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Fr8 Auctions to Make Season Debut with McDowell

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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

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Official Release
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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.

Braves World Series trophy to be displayed at Atlanta NASCAR race

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (March 16, 2022) – Before NASCAR’s stars race for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 trophy, race fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway will have a chance to get a close look at The Commissioner’s Trophy won by the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

The 2021 World Series Champions will display their championship trophy near the pre-race stage on the frontstretch starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 20. There fans with pre-race pit passes will be able to see the two-foot tall trophy from up close until the Travis Denning pre-race concert begins at 1 p.m.

“There’s so many cool things to see and do during a race weekend in Atlanta, and as a Braves fan myself seeing the championship trophy is absolutely at the top of the list this year,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison.

Later in the pre-race festivities during driver introductions, the Braves’ World Series trophy will move to the starting grid, sitting alongside the field of NASCAR Cup Series cars before they fire their engines for 500 miles of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The historic speedway has been revamped for 2022 with steeper banking in its turns and fresh asphalt that will provide a style of racing Atlanta race fans have never seen before.

To get more information or purchase tickets to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 18-20, 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 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.

On Sunday, March 20, 2022, this 500-mile race will be the first for the NASCAR Cup Series on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s revamped racing surface, with NASCAR’s best taking to the reconfigured 28-degree banked corners for the first time.

The race weekend also features Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, March 19, 2022. The thrills of the Fr8 208 Camping World Truck Series race and the Nalley Cars 250 Xfinity Series race all happen in one action-packed day that race fans look forward to every year.

More information on the March 18-20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

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.

Carson Hocevar – 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. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Mich.) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Atlanta Motor Speedway: “While there are a lot of question marks and unknowns going into Atlanta this weekend, we’re certain that we have a solid No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet to bring to the race track. Having the ability to run the same truck that we ran at Las Vegas gives us the confidence that we’re putting our best foot forward to run up front at Atlanta.”

Hocevar at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Hocevar readies for his second career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday. The Michigan native produced a 12th-place finish last year in his rookie season after starting 17th.

On the Truck: Hocevar and the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the Premier Security Solutions paint scheme for Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last time out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 12th / Finish: 13th): Hocevar made his way into the top-five just seven laps in and opted to pit under the first caution on lap 21 to make one final push to the front before the end of stage one. He went on to earn five stage points with a fifth-place finish in stage one and started on the inside line of the front row for stage two, setting himself up to take the lead on the backstretch – the first of nine laps led on the night for the 19 year-old.

Hocevar battled Kyle Busch for the top spot in the ensuing laps before giving way to the NASCAR Cup Series Champion and crossed the line 11th in stage two. On lap 98, Hocevar got loose off of turn four and spun, sliding through the infield grass to bring out the caution. He rebounded to pick his way through the field in the closing laps before settling for a 13th-place finish.

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 Premier Security Solutions:

​​Founded in 2013 by a retired Flint Michigan Police Officer, Premier Security Solutions is committed to deflect and deter unlawful activity for their clients, create a safe campus, and provide a secure environment. A company fully committed to community involvement and protection. Premier partners with many community organizations like Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and his G.H.O.S.T. team combatting human trafficking. Premier provides an array of security services, including K-12 school campus, industrial logistics, corporate and event security in addition to a state-of-the-art monitoring center and all types of security training for both law enforcement and civilian trainees. For more information, please visit www.premiersecurity.solutions/

Follow Carson Hocevar on Instagram and on the web: @CarsonHocevar / CarsonHocevar.com

Lawless Alan – 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. 45 AUTOParkit™ Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, Calif.) | Crew Chief: Darren Fraley
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @lawlessalan25

Alan on making his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I’m really looking forward to my first trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway with Niece Motorsports and my AUTOParkit Chevrolet. It should be a really interesting weekend with the repave the track underwent this offseason – we don’t know how everyone is going to fare handling-wise. There’s a lot to learn for all of the teams from the top down. It’s one of the few tracks on the schedule where I have just as much experience as everyone else in the field, which is none.”

Alan at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Alan makes his first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Saturday’s Fr8 208.

On the Truck: Alan and the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will run the AUTOParkit™ colors for Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last time out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 26th / Finish: 19th): Alan suffered nose damage on his No. 45 AUTOParkit Chevrolet as a result of the race’s first caution on lap 12 – an issue that the No. 45 team worked to remedy throughout the duration of the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200. Despite falling a lap down due to a number of trips down pit road to make repairs, Alan was the recipient of the free pass at the end of stage two to rejoin the field on the lead lap and rebounded to post a top-20 finish in his first-career start at Las Vegas 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 AUTOParkit:

AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time. AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

Follow Lawless Alan on Instagram and on the web: @lawless_alan / www.lawlessalanracing.com

Dixie Vodka Racing: Cole Custer Atlanta Advance

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Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
Atlanta Advance
No. 41 Dixie Vodka Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Folds of Honor 500 (Round 5 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 325 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 105 laps / Stage 2: 105 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), will be making his milestone 80th career NASCAR Cup Series start during Sunday’s Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. But even though the 2020 Cup Series Rookie of the Year has made three previous Cup Series starts on the 1.54-mile oval and another four in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series combined, he will in essence be seeing the 62-year-old facility for the first time this weekend. The track underwent a wholesale reconfiguration and repave since Custer and his fellow Cup Series competitors last raced there in July, its banking increased from 24 to 28 degrees, the racing surface narrowed from 55 to 40 feet wide, and it has been completely resurfaced with fresh asphalt and an improved, high-tech drainage system.

● With the venerable racetrack’s reinvention, teams will have the luxury of a full, 50-minute practice session Friday before qualifying Saturday and racing for 500 miles on Sunday.

● In his three previous Cup Series starts at Atlanta, Custer scored top-20 finishes in each and has made incremental improvement each outing. He was 19th in his first outing in 2020, and was 18th and 17th in last year’s March and July races, respectively.

● In his three Atlanta starts in the Xfinity Series, Custer’s best was his most recent, when he qualified his No. 00 SHR Ford on the pole and finished second by .191 of a second to Christopher Bell in the February 2019 race. Custer finished 10th in his Atlanta Xfinity Series debut in 2017 before returning in 2018 to qualify fourth but seeing his race end early after a lap-10 accident.

● Custer first appearance at Atlanta came in the February 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, when he started sixth and finished 17th in the No. 00 entry for JR Motorsports.

● After his 16th-place finish last weekend on the Phoenix Raceway mile oval, Custer arrives at Atlanta 24th in the driver standings, 63 points out of first.

● Riding along with Custer and the No. 41 SHR Mustang for the first of three races this season is Dixie Vodka. Launched in 2014 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, Dixie Vodka was established with the simple mission of creating an all-American premium craft vodka that represents the best of Southern flavor, craftsmanship and hospitality. With six signature flavors – including its flagship Southern Original, Black Pepper, Citrus, Mint, Peach and Wildflower Honey – Dixie Vodka partners with local farmers across the South to infuse regionally cherished ingredients into its award-winning products, each of which is six-times distilled from American corn. In 2020, Dixie Vodka was ranked the ninth-fastest growing spirits brand in the United States by the Beverage Information Group and remains the largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast. In partnership with the Southern-raised sport that transcends regional boundaries, Dixie Vodka is proud to serve as the Official Vodka of NASCAR and the Official Vodka of Stewart-Haas Racing. Dixie Vodka donates at least 1% of all profits through its 1% for the Planet program, a commitment to supporting non-profits that work to protect the future of the planet. A core brand within the Grain & Barrel Spirits portfolio – an innovation-driven beverage platform that develops and scales craft spirits brands led by founder Matti Anttila – Dixie Vodka can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and on shelves in more than 30 states.

● Last year, Custer and the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Ford Mustang introduced three of the company’s newest product offerings – Tony’s Tea, named after SHR co-owner Tony Stewart, along with Greyhound Cocktail, and Peach Cocktail. Dixie Vodka will return to the No. 41 Mustang team as primary sponsor for the 600-mile race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May, and for the second year in a row at Nashville Superspeedway in June.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 Dixie Vodka Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

You’re headed to the completely revamped Atlanta Motor Speedway oval. How do you see the racing shaping up there this weekend?

“It’s going to be interesting. These cars are on edge so, going to Fontana, Las Vegas and Phoenix was interesting to see which guys were pushing it more than others and which crew chiefs and teams were pushing it more than others in the setup. It’s something that I think we haven’t seen in a few years where guys were spinning out in practice and qualifying. It’s been really interesting to see what guys are pushing it to the max. In the Cup Series you’ve got to live on that edge. If you holding anything back, you’re not going to run well, so it’s definitely interesting to see which guys are pushing it more than others. It’s definitely going to be interesting at Atlanta, first of all just because it’s a new week. Every single week you don’t know what to expect, and especially this weekend, it’ll be very interesting to see how these new NextGen cars handle on a brand new track. Fortunately, we’ll have a full, 50-minute practice session Friday and it’s going to be very, very important to make our best use of that time.”

Everyone is expecting the racing this weekend to resemble the high-speed pack racing at Daytona and Talladega. How do you feel about that style of racing?

“Yeah, we’ve got six speedway races, now, counting the two this year at Atlanta, and I think that’s a good number. It’s so exciting. I think all the drivers love to do it because it’s a totally different skillset. But there is a lot of luck involved and, as a driver, you want to have a little bit more control. So I think it’s nice they’re sprinkled throughout the schedule.”

The Daytona 500 and the West Coast swing are in the rearview mirror. How do you like the new NextGen car, so far?

“I think from my experience with the car they’ve done a solid job. Obviously, the mile-and-a-half tracks, where a lot of aerodynamics come into play, has been very interesting. You don’t have the sideforce that you want in the car to really have the confidence that you want, but it makes it very interesting as the driver to kind of find that limit and try not to go over because I think we’ve seen a lot of guys do that. And then, I think we’ve seen a lot of people who aren’t usually in the top-10 from the past racing up front. It’s been crazy. Even after four races, I think it’s still very much an even playing field just because nobody has figured out this car completely, yet. It’s anybody’s game right now and this weekend brings another new adventure.”

No. 41 Dixie Vodka Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Kris Wright – Fr8 208 Race Advance

By
Official Release
-

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. 44 F.N.B Corporation Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Kris Wright (Wexford, Pa.) | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @KrisOnNASCAR

Wright on making his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I am really looking forward to racing at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on the new repaved surface. The limited information I have received about the new track and how it drives is basically that there are so many unknowns. As a team, we have so many questions: How many lanes can you use? What is the drafting going to be like on a 1.5-mile track? What is the preferred groove? The track is going to be very fast and interesting for sure. I cannot wait to get there after the great speed our Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado showed at Vegas (Las Vegas Motor Speedway).”

Wright at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Wright makes his first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fr8 208.

On the Truck: Wright and the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the red, white, and blue F.N.B. Corporation paint scheme at Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday.

Last Time Out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 16th / Finish: 17th): Wright started 16th in the 36-truck field, and at the end of Stage 1 on Lap 30 he was scored 27th. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 60, Wright was scored 14th. He came to pit road for service to the No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado on Lap 62. On Lap 119 Wright was involved in a single-truck incident in Turn 2 while running 17th resulting in the yellow flag being waved. He was scored as high as 12th at Las Vegas 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 F.N.B. Corporation

F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB’s market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina. The Company has total assets of approximately $42 billion and nearly 340 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB’s wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.

The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FNB” and is included in Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks SubIndustry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.

Follow Kris Wright on Instagram and on the web: @KrisOnNASCAR / KrisWrightMotorsports.com

Dean Thompson – Fr8 208 Race Advance

By
Official Release
-

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. 40 Worldwide Express/GlobalTranz/Unishippers Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Dean Thompson (Anaheim, Calif.) | Crew Chief: Matt Weber
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @deanthompsonr

Thompson on carrying his momentum built in Las Vegas into Atlanta: “The No. 40 Worldwide Express Chevrolet team is really excited to continue our momentum in Atlanta coming off an 11th-place finish in Las Vegas. With the repave of the racing surface, I’m looking forward to experiencing what the track has to offer for the first time as is the case with several others in the field. Hopefully we’re able to get up front early to work towards another solid finish this week.”

Thompson at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Thompson makes his first-career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Saturday’s Fr8 208.

On the Truck: Thompson and the No. 40 Chevrolet Silverado will have the Worldwide Express/GlobalTranz/Unishippers colors on board for Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last time out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 29th / Finish: 11th): After starting in the back half of the field Friday night, Thompson wheeled the No. 40 Worldwide Express Chevrolet into the top-20 by the end of stage one while finding success in the high line throughout the race. Despite being mired in the mid-20s in the latter stages of the race, Thompson avoided trouble in the middle of the pack to set himself up for the final restart in 17th-place. He and Niece Motorsports teammate Carson Hocevar picked their way through traffic in the closing laps to take the checkered flag 11th – making him the highest-finishing rookie of the night – in his first trip to Las Vegas 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 Worldwide Express

Worldwide Express, LLC, is a full-service, non-asset-based logistics provider offering access to industry-leading small package, truckload and less-than-truckload shipping solutions and managed transportation services. The family of brands, comprised of Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, serve more than 120,000 customers spanning from small and mid-size businesses to larger enterprises, with unmatched carrier options and strategic guidance for their supply chains. With an annual systemwide revenue approaching $4 billion, the company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS® Authorized Reseller in the country. Through a selective portfolio of 65+ LTL and tens of thousands of truckload carriers, and powered by proprietary technology, clients benefit from an award-winning, relationship-backed approach to solving their shipping needs. To learn more about the brands, please visit www.wwex.com, www.globaltranz.com and www.unishippers.com.

Follow Dean Thompson on Instagram and on the web: @deankthompson / deanthompsonr.com

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