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Burton, DEX Imaging Team Preparing for All-New Atlanta Track

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With the introduction of the NextGen car, and some new drivers on the circuit, the 2022 Cup Series season has been one of significant change. This weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway offers a new element of uncertainty.

The 1.5-mile track, one of NASCAR’s cornerstone facilities, has undergone a major transformation in the offseason.

The track, which has hosted NASCAR’s elite series since 1960, has been repaved and reconfigured. The banking in the turns has been increased from 24 to 28 degrees and the width of the straightaways has been narrowed from 55 to 40 feet in the turns and 42 feet on the backstretch, while the frontstretch has been widened to 61.5 feet.

For this weekend’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, NASCAR has decided to use the Daytona/Talladega 510-horsepower package and the Daytona aero package with the seven-inch Daytona spoiler.

While some, including AMS officials, are saying Sunday’s race might resemble one at a superspeedway like Daytona or Talladega, Harrison Burton, who will drive the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang at Atlanta, said he believes the race will be more like the 2018 All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That race was run using a handling package similar to the one that will be used at Atlanta this weekend.

“I think Atlanta will more or less mirror the All Star race from a few years back at Charlotte where it was more of a pack race,” Burton said. “It’s going to be a challenge to find out for sure.”

Burton said the pre-race practice session on Friday will be key to having a good-handling car in Sunday’s 500-miler.

“We will have to be adaptive to a lot,” he said.

Friday’s practice session is set to start at 5:05 p.m., with qualifying scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Sunday’s Folds of Honor/QuikTrip 500 is set to get the green flag just after 3 p.m., with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are set for Laps 105 and 210.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

King Shocks Dominates 2022 Mint 400, Sweeps Overall Podium

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The Mint 400 “unlimited race” 2022 The Mint 400 The Mint 400 Photography

King Shocks-equipped teams led by drivers Kyle Jergensen, Tim Herbst, and BJ Baldwin took the top three overall positions in the 2022 BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400 on Saturday, conquering four laps of an intense race course to sweep the Great American Off-Road Race. As top rival competitors suffered mechanical issues that ended their days early, Jergensen and navigator Shawn Shanks braved the King Sand Whoops and more than 90 miles of other challenges per lap to post a final finishing time of 6:43:49 and collect a $10,000 contingency bonus from King Shocks.

Running their second Mint in four months, Jergensen and the #127 Brenthel Industries Unlimited Truck team were in a podium position for most of the event. After qualifying sixth, Jergensen finished the first lap in third, behind fellow King-equipped driver Ryan Arciero, who led more than half of the event. Jergensen moved up to second entering the final lap, and capitalized on the misfortune of another competitor to take the lead. While the rugged terrain posed challenges for everybody, and the #127 squad gave up some time for necessary on-the-fly repairs, Jergensen’s King Shocks held tough through the final 30 miles to make it to the finish. The victory also earned Jergensen a $10,000 contingency bonus from King Shocks.

Herbst’s #19 Monster Energy/Terrible Herbst Unlimited Truck was 3:19 behind the winning squad with a total time of 6:47:09, while Baldwin and the #97 Black Rifle Coffee Company Unlimited Truck completed the podium with a time of 6:51:09. Elsewhere in Saturday’s Unlimited Race, King-equipped James Dean and Ronny Wilson also scored the top two spots in Class 1, while Thor Herbst placed second in Unlimited Truck Spec. King also took second place overall in Friday’s Limited Race with Bruce Binnquist’s BDI Geiser Racing machine in the UTV Turbo division, first in Class 11 with Justin Hertel and Blake Wilkey teaming up to take the checkered flag in the popular Volkswagen Beetle division, and first in the ½ 1600 class with Kevin Sanchez taking his King Shocks-wrapped car to victory.

“Congratulations to King Shocks’ own Kyle Jergensen and Brenthel Industries for winning the 2022 Mint 400!” said Ramses Perez, King Shocks Senior Director of Marketing. “It’s been an incredible start to 2022 for us across the board, from dominating King of the Hammers to now sweeping the podium at the Mint. Kyle is an amazing racer whose results this year have lived up to his incredible potential, and it’s hard to think of a more deserving driver to take home the $10,000 King winner’s bonus. Tim and BJ are two legends of the sport who are more than deserving of their own Mint results this year as well. We’re thrilled to have supported all of our racers at this year’s Mint, and look forward to defending the crown once again in 2023!”

A successful Mint 400 weekend is just the latest in a long line of successes for King Shocks to start the 2022 off-road season. Jergensen’s Mint 400 triumph joins his King of the Hammers Desert Challenge T1 victory, while King-backed racers also took wins in the Desert Challenge T2 and B1 events, Class 11 Showdown, and the Race of Kings itself to start the year. King Shocks would like to thank all of its racers at the 2022 Mint 400 for once again demonstrating the performance and durability of King products, and congratulates all of the winners and finishers who rode with King to the victory.

Racing, prerunning or just having fun, whatever your application; King Shocks has the shock for you with the performance, reliability, precise tuning and adjustability you need. King Shocks, The Leader in Off-Road Technology!

About King Off-Road Shocks
King Shocks is a world-class manufacturer and servicer of custom made adjustable and rebuildable automotive shock absorbers and performance racing products for utility vehicles, OEM replacement and professional racing use. For over twenty years King Shocks has taken pride in putting quality, performance and customer service above all. Every product sold is the result of constant testing and development done with top racers in competition worldwide. This real world testing exposes their designs to a level of abuse and destructive forces that cannot be duplicated in a laboratory. King Shocks, The leader in Off-Road Shock Technology.

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview – 03.16.22

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: March 14-20, 2022

· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Atlanta Motor Speedway – March 19-20
· ARCA EAST: 5 Flags Speedway (Pensacola, Fla.) – March 19

PLANO, Texas (March 16, 2022) – NASCAR is back on the East Coast as they take on the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway, while the ARCA Menards Series East takes to the track for the second time this season in Pensacola, Florida.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCWTS

Toyota’s First Cup Win… Atlanta will always be a special place for Toyota and Kyle Busch. On March 9, 2008, Busch drove Toyota to its first Cup Series win at Atlanta. Busch has since added another Cup Series win at the track in September 2013. He also scored Toyota’s first Xfinity win at Atlanta in 2016.

Kurt Busch looks to continue to check boxes… Kurt Busch checked another box in his first season for 23XI on Sunday as he drove the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD to a top-five finish. Busch has a stellar record at Atlanta Motor Speedway with three wins at the track, including his most recent victory last July.

Bayne adds Atlanta… After two stellar runs, Trevor Bayne has added Atlanta to his 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. Bayne, who will now make eight starts in the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, won the pole and finished fourth in Phoenix. The Tennessee-native sits 12th in the point standings despite only starting two of the first four events.

The 26 turns 50… Sam Hunt Racing will make the organization’s 50th start in Atlanta coming off one of its best ever performances in Phoenix as Truck Series championship contender John Hunter Nemechek led the team’s first ever laps and scored its second-ever top-five finish. After four events, the team sits ninth in the owner’s standings and ranks as the top-single car team. Jeffrey Earnhardt returns to the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra this weekend for the team’s milestone start.

Georgia state of mind… Toyota has several drivers heading home this weekend. Atlanta-native Brandon Jones is coming off a season-best second place finish in Phoenix. He drove to a career-best fourth place finish at his home track in 2019. In the Truck Series, Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers Chandler Smith and Corey Heim will both compete at their home race. The Truck Series most recent winner – Smith – is from Talking Rock, Georgia, while Heim, who is making his track debut, is from Marietta. Smith is also the series points leader heading into Atlanta.

Majeski off to impressive start… In his first full-time season with ThorSport Racing, Ty Majeski is off to an impressive start as one of just three drivers with top-10 finishes in both races to start the season. The Wisconsin-native sits third in the overall point standings and will make his second Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA East

Smith plans for strong start to continue… Sammy Smith is the defending race winner at 5 Flags Speedway. The 17-year-old Toyota development driver led 145 of 200 laps on his way to his first ARCA East win. The reigning ARCA East champion started the season strong with a win at New Smyrna Speedway and leads the point standings heading into 5 Flags Speedway.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

GMS Racing NCWTS Atlanta Motor Speedway Race Preview

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Official Release
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Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

Atlanta Motor Speedway Stats

  • NCWTS Starts: 6, Wins: 1 (2020), Best start: 4th, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 5, Laps led: 15

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 2, Best start: 7th, Best finish: 23rd (Las Vegas), Current points position: 27th
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Champions In Life: Over the course of the last week, Champion Power Equipment has pledged to donate over 100 generators to those affected by the war in Ukraine. With many of the country’s citizens left without power, water, heat or gas, Champion Power Equipment hopes that their contribution will be able to help some of those in true need.
  • Chassis History/Info: Grant Enfinger will drive GMS Racing chassis no. 331 in the ATL on Saturday. This chassis has been raced seven times before, and has visited victory lane once in 2020 at Michigan International Speedway with Zane Smith behind the wheel. Most recently, this truck raced at Darlington Raceway, where it finished ninth with Smith.
  • Testing, Testing, 1-2-3: In January, Grant Enfinger was one of only three NCWTS drivers that participated in a Goodyear tire test at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway. With so many variables ahead of the new track configuration, Enfinger’s veteran driving ability was relied on to help develop the tire that will be used in the first race ever held on the repave. – Previous Race Winner: For the third straight weekend in a row, Grant Enfinger will head to the track as a previous race winner. Enfinger won his first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway back in 2020, leading only seven laps en route to his lone victory on the old pavement. – Meet Grant: Fans can meet Grant Enfinger along with his GMS Racing teammate Jack Wood at the Team Chevy display in the fan midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the race on Saturday from 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM local time. Enfinger and Wood will be participating in a Q&A followed by a quick autograph session for all fans in attendance. – GE Quote: “I’m not quite sure what to expect for the reconfigured Atlanta surface this weekend. There will definitely be a lot of wide open racing where we will utilize the draft. My crew chief Charles Denike has some adjustability built into our Champion Power Equipment Silverado, so we can adapt our package if we need to. As a team, we are focused on getting a strong finish this week and building some momentum.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Truck Month Chevrolet Silverado RST

Atlanta Motor Speedway Stats

  • Jack Wood will make his first ever start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in any series on Saturday afternoon.

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 2, Best start: 11th, Best finish: 32nd (Las Vegas), Current points position: 33rd
  • About Chevy Truck Month: The month of March celebrates Chevrolet’s annual “Chevy Truck Month”, where customers have the opportunity to purchase new Chevrolet Silverados, Colorados, and other models with steep discounts. Explore all of Chevrolet’s wide range of trucks and accessories to customize them with by visiting Chevrolet.com/trucks, and be sure to visit a Chevrolet dealer near you to learn more information about the promotion.
  • Chassis History/Info: Jack Wood will drive GMS Racing chassis no. 330 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, another truck that was a part of the No. 21 team’s fleet from 2020-2021. This Silverado RST was victorious at Dover Motor Speedway with Zane Smith in 2020, and was last raced at Bristol Motor Speedway where it finished eighth last September.
  • First Atlanta Start: Wood will make his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, and heads into the weekend with six prior intermediate track starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He expects this newly paved track, however, to not be like any track he’s ever raced at before. – Meet Jack: Fans can meet Jack Wood along with his GMS Racing teammate Grant Enfinger at the Team Chevy display in the fan midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the race on Saturday from 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM local time. Wood and Enfinger will be participating in a Q&A followed by a quick autograph session for all fans in attendance.
  • JW Quote: “I’m looking forward to racing in Atlanta for the first time. It’s a track that I haven’t been to before, but with the new reconfiguration, we are all in the same boat as far as experience goes. I think that every one of these drivers will have to have an open mindset of how to attack this new challenge. The seat time that I’ve been able to have on the Chevy simulator has been interesting, and it leads me to believe that it is going to be a tough race. Our No. 24 team is ready to get our start to the season turned around, we really are in need of a good finish and I think Atlanta will be a great opportunity to do just that.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Todd Gilliland Has Full Support of Georgia Peanuts Behind Him at Atlanta

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Official Release
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Rookie Wants to Continue to Improve on Previous Races

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – Todd Gilliland will continue his learning process this weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gilliland had a strong performance at the Phoenix Raceway with a 19th-place finish and was the highest finishing rookie.

Gilliland now climbs behind the No. 38 Ford Mustang to head to the newly outfitted Atlanta Motor Speedway. He will do so with support from Georgia Peanuts.

“Phoenix was a really good testament to just how great my guys are,” Gilliland said. We finished that weekend as strong as we possibly could, my pit crew did amazing all day, and we continued to fight forward.”

Gilliland is optimistic about heading to Atlanta with the new track configuration, while still learning the new car.

“I believe this weekend will be just as good, if not better, than previous races at Atlanta,” stated Gilliland. “These new cars are fun to drive and I think this new configuration is going to bring the cars closer together. That give us more opportunities for our Georgia Peanuts Mustang to make moves to the front.”

“I’m proud to be racing for all the peanut farmers in Georgia and for their great products. The car is awesome and it’s cool to race for Georgia Peanuts this weekend.”

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Atlanta begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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.

Smith Looks for Second Win Heading into Atlanta

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Hopes to Bring Fr8 Auctions to Victory Lane in Titled Race

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – Zane Smith heads into Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway looking for his second win of the season.

FR8Auctions will dawn the No. 38 Ford F-150 for the first time this weekend, at a track where they also hold the title sponsorship for the truck series event.

“There is the age-old saying, ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,’ and that’s what our mindset is heading into this weekend,” Smith stated. “We are really focused on coming out of the gate strong at this new Atlanta.”

Smith is happy to be carrying the FR8Auctions brand at the track where they hold the title sponsorship.

“It’s great to have FR8Auctions partnered with us this season”, said Smith. “This one is a little more special, we want to really go out and have a strong showing and compete for the win in the FR8 208.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series FR8 208 will air on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

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.

Fr8 Auctions to Make Season Debut with McDowell

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Official Release
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McDowell Ready to Tackle New Atlanta Track

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – This weekend features FR8Auctions returning to the No. 34 Ford Mustang with Michael McDowell for the first time in 2022. The loyal supporter to Front Row Motorsports, this track is Fr8Auctions hometown and McDowell wants nothing more that a great run on Sunday.

But, there are many unknowns going into this weekend’s race. There is much optimism for McDowell and the team after showing speed in the opening weekends and a top-10 in the Daytona 500.

“The races the last few weeks, we’ve had speed, but we didn’t get the finishes. It wasn’t for a lack of preparation or effort, but we’re still working to make our races perfect. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing.” says McDowell.

Entering into the unknown with the newly repaved and reconfigured track, it is unclear what will be seen when cars hit the track on Friday for first practice, but Michael is confident in his Fr8auctions.com team and their hard work.

“We have had good runs at Atlanta in the past, but it’s interesting what will happen this weekend. It’s hard to say what exactly that will be, especially not having been or driven the new surface. We’re all working hard and our engineers have been running models to see what may be best.

“I really want to have a great weekend for Fr8Auctions. Marcus (Barela, owner, Fr8 Auctions) has been so loyal to FRM and our teams. It’s been a great partnership and we want to have a great race at his home track.

Michael McDowell and his FR8auctions, #BraveLikeWyatt Ford Mustang will race at Atlanta this Sunday, March 20th, at 3pm ET on FOX.

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.

DIXON CONTINUES PURSUIT OF INDYCAR LEGENDS HEADING INTO SUNDAY’S XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE WEEKEND

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Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon needs one more win to tie Mario Andretti for second on the all-time victory list and another series title to tie A.J. Foyt’s record of seven.

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 16, 2022) – Scott Dixon always has looked up to legends Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt, but he soon may find himself firmly entrenched beside them.

With the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season underway, the Chip Ganassi Racing superstar continues to inch closer to the once seemingly untouchable INDYCAR career statistical records of two of the greatest drivers in motorsports.

Given Dixon’s success at Texas Motor Speedway, one of those marks could be matched in Sunday’s XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES race (TV – NBC. Radio – INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM Radio INDYCAR Nation Ch. 160 and 95.9 The Ranch) as the Fort Worth venue opens its 26th season with the second event on the 17-race INDYCAR calendar.

With 51 career victories, Dixon is one shy of tying Andretti for the second-most wins in INDYCAR history. He also owns six NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships and needs one more to tie Foyt for the all-time mark. To put his success into greater perspective, no current fulltime driver has more than 40 wins (Will Power) and or more than two series titles (Josef Newgarden).

The 41-year-old New Zealander is not showing any signs of slowing down, either. He has won two of the last four series titles, capturing one in 2018 and another in ’20, and has finished among the top four in the championship 15 of the last 16 years. He finished fourth in last year’s title race that was won by his 24-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Alex Palou.

Dixon has earned at least one win in 17 consecutive seasons and 19 overall, both INDYCAR records. His win at Texas last season allowed him to extend those records, but it turned out to be his only one and ended a run of four consecutive multiple-win seasons.

“The motivation is strong, for sure,”,” said Dixon, who includes the 2008 Indianapolis 500 among his wins. “We worked hard in the offseason to figure the areas that we needed to work on, and I think we laid that out pretty well. I’m excited for the season. I love racing, I love the INDYCAR SERIES, everything about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and what they do. Hopefully, it’s a good season. We’ll see how it goes.”

Dixon opened the season with an eighth-place finish in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Feb. 27 and now arrives at a track where he and Chip Ganassi Racing have enjoyed a ton of success.

He became the all-time leader for career INDYCAR victories at TMS when he won the opening race of last season’s doubleheader for his fifth, breaking a tie with Helio Castroneves of Meyer Shank Racing. It also was the seventh win overall for Chip Ganassi Racing, which ranks second only to Team Penske’s 10. However, Chip Ganassi Racing is trending upward thanks to Dixon, who has won three of the last five races at Texas Motor Speedway, while Team Penske has just one since 2018 (Newgarden, 2019).

“It’s a place I feel comfortable at, it’s a place where we have run at and done well, and the team has always been fast here from pole positions to having very fast cars,” Dixon said. “It’s an interesting place; you don’t always get it right and when it does go wrong it can be pretty bad. But I like having the situation of being on the limit, quite unlike a lot of these new road courses that we go to where there’s parking lots of run-off space. You’ve got to have the risk versus reward, and I think this place sums it up well.”

With five career wins at Texas, he has enjoyed his share of cowboy hats, six shooters and flames in the SpeedyCash.com Victory Lane and the post-race celebration has made an indelible impression on him as has the high-banked, 1.5-mile oval.

“It’s a tough track, it’s a fun track, there’s no winner’s circle like it in the world,” Dixon said. “I know for me it’s been one of the most fun places I’ve ever won anything.”

· The XPEL 375 weekend opens Saturday featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying (1-2 p.m.) and a pair of practices (10-11 a.m., 4-5 p.m.). On Sunday, 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. TV – NBC. Radio – INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM Radio INDYCAR Nation Ch. 160 and 95.9 The Ranch (local).

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.

Ross Chastain – Fr8 208 Race Advance

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Official Release
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Race Advance – Fr8 208 (135 Laps/208 Miles) | Atlanta Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 19 | Hampton, Ga. | 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90
Team: No. 41 Eat Florida Watermelon Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ross Chastain (Alva, Fla.) | Crew Chief: Cody Efaw
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @RossChastain

Chastain on making his 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Atlanta: “Thanks to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports who make it possible for me to compete in the Truck Series. It’s always exciting to get behind the wheel of a Niece Chevrolet and to be able to represent the Florida Watermelon Association is an added bonus this week. Although there are plenty of unknowns heading into Atlanta with the recent repave, I’m confident that the people of Niece Motorsports have a truck prepared that’s capable of running up front.”

Chastain at Atlanta Motor Speedway (NCWTS): Chastain makes his sixth career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Saturday and his fourth with Niece Motorsports. He owns an average finish of 9.8 with four-consecutive top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track. Chastain produced finishes of sixth (2019), sixth (2020), and seventh (2021) in his three previous truck starts with Niece Motorsports and led 17 laps in the 2020 event.

Chastain has also made four starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and six starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta marks Chastain’s 96th career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a career that includes three wins (Kansas 2019, Gateway 2019, Pocono 2019), 17 top-fives, and 42 top-10s.

On the Truck: Chastain and the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the Eat Florida Watermelon paint scheme in Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

About Niece Motorsports:

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

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

About the Florida Watermelon Association

The Florida Watermelon Association (FWA) was formed to enable growers and marketers of the Florida watermelon industry to unite. Organized membership allows the association to promote the consumption of watermelons grown in Florida. The FWA assists its members in the growing and marketing of watermelons by providing a forum through this Corporation’s meetings. The Florida Watermelon Queen scholarship program was established in 1968 to assist the association in promotional efforts. The queen helps boost sales of Florida grown watermelon by engaging the public at numerous events, from grocery stores to Nascar races. The Florida Watermelon queen will compete for the National Watermelon Queen title at the National Watermelon Association annual convention.

Follow Ross Chastain on Instagram and on the web: @rosschastain / rosschastain.com

XPEL 375 Fast Facts

By
Official Release
-

Race weekend: Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile oval
Race distance: 248 laps/372 miles
Firestone tire allotment: Eleven sets primary to be used during practice, qualifying and the race.
Twitter: @TXMotorSpeedway @INDYCAR, #XPEL375, #INDYCAR
Event website: www.TexasMotorSpeedway.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com

2021 race winners: Race 1: Scott Dixon, 1:45:51.3417, 173.036 mph (212 laps/318 miles); Race 2: Pato O’Ward, 2:06:31.1155, 169.360 mph (248 laps/372 miles)

2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Race 1: Alex Palou (Points); Race 2: Scott Dixon (Points)

Qualifying record (based on track distance of 1.44 miles)

One lap: Charlie Kimball, 23.2730, 222.747 mph, June 9, 2017

Two laps: Charlie Kimball, 46.5861, 222.556 mph, June 9, 2017

NBC Sports race telecast: 12:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. NBC’s XPEL 375 race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service, while Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will debut following the race.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton and turn announcer Nick Yeoman. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The XPEL 375 race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (All times local/Central Time):

Saturday, March 19

9:45-9:55 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES two-stage pit speed limiter practice
10-11 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock Premium
1 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, cumulative time of two laps), Peacock Premium (Live)
4-5 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock Premium

Sunday, March 20

11:30 a.m. NBC on air
11:40 a.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
11:45 a.m. XPEL 375 (248 laps / 372 miles), NBC (Live)

Race Notes:

  • Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin kicked off the 2022 season with a bang, claiming his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory Feb. 27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The 27-year-old New Zealander outdueled series champions Alex Palou and Will Power to claim the championship point lead for the first time.
  • The XPEL 375 will be the 35th INDYCAR SERIES race at Texas Motor Speedway, dating to Arie Luyendyk winning the INDYCAR SERIES event in 1997. No driver has competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race at TMS, but Scott Dixon has started 22 races.
  • Scott Dixon has won five times at Texas Motor Speedway, the most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track. Dixon won in 2008, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021 Race 1. Seven past TMS winners are entered in this year’s XPEL 375: Dixon, Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2, 2006, 2009 and 2013), Will Power (2011 Race 2 and 2017), Ed Carpenter (2014), Graham Rahal (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Pato O’Ward (2021 Race 2).
  • Will Power has won the pole for three of the past 10 Texas Motor Speedway races (2013, 2014 and 2015). Other past pole winners entered this year are Scott Dixon (2008), Josef Newgarden (2018 and 2020) and Takuma Sato (2019). Dixon and Alex Palou were awarded the pole based on entrant points after qualifying was rained out in 2021.
  • Six drivers have won the Texas race from the pole: Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2), Gil de Ferran (2003 Race 2), Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2), Tomas Scheckter (2005), Scott Dixon (2008) and Ryan Briscoe (2010).
  • Drivers who have won at Texas have gone on to win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship nine times, including in three of the last four seasons. Champions who won at Texas are Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2 and 2002 Race 2), Tony Kanaan (2004 Race 1), Scott Dixon (2008, 2015, 2018 and 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011 Race 1) and Josef Newgarden (2019).
  • Twenty drivers entered this weekend have competed in past NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Texas Motor Speedway. Twelve drivers have led laps at the track: Scott Dixon 1,043, Will Power 433, Josef Newgarden 187, Ed Carpenter 93, Simon Pagenaud 85, Takuma Sato 72, Graham Rahal 49, Pato O’Ward 25, Alexander Rossi 10, Alex Palou 9, Rinus VeeKay 5 and Marcus Ericsson
  • Five rookies – Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas – are entered. All five, plus seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and seven-time Texas race winner Jimmie Johnson, will attempt to make their first NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on an oval this weekend at Texas. Ed Carpenter and JR Hildebrand are slated to make their 2022 season debut this weekend.
  • Milestones: Colton Herta will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Takuma Sato will attempt to make his 200th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 290th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history.
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