 and guide RNA from degrading inside the body before they could do their job. To solve the problem, the scientists encased the CRISPR system in lipids, which protected it. The liver took up the lipid-protected packages.

Results of the trial

Although the trial was small, involving only six test subjects, the results were highly encouraging. With only a single dose, the CRISPR gene editing treatment reduced the production of the misshapen protein in all of the test subjects. 

One of the subjects had a 96% reduction. This surpassed the results that had been obtained using previous types of treatments for the disease, which had reduced the protein protection by 80% at most. The researchers were excited by the large reduction. They believed it could give the body a chance to clear out the harmful protein clumps that had accumulated because of the disease. 

While researchers continue to conduct clinical trials with additional transthyretin amyloidosis patients and are eager to see how the patients fare over a longer time period, the results so far are highly encouraging. Being able to use CRISPR inside the body is expected to enable a broad range of applications to fight many genetic diseases. The technology for protecting the CRISPR system inside various parts of the human body is rapidly improving, which will pave the way for gene editing to be used for some of our most treatment-resistant diseases.

Legalization of Online Casino in Poland

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SM
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Photo by Pixabay

Poland’s economy has grown at a breathtaking speed since the Cold War. Since the country became an EU member, the economy has been growing rapidly. This is also due to the ever-increasing number of tourists, who are attracted by cities such as Krakow or the old Hanseatic city of Gdansk, as well as by the beautiful beaches on the Baltic Sea or the ski resorts in the mountains in the south. 

All in all, Poland has plenty to offer when it comes to visitors and even the locals. However, when talking about gambling or iGaming, things look different than in other EU countries. 

Although gambling wasn’t really a major issue in Poland, it looks quite different nowadays. You can obviously still play on the internet with your own cash, but gambling fans should pay attention to what’s going on.

The Big iGaming Trend in Poland

Lots of people in Poland are enthusiastic about playing online casinos or what they call “kasyno online” – especially on classic games such as poker, blackjack, roulette, and especially online slots. 

Right now, Poland is going through almost the exact same phases as any other country in Europe, where the revenues of casino sites are also growing much faster than the general economy. What these casinos do is try to attract local players with their bonuses and promotions, thus making them irresistible for many.

Plus, online casino customers benefit from a number of other advantages. For example, bets can be placed even by smartphone, and many games can also be tested first free of charge and without risk.

The Progress of Online Gambling

All in all, the legal situation surrounding gambling was quite permissive, especially back in the 90s. Especially on the Internet, there weren’t any regulations for a long time, until the sudden corruption scandal back in 2009.

Since then, only those sites that decided to offer sports betting could get a Polish license. Online casinos on the other hand, not. However, this means that what’s going on isn’t that different from other neighboring European countries like Germany, Austria, or the Czech Republic. 

Gambling fans who reside in Poland or are on vacation there can, of course, also access these portals and register or risk their own bets. Some major online casinos even have a Polish version of the website.

The Laws in Poland About Online Gambling

Although gambling is legal in Poland, the Internet spectrum has a totally different outlook when we end up talking about legal requirements. There are hundreds of casinos that are currently blocked. These casinos don’t have a Polish gambling license, thus meaning that the Polish government blocks them entirely with ISPs (Internet Service Providers). 

However, you can still count on around 15,000 offshore online casinos that accept players in Poland. Therefore, the foreign casino market is around 60% of the total Polish gambling market.

What other casino providers do is get a sports betting license to operate legally in Poland, and then include some casino games.

Conclusion

How it will continue with the regulation of online casinos in the coming years, can not be said at present. 

Of course, when granting specific casino licenses, the state is also likely to earn – meaning, such regulations could also be quite attractive.

At the same time, politicians do not want to endanger the state gambling monopoly, which has ensured high revenues in recent years.

Can Online Casino Games Compete With Racing?

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SM
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Racing in all its forms has always been a popular sport and real money betting. Today, many countries prohibit animal racing, offering automobiles and other vehicles for competitions. People enjoy watching races and making bets on racing, but is that much different from playing casino games? Today, the majority of auto racing events enable users to make bets via online platforms, watching the event from all over the world. Can this activity be compared to online gambling? Can racing compete with online casino gambling? 

What’s So Special About Racing? 

Speaking about racing, people mostly mean sports cars or just auto races. One of the main reasons why such events are so enjoyable is because the viewers are fond of cars, too. These fans are aware of various technical nuances, brands, tech specs, features, etc., and just being deeply knowledgeable of all those things is a hobby of its own. They may not even make bets on their favorites, but they watch and enjoy them because of their love for cars. The other point is that there is always a person behind the wheel, and this person’s skill and experience often define the victory, and racing fans love those skillful maestros. And eventually, some people just find such events a suitable place to make bets and win some cash. 

What’s So Special About Online Casino Games? 

Online casino games, regardless of the type of game, offer lots of entertainment and excitement. Big and reliable platforms like Casino Yukon and others offer thousands of various games, to satisfy literally any gambling fancy.

Compared to auto races, casino games can also give excitement in terms of technology, visuals, designs, or outstanding bonus features. Many experienced gamblers enjoy checking out the tech specs, features, and innovative technologies providers use in their products. Moreover, there are dozens of game-developing studios, each trying to implement its own vision and approach, thus making the market unbelievably diverse. This way, gamblers can enjoy game features, and also look for particular games by certain providers, giving preference to some brands over others. And, of course, they can make real money bets and win some cash! 

What Casino Games Are the Most Fun? 

Those racing fans that mostly enjoy making real money bets may love online casino games because they are more plentiful, more varied, offer bonuses, and are available 24/7, compared to race events. The most entertaining games are: 

  • slots with many bonus features 
  • progressive jackpots 
  • keno 
  • bingo 
  • Live Dealer games 

Moreover, some casino sites actually have a sports betting section and provide not only streaming of actual auto racing events, but also virtual racing, which is available 24/7, and even fantasy sports racing, which is even more amusing.

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