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Herta to make 50th IndyCar career start at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Owens (Penske Entertainment).

Competing in his fourth full-time season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Colton Herta is within striking distance of a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 26 Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Dallara-Honda will reach career start No. 50 in the IndyCar circuit.

A native of Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, and the son of former IndyCar and Champ Car competitor Bryan Herta, Colton made his IndyCar debut at Sonoma Raceway in September 2018, which marked the season finale event. By then, he was competing in his second season in Indy Lights for Andretti Steinbrenner Racing and had accumulated six victories and a runner-up result in the championship standings. Driving the No. 88 Harding Racing Dallara-Chevrolet, Herta started 19th and finished 20th, the final car on the lead lap, in his series debut.

The following season, Herta piloted the No. 88 Dallara-Honda for Harding Steinbrenner Racing on a full-time IndyCar basis. Following an eighth-place result in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, Herta notched his first IndyCar career win in the IndyCar Classic at the Circuit of the Americas in late March. In doing so, he became the youngest winner in IndyCar history at age 18 and 359 days old. Following his maiden IndyCar victory in Austin, Texas, Herta only achieved four additional top-10 results through the next 13 events in the schedule. He managed to conclude the 2019 season on a high note by finishing fourth in the Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway followed by his second IndyCar career victory in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey County, California, September. Despite settling in seventh place in the final standings, he fell five points short of capturing the Rookie-of-the-Year title over Felix Rosenqvist.

Remaining as the driver of the No. 88 Dallara-Honda for Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport for the 2020 season, Herta commenced the season with a seventh-place result in the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in June followed by three consecutive top-five results. Following an up-and-down shortened season amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Herta achieved his third IndyCar career victory in the second of a Honda Indy 200 doubleheader feature at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He then achieved a runner-up result in the second of an IndyCar Harvest GP doubleheader feature at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in October before concluding the season in a strong third-place result in the final standings.

For the 2021 season, Herta took over the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Dallara-Honda and entered the season as a title favorite. Despite finishing 22nd following an early crash in the season-opening Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, he rebounded by notching a dominant victory at the Streets of St. Petersburg, where he led all but three of 100 laps. The majority of the 2021 IndyCar season, however, was a difficult season for Herta, who notched two additional podium results through the following 12 events in the schedule. Following an eighth-place result at Portland in September and with two scheduled races remaining, he was in sixth place in the standings and 129 points behind the eventual champion Alex Palou. Herta, though, managed to conclude the 2021 season on a positive note by going back-to-back in victories: the first at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after leading all but four of 95 scheduled laps and the second at California’s Long Beach Street Circuit, where he held off Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon and the season champion Alex Palou to grab his sixth career win. The victories moved Herta to fifth place in the standings just as the season concluded.

Through 49 previous IndyCar starts, Herta has achieved six victories, seven poles, nine podiums and an average-finishing result of 10.5. He is coming off a fourth-place result at the Streets of St. Petersburg in February to commence the 2022 IndyCar season.

Herta is set to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway for the XPEL 375, which will occur on Sunday, March 20, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Fraternal Order of Eagles to Sponsor Spire Motorsports, Corey LaJoie in Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

By
Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (March 15, 2022) – Spire Motorsports announced today the Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) will sponsor the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Corey LaJoie in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The F.O.E. is an international non-profit organization uniting fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills and promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope.

The F.O.E. donates more than $10 million a year to local communities, fundraisers, charities and more. As part of its philosophy, the F.O.E. gives back 100 percent of monies raised in the form of grants. Fundraisers are conducted for eight major charities, including kidney, heart, diabetes, cancer and spinal cord injury funds, a children’s fund, memorial foundation and the Golden Eagle Fund.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue our partnership with Spire Motorsports and now with Corey LaJoie in the Cup Series,” said Brian Rogers, Grand Worthy President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. “Corey and the team represent what the Eagles are all about on and off the track and we’re excited for another great season together.”

​​“It’s always a fun weekend when we have the Fraternal Order of Eagles on board,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “We won our first NASCAR Cup Series race together, so that’s obviously a historic moment for both of us. The Eagles always show great passion for the sport. Anytime we can showcase that organization, its members and their charitable and philanthropic efforts, we’re winning on and off the track, no matter what the scoreboard says. Atlanta Motor Speedway has been re-configured so we’re looking at a whole new racetrack. We know Corey LaJoie will rise to the occasion.”

As an active participant in benevolent endeavors, LaJoie is a natural fit for the F.O.E. His passion for charitable work has raised money for the Christian organization SamaritansFeet.org. He was acknowledged for his efforts with the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) distinguished Spirit Award. LaJoie is a staple on social media platforms, and he also hosts the podcast “Stacking Pennies.”

The phrase “stacking pennies” has become a life and career philosophy for LaJoie. Despite being the son of two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Randy LaJoie, the third-generation racer has charted his own trajectory in the sport and champions small accomplishments that add up to the sum of a larger victory.

“The Fraternal Order of Eagles has a great legacy in the sport,” explained LaJoie. “I’ve always admired its charitable initiatives and the organization’s desire to help those who need it the most. I’m excited to carry the iconic F.O.E. scheme in Atlanta this weekend. We’re looking forward to a solid run.”

The Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, March 20 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The fifth of 36 races on the 2022 NCS calendar will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About the Fraternal Order of Eagles …
The F.O.E. was founded in February 1898 by six theatre owners gathered in a Seattle shipyard to discuss a musician’s strike. After addressing the matter, they agreed to “bury the hatchet” and form “The Order of Good Things.” As numbers grew, members selected the Bald Eagle as the official emblem and changed the name to “The Fraternal Order of Eagles.” The women’s auxiliary traces its roots to 1927. The Fraternal Order of Eagles includes nearly 800,000 members and more than 1,500 locations across the United States and Canada. Stop by one of our locations and see why the F.O.E. is known as People Helping People.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2022, Spire Motorsports will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries. Corey LaJoie will drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s premier series for the entire 2022 campaign while Josh Bilicki and Landon Cassill will split time in the team’s No. 77 entry. The team will also field a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

3 More Defensive Driving Tips To Help You Stay Safe On The Road

By
SM
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Photo by Elina Sazonova from Pexels

Staying safe on the road means understanding how to drive in order to avoid an accident. After all, it is much better to avoid an accident even if it isn’t your fault instead of needing to call a car accident lawyer Salt Lake City. This means that learning some defensive driving lessons is very important. 

This is a style of driving that helps you understand the signs that an accident could happen so you can actively avoid it. It takes practice, of course, but over time you will get used to incorporating these tips into your driving style so it becomes second nature. We already gave you a few defensive driving tips in an earlier article and now we want to add some more to your routine. 

1 – Don’t drive distracted

Cars have gotten extremely safe over the years, which is of course a good thing. However, this feeling of security when we drive is something that can also hurt us if we take it for granted and start doing things we shouldn’t. For instance, when we feel protected we might start driving while distracted and that means we aren’t able to react when something unexpected happens. 

Texting and driving is one of the worst ways to distract yourself while driving and is considered to be as dangerous as drunk driving. It takes your eyes off the road for seconds at a time and that can mean we don’t have time to react to brake or to avoid another car. If you receive an important text, pull off the road and answer it safely and not while you are driving. 

Even eating and drinking are distracting and not a good idea. If your hands are full of food, then even if you see something happen you aren’t prepared to react. 

2 – Watch the weather

It’s important to check the weather before heading out on the road. Knowing ahead of time allows you the opportunity to leave earlier, or even change your route. 

For instance, if there is cold weather after it rained then the chance of black ice is high. You may want to avoid a road that you know is subject to icy conditions based on the information you got ahead of time. 

If it is raining or snowing then traffic backs up and moves slowly in certain areas. Leaving earlier will allow you the time to take it slow and not feel like you need to rush. Rushing around in bad weather conditions is a recipe for an accident. 

3 – Take it slow

Always give yourself enough time to get where you need to go in case of unforeseen events. There could be an accident or just ordinary traffic that slows you down. If you have an appointment or are heading to work then you’ll be tempted to speed or run stop signs to make up the lost time. 

Leave early so this is not something you are tempted to do. It’s better to arrive early and catch up on an errand instead of being late because you were in an accident.

Staying Safe: Online Gambling

By
SM
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Photo by Naim Benjelloun from Pexels

In the past three years, we’ve witnessed a meteoric rise within the online gambling and betting scene. The biggest catalyst for this recent increase is COVID-19 however, the ease of accessibility also plays a huge factor. The barrier for entry to these online casinos is minuscule and only requires a few things:

  • A device with access to the Internet (Mobile Phone, Desktop PC, Laptop, Tablet, etc.)
  • An account
  • A method to deposit and withdraw money (Back Account, PayPal, Crypto Wallet, etc.)

When looking at this list, most everyone already has two of the three things, and one must simply create and verify an account on the chosen website to instantly become involved. With the barrier for entry being low along with the unregulatable vastness of the internet, it’s a feeding ground for bad actors to attempt to take your money through fraudulent websites, viruses, and phishing.

Green Flags to Look For

Knowing the indicators of a safe and secure website to bet and gamble online is incredibly useful information. These are especially important to look for in regions outside the US and Europe, as regulations are not as strict. An example of a great gambling website outside of the US and Europe would be 22Bet Kenya as it meets all the criteria listed below. Here are some of the most important things to look for when choosing a website to gamble on:

  • A secured website
  • Licensed and Regulated
  • Good RTP
  • Positively Reviewed

So, going into further detail, a secured website is a website that meets the google standards of security. All websites that handle any kind of sensitive information must have SSL encryption for the protection of said information. To see whether or not the website in question is secure, look for ‘HTTPS’ in the domain name and most browsers will display a ‘lock’ to show it’s secure. If the domain name only has ‘HTTP’ it is not secure.

To see whether a website is licensed check the footer of the website as it will have information about the government authority responsible for licensing the website. To find information on who and what to look for check here.

Return to Player (RTP) is the percentage of money returned to players. You can do an independent search online or check the information offered by the website to see the amount returned to players. If a site has an exceedingly low RTP <80%, that website should be avoided.

The last easily accessible green flag to look at is public review. Simply use google searches, or look around on social media such as Twitter, or Reddit to find out how others are enjoying the website. If the consensus is positive, it is likely a safe website.

Red Flags to Look For

Like the aforementioned point, knowing the indicators of an unsafe website can save you a whole lot of headaches. Here are some obvious things that indicate a website is unsafe:

  • Unsecured Website
  • Insane Promotions or Bonuses
  • Asking for more information than necessary

As mentioned before the first thing to check off your list is checking whether the website’s security meets Google’s standards. Most browsers will immediately warn you if a website isn’t secure however you can double-check by checking whether it uses SSL in the domain name.

Another red flag is offering too good to be true bonuses and promotions. If you see a website offering an insane amount of ‘free’ money on signup, it is likely a scam.

Lastly, asking for too much personal information. Remember, the barrier to partake in online gambling is low, and if you notice that a website asking specific personal questions on sign-up is likely trying to gain access to your other accounts on different websites. This is similar to a phishing attack and can just be just as subtle.

In conclusion, before you partake in any kind of online gambling, betting, or casinos, spend a few minutes doing your research to check the legitimacy of the website. Ten minutes of busywork beforehand can save you hours of headache in the future.

Corey Heim – No. 51 JBL Tundra Camping World Trucks Atlanta Preview

By
Official Release
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Corey Heim: Driver, No. 51 JBL® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Fr8 208, Race 3 of 23, 135 Laps –30/30/75; 207.9 Miles
Location: Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway at (1.54-mile Quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 19, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Story on Corey:
Georgia native Corey Heim will make his first career start in any series at his home state track in Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Saturday’s event will be Heim’s second of what will be a 16-race schedule behind the wheel on the No. 51 Tundra TRD Pro in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2022. Heim opened his season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where he qualified sixth and finished fourth in the opening stanza before a pit road accident caused significant damage to his Toyota and relegated him to a 32nd-place finish.

Heim made three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2021, with a best result of 11th coming at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Heim had an impressive Truck Series debut at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway last May, where he led two laps, finished Stage Two in the runner-up position and was running second when he got turned from behind on a restart with just under 30 laps remaining.

Despite not being slated for a full-time schedule this year, Heim is competing for the 2022 Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. After two events, he sits fourth in the standings, 28 points behind Lawless Alan. Heim will look to join three other KBM drivers that have won the award, reigning winner Chandler Smith, William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015).

While he didn’t race in the last event at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, Heim traveled with the No. 51 team and observed KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch throughout the Truck Series practice, qualifying and race.

In addition to his part-time Camping World Truck Series schedule, the 19-year-old driver is running six-race schedule in the ARCA Menards Series for Venturini Motorsports. In his lone start so far this season, Heim led 74 of 90 laps en route to the victory at Daytona in February. The win marked was the eighth of his ARCA Menards Series career. Across 37 career ARCA Menards Series starts has 577 laps led, 27 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.1. Heim finished second to Ty Gibbs in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship standings. The Toyota Racing Development product collected six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes and produced an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.

Mardy Lindley returns to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. The No. 51 team produced three victories in Lindley’s first season as a crew chief at KBM, two with owner-driver Kyle Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001. In Lindley’s lone race atop the pit box at Atlanta, he was victorious with owner-driver Kyle Busch leading a race-high 102 laps in last year’s race.

JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound, returns to KBM for an eighth season and will be the primary sponsor on Heim’s Toyota for 10 races this season including Saturday’s race at Atlanta. Crescent Tools, a premier hand tool brand from Apex Tool Group, will serve as a primary sponsor for four of Heim’s races, beginning July 29 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis (Ind.) Raceway Park.

Corey Heim, Driver Q&A:

As a kid from Georgia did you frequent Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“I grew up racing at and also watching all the NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. I grew up racing Legends and Bandoleros there and every year that the NASCAR Series would go there, I’d watch all three series cheering on selected drivers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Kyle Busch himself win there, so to be racing with him and his team now is pretty special.”

You traveled with the team to Las Vegas to watch and learn while Kyle (Busch) raced. How did that go?
“I think it was great for me to just kind of be part of the team and see how it functions outside of being a driver. Being with Derek Kneeland in the spotter’s stand and kind of listening to the radio all throughout the day, through practice, qualifying and the race, I learned a lot about how Derek talks and how Kyle speaks to his spotter and his crew chief. I think it gave me a lot of good information heading into Atlanta.”

With the track being repaved and reconfigured, do you feel like it levels the playing field for you in your first race there?
“I’d say so, it’s kind of a good equalizer. KBM has always been so good at Atlanta Motor Speedway, I’ve seen Kyle Busch win there so many times, even with the new repave I think my JBL Tundra TRD Pro is going to be really good this weekend.”

Corey Heim Career Highlights:

  • Made three Truck Series starts in 2021 with a best result of 11th coming at Martinsville in October.
  • Finished runner-up in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2021 after collecting six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.
  • Across 37 career ARCA Menards Series starts has eight wins, 577 laps led, 27 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.1. Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.
  • Brought home a victory March 27, 2020, in the Super Late Model Georgia Spring Nationals at Crip Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga. It was his second Super Late Model win at his home state track, where he also won CRA SpeedFest at the 3/8-mile track in 2020.
  • On the CARS Tour, has collected one Super Late Model win at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in 2018 and one Late Model Stock victory at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2020.

Corey Heim’s No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-66: The No. 51 JBL team will unload KBM-66 for Saturday’s 135-lap event at Atlanta. This Tundra TRD Pro has one victory under its belt, which came with owner-driver Kyle Busch at Atlanta in 2021.

Click here to see KBM-66 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected three wins, two poles, 689 laps led, 10 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8 across 26 starts at Atlanta. KBM Owner-driver Kyle Busch won last year and in 2019 while Christopher Bell brought home the trophy in 2017.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (91) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Chandler Smith became the 17th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 37 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Chris Buescher – Atlanta I Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 ITsavvy Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 500 miles, 325 laps, Stages: 105-105-115

Practice – Saturday, March 18 at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Qualifying – Saturday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Race – Sunday, March 20 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· With practice and qualifying back on the horizon for the NASCAR Cup Series, with it comes a unique format. For Atlanta, teams will practice a full 50-minute session Friday evening, followed by a qualifying session Saturday midday.

· Qualifying will again be split into two groups with the top-five fastest cars in each group transferring to the final round. The final round of qualifying to determine the pole sitter will feature 10 cars, as all qualifying this weekend will include just one lap per car.

Buescher at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Buescher makes his eighth start at Atlanta this weekend where he has two top-10s and a best finish of seventh (2021 – fall). He also finished ninth in the 2019 event.

· Last season Buescher ran 16th, and overall has an 18.7 average finish.

· Buescher has a career-best qualifying effort of 13th in 2020.

· He also finished fourth in the Xfinity Series there in 2015, one of his three NXS starts for RFK.

Scott Graves at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Graves will be atop the box for his seventh Cup race Sunday. He has an average finish of 16.5 with two 13th-place runs, both of which came with Ryan Newman. Outside of last fall’s race, Graves has finished 16th or better five times.

· Graves has one career pole at his first-ever Cup race in Atlanta, which came with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

· Graves also called three NXS races in Atlanta, earning a P4 finish in 2015 with the No. 60 team.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Atlanta:
“This weekend is going to definitely be interesting, for sure. I’m fortunate enough to be one of the guys that got to test there before, so hopefully that turns out to be an advantage for us. It is going to be unlike any other Atlanta race we have ever run, and it sounds like it is going to no doubt be a blast and fast. I’m a little anxious, but looking forward to the weekend and a full practice Friday in the ITsavvy Ford.”

Last Time Out
Buescher earned his first top-10 of the season, and first at Phoenix, last weekend, driving from the 16th position on the final restart to finish P10.

On the Car
ITsavvy makes its second-straight appearance on the No. 17 car this weekend. The brand initially joined the RFK family in 2021 as a primary on the No. 6 car.

Brad Keselowski – Atlanta I Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Kohler Generators Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski
Race Format: 500 miles, 325 laps, Stages: 105-105-115

Practice – Saturday, March 18 at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Qualifying – Saturday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Race – Sunday, March 20 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· With practice and qualifying back on the horizon for the NASCAR Cup Series, with it comes a unique format. For Atlanta, teams will practice a full 50-minute session Friday evening, followed by a qualifying session Saturday midday.

· Qualifying will again be split into two groups with the top-five fastest cars in each group transferring to the final round. The final round of qualifying to determine the pole sitter will feature 10 cars, as all qualifying this weekend will include just one lap per car.

Keselowski at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Keselowski makes his 15th Cup start at Atlanta this weekend where he is a two-time winner with an average finish of 15.2.

· Keselowski won at the 1-mile track first in 2017 after starting fifth, and again in 2019. Overall he’s led laps in eight different Atlanta races, and finished inside the top-10 on nine occasions.

· He finished top-10 in six-straight races from 2015-2020, including the pair of events he won. Outside the two victories, he has one runner-up result (2018), a third-place run (2012) and three ninth-place finishes.

· Keselowski has a 14.1 average starting position at Atlanta with a career-best effort of P2 in 2014. Overall he’s started inside the top-10 five different times.

· He also made eight Xfinity Series starts with six top-10s, including two P2 finishes. He also made four Truck starts.

Matt McCall at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· McCall won the Cup Series’ most recent event at Atlanta, leading Kurt Busch and the No. 1 team to the victory. The team led 144 laps en route to McCall’s third Cup win overall.

· Overall he has four top-10s on the Atlanta surface with a P3 finish in 2019, and a sixth-place run a year later.

· McCall has an impressive 8.0 average qualifying effort with five starts inside the top-10, including a career-best second in 2016 with Jamie McMurray.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Atlanta:
“Atlanta is going to be one of the more interesting weekends we will see all season. There is already so much new right now, then throw in a repave of that surface and the differences it now provides, Sunday is going to turn out to be wild. As a 6 team we know where we stand, and as I’ve said before we know the battle to get to where we want to be would be tough. We’re looking forward to a fun weekend in the Kohler Generators Ford.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski finished 23rd last weekend in Phoenix.

On the Car

Kohler Generators returns to the No. 6 car for its second primary race of the season. They will serve as the anchor partner for the No. 6 team in 2022 and be a primary in 14 races. Kohler initially joined the RFK family in 2021 as a partner in eight events with the No. 6 team.

About Kohler Co.
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies comprised of more than 40,000 associates. Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products; engines and power systems; premier cabinetry, tile and lighting; and owner/operator of two of the world’s finest five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland.

A global force in power solutions since 1920, Kohler manufactures engines and complete power systems, including generators (portable, marine, residential, commercial and industrial), automatic transfer switches, switchgear, monitoring controls, and accessories for emergency, prime power and energy-management applications all around the world. The business is committed to reliable, leading edge power-generation products, clean energy solutions, as well as comprehensive after-sale support. Visit KohlerGenerators.com, facebook.com/KOHLERPower, and on Twitter at @KOHLERPower.

Chandler Smith – No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Atlanta Preview

By
Official Release
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Chandler Smith: Driver, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Fr8 208, Race 3 of 23, 135 Laps –30/30/75; 207.9 Miles
Location: Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway at (1.54-mile Quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 19, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Season 2:
Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite team head to Atlanta Motor Speedway looking to continue the momentum they’ve built over the last seven races. The 19-year-old closed out the 2021 season with two victories (Bristol Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway) across the last five races and found victory lane in just the second race of the 2022 season at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. Smith led a race-high 32 laps at Las Vegas and made an impressive crossover move on the final lap of the race to bring home his third career victory. After two events, Smith sits atop of the Camping World Truck Series standings, five points ahead of Tanner Gray.

Smith, who grew up 90 miles north of Atlanta Motor Speedway in Jasper, Ga., made a name for himself racing Bandoleros on the flat quarter-mile track located on the frontstretch known as the “Thunder Ring.” Smith earned 21 career Bandits Division victories across 40 starts in Atlanta’s Thursday Thunder Series and won three consecutive Bandits Division championships from 2012-2014. In 2014, the racing prodigy won eight consecutive races in the Bandits Division, tying the record set by Joey Logano in 2000. The record has since been broken.

Saturday’s race will be the 19-year-old driver’s second start on the big track at Atlanta. Unfortunately for Smith, a parts failure in the right front of his Safelite Tundra caused him to visit pit road for unexpected pit stops twice early in last year’s event and relegated him to a disappointing 35th-place finish.

Smith earned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories, one pole, 213 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his first full-time season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September and in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earned his first career pole and swept all three stages en route to his second victory. Across 38 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, the Toyota Racing Development product has collected two wins, 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.

Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will once again call the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2022. Stockman’s drivers have produced six victories at KBM across his first two seasons, including two with Smith behind the wheel in 2021. The veteran crew chief captured a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and also won an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman’s drivers have posted has two top-10 finishes across four starts at Atlanta, with a best result of sixth coming with Dillon in 2017.

Safelite, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, returns to KBM for a fifth season and will be the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra TRD Pro Tundra for 16 races this year, including Saturday’s race at Atlanta. Charge Me will serve as an associate sponsor on the bedtop of Smith’s No. 18 Tundra TRD Pro for 16 races this season, including Saturday at Atlanta. Charge Me was founded on the principle that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution will require robust infrastructure support at all levels.

Two Georgia companies will be riding onboard Smith’s No. 18 Toyota as associate sponsors on Saturday. NGE Roofing, an experienced roofing contractor located in Smith’s hometown, Jasper, Ga., will share the bedtop with Charge Me. The Dawsonville, Ga. location of Bill Ballew Motorsports will be on the lower rear quarter panel. You can find the lowest prices on used Cars, Trucks and SUV’s at www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

Does already having a win change how you race the rest of the regular season?
“It definitely won’t change how I race moving forward, it will just allow myself and my 18 Safelite group to sleep better when it comes to cutoff time for the first round of the playoffs. Last year, we were in a really sticky situation going to Watkins Glen and we were all stressed out. Now that won’t be a factor and we can just go out and race to win.”

What does it mean to you to have a few Georgia companies coming onboard for this race?
“It’s so cool, NGE is a local sponsor, a roofing company in my hometown, Jasper, Georgia and Billy Ballew has been a part of Kyle Busch’s career for ages. It’s really cool to have two Georgia companies sponsoring my truck race at Atlanta. Overall, I’m really looking forward to racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway because there is going to be a lot of people coming down from my hometown and a lot of family, so it should be cool.”

Do you feel like with the new surface and configuration that Saturday will race like a superspeedway race?
“It’ll definitely be a superspeedway race to say the least, we are going to be running the same engine package, everything is practically going to be the same as Daytona. There isn’t going to be anybody that can just drive away from the pack because it is going to be so draft dependent. Kind of Las Vegas nowadays, there was nobody that could drive away except for Zane (Smith) at the start of Stage 1 and that was because second, third and fourth were all racing each other and sucking each other back. It’s definitely going to be a plate race to say the least and a race of attrition.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 40 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded three wins, 338 laps led, 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.7.
  • Led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Camping World Truck Series debut at Iowa Speedway in July of 2019. Drove a limited schedule for KBM in 2019 (four races) and 2020 (12 races), before going full-time in 2021.
  • Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1783 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.4 across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts. Set an ARCA Racing Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career and earned his first victory after leading a race-high 102 laps at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in his fourth series start.
  • Has numerous Super Late Model victories across his career, including two marquee wins: the Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. (2021) and SpeedFest at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia (2018). Will compete in several Super Late Model events around his Truck Series schedule in 2022.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
KBM-63: The No. 18 Safelite team will unload KBM-63 for Saturday’s race at Atlanta. In its most recent outing, this Tundra TRD pro led 48 laps last June at Nashville in Smith’s 13th-place finish. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch drove KBM-63 to its lone victory across seven starts in June of 2020 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
KBM-63 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected three wins, two poles, 689 laps led, 10 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8 across 26 starts at Atlanta. KBM Owner-driver Kyle Busch won last year and in 2019 while Christopher Bell brought home the trophy in 2017.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (91) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Smith became the 17th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 24 career victories.

Nemechek rejoins Joe Gibbs Racing for three-race Xfinity schedule

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

John Hunter Nemechek has been added to the list of competitors who will be piloting the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra on a part-time basis throughout the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

The 24-year-old second-generation Nemechek from Mooresville, North Carolina, will be making his first Xfinity start in JGR’s No. 18 Toyota entry at Richmond Raceway on April 2 followed by Dover Motor Speedway on April 30. He will then make his third and final start in JGR’s equipment at Texas Motor Speedway on September 24 during the 2022 Xfinity Series Playoffs. With veteran Jason Ratcliff atop the pit box as the crew chief of JGR’s No. 18 team, Safeway, ACME and ROMCO will be sponsoring Nemechek’s three-race schedule with JGR.

“I am really excited to have this opportunity to race again in JGR’s Xfinity Series program after the success we had last season,” Nemechek said. “We were able to pick up a win in just three starts and hopefully we can add to that success this season. I am also looking forward to working with crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who has found victory lane with a lot of different drivers over the year. I really appreciate the support of my long-term partners Safeway, ACME, and ROMCO for coming on board to support me and of course Toyota.”

The 2022 season will mark Nemechek’s second part-time effort as an Xfinity competitor for JGR. He made his first start in the team’s No. 54 Toyota Supra last October at Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished 22nd. Two races later, he rebounded from a late pit road penalty by notching a dominant victory at Texas Motor Speedway, which marked his second career victory in the series and first since winning at Kansas Speedway in October 2018. Nemechek’s final start with JGR in 2021 occurred during the season finale event at Phoenix Raceway in November, where he finished in sixth place.

Nemechek, who is campaigning in his second full-time season as a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor for Kyle Busch Motorsports, is coming off back-to-back Xfinity Series starts of this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Phoenix Raceway, where he finished 12th and fifth respectively while driving for Sam Hunt Racing. He is scheduled to return to SHR for the series’ second trip to Las Vegas on October 15.

“John Hunter was impressive in his starts with us last year and we’re excited to have him back this season to work with Jason (Ratcliff) and our 18 team for a few races,” Steve de Souza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing, said. “He really has made the most of every opportunity and we expect he will run up front again in these races.”

Nemechek is the fourth competitor alongside Drew Dollar, Trevor Bayne and Ryan Truex to be named a part-time competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota entry for this year’s Xfinity schedule. The No. 18 entry has achieved two top-five results through the first four scheduled events, both made by Bayne as he finished third at Auto Club Speedway and fourth at Phoenix Raceway. Bayne is scheduled to drive the No. 18 Toyota Supra this upcoming weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 19.

The remainder of Joe Gibbs Racing’s driver lineup for the No. 18 team will be determined at a later date.

Nemechek’s first Xfinity Series start of the season with Joe Gibbs Racing is scheduled to occur at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, April 2, with coverage to occur at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR BLAKE SHELTON TO PERFORM AT NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE ON SUNDAY, MAY 22

By
Official Release
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  • 10-time Country Music Association award winner to highlight NASCAR All-Star Race pre-race activities with a sixty (60) minute concert.
  • Fans can purchase a Track Pass for special access to the concert as well as NASCAR All-Star driver introductions at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 15, 2022) – Blake Shelton, the five-time CMA Male Vocalist of the Year who has accumulated more than 13 million album sales over his illustrious career, will perform a pre-race concert for the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday, May 22, at Texas Motor Speedway.

Shelton will perform a full sixty (60) minute set featuring some of his biggest hits on the venue’s main racetrack. The concert will be the highlight of the pre-race activities leading into the second running of the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway (7 p.m. CT, TV: FS1, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM and 95.9 The Ranch).

Texas Motor Speedway is offering fans premier access to enjoy the concert and the NASCAR All-Star driver introductions with the purchase of a Track Pass ticket upgrade while supplies last. While the pre-race concert is free with any race ticket, Track Pass holders will move from the grandstands to the front of the stage for the high-energy musical performance, driver introductions, and more.

Shelton added to his musical success this past December with the release of the deluxe version of his latest album, Body Language. The album featured four new tracks, including his Top 15 and climbing single, “Come Back As A Country Boy.” Body Language (Deluxe) features his Platinum-selling 28th country radio chart-topper, “Happy Anywhere” featuring Gwen Stefani.

Prior to “Happy Anywhere,” Shelton celebrated a 2x Platinum, multi-week No. 1 with “Nobody But You,” which has now reached 300 million streams. The single made its television debut on the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, where Shelton was also nominated for “Best Country Solo Performance” for his hit “God’s Country.” The 4x Platinum smash earned the 2019 CMA Award and 2020 ACM Award for “Single of the Year.” He continues to remain a force in the industry with ACM (5), AMA (3), CMA (10), CMT (11) and People’s Choice Awards (7), among many others.

He also continues to mentor future musical talents as a coach for NBC’s Emmy Award-winning television show, The Voice. He is an eight-time champion with his most recent title coming with contestant Cam Anthony in May of 2021.

“It only makes sense to have next-level talent like Blake Shelton perform for this festival of fun and part of one of the crown jewels of motorsports racing, the NASCAR All-Star Race,” said Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Rob Ramage. “We are offering a priceless experience for our fans and have countless activities planned for this festival. Keep watching our website, we will have so many other next-level fan experiences to announce. It’s going to be huge, something for everyone, and we are so excited to have this super star, Blake Shelton, perform live during our All-Star Race and festival.”

The NASCAR All-Star Race will be the marquee event of a race weekend featuring all three of NASCAR’s premier series. The SPEEDYCASH.COM 220 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race will be held Friday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. and the Texas 250 Xfinity Series race on Saturday, May 21, at 12:30 p.m. Both will be televised live on FS1 and aired locally on 95.9 The Ranch.

Tickets for the NASCAR All-Star Race begin as low as $35 for adults & $10 for kids 12 and under. For more ticket and race weekend information, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

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.

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