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RCR NCS Post Race Report: Bristol Dirt

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Official Release
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Austin Dillon And The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Show Dirt Track Racing Prowess Before Early Exit From Bristol Motor Speedway

Finish: 31st
Start: 12th
Points: 17th

“We had such a fast Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet, and I love racing on dirt so I just wish we could have been there for the end. Both of our teams were a little worried about our air boxes because we stayed out at the end of Stage 2 instead of pitting. It didn’t work out for the No. 3 team. Too much dirt got into the engine, and we ended up losing the motor. It’s unfortunate because our Chevy was pretty good, and we had a decent restart before it shut down on me. I’m thankful no one ko’d me there. I fell back so fast that I was waiting for somebody to get me big. I tried to hold it straight. I was just completely out of power. I want to congratulate my teammate, Tyler Reddick, on a great race. He drove his butt off, got up there and was good. He didn’t get his win tonight, but if RCR keeps giving us cars like these we both will be in Victory Lane soon.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick Leads Most Laps of his Career in the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Before Last-Lap Spin at Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Race

Finish: 2nd
Start: 3rd
Points: 11th

“I’m proud of this Richard Childress Racing team for everything they have done to put me in the position to win this year. I wish we could have got the 3CHI Chevrolet in Victory Lane tonight, but we were able to finish second. The No. 14 car was able to run me back down there, and it didn’t work out for either of us. When you’re racing on dirt, you’re going to go for the move on the final corner. It’s everything that you hope for as a driver in his situation, to be able to battle for the lead on the final corner. I shouldn’t have let him get that close. He ran me back down. It made it really exciting for the fans. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t win, but proud of this team for all of their hard work, and it was great to be able to run up front all race and lead the most laps of my Cup Series career.” -Tyler Reddick

KYLE BUSCH STEALS A BRISTOL CUP SERIES VICTORY IN THRILLING FOOD CITY DIRT RACE

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Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 18, 2022) – Kyle Busch has a special fondness for Bristol Motor Speedway, but the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota needed a huge stroke of luck on Sunday night to rekindle his love affair with the half-mile track.

Busch won the Food City Dirt Race from a distant third place after the Ford of second-place Chase Briscoe slid up the high-banked dirt track into the Chevrolet of leader Tyler Reddick in the final corner, turning both cars sideways.

Reddick righted his Camaro and steered toward the finish line, but Busch’s momentum off Turn 4 carried his No. 18 Camry past the flag stand .330 second ahead of Reddick, who was denied his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Busch, on the other hand, notched his 60th career victory, ninth-most all-time and most among active drivers. With his first win of the season, he matched Richard Petty’s series record streak of 18 years with at least one trip to Victory Lane.

An eight-time winner on Bristol’s traditional concrete surface—again, most among active drivers—Busch won the second NASCAR Cup Series dirt race since 1970 and the first featuring the new Next Gen race car.

“Yeah, we got one,” Busch said with a wry smile. “Doesn’t matter how you get ‘em. It’s all about getting ‘em. Can’t say enough. I mean, man, I feel like Dale Earnhardt Sr. right now (as the crowd booed his unexpected victory). This is awesome. I didn’t do anything.”

After the second of two rain delays, Busch restarted second on Lap 227, but he fell back as Briscoe passed him on Lap 232 of 250 and began to chase Reddick for the lead.

“I don’t know why, we couldn’t fire off after it rained, both times,” Busch said. “It just would not fire. Took it about 20 laps to get going.

“Overall, just really pumped to be back. Real pumped to get a win. This one means a lot. I can win on any surface here at Bristol. Bring it on, baby.”

A chagrined Briscoe took full responsibility for the accident that handed Busch the win.

“I was running Tyler down and tried throwing a slider and didn’t expect him to drive in there on me, and I got loose,” Briscoe said. “I was spinning either way. I feel terrible. I didn’t want to wreck him. That was my fault 100 percent. I hate it for Tyler. He’s a good friend of mine.”

Reddick took the disappointment with consummate grace.

“I don’t think I did everything right, to be honest with you,” Reddick said. “Briscoe was able to run me back down there. Just looking at it, I should have done a little bit better job of just… I don’t know. I shouldn’t have let him get that close. He ran me back down. Worked really hard to do that.

“I mean, you’re racing on dirt, going for the move on the final corner. It’s everything that, as a driver, you hope to battle for in his situation. Made it really exciting for the fans, so… It does suck, but we were able to finish second still. I’m being honest. I should have done a better job and pulled away so he wasn’t in range to try to make that move. That’s how I look at it.”

Reddick took control of the race after a restart on Lap 151 to begin the final stage. With a ferocious run through Turns 1 and 2, he shot between the cars of Kyle Busch on the top and Joey Logano on the bottom to take the lead for the first time.

He held the top spot for the next 99 laps, through five cautions and the second rain delay. The final lap was the only one Busch led.

Briscoe was credited with a 22nd-place finish after running second into the final set of corners.

Joey Logano came home third, 4.004 seconds behind the race winner. Kyle Larson was fourth, followed by Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon.

-Story by NASCAR Newswire

NASCAR Cup Series Race – 62nd Annual Food City Dirt Race
Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt
Bristol, Tennessee
Sunday, April 17, 2022

(11) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 250.
(3) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 250.
(10) Joey Logano, Ford, 250.
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 250.
(25) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 250.
(8) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 250.
(2) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 250.
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 250.
(17) Michael McDowell, Ford, 250.
(7) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 250.
(18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 250.
(21) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 250.
(1) Cole Custer, Ford, 250.
(6) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 250.
(15) Chris Buescher, Ford, 250.
(20) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 250.
(23) Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 250.
(19) William Byron, Chevrolet, 250.
(26) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 250.
(24) Harrison Burton #, Ford, 250.
(30) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 250.
(4) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 250.
(31) Aric Almirola, Ford, 250.
(14) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 250.
(36) Josh Williams(i), Ford, 250.
(35) Cody Ware, Ford, 250.
(28) Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, 248.
(22) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 245.
(16) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 240.
(29) JJ Yeley(i), Ford, Accident, 221.
(12) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 211.
(13) Kurt Busch, Toyota, Accident, 211.
(33) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Engine, 150.
(32) Kevin Harvick, Ford, Accident, 100.
(34) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Engine, 91.
(27) Justin Allgaier(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 74.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 34.973 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 34 Mins, 27 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.330 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 14 for 82 laps.

Lead Changes: 6 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Custer 0;C. Briscoe 1-48;K. Larson 49-75;D. Suarez 76-139;C. Briscoe 140-150;T. Reddick 151-249;K. Busch 250.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Tyler Reddick 1 time for 99 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 64 laps; Chase Briscoe 2 times for 59 laps; Kyle Larson 1 time for 27 laps; Kyle Busch 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 5,42,20,3,18,48,22,8,12,47

Stage #2 Top Ten: 14,20,99,9,18,5,22,34,12,8

Stewart-Haas Racing: Food City Dirt Race from Bristol

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Food City Dirt Race

Date: April 17, 2022
Event: Food City Dirt Race (Round 9 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile oval)
Format: 250 laps, broken into three stages (75 laps/75 laps/100 laps)
Race Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 1st, Finished 13th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 4th, Finished 22nd / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)
● Aric Almirola (Started 31st, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)
● Kevin Harvick (Started 32nd, Finished 34th / Accident, completed 100 of 250 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (10th with 245 points, 79 out of first)
● Aric Almirola (12th with 237 points, 87 out of first)
● Kevin Harvick (13th with 225 points, 99 out of first)
● Cole Custer (24th with 159 points, 165 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer won the Busch Light Pole Award for the Food City Dirt Race by driving from ninth to second in his heat race on Saturday. The passing points he tallied in his heat race earned Custer the pole, his first in the NASCAR Cup Series.
● Custer secured his second top-15 of the season and his first top-15 in two career starts in the Food City Dirt Race.
● Custer’s 13th-place finish bettered his previous best result in the Food City Dirt Race – 24th, earned in the inaugural race in March 2021.
● Briscoe spun on the final lap while in second place as he attempted to pass race leader Tyler Reddick.
● Briscoe won Stage 2 to earn 10 bonus points and one playoff point.
● Briscoe led twice for 59 laps – his first laps led in the Food City Dirt Race.
● Almirola’s 23rd-place finish bettered his previous best result in the Food City Dirt Race – 36th, earned in March 2021.

Race Notes:

● Kyle Busch won the Food City Dirt Race to score his 60th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first in the Food City Dirt Race. His margin over second-place Tyler Reddick was .330 of a second.
● There were 14 caution periods for a total of 82 laps.
● Twenty-six of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Chase Elliott remains the championship leader after Bristol with a three-point advantage over second-place Ryan Blaney.

Sound Bites:

“I was running Tyler (Reddick) down and I just tried throwing a slider. I didn’t expect him to drive in there on me and I was spinning out, I think, either way, and I hit him. I feel terrible. I was wanting to race him clean. I wasn’t going to wreck him for the win. That’s why I tried to slide him and I was trying to leave him enough room if I didn’t get there and that was my fault, 100 percent. I hate it for Tyler. He’s a good friend of mine and I wanted to see a dirt guy win if it wasn’t me. That was just racing. I was trying to go for the win and I feel terrible for him.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

“We did a terrible job prepping the track and full of mud and there was nobody here to pack the track, so we all look like a bunch of bozos coming in to pit because we don’t know how to prep the track. And then we don’t get the lucky dog for whatever reason with two cars on pit road, and then we got run over. I don’t know who ran us over at the end.” – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Latte Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 24 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Report – Bristol – 04.17.22

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Official Release
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KYLE BUSCH DRIVES PAST LAST LAP INCIDENT TO SCORE THE VICTORY
After the leaders tangle, Kyle Busch drives by them both to earn his ninth Bristol Cup Series win

BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 17, 2022) – Kyle Busch led just one lap – but it was the right one. The nine-time Bristol winner passed both Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe, who tangled on the final corners, to score his first victory of the season. With the win, Busch has now won in 18 consecutive seasons – tying Richard Petty for the most all-time. It was Busch’s 60th career Cup Series victory.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt
Race 9 of 36 – 125 miles, 250 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, KYLE BUSCH
2nd, Tyler Reddick*
3rd, Joey Logano*
4th, Kyle Larson*
5th, Ryan Blaney*
7th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
21st, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
28th, BUBBA WALLACE
32nd, KURT BUSCH
35th, DENNY HAMLIN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

Did you ever think you would win one like you did tonight?
“Yeah, we backed into that one didn’t we. Sure feels good just to get a win. It’s been a little bit of a long time here, but overall, just a great day. Really appreciate – just proud of the guys. They work hard. We all work hard. We all work way too hard. There’s not a lot of rewards in the sport except winning. You could come home with a second-place day and not get everything that you wanted from the day and from what you put into it. It’s always good when you win. I appreciate M&M’s and this Crunchy Cookie Camry TRD. It was awesome to keep pace with those two. I don’t know why our car would not refire after the rain both times. I was leading on the first big rain delay coming back and I fell to eighth and I was able to drive back through on the long run and get back into position. Then on that one again, same thing and I fell off and couldn’t hang. It got me about 20 laps to get going, but overall, just great to get back in victory lane. Thank you to Rowdy Energy, Toyota, Interstate Batteries, Sport Clips, DeWalt, Breathe Right Nasal Strips, everybody that gets us here.”

What does tonight show what you’ve learned about dirt racing and the new car?

“The biggest thing was just trying to stay in contention. Those restarts were really helpful when you had an outside restart. When we come back, we need to somehow figure out how to do a choose rule because you just get burned on the inside. Overall, I think that was the biggest thing we learned. There were definitely some things we could improve on. I think the 14 (Chase Briscoe) was arguably the best car. He ran down the 8 (Tyler Reddick) there at the end. It’s just so hard to pass once you get into that rhythm. That right rear in that sticky up top. It’s hard to out accelerate that off the corner with momentum or anything from the bottom of the racetrack. I knew if there was going to be a move being made it was going to be contact being made with how aggressive I know Reddick is as well. Again, just kept myself in the game. It reminded me of Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin at California. Sometimes the seas part ways and you get one, so I’ll take it.”

#

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Bristol Dirt Post-Race Quotes

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Food City Dirt Race – Sunday, April 17, 2022

FORD FINISHING ORDER:
3rd – Joey Logano
5th – Ryan Blaney
9th – Michael McDowell
11th – Brad Keselowski
13th – Cole Custer
15th – Chris Buescher
16th – Austin Cindric
17th – Todd Gilliland
20th – Harrison Burton
22nd – Chase Briscoe
23rd – Aric Almirola
25th – Josh Willilams
26th – Cody Ware
30th – JJ Yeley
34th – Kevin Harvick

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang – TAKE US THROUGH THE LAST LAP. “I was running Tyler down and I just tried throwing a slider. I didn’t expect him to drive in there on me and I was spinning out, I think, either way and I hit him. I feel terrible. I was wanting to race him clean. I wasn’t gonna wreck him for the win. That’s why I tried to slide him and I was trying to leave him enough if I didn’t get there and that was my fault 100 percent. I hate it for Tyler. He’s a good friend of mine and I wanted to see a dirt guy win if it wasn’t me. I’m gonna go down here and apologize and deserve what I get, I guess. That was just racing. I was trying to go for the win and I feel terrible for him.”

YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE A MOVE TO GO FOR THE WIN. “Yeah, I was just trying to win the race. I ran him down so fast and I knew it was gonna be hard with lap traffic, so I tried throwing a slider and it was the wrong move.”

HE SAID ON HIS RADIO HE WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. “Yeah, I’m gonna go talk to him. If he punches me, he punches me. I get it. I think it was just a racing deal and we’ll see what he says.”

POST-CONVERSATION WITH REDDICK:

WHAT DID TYLER SAY AFTERWARDS? “He got it. Obviously, Tyler and me have raced enough with each other. Both of us know we’re not gonna wreck each other or do something stupid on purpose, and that was just a racing deal. We were both going for a win. Both of us dirt guys. There’s a lot of pride in being the guy that wins the dirt race and it’s unfortunate. I hate that neither of us won, but I think Tyler understood and he was really cool about it and said he would have tried the exact same thing. He said it was his fault for letting me even get there in the first place.”

IT SEEMED YOU WOULD GAIN ONE LAP AND THEN FALL BACK THE NEXT WHEN TRYING TO CATCH HIM. “Yeah, it was definitely back and forth. I was trying stuff kind of behind him so if I did get there I kind of had an idea of what could work. My middle line that I was running down here kind of went away, so I knew the only way I was gonna pass him was to throw a slider, and it’s so hard when it’s that fast around the top. If you would have entered on the fence, I think I maybe would have got there, but when he went in right beside me there was no chance I was gonna make that work and that’s where I started spinning out in the first place.”

DID THE LAST RESTART NOT GO THE WAY YOU WANTED? “It could have gone a little bit better, but it was my fault because I spun the tires off of two and let the 18 back by. I had to get by him and then once the top came in I felt like I was ripping it pretty good. The only thing that didn’t go the way I wanted to on the restart was when I hit the 8. I was trying to do what I did to the 99 earlier in the race and Tyler waited so long to go that it just jammed me up and that’s what gave the 18 the opportunity.”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THIS RACE COME BACK NEXT YEAR? “I had a blast. The track was way way better. I don’t know how much the rain helped that, but the banking – everything – was awesome. I thought there at the end you couldn’t put on a better race from a dirt track standpoint in these cars, so hopefully that sold more tickets for next year and gives it an opportunity to come back because if we keep doing this at night, I think the opportunity to put on a good race is there.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – “We’ll take that. We weren’t fast enough obviously to win. We had great execution on restarts and kept ourselves towards the front. Paul made a good call leaving us out. The tire was coming apart there at the end, but we did what we had to do to stay towards the front. Track position was so big. It’s so hard to pass and I felt like if I could just get towards the front, I could try to hold them all off and that’s what we did with our Mustang. We were able to get a top three finish with our Shell/Pennzoil car. It’s OK. We’ll take it. It’s not a win, but we’ve been stringing together some good finishes the last couple of weeks.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang — “It was a pretty decent race for us. We had to start 25th and come from the back and I thought our car was pretty fast. I kept having to restart on the bottom and kept losing all the spots we’d gain. Our car was good enough there at the end. I thought I was faster than a couple guys ahead of me, but it was a fun race. I thought the track was really good and you could move around. The track was pretty wide, so I’m happy we got the whole race in. That was nice and not a bad day. We’ll just go on.”

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Latte Ford Mustang – WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? “The first thing I can tell you is we did a terrible job prepping the track and full of mud and there was nobody here to pack the track, so we all look like a bunch of bozos coming in to pit because we don’t know how to prep the track. And then we don’t get the lucky dog for whatever reason with two cars on pit road, and then we got run over. I don’t know who ran us over at the end.”

AFTER YOU GOT YOUR LAP BACK DID YOU FEEL LIKE? “I had a great car. The racetrack was fine. They just did a terrible job to start with. They’ve done this before, but, obviously, it doesn’t look like it.”

WILL YOU GO AND TALK TO THEM OR SAY SOMETHING? “You can’t talk to them.”

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO. “Might be, but if I had my choice we wouldn’t be doing this anyway.”

DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S SALVAGEABLE? “What’s the point, really?”

THE POINT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND GOING BACK TO THE SPORTS’ GRASSROOTS. “I guess the TV ratings will tell that. If the TV ratings are high, it’ll be great.”

YOU REALLY LIKED THIS TRACK THE WAY IT WAS, RIGHT? “I think Bristol is a great racetrack, but it must not have been what everybody liked.”

PRETTY FRUSTRATED? “I think it’s ridiculous that we’re doing what we’re doing anyway.”

CHEVY NCS AT BRISTOL DIRT: Post-Race Notes and Quotes

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FOOD CITY DIRT RACE
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES
APRIL 17, 2022

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
2ND TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1
4TH KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1
6TH ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
8TH CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 KELLEY BLUE BOOK CAMARO ZL1
10TH TY DILLON, NO. 42 FOOD CITY / GAIN CAMARO ZL1
12TH DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1
14TH JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1
18TH WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1
19TH COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 NATIONS GUARD CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Kyle Busch (Toyota)
2nd Tyler Reddick (Chevrolet)
3rd Joey Logano (Ford)
4th Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
5th Ryan Blaney (Ford)

The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway with the GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 24 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 2nd
TYLER, TALK ME THROUGH TURNS THREE AND FOUR. WHAT TOOK PLACE OVER THERE? WHAT ARE THE EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW?
“I don’t think I did everything right, to be honest with you. (Chase) Briscoe was able to run me back down there. Just looking at it, I should have done a little bit better job of just — I don’t know. I shouldn’t have let him get that close. He ran me back down. Worked really hard to do that.

I mean, you’re racing on dirt; going for the move on the final corner. It’s everything that as a driver you hope to battle for in his situation. Made it really exciting for the fans, so…

It does suck, but we were able to finish second still. I’m being honest. I should have done a better job and pulled away so he wasn’t in range to try to make that move. That’s how I look at it.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 4th
“We had a good No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy all night. We could have been a lot better, but I still feel like we had a car capable of winning if things played out differently. I think the weather kind of had everyone on the fence on what to do. But either way, it was fun. Getting back up there to the top-five was good. I wasn’t sure if we could get it done restarting 20-something to start the final stage. I had a lot of fun and hopefully next year, we can get our car a little better and run towards the front even more.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 KELLEY BLUE BOOK CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 8th
ELLIOTT’S THOUGHTS ON THE RACE DURING THE FIRST RAIN DELAY:
“Towards the end of that first stage, I feel like I started finally halfway figuring it out and was able to go forward some. A lot of it is just whether you get the bottom or the top. We don’t have to choose, but it’s really unfair regardless of which end you’re on. Unfortunately, those last couple restarts, we had the top. And all kind of at the same time, I felt like I was able to finally make some pace whenever I did get some track position too.

Appreciate everybody on our No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevy this weekend for sticking with it and sticking with me. I’ve struggled. I’m excited to have made some improvements throughout the race.”

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 14th
“Not the day we wanted in our No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1, but we got a good top 15 out of it. I led the team in the wrong direction for changes and got myself behind a little. Overall, it was a productive weekend. We got a heat race win and ran up front during stage one. I just backed myself into a corner, but I’m proud of this team’s effort.”

NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 16 CHEVY TRUCK MONTH CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 27th
“We were trying to keep our No. 16 Chevy Truck Month Camaro ZL1 in one piece – that was my main goal. Unfortunately, I had nowhere to go and got caught up in a wreck. I’m thankful for everyone’s hard work on this Kaulig Racing team. Our first couple of races haven’t gone the way we have wanted them to, but we will keep building. The cars are fast, and I’m starting to learn and get better as we go.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS / TRACKER OFF ROAD CAMARO ZL1 – Sidelined due to mechanical failure; Finished 31st
“We had such a fast Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet, and I love racing on dirt so I just wish we could have been there for the end. Both of our teams were a little worried about our air boxes because we stayed out at the end of Stage 2 instead of pitting. It didn’t work out for the No. 3 team. Too much dirt got into the engine, and we ended up losing the motor. It’s unfortunate because our No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet was pretty good, and we had a decent restart before it shut down on me. I’m thankful no one ko’d me there. I fell back so fast that I was waiting for somebody to get me big. I tried to hold it straight. I was just completely out of power. I want to congratulate my teammate, Tyler Reddick, on a great race. He drove his butt off, got up there and was good. He didn’t get his win tonight, but if RCR keeps giving us cars like these we both will be in Victory Lane soon.”
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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.

Wright Motorsports Sweeps GT World Challenge America Sonoma Opener

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Official Release
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NEXT UP: GT AMERICA AND GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA
SONOMA RACEWAY | APRIL 14-17, 2022
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Wright Motorsports Sweeps GT World Challenge America Sonoma Opener

SONOMA, Calif., (April 17, 2022) – Wright Motorsports drivers Charlie Luck and Jan Heylen made their debut as teammates in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS and swept the event, taking both wins in the Pro/Am class this weekend. Hutton McKenna also made his own debut in the GT America powered by AWS championship, closing out the weekend at Sonoma Raceway with a win of his own.

“It was a great weekend for both of our programs at Sonoma Raceway,” said Team Owner John Wright. “While Jan was new to the series, this year is a step up for both Charlie and Hutton, and they did a great job in their new level of competition. We’re starting the season off on the right foot, and we’re excited to see what’s in store. We have some championship titles to defend, and this is the right way to get it started!”

Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
After winning the inaugural GT America championship last season, Luck returned to SRO America this year, stepping up to the GT World Challenge America series with 2021 Pro/Am Champion Jan Heylen. He transitioned from 40-minute, single-driver races to a pair of 90-minute races he shares with his new co-driver. The two took full advantage of the days leading up to the races, practicing not only their on-track performance but driver changes in and out of the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R as well.

Charlie Luck took the green flag in his first GT World Challenge America race starting from seventh overall and second in the Pro/Am class. He had a strong start, sliding into sixth place behind the Pro-ranked No. 3 K-PAX Racing Lamborghini of Misha Goikhberg. After he made an early pass on class leader Chandler Hull in the No. 94 BMW, Luck held off Hull to the conclusion of his smooth and clean stint. Luck pitted during the mandatory pit window to give the car over to co-driver Jan Heylen with a tank of fuel and new, hot tires. Pit stops cycled through and Heylen stayed up front, though an eager Colin Braun in the No. 04 Mercedes began to close. With every turn, Braun tried to find a window to make the pass on Heylen, but the Porsche stayed out front, the Belgian wisely making sure not to give his competition any opportunity. Heylen kept the position to the checkered flag, celebrating not only his first win with his new -teammate and father-in-law but also Luck’s first win in his GT World Challenge America debut.

The pair started from fifth overall and second in class on Sunday afternoon for race two. The No. 94 class-leading Acura of Mario Farnbacher started in the row ahead. The race went green, and the top six cars created a gap over the rest of the field, battling in their own group for position. The first two Pro entries pulled away, and Heylen found himself in a four-way battle for third position with Farnbacher and two other Pro entries. Farnbacher went side by side with one of the Pro Lamborghinis, sending both cars off circuit temporarily. He rejoined side by side with Heylen, who found himself in an even closer position to fight for the lead. He positioned himself on the outside of turn eleven, making the pass on the Acura, and took the Pro/Am class lead with one hour, 13 minutes remaining.

Heylen seized advantage of the opportunity, and sailed through the turns, taking the class lead. The 10-minute window for the mandatory pit stop opened 25 minutes later, and he brought the Porsche in the pits at the completion of his stint. With fresh tires and a load of fuel, Luck jumped in, leading the No. 94 Acura, now driven by Ashton Harrison, 1.2 seconds behind. From there, Luck charged ahead, hitting his marks with each lap, keeping ahead of Harrison. He crossed the finish line with a one-second gap, earning his second win in two days.

The team’s double win places them and the drivers firmly in the lead for the 2022 championship, which resumes next month at Ozarks International Raceway, May 20-22.

Charlie Luck // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
What a weekend. Coming into this first race with Jan, I felt a lot of pressure. The first weekend with pit stops, that’s a huge deal, much bigger than I thought and all of it went really well. I got super coaching from Jan on all the details of a great pit stop. The number one thing on track was my concentration, which was really strong. Thanks to the whole Wright team for the incredible setup. What the heck! Two wins at Sonoma? We love it.

Jan Heylen // No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
Just an unbelievable weekend. We knew coming into this race, going off of past seasons, that this is not our strongest track – it doesn’t suit the car as well. I wouldn’t say a surprise to come away with two wins because of the total teamwork and we executed well, but these was two big wins for the team toward the championship. I know there are tracks coming our way that suit the car a lot better. Two crazy drives by Charlie. First time doing all the pit stops and the pace was extreme.
GT America powered by AWS
Hutton McKenna made his own debut in the GT America series on Saturday, starting sixth in the No. 30 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. He had a strong debut, making his way up as high as third place before the checkered flag, but ultimately finished the race in sixth.

He started race two from fifth place with a renewed vigor to climb up to the front of the field. While race two had only a brief window of green flag racing at the start before a full course caution halted the action, McKenna jumped from his fifth-place starting position to restart from second-place. As the field went back to green, he drove down the side of the No. 39 Mercedes of Chris Cagnazzi to take the class lead, earning his first win with Wright Motorsports. The GT America championship will resume at Ozarks International Raceway, May 20-22, in support of GT World Challenge America.

Hutton McKenna // No. 30 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
That was awesome today! My first win with Wright Motorsports feels great. Thank you to the team. They did a fantastic job and gave me a great car. It was helpful to have them on my side and step up to this new series with their guidance. I’m really liking the GT4 racing here, and I love SRO America. Thanks to Bobby Viglione for everything.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Flying Lizard Motorsports Kicks Off SRO America Season with Podium Finish

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Cali., (April 17, 2022) – Flying Lizard returned to the Pirelli GT4 America and GT America powered by AWS this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, starting the new season off with another podium finish at their home track. The Sonoma-based squad raced a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT4 cars in the two series with team newcomers Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, competing in four races on Saturday and Sunday.

“It was a great start to the 2022 season,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Competing in two race series simultaneously can be quite demanding, but both Elias and Andy were able to get a lot of track time in our new cars. We had a great start to the race weekend and couldn’t be happier to have a podium finish in our first race weekend at our home track of Sonoma. Although the second day of racing didn’t produce the results we wanted, both Elias and Andy showed a lot of speed and we saw the performance capability of the team and the car as well as the potential of what we can do. I am really looking forward to the rest of the season. “

Pirelli GT4 America
Elias Sabo took the green flag for race one in the No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in 11th position, and before completing a full lap, the race immediately went yellow, temporarily pausing racing activities for an incident on track that dropped oil in the carousel. Sabo settled into 13th on the start, but gained back a spot, passing the No. 69 of Todd Coleman and taking 10th place before another incident brought out red flag. All running ceased while safety marshals cleaned up an incident on track, and after a substantial break, racing resumed. Sabo pitted in the mandatory window, allowing Andy Lee to get in the Aston Martin and take over for the remainder of the race. Once all pit stops cycled through, he found himself in fourth, but 0.6 seconds behind the No. 47 of Jason Hart. For the final 15 minutes of the race, the two raced nose to tail. Lee made the pass in the final lap, securing a third-place position for Flying Lizard Motorsports. The podium result gave the team ample momentum, excited to face day two of racing where the pair would start from sixth in the pro/am class.

The second day of racing failed to go as planned for the Flying Lizard duo. Though Lee started sixth in class and eighth overall, the packed field made it difficult to gain or maintain ground. He safely dropped to tenth on the start, knowing he could gain background throughout the race. A lengthy caution ate into the race clock, preventing further progression for Lee’s stint. Sabo took over from Lee during the mandatory stop and put on a great show battling for ninth position. Unfortunately, the battle led to final lap contact, resulting in a 14th place finish.

GT America powered by AWS
After qualifying in a mixture of wet and dry conditions, Elias Sabo set a fast lap to start GT America race one in 15th position in the GT4 class. He had a strong start, climbing up to ninth, chasing the No. 930 Audi R8 of Steve Dinan. A full course caution interrupted his climb, but after the field went back go green, he climbed one more spot, taking eight place in his first GT America race with Flying Lizard Motorsports.

Sabo and the Lizards had high hopes for GT America race two from their third place starting position. However, the front leaders held up the field on the start, resulting in a bit of mele in the opening laps. The scuffle dropped the No. 8 Aston Martin down the field, where the car was hit by a competitor as Elias tried to regain lost ground. The contact caused damage to the car, resulting in the Lizard entry retiring early.

The series will race next at Ozarks International Raceway May 20-22. The 3.97-mile, 19-corner track is a new addition to the SRO America sanctioning body. Nestled in Gravois Mills, Missouri, the new circuit will offer exciting action as all competitors learn the circuit, eager to continue the battle for the championship titles. For more information, visit https://www.sro-america.com.

Elias Sabo
It was a good start to the season with a podium finish on Saturday. We had a good pace and the Flying Lizard team performed exceptionally well. Andy and I are looking forward to the Ozarks.

Andy Lee
I’m so proud of our team effort on Saturday! Standing on the podium to start the season is such an awesome feeling. The team delivered a great car and near-perfect pit stop. They made it easy for Elias and me to reach the front of the field.

Porsche Sprint Challenge by Yokohama
The team also raced the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America this weekend, entering four Porsches in the single-make series. Chris Bellomo swept the weekend in his Porsche 992, clinching both class and overall wins in the pair of 40-minute races. Mike Gaulke also swept the Cayman class, and Paul Nemschoff picked up a pair of second-place finishes in his 991. Paul Bonderson earned a second-place finish in the Cayman class on Saturday, contributing to the Lizard’s success on their home race weekend.

2022 GT4 America Schedule
Sonoma Raceway
Rounds 1 & 2 | April 15-17

Ozarks International Raceway
Rounds 3 & 4 | May 20-22

VIRginia International Raceway
Rounds 5 & 6 | June 17-19

Watkins Glen International
Rounds 7 & 8 | July 22-24

Road America
Rounds 9 & 10 | August 19-21

Sebring International Raceway
Rounds 11 & 12 | September 23-25

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Rounds 13 & 14 | October 7-9

2022 GT America Schedule
St. Petersburg
Rounds 1 & 2 | February 24-26

Sonoma Raceway
Rounds 3 & 4 | April 15-17

Ozarks International Raceway
Rounds 5 & 6 | May 20-22

VIRginia International Raceway
Rounds 7 & 8 | June 17-19

Watkins Glen International
Rounds 9 & 10 | July 22-24

Road America
Rounds 11 & 12 | August 19-21

Sebring International Raceway
Rounds 13 & 14 | September 23-25

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Rounds 15 & 16 | October 7-9

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

About 5.11
With offices around the globe, 5.11 ABR Corp. and its subsidiaries, including 5.11, Inc., work with end users to create purpose-built apparel, footwear and gear designed specifically to enhance the safety, accuracy, speed, and performance of tactical professionals and technical enthusiasts worldwide. 5.11 products exceed rigorous standards, which have allowed the brand to establish a reputation for innovation and authenticity, and become the premier choice for those who always have to be ready. 5.11 products can be purchased online, through authorized dealers and retailers, as well as at 5.11 company-owned retail stores.

Learn more about 5.11’s best-selling gear and accessories at www.511tactical.com. Find a full list of 5.11 company-owned retail stores at https://www.511tactical.com/locations/. Connect with 5.11 on Facebook, Twitter @511Tactical and on Instagram @511Tactical and #511tactical

5.11 ABR Corp. is a subsidiary of Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI).

5.11, 5.11 Tactical and Always Be Ready are registered trademarks of 5.11, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cosmo, Cagnazzi Reverse Fortunes in Sunday races at Sonoma

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Official Release
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SONOMA, CA (18 April 2022) – Guy Cosmo and Chris Cagnazzi turned around their fortunes in their debut with Steve Cameron Racing in the SRO Pirelli GT4 America Series, taking fourth in Sunday’s second race of the season at Sonoma Raceway after being eliminated in the opening event.

“Overall, it was a great weekend,” Cosmo said. “We had our bad luck on Saturday, and got that off our back today. Chris had a really strong run this morning, finishing second in GT America. Then we were fourth in class in the SprintX race – and I believe that’s our best finish so far since teaming up last year. We wanted to be on the podium, but we’ll take fourth and push forward from there.”

Saturday’s season-opening SprintX Race 1 was cut short only four corners after the green flag due to an incident that eliminated Cagnazzi’s No. 39 Presido Mercedes-AMG GT4.

“Chris was hit by another car, who was swerving to avoid a crash in front of him and didn’t realize Chris was there,” Cosmo said. “Chris was an innocent bystander, with nowhere to go. Chris took a pretty good hit that tore up the left-rear suspension and the bumper. The team did a good job putting it back together. When something like this happens, you’ve got to have a short memory. You have to put all the bad stuff behind you, and focus forward and have as much fun as possible.”

The team quickly put the bad memories behind them on Sunday, beginning with a second-place finish for Cagnazzi driving the repaired car in the 40-minute companion SRO GT America powered by AWS race.

Cosmo then started sixth overall for the one-hour GT America GT4 SprintX round that featured an impressive 39-car field and raced to fourth in class ahead of a pit stop with 25 minutes remaining.

The Steve Cameron Racing team pulled off the second-fastest pit stop of the race while installing Cagnazzi behind the wheel. Cagnazzi rejoined the fray in sixth overall and fourth in class. Dicing through a frantic fight to the finish, Cagnazzi was able to bring the Mercedes home in fourth in Pro-Am.

Cagnazzi had mixed fortunes in the two 40-minute GT America races.

In Saturday’s opening race, he pitted on the first lap to serve a penalty that resulted from an incident in the season-opening round at St. Petersburg. That put him in 21st, with a big gap to the rest of the field. Cagnazzi patiently worked his way up the scoreboard. He was 16th with 30 minutes remaining, and 13th with 20 minutes left. A lengthy caution allowed him to catch back up, and he gained three positions in the remaining five minutes to finish ninth in class and 16th overall.

Cagnazzi had better luck on Sunday morning, coming back from a pair of slow starts to finish second. Starting on the pole, Cagnazzi was freight-trained at the initial start but was able to take the lead on the second lap. The race had two lengthy cautions. On the initial restart, Cagnazzi fell back to second, but the race went back to yellow only 90-seconds later. Cagnazzi held his own on the final restart with six minutes remaining, fighting off several challenges to claim the second step on the podium.

“Chris was hit by another car late in that race, so we had to do really quick repairs between the two races,” Cosmo explained. “The handling of the car wasn’t as good as it had been before, so we weren’t at our best in the SprintX race. I was battling understeer – the car didn’t handle as well as it did before. If we hadn’t had that contact this morning, we would have been stronger. But it is what it is, and we did the best with what we had. We’ll take it.”

Currently, the next race on the SRO schedule for the team will be at VIRginia International Raceway on June 17-19. The team expects to miss the next event, the first race at Ozarks International Raceway in Varvois Mills, Missouri, on May 20-22.

Integrating Mobile Apps into Motorsports

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Handheld devices such as your mobile phone or tablet have gained their place as a necessity for everyday use and are just as important as a wallet or your car keys. These devices can offer finance management, interconnectivity, workflow improvement, entertainment, and more to any user within seconds.

If you’re a fan of motorsports (we all are here), there are various apps you can integrate into your daily routines to dramatically improve your experiences with motorsports. These types of apps can be something simple as motorsport news or as thrilling as betting on the next race.

Sportsbook and Betting

Nothing is more exhilarating than aligning your cash with confidence in the form of sportsbook betting. As with any sport, motorsports are especially engaging to place bets on racers, and the outcomes of events. Whether it’s Indy, Nascar, Formula 1, or any other form of motorsport, there is a community and app available to set it all on the line and keep you on the edge of your seat.

With the explosion of popularity and streamlining of online gambling and sportsbook betting apps, finding what works for you can be difficult. To point you in the right direction we recommend 20Bet application, as it offers 24/7 access to online betting, casino, and sportsbooks and works on all devices. It also accepts a multitude of deposit and withdrawal methods, even cryptocurrency.

News and Events

With the advent of the 24/7 news cycle, information overload is common and news and information regarding your interests can be drowned out in the endless sea of breaking news. As a result, you may be missing out on the latest news and events within the beautiful world of motorsport and detract from your enjoyment of it overall.

Coinciding with the previous heading, staying up to date on motorsports events through apps can be invaluable if you enjoy sportsbook betting or simply friendly wagers amongst friends. Knowing how certain teams are performing in the season, the upcoming tracks, or even the expected weather for any given event can be the edge you need.

Keeping up to date is also useful if you enjoy going out and seeing the races yourself. Knowing when and where any given event is taking place can allow you to prepare trips with your friends and family without tribulation.

Live and On-demand Video

An unfortunate reality for the majority of us is the inability to set aside the specific time that a motorsport event is happening. Scheduling conflicts result in detriments to enjoyment because you can’t view the races you want to see. Fortunately, apps are also incredibly useful to use here.

Many apps offer live feeds or on-demand videos for any motorsport event. This allows you to view and watch races anywhere at any time with your device. These apps also offer highlight reels for those of you who are especially time conscious and easily display the best bits of any race for your viewing pleasure.

In conclusion, apps are a wonderful means to improve or even reshape your motorsport experience entirely. Mobile devices are here to stay and have become intertwined in society, using them for your benefits and advantages, especially in motorsports leaves a lasting, positive impression.

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