Home Blog Page 2075

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Atlanta

By
Official Release
-

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, March 20, 2022
1.54-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Atlanta
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (5 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 4th

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

HOME RACE: While the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry the familiar blue and white livery at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson and the team will wear their “home” white uniforms for the first time in 2022. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships nearby, and the Atlanta area is home to nine of them, which ranks it as the company’s second-largest market behind Charlotte, North Carolina. Atlanta Motor Speedway offered a special ticket package to area Hendrick Automotive Group employees, meaning more No. 5 teammates will be on site for their home race. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels for giveaways and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.

LEADER OF THE PACK: Sunday’s race will be held on the newly reconfigured 1.5-mile Atlanta track that now has 28 degrees of banking in the turns, which is four more degrees of banking than past years. In March 2021 on the old configuration, Larson led 269 of 325 laps but was passed with nine to go and finished second. During his championship run in 2021, Larson set the record for most laps led on 1.5-mile tracks during a season with 1,317. The rest of the field combined to lead only 20 more laps (1,337).

A TRIO: Larson has led at least one lap in all four races this year, making him one of only three drivers to do so. The other two are Ryan Blaney and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron.

IT’S 14 AND COUNTING: Larson has led at least one lap in the last 14 Cup Series races – more than double his previous best of six in a row. Only two Hendrick Motorsports drivers have posted longer streaks: Jeff Gordon in 1995 (19) and Geoff Bodine in 1986 (17).

TWO IN ’22: In February, Larson won the 400-mile event at Auto Club Speedway for his first victory of the 2022 season. Along with a runner-up finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Elk Grove, California, native has posted top-two finishes in two of four events held in 2022. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports last year, Larson has finished first or second 18 times in 40 Cup starts (45 percent).

TWENTY-SOMETHINGS: The last 10 Cup Series races have all been won by drivers under the age of 30 – the longest streak ever in NASCAR’s top division. Larson is responsible for five of those victories: Auto Club Speedway this year and Phoenix Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and the Charlotte ROVAL in 2021.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 3rd

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Georgia native Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media in the Atlanta Motor Speedway media center on Saturday, March 19, at 11:45 a.m. ET.

PEACH STATE PERFORMANCE: Chase Elliott has made 11 total starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway across NASCAR’s top-three levels – seven in the Cup Series, two in the Xfinity Series and two in the Camping World Truck Series – and finished outside the top 10 only three times. The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet has five total top-10s in the Cup Series at the Georgia track, including a seventh-place run in the series’ most recent visit there last year.

1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: On Sunday, Elliott will make his 67th start on a 1.5-mile track in the NASCAR Cup Series. In his previous 66 races, he has led 842 laps and captured wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. Along with two victories, Elliott has collected 22 top-five finishes – including eight runner-up results – and 36 top-10s on 1.5-milers. His average finish of 12.55 on 1.5-mile tracks is second-best among active drivers.

KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE: Elliott has tied his longest active streak of top-10 results on 1.5-mile tracks. Presently, he has seven consecutive top-10s on mile-and-a-half venues dating back to the 2021 spring event at Kansas Speedway.

FIRE UP THE SI-REEN: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, joining his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who won five times at the track.

AG IN GA: This weekend, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 25th Cup Series race at Atlanta. The veteran has one win at the track, which he earned with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. Gordon led 146 of 325 laps en route to the victory in 2011.

GEORGIA PROUD: In addition to Elliott hailing from Dawsonville, Georgia, which is just 83 miles north of Atlanta Motor Speedway, No. 9 team partners NAPA AUTO PARTS, Hooters and Kelley Blue Book all have major presences in the area. NAPA is Elliott’s primary sponsor this weekend, and Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company, will make its season debut in April at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hooters will have its first appearance as the No. 9’s primary sponsor later this year at World Wide Technology Raceway. All three are headquartered in Atlanta.

A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will receive flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15 and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 15th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

WEST COAST COMPLETE: William Byron picked up where he left off last week, showing speed and qualifying third for Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway. The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet ran in the top five for the majority of stage one before taking the lead and scoring his first stage win of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Byron continued to run up front throughout stage two of the 312-lap event but faded to an 18th-place finish. However, with a solid day in points, Byron jumped to 15th in the driver standings.

LEADING THE CHARGE: So far in the 2022 Cup Series season, only three drivers have led laps in all four events: Byron, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney. Byron has led the field in his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 a collective 37 laps this year. In fact, the streak of four consecutive races is tied for Byron’s second-longest streak in his Cup career. In 2019, he led laps in seven consecutive races.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. In 2021, he picked up the win at the third race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He went on to collect seven top-10 finishes across nine races on 1.5-mile tracks throughout the season – tied for the second-most behind only Kyle Busch (eight). Byron scored 370 points on 1.5-mile tracks in 2021 – the third-most behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Larson (440) and Busch (381). This season, the Cup Series has raced at one 1.5-mile track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Byron scored a top-five finish. Heading into Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron is on a streak of three consecutive top-10 finishes at 1.5-mile tracks – tied for the third longest streak currently.

THE ATL ARCHIVE: With five previous Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron had his best run at the track in the spring of 2021, starting in the ninth position and racing to an eighth-place finish. Other than his five Cup Series starts, Byron has two other NASCAR starts at the 1.5-mile venue including one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he finished seventh, the third-highest of the series regulars. He also has one start at Atlanta in the NASCAR Camping World Series in 2016 when he was running second before losing an engine, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish.

RUDY RUNS THE ATL: While crew chief Rudy Fugle has two previous Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he finds himself on an even playing field thanks to a newly configured racetrack. In his previous Cup Series starts there, Fugle has one top-10 finish. He has six Truck Series appearances at Atlanta, which include two pole awards and two wins. His drivers have collected four top-three finishes in six events, along with five top-10s. Fugle only has one finish worse than seventh at Atlanta, which came with Byron in 2016 when the duo was running second before suffering an engine failure.

BACK TO THE ROOTS: Going back to his racing roots, Byron will once again climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 super late model for Wilson Motorsports – this time for the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 19. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native raced the car earlier this year at New Smyrna Speedway where he scored two wins in three starts. This weekend’s race at Hickory will be available for pay-per-view on RacingAmerica.com.

LIBERTY U IS BACK: On Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron will sport his new Liberty University paint scheme for the first time in 2022. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. The school has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools offering more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at the new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 11th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

HOTLANTA: Alex Bowman has recorded top-five finishes in the last two NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He secured a third-place result in March 2021 and picked up a fourth-place finish in July. Bowman also has two straight top-fives at Dover Motor Speedway and the Charlotte ROVAL.

PAVE THE WAY: On Sunday, Bowman will take on the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway for the first time. With a track layout similar to that of a superspeedway, he will lean on his history at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The 28-year-old driver has 25 starts at both venues with one top-five finish (Talladega in April 2019), six top-10s and two pole positions. Bowman has also started on the front row in the DAYTONA 500 five consecutive times.

CASHING IT IN: Last time Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Racing team competed at a 1.5-mile venue, the Tucson, Arizona, native, won the first stage and led 16 laps, including the final three circuits in overtime en route to his first win of the 2022 Cup Series season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The win all but secured his spot in the Cup Series playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

BOWMAN ON 1.5-MILERS: Bowman will make his 49th start on a 1.5-mile track Sunday at Atlanta. In his previous races, the No. 48 driver has amassed two wins (Las Vegas and Chicagoland Speedway), 10 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s, four stage wins, and 477 laps led.

NO. 48 TEAM ON PIT ROAD: The No. 48 Ally Racing pit crew currently has an average pit stop time of 12.3 seconds, placing them seventh-fastest of all teams on pit road. Its fastest stop came at Auto Club Speedway where the five-man team clocked a 10.7-second stop, which is ninth-best overall in 2022. The No. 48 pit crew includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Eric Ludwig, and tire changers Scott Brzozowski (front) and Devin DelRicco (rear).

IVES AT ATLANTA: On Sunday, Greg Ives will make his ninth Atlanta start as a Cup Series crew chief. He has earned an average finish of 11.1 there with four top-five results and four top-10s. Ives also has called two Atlanta races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, notching one top-five finish, two top-10s and a pole position (Chase Elliott in 2014).

ATL LEADERS: Hendrick Motorsports goes into Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway within striking distance of a track record. If the team leads 67 laps at the 1.5-mile venue, it will pass Wood Brothers Racing for the most laps led there in the NASCAR Cup Series. Hendrick Motorsports has led 3,341 laps at Atlanta.

HUNDY: With a track record of 97 top-10 finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports is three away from hitting its milestone 100th there. The team has earned more than 100 top-10s at eight different racetracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

SEVENTH HEAVEN: Six drivers have contributed to Hendrick Motorsports’ all-time record 14 victories at Atlanta, tying the organization with the Wood Brothers for the most different race winners at the track. Each of the four current Hendrick Motorsports drivers are seeking their first Atlanta win.

ON THIS DATE: Hendrick Motorsports won the most recent Cup Series race held on March 20. In 2016 at Auto Club Speedway, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson earned his 77th victory to break a tie with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and move to seventh on the all-time wins list.

WINNER WINNER: Since the beginning of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Hendrick Motorsports has won 19 points-paying races. During that period, all other teams combined have posted 21 victories.

WE’RE STREAKING: Hendrick Motorsports has led in each of the last 29 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races. The team holds the all-time record for the most consecutive Cup races led at 74, which occurred between 2007 and 2009. It also holds the series’ second-longest streak of 55 that happened from 1995 to 1997.

100K MILESTONE: Since Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984, it has led a record 98,714.97 miles in points-paying Cup Series races. The team is less than 1,286 miles from hitting 100,000 laps led at NASCAR’s top level. Last season, Hendrick Motorsports led 5662.77 miles. Through four races in 2022, it has led 257.5 miles.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on new track configuration preparation: “I haven’t been able to really prepare yet. We just got done with the West Coast swing and I did the Goodyear tire test at Darlington on Tuesday. I don’t know what to expect other than it’s going to be a lot narrower than before. We’ll definitely learn a lot during our practice on Friday.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on superspeedway-style racing at Atlanta: “We’re looking heavily at what we learned at Daytona earlier this year, and there was a team test and wheel-force test in Atlanta since the repave. You can’t expect it to be like a normal intermediate track-type race. I don’t have a great feel for how practice on Friday is going to go. I don’t know if teams will do single-car runs or if there will be drafting packs. I think the race on Sunday will start out looking like a superspeedway race. But because of the tighter corner radius compared to Daytona and Talladega, there is going to be much more of a requirement for the car to handle well, and that could lead to the pack breaking up and it becoming more of an intermediate track race.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the start of the 2022 season with the new car: “We haven’t lit the world on fire by any means, but we’ve had a couple strong runs. We were good out in California and pretty solid on Sunday in Phoenix. It’s been kind of hit or miss, unfortunately, but we’re learning a lot and we’re heading in a solid direction. We’ve been just trying to piece together the direction that we need to go, like a lot of people as we’re learning this car. I think everyone is questioning a little bit which way you need to go at some of these tracks. Once we all figure out what’s right, it’s going to become very difficult to be different. Everybody is working in such a tight box, probably a tighter box than ever, so you’re going to have to be really diligent and make sure you’re trying to fine tune those super-minute feelings and changes in the car to make a difference because it’s going to be hard to find them as time goes. It will be interesting to see how the season changes as we all get more time with this car.”

Elliott on the changes made to Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I’ve told a lot of people I’m excited about it, and I actually am. I’m not sugar coating that. I think it has an opportunity to be something good. It was time for a change at Atlanta. I think that the track was fun for us drivers and it ran its course, and it was time to do something different, so I’m all for it. It’s an opportunity for a new era down there and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on moving on from the West Coast swing to Atlanta: “It’s nice for the team guys that the West Coast swing is over. They’ve been working especially hard. They’ve been working late hours in the shop and then with the time changes it made it even harder on them, but they also made sure we showed up with fast cars. It’s nice that we have this week to try to regroup some before Atlanta and be back on a normal schedule, especially with how much of a question this weekend will be. I don’t know what to expect of the reconfiguration. It’s a question mark at this point. If it races how we’re anticipating, I’m thinking it will be similar to a truck race at Michigan with how drafting will play a factor, but passing will be at a minimum. Thankfully, we’ll have a full practice session to get up to speed.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on adjusting to how the Next Gen car races: “Everything is new. Last year with it being my first year in Cup and at Hendrick Motorsports, I could hold a pre-race meeting on a Wednesday and could pretty much predict what was going to happen on a Saturday or a Sunday depending on the weekend because everything was the same. You knew just about how the car was going to handle and how you were going to approach it. We could study what lane you would want to be in for the restarts. Do you want inside or outside if you’re in a certain position? We knew tire fall-off, which meant you knew how many times you were going to pit in each stage. We talked about all those things during the week. This year we can’t have those conversations at all until at least Saturday when have a little bit of information to go off of. Then the race starts and it all just changes so quickly. Everything you thought may happen doesn’t happen in most cases. We have to utilize all of the great engineering support we have from back at Hendrick Motorsports and also from Chevrolet to keep up with things as they go to make the best calls in the moment.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how he will prepare for the new surface at Atlanta: “I think that the new surface is going to provide its own challenges. The old surface had a lot of character, and you could manipulate the race car around certain lines and bumps. I didn’t do the test there earlier this year, so I will have to go back and read through what the guys who tested there thought of the track. I know our team is going to work super hard to put us in the best position to go out and run well. We just have to be dialed in and use our time during practice the best we can to get ready for Sunday.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how the repave impacts the team’s approach to Atlanta: “Atlanta has always been a fun racetrack to go to because you knew what to expect. There were always a lot of pit stops because of how much the tires wore off and you didn’t really have to worry about fuel mileage, you could run all over the racetrack. With the new configuration, there are a lot of question marks around the event. I still think it is going to be a fun racetrack to be at, but will it be speedway-style where you still have to focus on downforce? I am not sure. How much will the tires fall off? I don’t think it will be a lot, and now fuel strategy might come into play, but we won’t know until we get there. Add in the double-yellow-line rule and there are just a lot of unknowns, and hopefully the rain holds off so we can figure it all out on Friday.”

World Wide Technology Raceway Secures TicketSmarter as a Presenting Sponsor for 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Race

By
Official Release
-

ST. LOUIS (March 17, 2022) – The EnjoyIllinois300 NASCAR Cup Series race on June 5, 2022, at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) will be presented by TicketSmarter, the fast-growing, live-event ticket marketplace based in Overland Park, Kansas.

“We live and breathe live events and our goal is to help fans get to as many as possible,” says Jeff Goodman, CEO of TicketSmarter. “NASCAR fans, in particular, are kindred spirits. They travel to multiple races each year and tend to be avid concertgoers as well.”

TicketSmarter is a low-cost, high-service ticket resale marketplace that offers tickets to more than 125,000 events at any one time, and supports up to 40,000 transactions per month.

As presenting sponsor, TicketSmarter is featured with the race title sponsor, the Illinois Department of Tourism, on the EnjoyIllinois300 race logo and featured prominently throughout the WWTR venue during the 2022 racing season.

TicketSmarter is an existing sponsor at the track – serving as the official ticket resale partner – and is growing its investment in motorsports across the nation.

“We are thrilled to have an existing track partner grow their commitment to our raceway,” says Curtis Francois, owner and CEO of WWTR. “Relationships are everything to us, and we value the loyalty TicketSmarter is demonstrating by joining us as a presenting sponsor.”

To purchase tickets to the NASCAR Cup Series race, visit wwtraceway.com or call 618-215-8888.

About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 600 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a ¼-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, recently expanded 2.0-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility, a 14-acre multi-purpose dirt off-road venue, and the adjacent Gateway National Golf Links. WWTR and track owner and CEO Curtis Francois have been recognized with several awards, including: 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year; 2021 Jack Buck Award; 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Track Award; 2018 Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference; and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association.

For more on World Wide Technology Raceway, visit WWTRaceway.com and follow @WWTRaceway on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About TicketSmarter
TicketSmarter is a proud member of the Digital Ally Companies (NASDAQ: DGLY). TicketSmarter helps customers from all walks of life experience the power and excitement of live events by giving back through children’s charities and creating helpful partnerships. $1 from every transaction will help our charitable partners, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, V Foundation, Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation and Coach To Cure MD. TicketSmarter is the title sponsor of the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl with ESPN Events. Additionally, TicketSmarter is the official ticket resale partner of PBR, NJCAA, over 35 collegiate conferences including the Big Ten Conference and Pac-12 Conference, and 300+ universities nationwide.

Keep up with TicketSmarter at TicketSmarter.com, and follow @TicketSmarter on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports Announce Pursuit of Garage 56 Entry at Le Mans

By
Official Release
-

The collaboration seeks to enter a modified Next Gen car in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2022) – Nearly half a century after Bill France Sr. first took stock cars to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports have announced their intention to compete in the 2023 event as the special Garage 56 entry. The entry will be a modified version of the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 race car and is a collaboration of NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, IMSA, and Goodyear. Further details, including technical elements of the car and the team’s driver lineup, will be announced at a later date.

“From the early days of NASCAR, it was important to my father that we played a visible role in international motorsports, and there is no bigger stage than the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “In partnering with Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, we have the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in NASCAR history. We look forward to showcasing the technology in the Next Gen car and putting forward a competitive entry in the historic race.”

Hendrick Motorsports is the all-time leader in NASCAR Cup Series championships, points-paying victories and laps led. The team is coming off its second consecutive title and has won two of the four races in 2022. Seven-time champion crew chief Chad Knaus will serve as its Garage 56 program manager.

“Participating in one of the truly iconic events in auto racing and representing NASCAR and Chevrolet on the world stage is a privilege,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “Jim deserves tremendous credit for having the vision for the project, and we thank him for trusting our organization with the responsibility. Even though Garage 56 is a ‘class of one,’ we are competitors and have every intention of putting a bold product on the racetrack for the fans at Le Mans. It’s a humbling opportunity – one that will present an exciting challenge over the next 15 months – but our team is ready.”

“NASCAR is going back to Le Mans! Chevrolet is looking forward to being a key partner with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports and Goodyear in this historic Garage 56 effort,” said Jim Campbell, Vice President, Chevrolet Performance and Motorsports. “While many know us as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR, we also have had great success with our Corvette Racing program at Le Mans, with eight class wins in 21 starts since 2000. At Chevrolet, we love to compete and we can’t wait to get started on this program.”

“Goodyear has proudly produced tires for NASCAR for more than 60 years, and we look forward to taking our innovation to the next level at the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of Global Race Tires. “In addition to Goodyear’s presence at Le Mans on the LMP2 class vehicles, being involved in this historic race as part of the Garage 56 entry is yet another demonstration of our commitment to advancing racing tire technology.”

Bill France first brought stock cars to Le Mans on June 12, 1976, after reaching a deal with the event’s organizers. Two NASCAR race cars – a Dodge Charger owned and driven by Hershel McGriff, and a Junie Donlavey owned Ford Torino driven by Richard Brooks and Dick Hutcherson – competed in a newly-created Grand International class.

“Garage 56 is a special opportunity at Le Mans since this race has been a leader in technological process for the auto industry over its nearly century long existence,” said Pierre Fillon, president of l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “When the ACO receives an application for a Garage 56 program, we begin by talking with designers, team partners, and suppliers in order to set performance parameters such that the program can be successful for everyone involved. We will continue to work with NASCAR and all their partners as they work toward their proposed 2023 Garage 56 project.”

Garage 56 was introduced in 2012 as a special single-entry class reserved for innovative cars. It allows for the testing of new technologies and fostering of creativity and innovation without taking away the spot of a car from the traditional starting grid.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

About the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)

International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the IMSA Prototype Challenge, as well as four one-make series: Ferrari Challenge North America, Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and Porsche Carrera Cup North America. IMSA – a company within the NASCAR family – is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. For more information please visit IMSA.com, www.twitter.com/IMSA, www.facebook.com/IMSA or www.instagram.com/imsa_racing.

About Hendrick Motorsports

Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (282) and laps led (more than 75,000). It has earned at least one race win in a record 38 different seasons, including an active streak of 37 in a row (1986-2022). The team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

The American Legion Named Official Charity Partner of INDYCAR

By
Official Release
-

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, March 17, 2022) – The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans service organization with nearly 2 million members, has reached a multiyear agreement to become an Official Charity Partner of INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

INDYCAR and The American Legion will collaborate to promote a variety of Legion programs, including raising awareness of the growing problem of veteran suicide. Programs at the track will include patriotic displays, flag raising and lowering ceremonies, giveaways and public address announcements, while both groups will cross-promote on social media and through constituent communications and advertising.

One of the unique aspects of the partnership will be the creation of an INDYCAR Legion post, where veterans and veteran family members who work in motorsports are invited to join and contribute to the goals of The Legion and INDYCAR. The partnership also will be activated at physical Legion posts in various NTT INDYCAR SERIES race markets.

“The American Legion performs an incredibly vital role for our veterans, for whose service and sacrifice we’re eternally grateful,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp., which owns INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “This partnership will help to accelerate The Legion’s goals through various promotions, and we hope Legionnaires everywhere will join our team and follow our exciting series with its bold, hyper-competitive drivers and precise teamwork.”

This partnership increases The American Legion’s involvement with the sport that started in 2021 with Chip Ganassi Racing.

The Legion is a major associate sponsor on the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda driven by legend Jimmie Johnson in the full 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and will be the primary sponsor of fan favorite Tony Kanaan’s Honda in the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29. The Legion also will rotate sponsorship with some of the other drivers on the championship-winning Ganassi team.

“Partnering with INDYCAR is a no-brainer for The American Legion,” said American Legion Chief Marketing Officer Dean Kessel. “For 103 years, Indianapolis has been the host city of our national headquarters. It is also the home of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’

“Pairing these two legendary institutions makes sense on so many levels. This partnership enables us to tell the story of how American Legion posts strengthen communities across the country. Race fans are patriotic. Like Legionnaires, they believe in supporting veterans and their families. The bottom line is that this partnership makes both The American Legion and INDYCAR even stronger.”

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season continues Sunday, March 20 for the XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway. Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on NBC and simulstreamed on Peacock Premium. Coverage is also available from the INDYCAR Radio Network with audio available via the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

About The American Legion:

The American Legion is the largest veterans service organization, with nearly 2 million members and more than 12,000 posts in communities throughout America. The American Legion, established by an act of Congress in 1919, was instrumental in getting the original GI Bill through Congress and the creation of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, the organization is active throughout the United States, supporting current military personnel and veterans in local communities, operating American Legion Baseball, Boys State, Oratorical Contests and other activities for youth, and pushing for the adoption of a government policies supporting the needs of veterans. For more information, visit legion.org.

About INDYCAR:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including reigning series champion Alex Palou, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and four-time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES – XPEL 375 AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
XPEL 375
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
JUSTIN, TEXAS
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
MARCH 17, 2022

Team Chevy Aims to be Lone Star in INDYCAR at Texas
12 Chevrolet-powered entries set for first oval race of 2022

DETROIT (March 16, 2022) – Following a sterling performance on the streets of St. Petersburg in the season-opening round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet’s IndyCar contingent moves to oval competition with the series returning to famed Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the XPEL. 375.

The 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth has been a constant on the INDYCAR schedule since Chevrolet returned to the series in 2012 with its 2.2-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine program. In that span, Team Chevy drivers have won six times at the circuit including a victory last year for Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward.

Despite playing host to INDYCAR every season since 1997, this year’s race presents a bit of a new wrinkle in that the race takes place in mid-March instead of early June… although last year’s doubleheader took place in early May.

“That will be the biggest challenge,” confirmed Rob Buckner, Chevrolet Program Manager for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “The racing surface at Texas is always hard to predict with the different treatments to the tarmac and its impact on degradation of the tires. Throw in the unknown of temperature ranges and this could be a completely different TMS than what we’ve experienced in the past. It definitely puts a premium on qualifying and track position.

“Having said all that, we’re confident of our chances to win again at Texas,” Bucker added. Pato’s victory there last year was a big one for Chevrolet. Not only do we want to continue on the momentum for our strong showing at St. Petersburg, we want to use Texas as prep for the Indy 500. It’s our only opportunity to race with the mandated engine boost ahead of Indianapolis, so the learning process will be doubly important to help all our Chevrolet teams this weekend and looking ahead to Indy.”

Two familiar fan-favorites return to the Team Chevy line-up at Texas. Ed Carpenter will join the field in the No. 33 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet-his first race of the five oval events this season. JR Hildebrand will jump into the No. 11 Rokit AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet. Hildebrand will share the car with Tatiana Calderon for the oval events including the Indianapolis 500.

Six different drivers have tasted victory at Texas with Chevrolet power: Helio Castroneves (2013), Ed Carpenter (2014), Scott Dixon (2015), Will Power (2017), Josef Newgarden (2019) and O’Ward (2021).

Chevrolet also swept the podium three consecutive years from 2013-2015. Coincidentally, Team Penske’s Power claimed pole position in each of those seasons.

Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20 from Texas Motor Speedway. The race will air live on NBC, the Peacock streaming service and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160). Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

TEAM CHEVY QUOTES
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE: “I’m looking forward to Texas. It’s one of the most exciting tracks we get to go to. I love the fact that we’re so committed at that track. You’ve got to have a car that you’re really confident in. For me, it’s all about the transition in and out of the banking and making sure the car is really secure so you’re not feeling too much understeer behind cars in traffic. Those are the keys for me to find speed around that track. Confidence needs to be high. It’s a super high level of commitment around Texas. We won there before and are hoping to get a better result this weekend so we can kick-start our year in the 2 car.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PPG CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE: “Back to business as normal at Texas. We’re going to have a little bit of a different downforce package from INDYCAR, as well, so will be interesting.
Yeah, I’m fully prepped, like I said. If I’m not on the pole I’m going to start 20th, and I don’t want that to happen, so I’m going to work hard. It’s business as usual. St. Pete was great, but it was the first race; I’m not getting ahead of myself. It’s just head down, bum up, and make it happen.”

DALTON KELLETT, NO. 4 K-LINE CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING: “I’m excited to be back racing in Texas, it’s the hometown race for the Foyt team! Being the first oval of the year, I’m excited to be back to that type of racing. IndyCar has made a slight downforce increase for this year, so we will have to see how that affects the racing and if it opens up the second lane at all. I think it will still be somewhat difficult to pass, so we are definitely focused on qualifying. Starting with good track position always makes it easier! From there, we’ll need a stable and predictable car in race trim to able to make some moves and race for a good finish for the #4 K-Line Chevy.”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW McLAREN CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP: “I love Texas. Texas is very close to my heart because it’s been home to me for many years, and it holds a special place in my heart because I got my first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win there! On top of that we get to kick the weekend off with Pato’s Home Fiesta presented by Mission Foods on Thursday to celebrate last year’s win. I’m looking forward to having some good fun and hoping to take home some nice hardware while we are at it.”

FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW McLAREN VUSE CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN RACING SP: “We are headed to Texas this weekend; it’s becoming one of our favorites on the calendar, especially with a win last year from Pato. I also had two very good races that we could have won last year so we’re all ready to get back. The first oval of the year is always exciting, as we can get the Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolets up to high speeds again.”

JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 11 ROKIT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING: “With the schedule the way it is, only getting one hour-long practice at Texas before qualifying, it’s going to be important to get up to speed right away. It was great to get in the car even if just for a few laps when Kyle did his rookie test a couple weeks ago, so at least I got a bit of a sight picture for the place the way it is now and we have some recent data and video to work from.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE: In the years I’ve been in this series it’s the toughest it’s ever been, the quality of the teams and the drivers are higher than it’s ever been, and yeah, just so many good young drivers. You can tell that the field quality is really high because there’s not many yellows, even in practice. Even at Sebring we hardly had any yellows when we had the one test. Just the level of talent and quality of teams is at — it’s such a good product. We’ve just got to get it out to the world. It’s the best open-wheel racing product in the world.

KYLE KIRKWOOD, NO. 14 ROKIT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING: “I believe the XPEL 375 will be a great event for us as a team, we have the very experienced addition of J.R. Hildebrand for the ovals and a lot of new people with new ideas on how to get our cars as quick as possible. We’ve been fortunate enough to have one full day on track at Texas Motor Speedway in the past few weeks with the new aero changes and feel we have the car in the right window for the race. Conditions are looking to be the same as the test. So, if everything is still the same, we will have three very competitive cars on the grid.”

CONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as confident heading into the Texas weekend as I do now! It was great to test there last week and I was very, very happy with the BitNile Chevy. We’ll have a lot to go through once we get there for the race weekend, but it feels like we have a good amount of information from the test from Rinus and I. We’ll have Ed in the car this weekend as well, so that will help even more. The more information we can gather, the better! I am very excited to get down there and get things going. I love racing at Texas! It will also be my first time there with ECR so I am excited to see how we can all do.”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 SONAX CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “I am really excited to head back to Texas! We had a great test there last week and I feel like we are in a very good place with the car. Also, I am excited for barbecue and cowboy hats!”

ED CARPENTER, NO. 33 ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET: “I am excited to get back to Texas! It’s always fun going to a track you’ve won at before and a place you’ve been successful, hopefully we can repeat that this year. My teammates tested there last week and it went fairly well. I feel really good about the work the team got accomplished, though it would have been nice to have participated in the test myself. But, as a part-timer, I have to pick and choose what I do! I am ready to get going and excited to have a race in the No. 33 – a new number for me! – and get back in the groove before we get to Indianapolis.”

CALLUM ILOTT, NO. 77 DYNAMIC EDGE CHEVROLET, JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING: Looking forward to racing around my first oval with Chevy power behind me. Will be a steep learning curve, but for sure an exciting one.”

BY THE NUMBERS: CHEVROLET IN INDYCAR
· 1: Wins and poles in 2022: Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin swept the opening round at St. Petersburg
· 3: Consecutive podium sweeps for Chevrolet at Texas (2013-2015)
· 3: Pole positions at Texas for Team Penske’s Will Power (2013-2015)
· 6: Number of drivers to win at Texas with Chevrolet power. Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward joined the club in 2021.
· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating back to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg
· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012
· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012
· 6: Wins for Chevrolet at the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway
· 9: Wins from pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver
· 13: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 10 with Chevrolet
· 21: Podium finishes (out of 33) by Team Chevy drivers at Texas since 2012
· 25: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer
· 39: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver
· 96: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012
· 108: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012
· 166: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

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.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Atlanta NXS Advance

By
Official Release
-

RILEY HERBST
Atlanta NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Nalley Cars 250 (Round 5 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, March 19
• Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.54-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• After three weeks out West, the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to the Southeast for the Nalley Cars 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In the series’ return to NASCAR’s hotbed, Riley Herbst expects to turn some hot laps around the recently reconfigured 1.54-mile oval. Since the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing last raced at Atlanta in July, the banking has been increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track has been narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it’s all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to re-create the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Herbst has embraced these changes for two reasons – he finished an impressive fourth in the season-opening race at Daytona and he was one of the few drivers to test at the new Atlanta in early January, giving him a leg up on his Xfinity Series counterparts.

• Herbst came out of the gates strong to begin his third full season in the Xfinity Series. After finishing fourth at Daytona, he stayed up front, finishing ninth Feb. 26 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and 14th March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the series’ fourth race of the year last Saturday at Phoenix Raceway, Herbst endured his first bit of adversity. After climbing from his 21st-place starting spot in the race’s first 20 laps, Herbst spun in turns three and four of the 1-mile oval, backing hard into the outside retaining wall. Herbst was able to walk away from the accident, and while the resulting 38th-place finish stung, Herbst’s body of work to start the season kept him among the top-10 in the championship standings.

• The Nalley Cars 250 will mark Herbst’s 81st career Xfinity Series start and his fourth at Atlanta. The 23-year-old racer from Las Vegas has 10 top-fives and 36 top-10s dating back to his first career start on June 17, 2018 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished an impressive sixth as a 19-year-old. Herbst’s best finish at Atlanta is sixth, earned last March.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

After last weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Phoenix, you headed to the Gila River Arena in Glendale to watch your fellow Monster Energy athletes in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) tour. What did you see there and, from your vantage point, how does wrestling a bull compare with wrestling a 3,300-pound Xfinity Series car?

“Both can be unpredictable. These riders never know how the bulls are going to react and the same goes with our Monster Energy Ford Mustang. You can prepare in every single way but, ultimately, you’re at the mercy of the your ride. The similarities between the two sports is ironic. There are two beasts – one alive and one mechanical – that you’re trying to control. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.”

How long have you been a Monster Energy athlete and, like the PBR event last weekend at Phoenix, what are some of the other cool things you’ve been able to do with your fellow Monster Energy athletes?

“It’s been a few years, now, that I’ve been a Monster Energy athlete, but their history with my family and off-road racing is a long one. Monster Energy has such a directory of incredible athletes and we’re always looking for ways to interact with them. Last year, I collaborated with a pro skateboarder and another Monster Energy athlete, Nyjah Huston, for a giveaway. Opportunities like that make you thankful for that network.”

Last week’s race at Phoenix didn’t end how you would’ve liked, but you’re still off to a strong start to the season and you’re 10th in points. What do you have to do this weekend at Atlanta to help you in the race for the playoffs?

“We have to get stage points and a strong finish. Last weekend hurt us in the points, but we have an opportunity to leave it all behind and continue to perform at the level that we know we can. We really don’t know what to expect at Atlanta, but all we can do is prepare and take advantage of Friday’s practice session. This Monster Energy team is strong and I know that we can get to victory lane soon.”

You and the No. 98 team are one of a few Xfinity Series teams that had the opportunity to test at Atlanta since its reconfiguration and repave. What are your expectations for this weekend?

“I’m excited for Atlanta. Expectations are high since we’re one of the few teams that got to test there in the offseason. The track is definitely different from what it used to be, but it’s a new challenge and we’re ready for it. I feel like that test helped give the No. 98 Monster Energy team an idea of what to expect this weekend.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Statement from Front Row Motorsports

By
Official Release
-

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 17, 2021) – Front Row Motorsports respects and accepts the decision by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel regarding the penalty to our No. 38 Ford Mustang at the Auto Club Speedway.

The team will move forward this weekend with Troy Raker, team engineer, serving as crew chief for the next four events.

The team will also make the required changes to its pit crew members.

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.

GHLIN, JOHNSON, CASTRONEVES HEADLINE “FAST FIVE” STORYLINES FOR SUNDAY’S XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE

By
Official Release
-

First-time winner Scott McLaughlin, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and four-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves among top stories as Texas Motor Speedway kicks off its 26th season.

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 17, 2021) – The NTT INDYCAR SERIES takes center stage as Texas Motor Speedway opens its 26th season of racing with this weekend’s XPEL 375.

The XPEL 375 will be the second event of the 17-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, following the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg that was held on Feb. 27. Only a race into the season, plenty of storylines are developing including Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin registering his first career win at St. Petersburg.

· The XPEL 375 will be a two-day affair, with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES hitting the track on Saturday for qualifying (1 p.m. CT) and a pair of one-hour practices (10 a.m. & 4 p.m.). The weekend culminates with the running of the 248-lap XPEL 375 on Sunday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. (TV: NBC, Radio: INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation, Ch. 160, and 95.9 The Ranch (local).

Let’s take a look at the “Fast Five” storylines:

1) Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imaging Chevrolet), the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie of the year, opened his sophomore campaign in grand fashion with his first career series win in the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

He went wire to wire, earning his first career pole and leading a race-high 49 of the 100 laps en route to the victory over defending series champion, Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing.

The three-time Australian Supercars champion impressed in his first-ever start on an oval coming last season at Texas, where he finished a season-best second in the opening race and eighth in the finale.

McLaughlin is hopeful of keeping up a recent trend in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES where the winner of the season-opening race has gone on to win the series championship the past three years (Josef Newgarden-2019, Scott Dixon-2020, Palou-2021).

2) Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda) is returning to a familiar track and style of racing that could have the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion poised for the best result of his young INDYCAR career.

After competing in only road course and street circuit races in his 2021 rookie season, Johnson is running the full season this year with the XPEL 375 officially serving as his INDYCAR oval debut.

While the differences between stock cars and Indy cars are abundant, Johnson definitely knows his way around this challenging 1.5-mile oval. He owns the track record for most career Cup Series victories with seven as well as ranking first in top-five finishes (16) and laps led (1,152).

3) Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and fan favorite Helio Castroneves (No. 06 SiriusXM/AutoNation Honda) will be making his first start at Texas Motor Speedway in five years. Castroneves, whose last appearance at TMS came with Team Penske in 2017, returns to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as a fulltime competitor with Meyer Shank Racing and teammate Simon Pagenaud.

Last season, he ran a limited six-race schedule for Meyer Shank Racing and the season was highlighted by his record-tying fourth Indy 500 crown and the first for the organization.

Castroneves should welcome the return to Fort Worth, given the fact that his four career TMS wins rank second all-time only to Scott Dixon’s five.

4) Alex Palou (No. 10 NTT DATA Honda) of Chip Ganassi Racing is looking to become the first driver to repeat as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion since Dario Franchitti won three in a row from 2009-11.
Last season, the 24-year-old, second-year driver won the first three races of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career en route to becoming the first Spaniard and seventh-youngest champion in history.

He opened the 2022 season with a strong runner-up finish at St. Petersburg and returns to Texas Motor Speedway where he had a solid doubleheader showing last year.

He finished fourth in the opening race and followed with a seventh in the finale. He currently stands second in the championship standings, trailing Scott McLaughlin (54-41).

5) Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing have dominated at Texas Motor Speedway with the two organizations combining to win 17 of the 34 INDYCAR races at the venue.

Team Penske owns a track-record 10 victories with the most recent coming in 2019 from two-time series champion Josef Newgarden.

Chip Ganassi Racing has won seven, with the last four of those being by six-time series champ Scott Dixon. Dixon’s most recent came in the opener of last season’s doubleheader.

The two organizations also have combined to win six of the last eight at Texas, with the only breakthroughs by other teams coming from Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2016 and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren SP in the doubleheader finale last season.

The XPEL 375 weekend opens Saturday, March 19, featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying (1-2 p.m.) and a pair of practices (10-11 a.m., 4-5 p.m.). On Sunday, March 20, the Fan Zone opens at 8 a.m. and the gates at 9 a.m. for the XPEL 375 that takes the green flag at 11:45 a.m.

TICKETS:
Texas Motor Speedway is offering a $48 special promotion for two tickets to the race. Tickets for children 12 and under are only $10. For more information on tickets and the race, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

Tickets for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2022 major event season, including the March 20 NTT INDYCAR SEREIS XPEL 375/American Flat Track races and, May 22 NASCAR All-Star Race, are on sale now at https://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/events/season-tickets/.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

AMS ANNOUNCES PRE-RACE DIGNITARIES FOR FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500

By
Official Release
-

HAMPTON, Ga. (March 17, 2022) – Before the NASCAR Cup Series races on the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway for the first time, several dignitaries and special guests will get fans and racers alike ready for the action.

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (Sunday, March 20) Dignitaries:

Grand Marshal: To kick off 500 miles of racing, multi-Platinum selling Country Superstar Brantley Gilbert will give the command to fire engines with the most famous words in motorsports: “Drivers start your engines!”

Originally from Jefferson, Ga., Gilbert has ascended to the top of the country music charts with seven No. 1 songs including “Bottoms Up”, “One Hell of an Amen”, and “What Happens in a Small Town”. To date Gilbert has released five studio albums, with three hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart, including the RIAA Platinum-certified Halfway to Heaven, RIAA Platinum-certified Just As I Am and his most recent record Fire And Brimstone.

Honorary Starter: Folds of Honor recipient Michael Lammey will waive the green flag to start the first lap of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Lammey served our country honorably for over nine years. On December 1st, 2006 PO1 Lammey was on the USS Frank Cable, Guam when the boiler on this ship was damaged and exploded, changing his life forever. PO1 Lammey sustained third-degree burns to 48-percent of his body by 1200-degree steam that quickly filled the room. His wife Rose and their three daughters are Folds of Honor scholarship recipients.

Honorary Pace Car Driver: First-ballot MLB Hall of Famer and FOX MLB lead analyst John Smoltz will drive the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 pace car during the opening pace laps of Sunday’s event.

A right-handed pitcher, Smoltz gained first-ballot admission into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, a testament to the excellence of his memorable playing career. He played 21 seasons in the major leagues, tossing 3,473 innings over 723 games (481 starts) and posting a 213-155 record and lifetime 3.33 ERA with 3,084 strikeouts.

National Anthem Singer: The Maneuver Center of Excellence Band from Fort Benning will perform the Star-Spangled Banner during pre-race ceremonies for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

For over 50 years, the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band (283d Army Band) has taken great pride in entertaining the Soldiers, military families, and civilians of the Fort Benning, Columbus, and Phenix City communities. The Band’s performances create esprit de corps among Soldiers and veterans, as well as provide patriotic spirit within the civilian community.
“God Bless America” Performer: Atlanta Operatic Tenor Timothy Miller returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway to perform “God Bless America” during pre-race festivities for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Miller is well known for his performances before Atlanta Braves home games and brings his powerful and legendary voice to NASCAR once more on Sunday.

Flyover: Streaking across the sky above Atlanta Motor Speedway during the national anthem on Sunday will be four A-10C Warthogs of the 74th Fighter Squadron, The World Famous Flying Tigers, from Moody Air Force Base.

Pre-race concert: Performing a concert on the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 pre-race stage will be Georgia’s own Travis Denning.

The Warner Robbins native and Mercury Nashville recording artist is a rising star with hits like “ABBY”, “After A Few”, and “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs.” Denning has previously toured with Dustin Lynch, opened concerts for Cole Swindell, Alan Jackson, LANCO, and Riley Green, and headlined the “Heartbeat Of A Small Town Tour.”

VIP Guests: Among the thousands of people in attendance to see the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be country music singer-songwriter John Rich, former Atlanta Brave Dale Murphy, college football player from Georgia Robert Beal Jr., Olympians Elana Meyers Taylor, Nic Taylor, and Aja Evans, actor Antoine Morgan, and Motown rapper Duke Deuce.

The March 18-20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend will feature the first NASCAR races on the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway, from Saturday’s Fr8 208 and Nalley Cars 250 doubleheader to Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Drivers in each series will be tasked with taming a challenge unlike any other on the NASCAR circuit.

For more information or to purchase tickets, fans should visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.

About the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend:

Since 2015 the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 has been the main event in Atlanta Motor Speedway’s spring NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This storied NASCAR Cup Series race brings awareness to Folds of Honor and its mission to help families of military servicemen and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

TeamSLR: Rolling Into Roval for Round 2 of TA2 at Charlotte

By
Official Release
-

TeamSLR Rolls Into Roval
Connor Mosack and William Sawalich Ready for Round 2 of TA2 at Charlotte

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (March 17, 2022) – After an eventful season-opening race in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli three weekends ago at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway, TeamSLR has its eyes set on Saturday’s TA2 class race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. This weekend marks the first points-paying Trans Am event on the 2.25-mile, 17-turn circuit since 2000 after returning to the facility last March for the non-points ProAm Challenge race.

TeamSLR will feature two drivers in the second TA2 race of the season – season regular Connor Mosack and rookie William Sawalich.

Mosack will be behind the wheel of the No. 28 High Point University/Nic Tailor Custom Fit Underwear/Interstate Foam & Supply/Team SLR/M1 Racecars Ford Mustang. It will be a hometown race for the 22-year-old Charlotte native, who last year took on the Roval with TeamSLR and finished on the podium along with his race-winning teammate Sam Mayer.

Sawalich will pilot the No. 8 Starkey/Audibel/Team SLR/M1 Racecars Chevrolet Camaro. The 15-year-old from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, made his first TA2 start with the team at Sebring and quickly made his presence known, qualifying 16th and finishing ninth in the 48-car field. Sawalich’s racing background includes Legends cars and Super Late Models, making his foray into road-course racing at Sebring even more impressive.

Mosack and Sawalich will be coached by the father-and-son duo of Scott Lagasse and Scott Lagasse, Jr. They have combined to win more than 100 races and seven championships across a variety of series and styles of racecars, from paved ovals to road courses to dirt tracks.

It’s all a part of TeamSLR’s comprehensive driver development program, which includes car-building capabilities. TeamSLR is the exclusive representative of M1 Racecars, an official TA2 constructor. It builds rolling chassis and complete Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Mustangs and Dodge Challengers for Trans Am competition.

Connor Mosack, Driver No. 28 High Point University/Nic Tailor Custom Fit Underwear/Interstate Foam & Supply/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars Ford Mustang:

“I feel like we do have an advantage going into this race, as we are one of the few teams that have real laps around there. It’s also a tough place to get around as a driver and I believe my experience there in the past will be very helpful, as well. Plus, it’s always great to be able to race in your hometown, from sleeping in your own bed to having lots of friends and family be able to come out.”

William Sawalich, Driver No. 8 Starkey/Audibel/TeamSLR/M1 Racecars/Fields Racing Chevrolet Camaro:

“I’m aiming to improve all aspects of my road racing. I have a great team behind me in order to help me hone my skills.”

Scott Lagasse, Jr., Owner of TeamSLR and Driver Coach:

“Last year was great to see Sam and Connor excel, finishing first and third, but what we learned is that you have to respect a banked racetrack like Charlotte Motor Speedway. I was very proud of the team and the performance last year. Hopefully, we can repeat this year.”

About TeamSLR:

TeamSLR competes fulltime in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli in a multifaceted effort that includes dedicated entries in the TA2 division, customer programs, driver coaching and car construction. Its history dates back to 1985 and covers a wide spectrum of motorsports, including NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, ARCA and ASA. TeamSLR is a family-owned organization run by Scott Lagasse Sr., and Scott Lagasse Jr., The father-and-son duo have combined to win more than 100 races and seven championships across a variety of series and styles of racecars, from paved ovals to road courses to dirt tracks. For more information, please visit us online at www.TeamSLR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram and on LinkedIn.

1...2,0742,0752,076...6,666Page 2,075 of 6,666