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CHEVY NCS AT AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY: ALEX BOWMAN PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY
WISE POWER 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 24, 2022

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1, Press Conference Transcript:

ALEX, UNTIL 2020 THIS HADN’T REALLY BEEN A GREAT TRACK FOR YOU, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU GO OUT WIN THE RACE LAST TIME, LEAD OVER HALF THE RACE, WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO LEARN LAST TIME HERE AND CAN AND OF THAT TRANSLATE TO THE NEW CAR?

“Yeah, it’s been, it feels like it has been forever. I’m not quite sure really what particular thing we learned. I feel like our mile and a half program had gotten really good at that point, which I guess you would call it the intermediate program in general which applies to there. So, just feel like we had a really good car, and we were really good the entire weekend from the time we unloaded. Made my job a little bit easier than normal and just really had a good car the entire time we were there. As far as applying that to this year’s car, a couple years down the road. I don’t think you can drive this year’s car as loose as you could with the previous gen car. I was really loose that whole weekend, it was really fast. I think kind of going a little different direction than we were then. This car is so different every way so it’s hard to apply much. So excited to get back to it. It’s a really fun and technical racetrack.”

ANY EXPECTATIONS ON HOW THE RESIN IS GOING TO INTERACT WITH OR AFFECT THE WAY YOU DRIVE THE RACETRACK?

“Yeah, it’s definitely laid out in a strange manner. The way it is kind of tapered into Turn 1, I feel like it might make passing harder on entry to one just because if you are inside of somebody you are going to be out of the resin, and they are going to be in it. So, it’s going to be a little interesting to see how it all kind of works out. But yeah, I think we haven’t been there in a long time, we need the track to rubber up quickly, kind of limited practice before we are on track. Hopefully it does what they want it to do and hopefully it works out well, but it’s definitely going to be interesting to see how it holds up. That place is super abrasive, super high tire wear and it might change that for sure.”

YOU MENTIONED THE LIMITED PRACTICE TIME. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT KIND OF DISCUSSIONS HAVE YOU HAD WITH GREG (IVES) ABOUT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AS A DRIVER WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO FOCUS ON IN THAT TIME TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE COMFORTABLE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE’S MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND FEEDBACK FROM YOU BECAUSE I AM SURE THAT HE HAS ALREADY SPELLED IT OUT FOR YOU?

“Yeah, I mean the biggest thing is you know we really can’t make changes in that amount of time; we might have time make one change. So, kind of just getting a handle on what you have, and you know you can’t go through a normal practice agenda like that. It’s definitely an interesting schedule, really compact when it comes to on-track race time, but the guys are there all weekend anyway so it’s kind of interesting how that played out. Just trying to figure out what we can learn. The racetrack is going to change a lot as it rubbers up, the resin comes in, so kind of seeing the progression of that and seeing how the car drives. Obviously, William (Byron) was there with it a couple of years ago when it was pretty new. It has changed a lot since then, so just trying to get a handle on it at a place it hasn’t been to and a place that is super rough, super slick, got seams all over the place. There’s so many aspects that are really going to test the car and test how the set-up is. Trying to be on the right side of it is going to be key and hopefully we’re guessing at it better than the rest of them.”

EVEN MORE SO THAN DAYTONA, PARTICUARLY IN LIGHT OF YOU GUYS HAVEN’T HAD ANY RECENT ON-TRACK, LIKE YOU MENTIONNED TESTING AT A 2-MILE OR PARTIUCLARLY HERE SUCH WILLIAM’S (BYRON) TEST WAY BACK, DO YOU CONSIDER THIS THE FIRST BIG TEST OF THE CAR AS FAR AS DURABILITY GOES AND ON RACETRACK CONDITIONS?

“I think the car is super durable. I don’t think anybody’s really worries about the durability side of things. I think this is going to be a big test on how it drives and how we I guess, guess at the best set up and how we stack up to start the year. It drives so different than what we have had in the past and obviously not having been there before and how slick of a race it is we haven’t really been to a place like this with yet so just trying to figure it out quick because it’s going to be tough. As far as durability stuff goes, I think that thing is stout. It should be just fine.”

ALEX I WAS TALKING WITH TYLER REDDICK YESTERDAY ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF THE RESIN AND HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT DEPENDING ON WHERE IT’S PUT DOWN YOU COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE RACING WE SEE AT FONTANA WHERE AS TRADITIONALLY YOU WOULD SEE EVERYONE FAN OUT ALL THE WAY FROM THE INSIDE OF THE RACE TRACK UP TO THE OUTSIDE WALL WHERE AS KNOW YOU CAN THE INSIDE NOW BECOME A DOMINATE GROOVE THERE AND THE OUTSIDE BECOME LESS OF A STRENGTH. I HOPE I AM REPRESENTING THAT RIGHT, BUT DO YOU FORESEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING OR DO YOU THINK THE GROOVE IS GOING TO WIDEN OUT LIKE WE NORMALLY SEE IT DO?

“Well, Fontana is really wide, and I think the way the racetrack is laid out it favors itself to widening out. These cars are really aero critical. The dirty air is tough, so I think we will widen it out regardless of the resin. I think you know the way the resin was put down and laid out is interesting. I don’t necessarily know that it’s going to be great right away, but I think as it wears out it’ll make you move around. You know we saw in Nashville kind of like right at the end of practice it really started to come on but then we kind of wore it out in the race and had to move around. It will still be wide like normal. You’ll still use the seam. You’ll still be slipping and sliding all over the place. It just might take a little bit of time to get there, which I mean it’s a green racetrack, so it is going to take time to get there kind of regardless.”

ALEX, CHASE (ELLIOTT) WAS ON THE MORNING DRIVE THIS MORNING AND CLEARLY FROM HIS PRESPECTIVE GROWING UP IN THE SPORT HE’S FAMILIAR WITH NASCAR’S BOOM, THE HIGHS, THE LOWS IT HAS GONE THROUGH AND HE SAID HE CAN’T REMEMBER A DAYTONA 500 LIKE WE HAD SINCE THE TIME HE WAS A CHILD. KIND OF WONDERING ABOUT WHEN DID NASCAR FIRST HIT YOUR RADAR AND DO YOU KIND OF SHARE HIS SENTIMENTS FIRST OF ALL?

“Um, so yeah I watched NASCAR a lot as a kid. Obviously was not around it in any sort of capacity like he (Chase Elliott) was but watched on TV a lot as a kid, went to a lot of races at Phoenix (Raceway), couple races at Fontana, so was a fan for a long time. Yeah, I think the Daytona 500 was great. There were a ton of people there. I drove since I was down there kind of all month and leaving you knew there was a lot of people. You knew there were a lot of people there kind of all-day but trying to get out there you extra knew there was a lot of people. So, I think it was great, great for the sport, great to see. Happy to be a part of it. It’s definitely refreshing to see that many people at a racetrack, especially after COVID and not having anybody there and then some people allowed back, to see a packed house like that was really cool.”

AND SECONDLY HOW DO WE CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM THAT WE STARTED AT THE LA COLISEUM BUILT INTO DAYTONA AND NOW CARRY IT THROUGH THE WEST COAST SWING?

“I’m glad there are people way smarter than me trying to figure that one out. I am just trying to figure out how to drive the racecar. Yeah, I mean I think as long as we keep putting on good shows and being exciting that’s the biggest thing. You know keeping fans involved, controversy is always great for the sport, and I am sure there will be some of that this year. I think the perception of everything right now is really good, so props to NASCAR for doing a great job at everything they are doing. It’s been really good.”

SO, GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE ABOUT OBVIOUSLY FONTANA IS SUPER ROUGH AND OF COURSE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT TIRE WEAR WITH THE NEW CAR, DIFFERENT TIRE, SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE MAYBE HAVING TO BE A LITTLE MORE AWARE THAN NORMAL OF YOUR TIRE WEAR AND KIND OF HOW HARD YOU ARE RACING SUNDAY TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS DON’T RUN OUT OF TIRES AND THINGS LIKE THAT?

“Well I think that is why they have the resin on the racetrack to get the track to rubber up quicker and to be better on the tires, but yeah, I mean I think you are still going to drive the car hard. The way Cup racing works, I think you could conserve tires man seven or eight years ago but as the racing has progressed people have stopped kind of letting people go and racing each other easy. Everybody runs each other hard all the time now and I think if you save tires you have to run people so hard to get back by them that you just burn the tires up even worse. I’m not sure there’s much that we can really do as drivers anymore, obviously driving the thing sideways and trying to smoke the right rear tire off of it or just putting a ton of wheel in it and killing the right front is bad, but it’s not like we can ride around and save our stuff and come back through the field at the end because passing has gotten so difficult.”

I WANTED TO ASK, I’M PRETTY SURE YOU LIKE THE 2-MILE FONTANA OVAL, SO WILL YOU BE DOING ANY LOBBYING GOING FORWARD AS NASCAR STILL TRYS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS RECONFIGURATION?

“Yeah, you know I think it is an amazing racetrack. Super bumpy, really slick, the seams add a whole other element to it. It’s a track that drivers really like, but at the same time it typically gets won by like 10 seconds. Once a guy gets out there, dirty air is bad in any type of racecar. You can’t unlearn aero stuff and once you take the air off of them tire wear gets even worse, so the leader just gets a big advantage. It’s tough, so I think I totally understand why they want to go to a short-track. I think the Next Gen car is way better suited to the shorter tracks, so I am all good for a short-track. I love the track the way it is, but I think a short-track will be great for everybody as well.”

CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF PRESPECTIVE, THIS CHALLENGE THIS WEEK WITH THE NEW CAR, YOU HAVEN’T RUN AT THIS TRACK IN TWO YEARS, YOU GET 15 MINUTES OF PRACTICE, CAN YOU GIVE ME A PRESPECTIVE OF HOW CHALLENGING THIS IS? IS THIS SOMETHING LIKE MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER CHALLENGE OR IS THIS JUST A NORMAL WEEK AS A DRIVER IN A TOP SERIES OR ONE OF THE TOP SERIES IN AMERICAN AUTO RACING?

“It’s a big challenge for sure. Just we’ve never been there with this car. We haven’t been there with a high horsepower, lower downforce package in a couple years, so just trying to know what I need to do to start practice. Lift points, basic stuff is a big question mark right now. Hopefully I adapt to it as quick as anybody and I think it’s difficult from the team side too, right? Like you have your simulation and all that, but until you go do it who really knows? Hopefully our stuff is accurate, and we are good when we get there.”

ALEX, YOU ARE KICKING OFF YOUR WEEKEND BY ENTERING THE WALK OF FAME. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO JOIN THAT GROUP THAT ALSO INCLUDES LIKE MARTIN TRUEX, TONY STEWART, AND JIMMIE (JOHNSON)?

“Yeah, it’s really cool. Kinda cool to get to go back somewhere that I have won. We tend to not let me do that. I got to go back to Richmond last year, but other than that I haven’t gone back anywhere as a winner. Cool to be able to do that and excited for that experience.”

DO YOU HAVE ANYMORE TATTOO WAGERS THIS YEAR?

“No. No and that question has come up a lot this week and I had completely forgot about it. But yeah, we are just going to blame Covid on that one.”

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT AUSTIN CINDRIC’S MOVE AT THE END OF THE DAYTONA 500? WOULD YOU WRECK YOUR TEAMMATE TO WIN THE GREAT AMERICAN RACE?

“Yeah, I don’t really think he wrecked his teammate. I think, obviously, he made a block and did what he had to do to win the race. I don’t think he did anything wrong there. I don’t think, he definitely didn’t do anything that Ryan (Blaney) wouldn’t have done. I don’t think you can really say that he wrecked him. He put him in a situation where he could have lifted and he didn’t and ended up crashing, but he still finished well in the 500 and a Penske car still won. I don’t think either one of them did anything wrong. I think that was just racing.”

I WAS WONDERING WE HAD THIS BIG RACE WEEKEND, SOME OF THE STATISTICS ARE STILL COMING IN. ONE THING THAT HASN’T BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT IS TWO AUSTINS THAT WERE ROOKIES WON THE RACE. I GO BACK TO HENDRICK’S STRATEGY, HOW YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING AT STARTING UP FRONT MAKING EVERYTHING WORK. WAS THERE A STRATEGY THERE ANYWHERE WHERE YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO BASICALLY THE SAME THING THAT THE PENSKE GUYS WERE DOING SAFELY? MOST OF THE BUMP DRAFTING I SAW IT WAS REALLY BORDERLINE DANGEROUS. SO, I DIDN’T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD TALKED ABOUT A SAFER WAY TO HANDLE THE BUMP DRAFTING OR IF IT WAS JUST KIND OF WINGING IT AS YOU GO?

“Yeah, I mean anytime that you have two cars pushing each other to go faster it is going to look like that. I mean we tried, obviously at the start trying to work with the five and it didn’t work out. Tried to do our best to make it happen, but it didn’t work out. Obviously two of us crashed out early so our numbers went down from there. The five and the nine were still in it and then the five ended up getting crashed late too. It was definitely a bummer. Not the day that Hendrick Motorsports wanted, but yeah, we definitely tried out best to work together. Just didn’t work out.”

YOU GO INTO FONTANA AS THE DEFENDING RACE WINNER, BE IT TWO YEARS AGO, WHAT’S THE SECRET TO GETTING AROUND THERE?

“Nothing from 2020 is going to apply to 2022 I don’t think. I wish there was a secret. I think the secret is a fast racecar that works really well. That’s what we had in ’20 and hopefully we have a similar thing in ’22. I think it is going to take a much different balance than it took back then. We are doing our best to make that happen.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT A PRACTICE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET THIS WEEK GOING TO BE BEING THAT IT IS THE FIRST RACE AT AN INTERMEDIATE TRACK WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR?

“It’s definitely important, but at the same time when it happens you can’t really change much. We’re pretty locked in with what we have when we get there. Hopefully it works out and it’s the right direction because once you get on track you know we don’t have much time to change anything. Looking forward to it. It’s going to be a big challenge and I know I have some of the best in the business working on getting it right.”

CHASE (ELLIOTT) JUST RE-SIGNED TO STAY WITH HENDRICK (MOTORSPORTS) FOR FIVE MORE YEARS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WILLIAM BYRON IS NEXT IN LINE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE THOSE GUYS STICK AROUND AS YOUR TEAMMATES, RATHER THAN LIKE HAVING NEW TEAMMATES COME IN?

“Yeah, I think the four of us work really well together so it’s been fun to be teammates with these guys. We all kind of bring our own unique point of view to the table, so it’s good. I think between the four drivers and the four crew chiefs, the communication is really good. We are all friends. I definitely lean on all of them and I think we can all definitely count on each other.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

WELD partners with Nitro teams in 2022 NHRA Camping World drag racing series

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Official Release
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Kansas City, MO (February 24, 2022) – To mark 55 years of drag racing participation, WELD is sponsoring a number of Top Fuel and Funny Car teams participating in the 2022 NHRA season.

As the fastest wheel brand on the planet, WELD will continue to support Stringer Performance and driver Clay Millican in Top Fuel. It also returns with John Force Racing across four classes of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The cars will be driven by familiar faces including John Force, Brittany Force and Robert Hight, with the addition of 2019 Auto Club Road the Future Award winner, Austin Prock.

WELD Racing has formed partnerships with Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan in the newly formed Tony Stewart Nitro Racing; three-time NHRA Champion Antron Brown and his first-year team AB Motorsports; and defending Funny Car champion Ron Capps and his new Ron Capps Motorsports team.

With its roots firmly entrenched in drag racing WELD is able to utilize its history and passion for the sport as the inspiration for its legendary wheel design and the ultimate proving grounds. As such, WELD is delighted to continues its commitment to support both established teams with sponsorship and assist fledging teams through its 2022 contingency program.

“As the 2022 NHRA schedule gets underway, we’re proud to align ourselves with some of the most prominent teams in drag racing competition, “said Andres Cisneros, President of MW Company. “We look forward to the upcoming season and hope to see our partners on the winner’s podium.”

For more than 55 years, WELD has built technologically superior wheels and continues the tradition of building Racing and Performance wheels using 21st century technology while giving the customer top quality, true craftsmanship, and excellent customer service.

For more information, please visit www.weldwheels.com

ABOUT WELD

Founded in a Kansas City garage in 1967, WELD was the result of a relentless pursuit of speed, durability, and safety. The company engineers and produces performance automotive wheels for professional racing, off-road and aftermarket vehicles. WELD wheels are designed and engineered in the USA. WELD is part of the MW Company portfolio of brands across racing and automotive aftermarket industries. For more information, please visit https://www.weldwheels.com

ABOUT MW COMPANY

MW Company is an engineering, design, manufacturing, and marketing company with a portfolio of leading brands in the automotive and lifestyle industry. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., its portfolio of brands includes WELD, MOMO, Forgestar, ADV.1, CCW Forged Performance, Driven Motorsports, Reds, HiPer Technology and Tikore. The company employs more than 200 people worldwide. MW Company is part of the Cisneros Corp, a third-generation global family enterprise with experience in numerous industries across media, telecommunications, consumer goods and automotive brands. Learn more at https://mw.company

Albert Pujols to drive Toyota Camry TRD Pace Car for the WISE Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway

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Official Release
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FONTANA, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2022) – A beloved baseball great with great Southern California ties has been drafted to drive the Toyota Camry TRD pace car for Sunday’s WISE Power 400. Auto Club Speedway announced today that Albert Pujols will serve as the honorary pace car driver for the triumphant return of NASCAR Cup Series racing to the 2-mile oval.

“Few have played the game of baseball with the power and poise of Albert Pujols,” said Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen. “It’s only fitting that a player who has worn the numbers 5 and 55 will lead the five-wide salute to NASCAR fans before the WISE Power 400.”

Pujols is one of the most decorated and respected baseball players to ever don a Major League uniform. The three-time National League MVP made his Major League debut for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001 where he was named the unanimous National League Rookie of the Year after hitting .329 with 37 home runs, 130 runs batted in and an OPS of 1.013.

A two-time World Champion, Pujols won the Triple Crown for the entire decade of the 2000’s, leading the National League in batting average (.334), home runs (366) and RBI’s (1112). His career totals are historic – 679 home runs (5th all time), 2150 RBI (3rd all time), 3301 hits (12th all time), 6042 total bases (4th all time) and he also has over 100 career stolen bases.

The 10-time All Star and six-time Silver Slugger is not just a one-dimensional player. Albert has also won Gold Glove awards in 2006 and 2010 as the top defensive player at his position. Despite all of his accomplishments on the field, the creation of the Pujols Family Foundation and receiving the Roberto Clemente Award are atop the list as his most important achievements. Pujols has five children and lives in Irvine, CA.

“This is a special once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited to lead the best drivers in the world out onto the track,” said Pujols. “I’m really looking forward to seeing these guys get after it once the green flag drops. The adrenaline will be pumping for sure.”

The 2022 WISE Power 400 caps two great days of NASCAR racing on the high-speed, 2-mile oval of Auto Club Speedway. Racing begins Saturday, Feb. 26 with the Production Alliance Group 300, the second race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season. And then on Sunday, Feb. 27, the WISE Power 400 will thrill fans with Auto Club Speedway’s first NASCAR Cup Series race since Alex Bowman took the checkered flag on March 1, 2020.

Tickets for both days are on sale now at www.autoclubspeedway.com

About Auto Club Speedway

Located 50 miles east of Los Angeles in Fontana, Auto Club Speedway is California’s premier motorsports facility, hosting over 320 days of track activity each year including a NASCAR Cup Series weekend. The two-mile D-shaped oval is one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR circuit. The Speedway is also home to numerous movie, television and commercial productions, photo shoots, new car testing, club racing and a variety of racing schools. For more information on events at Auto Club Speedway, call 1-800-944-RACE (7223), visit www.AutoClubSpeedway.com or download the new NASCAR Tracks App at www.autoclubspeedway.com/nascar-tracks-app/

About NASCAR

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

Ryan Truex rejoins Joe Gibbs Racing for a four-race Xfinity deal in 2022

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ryan Truex will be adding more NASCAR Xfinity Series events to his 2022 racing schedule after it was announced that he will be reuniting with Joe Gibbs Racing and drive the No. 18 Toyota Supra in a four-race Xfinity deal.

Truex, a two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion and brother of the 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., will be making his first start in JGR’s No. 18 Toyota at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5. He will then return to compete at Martinsville Speedway on April 8, Darlington Raceway on May 7 and at Texas Motor Speedway on May 21.

The announcement comes as Truex is coming off a 12th-place result at Daytona International Speedway in his first of select starts for Sam Hunt Racing.

“I’m honored to compete in the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra with Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season,” Truex said. “Having the opportunity to get  behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing entry is an absolute dream come true. Even better, Toyota is sponsoring my inaugural race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend. I can’t thank them and Joe Gibbs Racing enough for making this happen.”

Prior to this season, Truex’s latest competition in the Xfinity Series occurred in 2019, where he made six starts for JR Motorsports. Since making his Xfinity debut in 2010, Truex has made 79 career starts in the Xfinity circuit, 12 occurring with Joe Gibbs Racing. During the 79-race schedule, he earned a pole, four top-five results and 24 top-10 results. His best result in the series are a pair of runner-up finishes: the first at Dover Motor Speedway in June 2012 and the second at Phoenix Raceway in March 2019. 

Through 2022, he has also made 73 career starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and 26 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. 

Truex is the third competitor to be confirmed to pilot Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota entry throughout this year’s Xfinity Series season. Drew Dollar made his first of four scheduled starts at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished 36th, while Trevor Bayne is scheduled to make his first of seven starts this upcoming weekend at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday, February 26.

Truex is scheduled to make his first Xfinity Series start with Joe Gibbs Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5 with coverage to occur at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Fontana NXS Advance

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Official Release
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RILEY HERBST
Fontana NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Production Alliance 300 (Round 2 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Feb. 26
• Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
• Layout: 2-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EST on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst is a freshly minted 23-year-old who comes into Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, riding plenty of momentum after a strong fourth-place finish last Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Herbst turned 23 on Feb. 24, and the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) sits third in the championship point standings thanks to his fourth-place drive at Daytona. In addition to being a year wiser, Herbst comes into the second race of the season in a much more advantageous position than he did last year when in his SHR debut at Daytona he was collected in a multicar accident with less than 20 laps remaining to finish an undeserved 26th.

• Herbst’s strong run at Daytona follows him to one of his stronger tracks. Fontana is the site of his career-best Xfinity Series finish – second, earned when the series last raced at the track in 2020. Herbst later equaled that result a little less than five months later when he finished second at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• Herbst has made only one Xfinity Series start at Fontana. He was a rookie in 2020 and when he finished second on Feb. 29, he and most everyone else had no indication that it would be two years before NASCAR returned to the 2-mile oval in Southern California. COVID-19 had just started to get people’s attention, but two weeks after Herbst’s career-best finish, COVID shut racing and the sports world down. California was especially hard hit, jettisoning Auto Club Speedway from the NASCAR schedule in 2021. Thankfully, progress has been made in the fight against COVID, and this weekend marks the triumphant return of Fontana to the NASCAR calendar, just in time to celebrate the track’s 25th anniversary.

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

You’re coming off a top-five finish in the season opener at Daytona. How helpful is it for this No. 98 Monster Energy team to come out of the gate strong?

“That finish at Daytona was huge. Last year, I think we had three DNFs in a row and that just put us in a hole, and then we battled back all year long. To start the season off with a fourth, all of these 98 guys deserve to be in victory lane and we’re working really hard to get there.”

Last time you were in Fontana you earned a career-best second-place finish. Does that help boost your confidence as you head back to Auto Club Speedway this weekend?

“It does, but you also have to think that it’s been two years since we raced here. I know that I can run well there, and I’m hoping that carries over and I can put our Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane on Saturday. We had speed last week. This No. 98 team can get it done, and hopefully I can finish one spot better at Auto Club this year.”

Talk about what it would mean to put yourself and Monster Energy in victory lane this weekend.

“We’re all racing to win. We had a great run at Daytona but, ultimately, the goal is to knock down some victories early on and secure our spot in the playoffs. I’ve come close to a win several times, but could never quite close the deal. Hopefully, this season will bring a change of luck and I can go to victory lane with the No. 98 team and Monster Energy. Their support means everything, so it would feel great to get them there.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

XPEL TO BUILD ON TEAM PENSKE SUCCESS WITH SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN AND NO. 3 CHEVROLET IN 2022

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Official Release
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Reigning INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year to Race XPEL Chevrolet This Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 24, 2022) – Team Penske and XPEL (NASDAQ: XPEL), a leading provider of protective films and coatings, announced today that 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year Scott McLaughlin will compete in the No. 3 XPEL Chevrolet at three races during the upcoming INDYCAR SERIES season. McLaughlin will first race the XPEL Chevy in the series race at Texas Motor Speedway where the company will also serve as the event title sponsor – the XPEL 375 on March 20. The No. 3 XPEL INDYCAR and McLaughlin will also race on the streets of Toronto on July 17 and in the championship finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 11.

“I feel really blessed to be able to represent a great partner in XPEL so early in my career here in America,” said McLaughlin. “XPEL is no stranger to Victory Lane – and we were so close to winning at Texas last year – so the confidence of the No. 3 team will be high when we return there in March. Winning for XPEL on their home turf in the race that they sponsor would be one of the biggest wins of my career.”

McLaughlin scored his career-best INDYCAR SERIES finish last season at Texas when he produced a memorable second-place result in his first career start on an oval track. The runner-up finish was one of several solid performances for McLaughlin, as he became the first Team Penske driver to win the series Rookie of the Year award since its inception in 1979.

Team Penske welcomed XPEL to its partner lineup in 2020 as the San Antonio-based company served as a primary sponsor on the No. 2 Chevrolet with driver Josef Newgarden over the last two INDYCAR SERIES seasons. Last July, Newgarden drove the No. 2 XPEL Chevrolet to Victory Lane in dominating fashion at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“We are excited to see Scott represent XPEL in the yellow and black #3 Chevrolet this season,” said Robert Bezner, Vice President, Brand at XPEL. “So much of our business success is attributed to passionate brand representation by our global installer network. That is the same spirit we see in Scott and we are counting down the days until we join him in Victory Lane!”

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins on Sunday, February 27 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. With 14 out of 17 races on the 2022 series schedule broadcast on network television, the season opener will be seen live on NBC.

About XPEL
XPEL is a leading provider of protective films and coatings, including automotive paint protection film, surface protection film, automotive and commercial/residential window films, and ceramic coatings. With a global footprint, a network of trained installers and proprietary DAP software, XPEL is dedicated to exceeding customer expectations by providing high-quality products, leading customer service, expert technical support and world-class training. XPEL, Inc. is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “XPEL.”

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 590 major race wins, over 650 pole positions and 41 championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 56-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, three Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2022, Team Penske will compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Cup Series and the World Endurance Championship. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.

Burton Returns to Fontana, Site of His First Major NASCAR Win

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Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford team are preparing for this weekend’s 400-miler at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif, the two-mile oval where Burton got his first major NASCAR victory in an Xfinity Series race in 2020.

Burton, then a rookie in NASCAR’s No. 2 series, started on the outside pole, led three times for a total of 40 laps, took the lead with 20 laps to go and held on to win the Production Alliance Group 300.

It was just his 12th start in that series. Trailing him across the finish line were Riley Herbst and this year’s Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric.

Burton, while familiar with the track that sat idle last year due to the coronavirus, knows that competing at Auto Club Speedway in the elite Cup Series in a new car is a big step up from his previous race there.

“I’m super excited to get to Fontana and race on that old worn-out surface,” Burton said. “It’s an awesome race track full of character and lane choices. That really puts it in the drivers’ hands.

“The last time I was there I won my first Xfinity race. so that naturally makes it one of my favorites.”

He said there will be lots to learn once he hits the track in the DEX Imaging Mustang.

“One of the biggest challenges I expect is learning how this Next Gen car will handle slipping and sliding and which tools can the driver use to help get through those moments,” he said.

Practice for the Wise Power 400 is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. (2 p.m. Eastern Time), and that will be followed by qualifying at 11:35 (2:35 Eastern).

Sunday’s 200-lap race is scheduled to start just after 3:35 p.m. Eastern Time, with TV coverage on FOX.

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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.

Team Chevy takes momentum to Phoenix

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET AT PHOENIX

What: NHRA Arizona Nationals
When: Friday, Feb. 25-Sunday, Feb. 27
Where: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona
TV: FS1 will telecast taped eliminations at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb.27

Team Chevy ready to run fast at Wild Horse Pass
Momentum from Funny Car, Pro Stock wins and Top Fuel runner-up carry over

DETROIT (Feb. 24, 2022) – Inconsistency, acknowledges Robert Hight, was the main culprit preventing the three-time NHRA Funny Car champion and the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS from contending for the 2021 title.

“That wasn’t a lot of fun last year,” he said. “Since Jimmy (Prock) came back, we’ve been in the thick of things every year. Won two championships, set records. But the guys stayed focused, worked really hard and looked at what bit us last year.”
After qualifying No. 2 in the season opener at Pomona, California, Hight laid down runs of 3.890, 3.893, 3.861 and 3.861 seconds in winning for the 54th time in his Funny Car career. It was the 147th Funny Car victory for Chevrolet, including 67 with the Camaro model and 20 by Hight, since 1967.

“If you look at our runs in testing and our runs here, I think they’ve found it,” he added. “We have to work race by race, run by run. This is a long road to win this championship. It’s not going to be easy. We’re up for the task. We on a mission, we’re focused and we’re going to do the best we can.”

Hight and rest of the Chevrolet contingent turn their attention to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in suburban Phoenix for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The event was not held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hight’s teammate at John Force Racing, Austin Prock, also found consistency in the Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster. Qualifying fourth, Prock was the runner-up in the Winternationals for the second time in three appearances. After racing to the NHRA rookie of the year award in 2019, Prock competed in only three races the past two seasons.

His season debut was just about all that he could ask for. “This is my dream to drive this race car, and to be back and doing what I love again, it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Brittany Force, driving the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, claimed the top qualifier honor at Pomona. It was the 11th No. 1 in the past 14 races for Force, who owns both ends of the Wild Horse Pass track records for Top Fuel (3.643 seconds and 337.92 mph, both set in February 2020).

Four-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders dominated the opening weekend, riding the No. 1 qualifying spot to victory in the Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS.

Coming up short a semifinal matchup with Enders, reigning and five-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, will seek his 100th career victory. She won the 2020 race at Wild Horse Pass. Chevrolet has recorded 348 wins, including 229 with the Camaro model, in 900 Pro Stock races since 1970.

FS1 will telecast taped eliminations at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb. 27.

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 1 qualifier and semifinalist at opener): “This team is off to a great start. We ran well during qualifying, got the No. 1qualifier, and made a semifinal-round appearance. We have a great team around us with David Grubnic, Mac Savage, and all our guys with two new additions.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 4 qualifier and runner-up at opener): “Great start to the year. This team got put together about three to four weeks ago, and I thought we did an excellent job this past weekend. It’s going to be a long, fun year, and I’m really looking forward to it. This is my dream to drive this race car, and to be back and doing what I love again, it’s a lot of fun.”

FUNNY CAR
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (has eight wins at the track): “Ron Capps won the championship last year, but I don’t quit because he won the championship. I won’t quit because I lost first round (at Pomona). I drive this PEAK BlueDEF Chevy because I love driving race cars and I will fix it. It will only make me stronger.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier and winner at opener): “It’s one of many battles, the first race of the year. To get the job done is a big day. We’re going to have a lot more of those this year.”

PRO STOCK
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and winner in opener): “We opted not to go to Phoenix (for testing in early February) because with all the fuel cars there we would probably only make three runs per day. With seven cars and 45 crew guys, we kind of wanted to make our own cluster at Bakersfield. We were able to do really well. We knew when we got our butts whipped here last year at the world finals that we had to go to work, and the guys did just that.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier and semifinalist at opener; seeking to become fifth driver with 100 wins): “We did OK, but that’s not good enough. We have to go back to work. It’s obvious that some of the other teams have gained on us. We can run as fast as anybody right now, but we can’t run faster. We want to outrun everybody, like we did last year, so we have to get back to work and figure out how to find more power. The HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro is fast, and that’s great. But we need it to be faster. That’s what we’re going to work on.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (semifinalist in opener): “It was nice to get behind the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro last weekend. I wish we would’ve come back with the win the first race out, but I have to stay realistic with this new, to me, car. We’re getting the kinks out of it one lap at a time, and I think we will have a successful weekend in Phoenix.”

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier in opener): “It was definitely a good start to the season. We’ll go to Phoenix and be ready to take it to the winner’s circle. (Testing two weeks ago at facility) The track is definitely not all there. We’ll continue to work on it, and I think we have enough data from the test session to really come out swinging. I was pleased with how we started out. We qualified out good and every round we got better.”

MATT HARTFORD, HARTFORD RACING, TOTAL SEAL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “(Arizona) is our hometown race and we’ll have a lot of friends and family and a lot of the employees come down, so it’s really important that we get to have a race in our hometown. We want to win everywhere, but we really want to win at home. We’re going to try to do better tomorrow than we did today, and we’re going to focus on exceeding our own expectations.”

TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Phoenix will be the perfect place to get past (early exit at Pomona because of a loose nut in right rear shock) and turn in a big result. It’s a long season and there will always be races that don’t live up to your expectations. How we react is key. I fully expect us to be back in contention this weekend. We’ll take nothing for granted and do all the work we need to do each round to put ourselves in the best position possible come race day.”

CAMRIE CARUSO, CAMRIE CARUSO RACING, POWERBUILT TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (qualified seventh in Pro Stock debut at Pomona): “I think when you look at the whole weekend, this Powerbuilt Tools team did really well. We made some big strides, and we just have to take the positive from this race to Phoenix and beyond. Our biggest takeaway headed to Phoenix is we want to keep making good runs and just get that first win light in Arizona. We tested in Phoenix, but I think the national event will have a different feel. I am looking forward to getting back out there.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

No. 10 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Fontana Advance

By
Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Fontana Advance
No. 10 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Wise Power 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Feb. 27
● Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
● Layout: 2-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 200 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 65 laps / Stage 2: 65 laps / Final Stage: 70 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Almirola finished fifth at the season-opening Daytona 500 last weekend. It was his second top-five finish at the iconic race.

● One More Time: On Jan. 10, Aric Almirola released a video on his YouTube channel announcing his retirement from fulltime NASCAR Cup Series racing after the 2022 season to spend more time with his family. This year marks Almirola’s 11th fulltime Cup Series season. The official press release can be viewed here.

● History at Auto Club Speedway: In 13 cup series starts at Fontana, Almirola has two top-10 finishes and seven laps led, which came in his last two starts there in 2019 and 2020.

● After the season-opener at Daytona, Almirola ranks 12th in the driver standings with 32 points.

● Drew Blickensderfer joined the team as the new crew chief for the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for 2022. He replaced Mike Bugarewicz, who was promoted to SHR performance director. Blickensderfer comes from Front Row Motorsports, where he led Michael McDowell to his first Daytona 500 win last season. Blickensderfer and Almirola were together in 2017 and 2018 at Richard Petty Motorsports.

● Almirola’s career: In 389 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 27 top-five finishes, 85 top-10s, three poles, and has led 893 laps.

● Rush Truck Centers returns as a team partner of Stewart-Haas Racing with its first appearance on the No. 10 Ford this weekend at Auto Club Speedway and, later this season, serve as a primary sponsor of the No. 14 of Chase Briscoe. All of the SHR cars travel from race to race in haulers from Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. And those haulers are supported by the RushCare team of parts and service experts, who also provide concierge level service and maintenance, technical support, schedule mobile service, dispatche roadside assistance, help locate the nearest dealer and more. Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in the United States with 139 locations, and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies.

● Mobil Delvac 1 joins Rush Truck Centers as the co-primary sponsor of the No. 10 Ford Mustang at Fontana. Mobil Delvac 1 heavy-duty diesel engine oils are designed to help commercial fleets save money and boost uptime through fuel economy savings, extending the life of engines, and lengthening oil drain intervals. In 2020, the SHR haulers moved from three oil changes per season to a single oil change by using Mobil Delvac 1 diesel engine oil.

● Rush Truck Centers is also a leader in all-makes parts for the commercial vehicle industry, and will soon be issuing its third All-Makes Parts Catalog. The catalog features 16,000 parts from more than 125 manufacturers, the most common parts needed for commercial vehicles. No matter what brand of truck you drive, you’ll find what you need in this catalog. It also is filled with product and technical tips to help keep our customers up and running. Contact your local Rush Truck Centers location to pre-order a copy.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2022, Almirola is sharing his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What is your ultimate goal this season and how will you achieve it?

“A multi-win season to set us up for a championship run is the ultimate goal for me this season. The only way to do that is to have every facet of our team perfect. You have to be perfect at this level. I have to do my part, the crew has to do their part, the men and women at the shop have to do their part. Everything has to come together, but we have the hardest-working people around and I know the effort will be there this season to make it happen.”

You had a shot at victory lane in your final Daytona 500 as a fulltime driver. How did you feel about the closing laps, and are you proud of the effort?

“We were coming there to the end and I thought for sure like, ‘Man, this is setting up nicely to have that kind of storybook ending.’ I believed it. I really did. I believed it in my heart that it was going to happen and I still felt like I was in a really good position off of turn two on the white flag. I’m like, ‘Man, if they let us race back and there’s no crash, we’ve got a shot to win this thing.’ We came out fifth, but it was still fun. I’m proud of our team. It’s cool to get Ford in victory lane. We swept the week, so I’m proud of everybody, and now we go to California.”

Did you learn anything about the car this weekend that you can take to Fontana?

“I think the biggest thing is just knowing what the car feels like on edge and when we’re aggressive like we were at Daytona. But when we get to Fontana, it’s a complete reset. We have to relearn everything on a completely different style of racetrack. Look what we did at Daytona with no test session, though. We had two cars in the top-five. Our team did an incredible job dialing the cars in over the course of the week and got them where they needed to be to compete for the win. Some weekends we’ll have it close and some we won’t, but this team is capable of adapting quickly and we proved that at Daytona.”

No. 10 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo

Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds

Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tony Silvestri

Hometown: Sylvania, Ohio

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson

Hometown: Medford, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Wayne Smith

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Tony Stewart Racing: Phoenix Advance for the NHRA Arizona Nationals

By
Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
NHRA Arizona Nationals
Feb. 25-27 | Chandler, Arizona

Event Overview

Friday, Feb. 25 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST

Saturday, Feb. 26 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 1:30 p.m. MST/3:30 p.m. EST
● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4:30 p.m. MST/6:30 p.m. EST

Sunday, Feb. 27 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 11 a.m. MST/1 p.m. EST
● Round 2: 1:20 p.m. MST/3:20 p.m. EST
● Semi-Finals: 2:50 p.m. MST/4:50 p.m. EST
● Finals: 4:10 p.m. MST/6:10 p.m. EST

TV coverage on FS1

● Saturday, Feb. 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Friday’s action (9 a.m. MST/11 a.m. EST)
● Saturday, Feb. 26: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturday’s action (5:30 p.m. MST/7:30 p.m. EST)
● Sunday, Feb. 27: Finals show, recapping all of Sunday’s final-round action (5 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST)

Notes of Interest

● Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is located in Chandler, Arizona, just on the outskirts of Phoenix. It is a multi-use race facility that includes four racetracks – an NHRA sanctioned drag strip, a 1.6-mile road course, a 10-turn 1.25 mile road course, and a 1.1 mile road course. The drag strip is home to this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals.

● Sparkling Ice +Caffeine is the primary partner of Leah Pruett and her Top Fuel dragster from Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) this weekend during the NHRA Arizona Nationals. It’s the first of the brand’s two primary sponsorships in 2022, with Sparkling Ice +Caffeine returning to Pruett’s 11,000-horsepower machine July 29-31 for the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent Washington. Sparkling Ice +Caffeine is a zero sugar, full-flavored sparkling water containing 70 milligrams of caffeine, along with vitamins and antioxidants. Sparkling Ice +Caffeine comes in six refreshing flavors: Black Raspberry, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Vanilla, Orange Passion Fruit, Strawberry and Citrus Twist. Pruett has served as an ambassador for Sparkling Ice since 2014 and the brand has been a part of all nine of her Top Fuel victories.

● Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection are the primary partners of Matt Hagan and his TSR-prepared Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The new Dodge Power Brokers program will roll out ready to serve as the exclusive source for all new Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, and equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience.

● The Arizona Nationals will mark Pruett’s 174th career Top Fuel start and her ninth at Phoenix.

● The Arizona Nationals will mark Hagan’s 295th career Funny Car start and his 13th at Phoenix.

● Pruett earned her first and second career Top Fuel victories at Phoenix. In the 2016 Arizona Nationals, she defeated Brittany Force. And in Pruett’s return to Phoenix in 2017, she successfully defended her win by outdueling Doug Kalitta to earn her second Top Fuel triumph.

● When Pruett faced Force in the 2016 Arizona Nationals, it was the first time in NHRA history that two women faced off in the final round.

● Phoenix is Pruett’s most successful venue. In addition to her two Top Fuel victories, she has three final round appearances (2016, 2017 and 2019) and one No. 1 qualifier (2017). She also earned her career best speed at Phoenix – 334.15 mph in Q3 during the 2018 Arizona Nationals.

● Hagan has three career Funny Car wins at Phoenix (2015, defeated Del Worsham; 2017, defeated Ron Capps; and 2019, defeated J.R. Todd).

● Hagan has made four final-round appearances at Phoenix (2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019).

● Hagan has two No. 1 qualifiers at Phoenix (2015 and 2020).

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Top Fuel Dragster

There was a lot of newness surrounding you as you came into this season – how does it feel to have a full race weekend under your belt as you now turn your attention to Phoenix?

“The Phoenix race can’t come soon enough for us. We’re very pleased with the place we are right now, which is a position to continue to chip away at the performance. It’s very common for new teams and cars to throw tune-up darts in the dark hoping to at least land on the board. We’ve been hitting the board since day one and narrowing in on the bullseye, which is the 3.6-second zone. It’s much better to be under-aggressive and work our way up than over-aggressive and back into it. It’s an exciting time to transition so soon for just getting everything shook down, to focusing on faster performance. Many of the teams that were running in the 60s were also blowing up every run and killing blocks and superchargers. We don’t want to be doing that, hence the importance of our Sparkling Ice dragster running fast and healthy.”

You were able to test at Phoenix Feb. 9-12. How valuable were those days to you and your team and how helpful will they be for this weekend’s event at Phoenix?

“Racing on the same surface we tested on is important and will provide a valuable baseline heading into qualifying. It looks to be much cooler than when we tested there, so we can’t wait to wick it up. Phoenix is home to two of my Wally’s, and I would love to add to the Arizona Wally family. I also consider this race somewhat of a hometown race, as an Arizona resident, but also because I believe any racetrack that you can drive to in just a couple hours, as a racer or fan or family, really qualifies it as a home track to me.”

What are the characteristics of the track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and what challenges does it pose to make a quick run?

“The cool conditions, low altitude and low humidity in Phoenix make for a quick run. The atmospheric conditions factor into a successful run there, rather than the surface of the track.”

Between your test at Phoenix, your race last weekend at Pomona, and now your return to Phoenix for the second race of the NHRA schedule, is this stretch of West Coast racing helpful because it allows you to work in a similar climate for three weeks and hone routines because everyone is together, or is it a bit of a grind because it’s nearly a month on the road away from the team’s home base in Brownsburg, Indiana?

“This West Coast stretch at the start of the year is always challenging because there is no ‘warming up’ to the season. The parts you order and the people you put in place are fixed, and you’re committed to making that program work for those races. You’re not able to run back to the shop to build this piece or swap that part. So, this swing demands very thorough attention to detail. It also poses an immediate opportunity to have quick gratification after a never-ending couple of months of nonstop work. It’s nice for us all to immediately get a couple chances to get some feel-good win lights. By the end of Phoenix, everyone is going to be looking forward to catching our breath, but right now, we’re full steam, hammer down.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

After your debut event with Tony Stewart Racing last weekend at Pomona, how does it feel to have a full race weekend under your belt as you now turn your attention to Phoenix?

“Putting Pomona behind us and rolling into Phoenix right away helps the team get back into the groove of things – making a run, taking it apart, putting it back together and dragging it back up to the starting line and just getting back into the rhythm. That rhythm helps builds confidence in my team and lets me just focus on what I have to do on the starting line with the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat so we can turn on more win lights.”

You were able to test at Phoenix Feb. 9-12. How valuable were those days to you and your team and how helpful will they be for this weekend’s event at Phoenix?

“I love being at Phoenix. I love the atmosphere. I love the track and the scene around it. We were able to make 10 runs in testing, which got us to where we’re at now. I feel like we’ll roll in there with some really valuable data on both lanes, since we ran side-to-side. I feel really confident about it and the track will only get better since NHRA will be there prepping it and spraying it down. They’re doing a great job of putting a good racetrack underneath of us.”

What are the characteristics of the track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and what challenges does it pose to make a quick run?

“There aren’t a whole lot of challenges at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. It’s a good, smooth track and the shut-down is long. We don’t have a whole lot to worry about there. For us, it will be important to get the car dialed-in to run up top. I really think Dickie (Venables, crew chief) can go out there and stand on the pole in Phoenix, so I’m excited about that.”

Between your test at Phoenix, your race last weekend at Pomona, and now your return to Phoenix for the second race of the NHRA schedule, is this stretch of West Coast racing helpful because it allows you to work in a similar climate for three weeks and hone routines because everyone is together, or is it a bit of a grind because it’s nearly a month on the road away from the team’s home base in Brownsburg, Indiana?

“I think this team is used to being on the road and on the grind. For us, any time we get to tracks that are comparable with altitude or the same weather conditions, it helps crew chiefs.”

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