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Kyle Busch – No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Martinsville Preview

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Kyle Busch: Driver, No. 51 JBL® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200, Race 5 of 23, 200 Laps –50/50/100; 105.2 Miles
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (0.526-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: April 7, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Report on ‘Rowdy’:

Owner-driver Kyle Busch gets behind the wheel of the No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro Thursday night at Martinsville for his third of five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2022. Busch opened up the season with a runner-up finish at Las Vegas and in the series’ last event scored a third-place result despite dominating the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex. ‘Rowdy’ led 31 of 46 laps total and found himself in control of the race before two late-race cautions would force the field to group back together. On the second overtime restart, Alex Bowman and Stewart Friesen both overdrove the entry to Turn 11 slamming into Busch and opening a hole for Zane Smith to take the late lead. After being forced off track, Busch tried to battle his way back up to the front over the final lap and a half but would ultimately bring home a third-place finish.

‘Rowdy’ is hoping that entering the Truck Series race at Martinsville every three years continues to be the charm as he has won the last two times he’s raced at the 0.526-mile oval over the last six seasons. Thursday night’s start at Martinsville will mark the first time that the Las Vegas native has competed in a Truck Series race at ‘The Paperclip’ since winning the spring event in 2019 when he led 174 of 250 laps en route to his second Truck Series triumph at Martinsville. The last time he had entered the Truck Series race prior to that was in 2016, when he led 123 of 255 laps on his way to victory lane. In addition to the two grandfather clocks he collected in Truck Series actions, Busch has won twice in Cup Series action: the spring of 2016 and the fall of 2017.

Busch, the winningest driver in series history, enters Martinsville having won 37.7% (61/162) of the Truck Series races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.8% (92/162). Since the start of the 2017 season the talented wheelman has produced an average finish of 3.2 across his 22 starts in NASCAR’s third division, including 12 wins and seven runner-up finishes.

In addition to his Truck Series leading 61 wins, ‘Rowdy’ also ranks first all-time among Truck Series drivers in driver rating (123.6), average finish (6.58) and is second in laps led (7,590).

Mardy Lindley returns to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. In addition to this year’s win with Corey Heim at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 51 team produced three victories in Lindley’s first season as a crew chief at KBM, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001. Lindley has called the shots for two Truck Series events at Martinsville, with Corey Heim’s 11th-place result last October being the best finish. Lindley’s father, Butch, finished second to Harry Gant in the Cup Series race at Martinsville on April 25, 1982.

The No. 51 team currently sits fourth in the Owner’s Championship standings. After four events they are just 27 points behind the No. 18 KBM team but are currently in the owner’s portion of the playoffs via Corey Heim’s win at Atlanta.

Rowdy Energy, the enhanced hydration formula energy drink created by Busch, and vendor partner Amazon will adorn the bedtop of the No. 51 Tundra for Thursday’s race at Martinsville. Rowdy Energy Drink is currently available in 10 flavors, including seven sugar free options that are KETO certified. Use Rowdy Energy’s store locator at https://rowdyenergy.com/pages/store-locator to find where you can pick up a can today, or order online at www.rowdyenergy.com.

All three KBM Tundra TRD Pros will carry a special decal on the B post this week promoting Autism Awareness that includes the twitter handle of NASCAR Sammy (@NASCARSammy), an avid NASCAR fan and autism advocate. Fans can visit his website, nascarsammy.com to purchase a decal and help support his mission.

Kyle Busch, Driver Q&A:
What does it take to be successful in a truck at Martinsville?
“You have to have a truck that will turn the center without getting too loose in and too loose off. You also have to play the strategy right to be up front at the end of the race and have enough tire left to hold people off. The last two truck races that I’ve won at Martinsville have been 250-lap races, so it’ll be a little bit different with Thursday night being only 200 laps and then also with the new practice system we’ll only have 15 minutes of practice to get our JBL Tundra dialed in. So, we’ll need to make sure we unload with a truck that is close because there isn’t much you can do to improve the handling with limited practice and limited pit stops in the race.”

Kyle Busch Career Highlights:

  • Busch has a total of 162 Camping World Trucks starts and is ranked first all-time in wins (61), driver rating (123.6) and average finish (6.65).
  • The 36-year-old driver has won 37.7% (61/162) of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.8% (92/162).
  • Busch stands alone as the leader in all-time career wins in NASCAR’s national touring series with 222 total victories. He has earned 59 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 102 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, and 61 NCWTS wins.
  • In August of 2010, Busch made history when he won the NCWTS, NXS and NCS races at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the only driver to sweep all three of NASCAR’s top three series at one track on the same weekend. He then repeated the feat in August of 2017.

Kyle Busch’s No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-62: The No. 51 JBL team will race KBM-62 for Thursday’s race at Martinsville. Corey Heim finished 11th with this same Tundra last fall at Martinsville. The Toyota’s best result across nine careers starts was a runner-up finish with Busch last April at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
Click here to see KBM-62 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected eight wins, five poles, 987 laps led, 24 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 9.4 across 6o starts at Martinsville. Todd Gilliland picked up the organization’s most recent victory at the 0.526-mile oval in October of 2019. Kyle Busch (2016 & 2019), Darrell Wallace Jr. (2013 & 2014), and Denny Hamlin (2011 & 2012) have all collected two victories at the Virginia track while Noah Gragson (2017) has one win.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (92) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 38 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

F-150 Lightning is First Electric Truck to Pace NASCAR Race; Will be Featured at Martinsville Speedway April 7-9

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  • The all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning will be the official pace vehicle for this weekend’s NASCAR event at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Near instantaneous torque and 563 horsepower of Lightning make it well-suited for pace car duties on nationally-televised race event.
  • Production for Lightning truck is on track for customer deliveries beginning this spring. Ford is investing more than $50 billion in Electric Vehicles globally through 2026 to develop breakthrough EVs and bring them to market at scale.

DEARBORN, MI, April 5, 2022 – A fully-electric truck that is helping change the future of Ford Motor Company will be on track at Martinsville Speedway as the 2022 F-150 Lightning makes its debut as a pace vehicle for the NASCAR Cup Series on April 9.

Lightning received nearly 200,000 reservations since being unveiled last May and is part of a growing EV portfolio for Ford that includes the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit.

“Ford is fully invested in electrification and the response to Lightning has been so overwhelming that it was an easy decision to bring it to a NASCAR event,” said Jeannee Kirkaldy, motorsports marketing manager, Ford Performance. “One thing we definitely know is that our fans love trucks and we’re confident that feeling will only grow when they see Lightning out on the track leading the field to green.”

”We can’t wait to show our Ford fans how capable the F-150 Lightning is. With 563 horsepower, 775 lb.-ft. of near instantaneous torque and a 0-60 mph time in the mid-4-second range, I think it will turn some heads out on the track.” said Darren Palmer, vice president, Ford electric vehicle programs.

This marks the second straight year an all-electric Ford vehicle will pace a NASCAR race after the Mustang Mach-E led the field at Talladega Superspeedway in April. Ford became the first OEM to use an electric vehicle to pace a NASCAR race way back in April 2012 when the all-electric Ford Focus paced the field at Richmond, Va.

“I haven’t driven the Lightning yet, but if it’s anything like the Mustang Mach-E, it’s going to be a blast,” said NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney. “I hope it ends up being the only thing in front of me once the race starts.”

The Ford F-150 is part of F-Series, America’s best-selling truck 45 years in a row. F-Series recently reached a milestone when the 40 millionth unit rolled off the assembly line in January.

Martinsville Speedway, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, will be hosting all three top NASCAR touring series, beginning with the Camping World Truck Series on Thursday at 8 p.m. The NASCAR Xfinity Series takes to the track on Friday with the NASCAR Cup Series scheduled for Saturday. Both of those races are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

About Ford Performance

Ford’s racing program is part of the Ford Performance organization based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for major racing operations globally, including NASCAR (Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Camping World Truck Series), IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, FIA World Rally Championship, Virgin Australia Supercars, Formula Drift, NHRA Funny Car, off-road desert racing, and sportsman drag racing. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit www.fordperformance.com, www.facebook/FordPerformance, Ford Performance on Instagram and @FordPerformance on Twitter.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of connected, increasingly electrified passenger and commercial vehicles: Ford trucks, utility vehicles, vans and cars, and Lincoln luxury vehicles. The company is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, connected vehicle services and mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 183,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company is available at corporate.ford.com.

Cross Country Adjusting Joins Gilliland Rookie Campaign

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Claims Adjusting Business to Partner with Front Row Motorsports at Martinsville

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 5, 2022) – Todd Gilliland will have a new partner heading into one of his favorite tracks this weekend. Cross Country Adjusting, an industry leader in insurance claim services, will support the No. 38 Ford Mustang team this weekend at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Gilliland is a former winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the track and considers it one of his best.

Gilliland will be making his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville with Cross Country Adjusting branding and colors on his No. 38 Ford Mustang. Cross Country Adjusting provides services such as commercial and residential property claim management, flood adjusting, catastrophe response and more. Their commitment to excellence aligns with the sport of NASCAR.

“Just as in NASCAR, every detail matters,” said Troy Shaw, Vice President of Cross Country Adjusting. “We pride ourselves in being the best in what we do and provide our customers the best product in the market. We want people to learn more about us and that is why we are partnering with Front Row Motorsports and Todd Gilliland in front of a national audience at the Martinsville Speedway. We can provide a service to the fans and those involved in the sport.”

For Gilliland, he is happy to have more support in his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series season. He’s also looking forward to heading to Martinsville.

“Our Cross Country Adjusting Ford Mustang looks awesome,” Gilliland stated. “There have been many great partners who are helping us this season. That gives me more confidence knowing that we have this support. This weekend it is another new partner with Cross Country Adjusting joining the team. We are glad they are with us.

“And it’s really cool they are with us at Martinsville. I just love this track and can’t wait to race there on Saturday night. It’s just cool. The car is going to look great; the fans will be excited and I’m going to be excited. It’s a race that I’m really looking forward to.”

For more information about Cross Country Adjusting, visit www.ccadjust.com.

ABOUT CROSS COUNTRY ADJUSTING
Cross Country Adjusting, founded in 2005, has quickly grown to become one of the nation’s leading insurance claim service companies providing services in all 48 contiguous states. From the very beginning, our goal has been to provide the best service possible for the insured at the most affordable cost to the carrier. We are the primary vendor for the vast majority of our clients. Our vision of partnership with our clients guides our principles of integrity, excellence, and accuracy. Cross Country Adjusting offers a wide array of services including TPA claims administration, field adjusting for both daily and catastrophe property claims, managed repair network, and virtual inspector program. For more information go to www.CCAdjust.com

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

Michael Roberts Construction Adds Partner to Truck Series Program

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RTA’s gigFAST Internet to Help Speed Smith Throughout 2022 Season

HOUSTON, Texas and MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 5, 2022) – Rural Telecommunications of America, Inc. (RTA) has joined Michael Roberts Construction (MRC) as a sponsor of Zane Smith and the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 team. RTA’s partnership with MRC will feature a full primary truck sponsorship at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 27, plus associate sponsorship at all other MRC primary sponsored races starting at Martinsville Speedway this Thursday, followed by Sonoma Raceway, Kansas Speedway and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

RTA initially joined MRC and Smith last year and are looking forward to being part of Smith’s championship run later this fall.

“We are extremely excited this year to continue our partnership with Zane, MRC and now with Front Row Motorsports,” said RTA Chairman Donald Workman. “Zane is an extremely talented driver and incredible person on and off the track. He exhibits all the qualities that RTA is built upon. We are so pleased to be a part of his racing family to support him and his team.”

RTA is a Rural Internet Service Provider based in Houston, Texas that is on a mission to bring affordable gigFAST INTERNET™ to America’s rural communities. Smith, who moved from California to a more rural area in North Carolina to pursue his NASCAR dreams, has experienced first-hand the need for more options and faster internet in places underserved. Both RTA and Smith share the need for speed and passion for connecting rural America.

“RTA is a perfect partner for our sport as they are leading the way in bringing high-speed internet to NASCAR fans all over rural America,” said Smith. “Speed and technology is what drives the sport and I trust their gigFAST service to help me win races. Hopefully we can win another one with them on the No. 38 RTA Ford F-150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway this May.”

For more information about RTA, visit www.rtatel.com.

About Rural Telecommunications of America, Inc.
RTA’s gigFAST NETWORK™ provides affordable gigFAST INTERNET, VOICE, and TV to rural America; enabling businesses and residents gigFAST INTERNET for their entertainment, e-learning, telemedicine and telework. Visit RTA at www.rtatel.com/

About Michael Roberts Construction (MRC)
MRC is a private and public commercial construction company based in northern California. MRC expert engineering can be seen in various constructions throughout the region. The company partnered with Smith, a two-time NCWTS champion runner-up, early in his budding career and has been one of his most loyal supporters and friend since. They are proud to continue their relationship as Smith competes for his first championship. For more information about MRC, visit www.michaelrobertscontruction.com.

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

The Dale Jr. Foundation to Help Fight Food Insecurity

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Earnhardt Jr.’s Race-Used Steering Wheel Auction to Raise Funds for Food Insecurity Crisis

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 5, 2022) – When Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbs behind the wheel of the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet on Friday night at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1), he’ll be doing much more than steering a racecar, he’ll be helping those who experience food insecurity.

It is estimated that one in every eight Americans are food insecure, meaning they “lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Earnhardt Jr. and The Dale Jr. Foundation will call attention to that fact at Martinsville with a specially designed steering wheel for the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet.

The wheel, produced by Max Papis’ MPI® in Italy and featuring TrueTimber’s® Viper Urban Orange camouflage, will be auctioned off following the event to raise funds to battle food insecurity through The Dale Jr. Foundation’s partner charities.

“Food insecurity is a growing trend in today’s society, and we are excited to see Dale Jr. raise awareness for this important cause through the creation of this exclusive, one-of-a-kind steering wheel,” said Regina Smith, director of The Dale Jr. Foundation. “Our partner, TrueTimber® Camo, provided the digital camouflage for the wheel and Max and his company, MPI®, helped bring it to life.”

Bidding for this unique item begins on Martinsville race day, Friday, April 8, at TDJF’s auction site and will remain open through Monday, April 11 at 3 p.m. ET.

ABOUT THE DALE JR FOUNDATION:
The Dale Jr. Foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education, and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. The Dale Jr. Foundation has made a monumental impact in the local community since its beginning. Dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to achieve extraordinary goals, TDJF has contributed to more than 300 charities nationally and locally, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Blessings in a Backpack, Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ace and TJ’s Grin Kids, and Mooresville Christian Mission. For more information, visit www.thedalejrfoundation.org.

ABOUT MAX PAPIS INNOVATIONS
Max Papis Innovations (MPI) was founded in 2009 by veteran racer Max Papis and his wife Tatiana Fittipaldi Papis. The company creates industry leading steering wheels, motorsports and gaming products informed by numerous years of experience racing and supporting IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, WOO, drag, off-road, marine and recreational industry. MPI products are trusted by champions in every type of motorsport worldwide and can be found in virtually every car or truck on the NASCAR starting grid. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, with production facility in Italy, Max Papis Innovations also designs and manufactures products for collaborative partners like AdamLZ, Cleetus McFarland, Vaughn Gittin Jr, Mastercraft Boats, Rennline, Hyundai Motorsport, and more. Visit www.maxpapisinc.com.

Landen Lewis Returns to the ARCA Series at Kern Speedway

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Mooresville, NC (April 5, 2022) – Announced today, Team Hornaday Development driver Landen Lewis will return to the ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) Series to compete in the West race at Kern Speedway on April 23rd.

With three starts in the ARCA Series, Lewis scored his first-career ARCA win in just his second series start with a dominating win at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (September 5, 2021) where he started from the pole and led every lap. Lewis continued his breakout year becoming only the second driver to win the Legends Car Trifecta by winning Dirt Nationals, Asphalt Nationals and Road Course Nationals.

“Last season was a year I’ve dreamed about,” said Lewis. “To win my first ARCA race and accomplish so much in Legend Cars was a dream season. I’ve learned so much over the years working with Ron (Hornaday, Jr), Austin Theriault, my teams, so many people have helped me get to where I am and I am so grateful for their support. I’m excited to get back in the ARCA Series at Kern Speedway and continue to show what we can do and win races. Kern Speedway is a special place to Ron and that adds to my excitement for this race.”

The 16-year-old will be driving for Cook Racing Technologies, owned by Bruce Cook, who is no stranger to Hornaday, Jr and his career. Cook served as a crew chief for Hornaday, Jr in 2011 and 2013 earning two wins, one pole starting position, seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes in just 25 Truck Series starts together.

“To work with Ron (Hornaday, Jr) again has been a great time,” said Cook. “I respect everything Ron has accomplished in his career on the race track and now to be a part of what he and Candice (Hornaday) are creating off the track with Team Hornaday Development is really special. Candice has put so much time in to helping develop young talent along with Ron helping to mentor these drivers, so it’s special to now have one of their drivers in one of our cars. I know Landen (Lewis) will be great and he has shown he has the talent to win races and continue to move up the ranks of NASCAR. We’re excited to have him in our car at Kern Speedway and hopefully add another win to his resume.”

A native of Supply, NC, Lewis started racing at the age of four. When he was just eight years old, he connected with Hornaday, Jr and moved up to dirt modified cars where he earned his first win at 12. Since then, Lewis has been a part of Team Hornaday Development with mentorship from one of his racing heroes, four-time Truck Series Champion Hornaday, Jr.

“Landen has the raw talent and reminds me so much of how I raced,” said Hornaday, Jr. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him over the last few years and watching him grow every time he gets in a race car, no matter the type. He soaks in everything you tell him and gets better every race. It’s fun to watch him and know he’ll keep winning races and adding championships to his name. I keep saying, he’s a kid to watch in the future.”

Sean Samuels will serve as the crew chief for Lewis with 19th Green on board as the primary partner. Lewis will run additional races this season in the ARCA Series with the remainder of his schedule to be announced at a later date.

For more information on Lewis, check out LandenLewis.com.

No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Ready to Represent Acura and HPD in 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Brownsburg, Ind. (April 5, 2022) ­­— The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team and drivers travel to California this week for their automaker’s home event, the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Co-drivers Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque, who finished in fourth position in last year’s edition, will look to stand on podium for the second time this season. The team has a stellar record of three wins and five podiums at Long Beach, dating back to 2014. All three of those team wins came with Ricky Taylor at the wheel, and he owns the Acura marquee’s best finish at their home race with second place in 2019.

Now that the opening pair of endurance races are behind them, Taylor and Albuquerque will aim to settle into the rhythm of sprint racing ahead of the 100-minute dash around the classic 11-turn, 1.97-mile Long Beach street course. A strong result could see them take the championship lead after they narrowed the gap to 11 points last time out in Sebring.

“Long Beach is always a special event and a little extra pressure with it being Acura’s home race,” explained Ricky Taylor. “Being the shortest race on the calendar, it places extra emphasis on doing all the little things perfectly. Practice is short, the track is always changing and unforgiving, and qualifying sets us up for a successful race. The one pit stop can truly make or break your weekend. Everybody on the team plays a huge role in the outcome of this weekend.”

Two-time Long Beach winner Filipe Albuquerque is looking to make it a career hat-trick this weekend and help score the first victory for Acura at the Southern California circuit.

“The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has to be one of the highlights of the season right alongside Daytona, Sebring and Petit,” said Filipe Albuquerque, who has won the event twice. “Personally, I love street courses—I like to call Long Beach the ‘Monaco of America’ because it is such a nice event. It’s awesome to go there with a lot of things happening. It’s the home race of Acura and there is a lot of attention paid to us. It will be a tough race for us, though, as this track, with its bumps and slow corners, tends to favor our competitors. However, the beauty of this championship is the variety of tracks and layouts and the future looks bright with more manufacturers coming on board.”

Wayne Taylor, three-time Long Beach winner as a team owner, is also looking to bring home hardware for partner brand Acura.

“We always love going to Long Beach,” mentioned Wayne Taylor. “This year we especially must be on top of our game because as you saw in Sebring, we had a bit of hiccup. But the guys are doing everything they can and everybody is doing what we normally do which is to have a car that can win. It’s going to be tough since the Cadillacs are really fast, so with five of them and two Acuras, we’ll give everything we got. The 2021 Grand Prix of Long Beach was worst race in terms of competitiveness, and it might be the same this year. So, we might be fighting with the other Acura, which is not the way we should be doing it. But we’ll try some special strategy moves and take some risks this time to see what happens.”

Practice for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach begins this Friday, April 8th at 9:15 a.m. PT. Qualifying for the first sprint race of the season is set for Friday evening at 5:15 p.m. PT. Green flag for the main event will wave at 2:05 p.m. PT with full coverage streaming on Peacock and network coverage on USA beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET.
ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 effort and Wayne Taylor Racing is supported by an outstanding lineup of partners including Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports, Hammer Nutrition and CIT.

Season-Opening Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Spring Fling This Week at Sebring International Raceway First Race in HSR’s New IMSA Era

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Fourth Annual HSR Spring Fling at Sebring International Raceway, April 6 – 8, First Race Since IMSA Acquisition of HSR in January

SEBRING, Florida (April 5, 2022) – Less than three weeks after the checkered flag waved on the blockbuster 70th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race, IMSA makes somewhat of a return visit to Sebring International Raceway this week for the season-opening Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Spring Fling, April 6 – 8.

The season-opening HSR race for the fourth-straight year, the 2022 Spring Fling follows the announcement during January’s 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona that IMSA acquired HSR. The HSR Spring Fling marks the debut race under the new ownership of what can now truly be described as IMSA’s newest series featuring its oldest racing machines.

While HSR is now the eighth racing series under the IMSA umbrella, no present plans are in place to change HSR’s current racing operations, management group and race-weekend staff. HSR President David Hinton and a familiar team of established and dedicated personnel remain at the center of HSR’s day-to-day and race weekend operations.

Dedicated to historic and vintage motorsport competition, HSR offers a variety of classes and run groups for sports cars and other road racing machines from the last 65 years and beyond. The new IMSA ownership solidifies what has already been a strong relationship with HSR. Since 2015, IMSA has been the presenting sponsor of HSR’s premier Classic Daytona 24 Hour race, and dozens of teams and drivers regularly compete in ex-IMSA race cars on any given HSR race weekend.

One notable entry this week at the Spring Fling that was a winning part of IMSA’s revered and original GTP era is the Rogers Motorsports 1985 No. 44 Group 44 Jaguar XJR-7 (pictured at top).

Chassis No. 001, the XJR7 debuted at the 1985 IMSA Camel GT Daytona 3-Hour Finale where Group 44 fielded both its first XJR7 and a previous generation XJR5. The 001 Jaguar’s finest moment came less than two years later when Hurley Haywood and John Morton drove the V12-powered XJR7 to victory in the 1987 Grand Prix of Palm Beach. The Jaguar made its final race start in its prime in the 1988 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and current owner Jim Rogers purchased the XJR7 in the early 1990s. Doug Smith, a multiple HSR Classic Daytona race winner, is Rogers’ go-to driver of choice for the Jaguar and once again takes to the wheel at the Spring Fling.

The 2022 HSR Spring Fling at Sebring returns with the same Wednesday through Friday weekday event format that proved popular with competitors and race fans alike last year. The schedule includes the first 2022 rounds of the B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge in a special Friday doubleheader. The one hour Vintage and GT Classic (GTC) B.R.M. Endurance Challenge kicks Friday’s schedule off at 8 a.m. EDT. The opening race will be followed by the Historic, Prototype and GT Modern (GTM) 60-minute endurance challenge that afternoon at 12:45 p.m. EDT.

The WeatherTech Sprint Series is another primary part of the packed HSR Spring Fling schedule with the usual doubleheader race lineup bolstered by a third bonus race Friday. After Thursday’s first round of WeatherTech Sprints, two more races will be run for all Groups on Friday morning and later that afternoon.

Thursday’s schedule features qualifying all morning with that afternoon’s opening round of WeatherTech Sprints setting the stage for the week’s first feature races. The season-opening HSR Sasco Sports International/American Challenge race starts Thursday at 4 p.m. EDT and will be followed by the first HSR Stoner Car Care Global GT race of the season at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

A full day of testing for all Run Groups kicks the 2022 Spring Fling off Wednesday and will be followed by a meet-and-greet with IMSA President John Doonan at the Sebring International Raceway Legends Building at 5:30 p.m. EDT. Open to all members of the HSR community, the casual mixer is a way for HSR members and competitors to get to know Doonan and IMSA a little better after January’s announcement.

Soon after the acquisition, Doonan and Hinton met at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA), which is located across the street from IMSA headquarters in Daytona Beach. There Doonan and Hinton filmed a brief video (below) to share information on the new partnership and address some of the questions HSR competitors and race fans alike have raised.
IMSA and HSR merger update for the upcoming 2022 season
Spectator tickets for the HSR Spring Fling are available exclusively at Sebring International Raceway beginning at 9 a.m. EDT this Wednesday, April 6.

About HSR: Now an International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Set for a Sprint

By
Official Release
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After Sebring win, No. 3 Corvette looks for more success in 100-minute race

DETROIT (April 5, 2022) – After winning for the 12th time at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring three weeks ago, Corvette Racing moves to a completely different style of racing when it returns to the Long Beach (Calif.) street circuit for the continuation of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor will pilot the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R in Saturday’s 100-minute Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of southern California. It’s the third race for Corvette in the new GT Daytona (GTD) PRO class and first on a street circuit.

Garcia and Taylor sit second in GTD PRO points after two races, including their victory at Sebring with Nicky Catsburg. The goal is to continue adding to Corvette Racing’s lengthy list of successes, including those at Long Beach.
The team has won eight times at the circuit including a win last year for Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy in the now-extinct GT Le Mans (GTLM) category. Garcia and Taylor finished second and this time around face a tough field of five other manufacturers in GTD PRO.

The GTD PRO Corvette differs in several ways from the C8.R that ran at Long Beach in 2021. Chief among the differences are additional weight, restricted power and customer Michelin tires that are mandated for all GTD entries as opposed to Michelins specifically designed for the C8.R in GTLM trim.

The combination of moving to GTD PRO plus a 100-minute race places even more importance on qualifying than normal. With such a short race, there likely will be just one planned pit stop for fuel and change of tires and driver. With all 20 GTD cars having roughly the same performance levels, track position will be at a premium.

Chevrolet Motorsports Display On-Site at Long Beach
In addition to the many series and events on the racetrack at Long Beach, fans will have plenty to see and experience from Chevrolet. The Chevrolet’s Motorsports Display will be full of Chevy vehicles that spectators can learn more about throughout the weekend.

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 8 a.m. Friday through Sunday and is located in the Long Beach Convention Center. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:

• The 2023 Corvette convertible 3LT
• Additional Chevrolet products such as Blazer RS, Trailblazer RS, Camaro 2SS 1LE, Silverado Trail Boss and
• A Corvette Racing C8.R showcar and LT6.R engine
• An opportunity to receive a 2022 Chevrolet t-shirt

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET/2:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 9. The race will air live on USA and stream on Peacock starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions beginning at IMSA.com along with XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Traffic won’t be such a factor because you won’t be lapping as many cars as you normally would. It’s more of a single-group deal and working your way through that. That race is always about qualifying and doing a perfect stop and driver change. I don’t see a lot of difference in GTLM and GTD PRO at Long Beach. I hope the car behaves as well as it did at Sebring because it was really good. I hope it’s as warm as possible. It feels like when we have those conditions and as we saw at Sebring, we have something of an advantage.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “There’s going to be a lot to learn about this car and tire at pretty much every track we go to. We were shocked at how different things were at Sebring. It was a wake-up call to see how far the setups were from GTLM. Having seen success at Sebring gives us some promise that we know the right direction to take the Corvette. Long Beach is always a different animal but I can’t wait for it.”

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: By the Numbers
• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 14 years at Long Beach: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.
• 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at Long Beach since 2007 –Corvette C6.R (2007-13) and Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and Corvette C8.R (2021). All three generations have won at least once at Long Beach.
• 4: Number of Long Beach race victories for Corvette Racing’s duo of Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor.
• 8: Number of drivers who have competed at Long Beach for Corvette Racing – Olivier Beretta, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Johnny O’Connell, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor. Each driver has won at least once at Long Beach.
• 8: Number of Long Beach victories in 13 appearances for Corvette Racing – more than any other IMSA entrant at the circuit.
• 10: Number of Long Beach sports car victories for Chevrolet. Throw in 11 IndyCar wins, and Chevrolet has claimed 21 victories in the event’s two premier races.
• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 19: Number of street circuit victories for Corvette Racing – more than any other IMSA entrant at the circuit.
• 25: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.
• 30: Number of wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.
• 121: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
• 253: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 3,945.82: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 12 previous trips to Long Beach. That represents 2,005 laps around the 1.968-mile street circuit.
• 339,411.24: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon… and then some!

Corvette Racing at Long Beach (wins in bold)
2007
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin pole)

2008
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1 (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2009
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Beretta pole, fastest race lap)

2010
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT2
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GT2 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2011
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner – 5th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT (Magnussen fastest race lap)

2012
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2013
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 5th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 4th in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 3rd in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 7th in GTLM

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 9th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTLM

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 5th in GTLM (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 2nd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 3rd in GTLM

2021
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 2nd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1st in GTLM
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 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.

The Top 7 Ways to Boost Your Car’s Resale Value

By
SM
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Photo by CONNOR BOTTS on Unsplash

There can be many reasons you might want to sell your car. For example, if you plan to buy a new car, it might be an excellent option to sell off your old one. Or you might want some extra cash, and selling your car is the only option you have.

Whatever the reason, it is evident that you would like to get the best value for your vehicle. And that’s precisely why we are writing this article.

If you’re looking to get the most money for your car when it comes time to sell, you can do a few things to increase its resale value. Here are seven of the best ways to boost your car’s resale value.

Wash and Clean the Car

Many people don’t realize how important it is to regularly wash and clean their car. It improves the look of the vehicle, but it can also increase its resale value.

A clean car is more likely to catch the eye of a potential buyer, and it will also be easier to inspect for any damage. In addition, washing and cleaning the car regularly will help prevent rust and other forms of corrosion. This will keep the vehicle in better condition for longer, making it more valuable when it comes time to sell.

So next time you think about skipping a trip to the car wash, remember that you could be costing yourself money in the long run.

Tint Your Windows

Many car owners are surprised to learn that something as simple as window tinting can significantly impact their car’s resale value. In addition to enhancing the car’s appearance, tinting also provides several practical benefits.

For instance, it helps to keep the interior of the car cool in summer weather, and it can reduce glare when driving. Tinted windows also provide extra privacy and security, making the car less attractive to potential thieves.

As a result, cars with tinted windows often sell for more than those without. So if you’re thinking about selling your car shortly, be sure to get the window films. It’s a small investment that could pay off big time regarding resale value.

Get a New Paint Job

If your car’s paint job is looking a little worse for wear, you might consider getting a new one. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for the appearance of a car, and it can also increase its resale value.

Of course, this is not a cheap option, and you will need to find a reputable automotive paint shop to do the job. But if you’re planning on selling your car shortly, it could be worth the investment.

Install New Tires

Another simple way to increase your car’s resale value is to install new tires. This is especially true if the current tires are worn down or damaged.

New tires will improve the look of the car, but they will also improve its performance. They will provide better traction and handling, making the vehicle safer to drive. As a result, cars with new tires often sell for more than those with old ones.

Get a Mechanical Inspection

If you’re planning on selling your car, it’s good to get a mechanical inspection before you do. This will help ensure that there are no hidden problems that could potentially reduce the car’s value.

A mechanical inspection will also allow you to get any necessary repairs done before you put the car on the market. This will help ensure that it is in good condition when potential buyers come to look at it.

Have the Car Detailed

Another simple way to increase your car’s resale value is to have it detailed. This involves thoroughly cleaning and polishing the exterior and interior of the vehicle.

In addition to making the car look its best, detailing also helps to protect its paint job and interior surfaces. This can help keep the vehicle in better condition for longer, ultimately increasing its value.

So if you’re planning on selling your car, be sure to have it detailed before you do. It’s a small investment that could pay off big time.

Keep Up with Regular Maintenance

Last but not least, one of the best ways to increase your car’s resale value is to keep up with regular maintenance. This means having the car serviced regularly and promptly getting any necessary repairs.

Of course, this can be a costly investment, but it will pay off in the long run. Well-maintained cars often sell for more than those that aren’t, so it’s worth the extra effort.

You could indeed be costing yourself money in the long run if you neglect to take care of your car. Car owners who want to increase their resale value might consider tinting windows, getting a paint job, installing new tires, or regular maintenance. It’s also worth mentioning that these are only some ideas for boosting your car’s resale value. You can do many other things to increase its worth, so be sure to do your research before selling. Thanks for reading!

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