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Harvey scheduled for 50th IndyCar career start at the Streets of St. Petersburg

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment.

With a new season of NTT IndyCar Series competition four days away from commencing, Jack Harvey is set to achieve a milestone start in his third full-time season in America’s premier open-wheel series. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, the newly named driver of the No 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara-Honda will make his 50th career start in the IndyCar circuit.

Harvey, a native of Bassingham, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, who is a former champion of the British Formula 3 Championship series and a two-time runner-up in Indy Lights, made his inaugural presence in the IndyCar Series in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2017. Driving the No. 50 Honda in a joint association with Michael Shank Racing and Andretti Autosport, he started 27th and finished 31st following an early accident with Conor Daly. He then returned for the final two events of the 2017 IndyCar season at Watkins Glen International and at Sonoma Raceway, where he replaced Sebastian Saavedra as driver of the No. 7 Honda for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. During this span, he finished 14th at The Glen and 18th at Sonoma respectively.

The following season, Harvey campaigned in six IndyCar events in the No. 60 Honda for Michael Shank Racing in a technical alliance with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Commencing the season with a 23rd-place result at the Streets of St. Petersburg, he recorded a season-best 12th-place result at the Streets of Long Beach, California. During the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 in May, Harvey was running in second place with five laps remaining until he was forced to pit for fuel along with initial leader Stefan Wilson and was relegated back to 16th place. 

In 2019, Harvey’s IndyCar schedule increased to 10 as he remained with Meyer Shank Racing. After finishing in 10th place during the first two events of the season, he achieved his maiden podium result after finishing in third place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in May. Harvey went on to conclude the 2019 season in 21st place in the final standings and with an average-finishing result of 14.2.

Following three part-time seasons, Harvey campaigned on a full-time basis in a shortened 2020 IndyCar season amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Remaining as a driver for Meyer Shank Racing, he achieved a season-best sixth-place result in the second of a Harvest Grand Prix doubleheader feature at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in October. He went on to record a total of six top-10 results, two front row starts, a ninth-place result in the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, an average-starting result of 14.4, an average-finishing result of 12.3 and a 15th-place result in the final standings.

Commencing the 2021 IndyCar season with an 11th-place result at Barber Motorsports Park in April, Harvey achieved a strong weekend during the following event at the Streets of St. Petersburg, where he qualified on the front row and finished in fourth place. Twelve races and three additional top-10 results later, he recorded another fourth-place result at Portland International Raceway in September before wrapping up the season in a career-best 13th place in the final standings.

The 2022 IndyCar season is set to mark a new beginning for Harvey, who is set to pilot the No. 45 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for the first time as he continues to pursue his maiden victory and title in the IndyCar circuit.

Through 49 previous IndyCar starts, Harvey has achieved one podium result, a total of seven laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.1.

Harvey is scheduled to make his 50th career start in the NTT IndyCar Series in the 2022 season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at the Streets of St. Petersburg on Sunday, February 27, with coverage to occur at noon ET on NBC.

Aidan Fassnacht and Sword Performance Set for St. Petersburg IMSA Mazda MX-5 Cup Doubleheader this Weekend

By
Official Release
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Fassnacht and No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Team Look for Solid Results at St. Pete after Competitive but Challenging Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Debut at Daytona

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (February 23, 2022) – Aidan Fassnacht and the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Cup team look to lockdown a pair of solid race results this weekend in Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2022 IMSA Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BF Goodrich on the streets of St. Petersburg.

This weekend’s MX-5 doubleheader features 45-minute sprints Friday at 4:40 p.m. EST and Saturday at 10 a.m. EST in support of Sunday’s featured Grand Prix of St. Petersburg NTT IndyCar Series race. Both MX-5 sprints can be viewed live around the world at www.IMSA.tv with accompanying live timing available at www.IMSA.com/scoring.

The St. Pete races follow last month’s season-opening rounds at Daytona International Speedway that marked 18-year-old Fassnacht’s professional racing debut. He was on pace and well within the front half of the competitive 30-car field in practice and qualifying at Daytona, but weather conditions for both races included a wet track that was just dry enough to compete on BFGoodrich Tires slicks for each run. Those tricky conditions, and some hard knocks racing in close quarters with the competition, left Fassnacht in 17th and 23rd at the race finishes, respectively.

“We absolutely did not get to show our true pace in Daytona with all of the variables at play, including the weather,” Fassnacht said. “I know that the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 team and myself have the ability to be frontrunners in this series, so having a weekend where weather will not play a factor is a chance to prove that.”

Unlike the cold and rain-plagued Daytona opener, this weekend’s weather forecast for St. Petersburg calls for Florida-perfect temperatures nearing the 80s with sunny skies.

“A small part of me wants another weekend with wet and mixed conditions to put what I learned at Daytona to use and prove to myself that I have the ability to run up front in the wet, but it will be nice to get a “normal” weather weekend under my belt,” Fassnacht said. “Especially when you factor in that the consequences for a mistake are so high at a street circuit like St. Petersburg, where track limits are concrete walls that will end your race in one go.”

Another motorsports first for Fassnacht this weekend is that St. Petersburg is his debut race on a street circuit.

“My street circuit experience is limited completely to a couple of races on my simulator rig in iRacing at Long Beach, so it will be interesting to see how that experience will translate, if at all,” Fassnacht said. “It’s a new challenge for sure, but one that I’m greatly looking forward to. The close walls of a street circuit demand perfection every lap and can make the speeds feel much faster, which is something that I feel will play into my hands.”

The St. Pete weekend follows Daytona as the second race in Fassnacht’s season-long partnership with Sword Performance and its series of performance hydration beverages, which are built around a system of proprietary electrolyte replacement products and heat stress subject expertise. Fassnacht not only carries the logo on the side of his McCumbee McAleer Motorsports MX-5, but uses the Sword Performance products to hydrate between sessions.

“Even though the results may not have been the strongest, my confidence has never been higher after Daytona heading into St. Petersburg,” Fassnacht said. “Daytona was a great opportunity to familiarize myself both with the Sword Performance No. 15 MX-5 Cup car and the series itself. Daytona being my first ever professional race weekend, I had so much going on behind the scenes as I learned about the schedule and responsibilities of a pro driver throughout a race weekend, on top of on track activities. I still drove a strong weekend, but now that I have that experience to build on, I can focus on really showing my pace at St. Petersburg.”

Noteworthy

– A first year student at Boston College, the opening MX-5 Cup rounds in Florida give Fassnacht his first chances to juggle the busy life of being an aspiring professional race car driver and a fulltime student. “My professors at Boston College have been so accommodating with my racing schedule, as they put a high value on their students and their student’s aspirations in and out of the classroom,” Fassnacht said. “I actually will have to make up for an Economics exam I’m missing this Thursday the day after I get back to Boston, so you might catch me studying supply and demand and elasticity in the hauler for a little bit!”

– In addition to his Long Beach iRacing experience, Fassnacht is finding the time to squeeze in some St. Petersburg simulation runs. “I am excited for the opportunity to practice at SimMetric Driver Performance Labs, a local racing simulator company with an in-house designed simulator with a scanned St. Petersburg track as well as an accurate Mazda MX-5 Cup car model. I think that experience will prove to be crucial to my success on a track that I’ve never driven on before.”

About Sword Performance: Sword Performance, Inc. is an American manufacturer of performance hydration beverages, built around a system of proprietary electrolyte replacement products and heat stress subject expertise. Sword Performance Inc. was founded with a purpose: to provide great-tasting, effective hydration to hard-working men and women everywhere. From stadium lights to job sites, Sword Performance hydration products are designed to work with the body to battle dehydration and fatigue. More information can be found at www.SwordPerformance.com.

About Aidan Fassnacht: A second-generation professional race car driver, 18-year-old Aidan Fassnacht is competing in the 2022 IMSA Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup for McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR) in the No. 15 Sword Performance Mazda MX-5 Cup. Fassnacht, a freshman at Boston College, raced a Spec Miata in Regional and National Sports Car Club of America events for two seasons before taking on the Spec MX-5 Challenge in 2021, earning a slot in the prestigious Mazda Shootout before signing with MMR for his 2022 MX-5 Cup rookie campaign.

Clements set for 400th Xfinity Series career start at Fontana

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ted Seminara for SpeedwayMedia.com.

With a new season of NASCAR Xfinity Series competition underway, Jeremy Clements is within striking distance of a a milestone start in his 12th full-time season in the Xfinity circuit. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Auto Club Speedway, the driver of the No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet Camaro will make his 400th career start in the Xfinity Series. 

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Clements, who grew up competing in go-karts before moving up to the Modified and Stock Series, the Late Model division and the ARCA Racing Series, made his Xfinity debut at Pike Peaks International Raceway in July 2003. By then, he was coming off a Late Model division season where he achieved nine victories and the championship at Cherokee Speedway. Driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for Young Racing, Clements started 35th and finished 31st in his debut following an early accident.

Four years later, Clements returned to the Xfinity Series and competed in the final five events of the schedule in the No. 36 Chevrolet for McGill Motorsports. His best result during the five-race span was 23rd at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2007.

Throughout the 2008 and 2009 racing seasons, Clements made select Xfinity starts in his family-owned team, Jeremy Clements Motorsports, while practicing and qualifying cars for Joe Gibbs Racing, notably at Kentucky Speedway in 2008 and at Iowa Speedway in 2009. Late in the 2009 season, Clements competed in six races in the No. 0 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports, where he earned a best result of 12th at Auto Club Speedway in October.

Clements started the 2010 Xfinity Series season with plans of competing in the opening three races in the No. 0 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports. After failing to qualify for the season opener at Daytona, Clements scaled back and made select starts in the No. 04 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports. Throughout the 2010 season and the 35-race schedule, he made 16 starts and failed to qualify for seven races. At Gateway in October 2010, Clements notched his first top-10 career result (10th place).

The following season, Clements competed on a full-time basis with his family-owned team, Jeremy Clements Racing, and sporting the No. 51 alongside his car. He recorded nine top-20 results with a best finish of 14th in September. Clements returned for another full-time racing role in 2012 for his family-owned team. Clements’ best results in 2012 were a pair of 10th-place finishes at Dover Motor Speedway in June and at Indianapolis. Following the 2012 season, where he finished in 14th place in the final standings, Clements surpassed 100 career starts in the Xfinity Series.

Clements started the 2013 season by finishing 33rd in the season opener at Daytona. Not long after, however, he was suspended from competition indefinitely for using a racial slur during a live interview. Missing the next two events, where Ryan Sieg drove Clements’ No. 51 car, Clements returned the following race at Bristol Motor Speedway in March and competed the rest of the 33-race schedule. His best results were a ninth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in May and a 10th-place finish during the inaugural race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as he settled in 16th place in the final standings.

From 2014 to 2016, Clements remained as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for his family-owned team and he notched a total of six top-10 results between the three seasons. His best runs were a fourth-place finish at Talladega in April 2016, a sixth-place result at Road America in June 2014 and a sixth-place result at Bristol in August 2016. His best points result between the three seasons was 14th in 2015. By then, he surpassed 200 Xfinity career starts.

For the first 22 races of the 2017 Xfinity Series season, Clements had recorded only one top-10 result, which was a seventh-place result at Iowa Speedway in June. The following race at Road America was where Clements rose to the occasion and shined under the spotlight as he battled rookie Matt Tifft for the win in the the final laps. On the final turn on the penultimate lap, Clements, who gained a big run to draw himself alongside Tifft, got loose and collided into Tifft as both spun through the turn. With no caution falling and both competitor not sustaining any significant damage to their respective machines, Clements was able to quickly straighten his No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro, take the lead and bolt away, where he methodically navigated around the circuit for one final lap to achieve his first NASCAR win in his 256th career start. The victory was enough for Clements and his family organization to clinch a spot for the 2017 Xfinity Series Playoffs and contend for his first NASCAR national touring series championship. For the remainder of the season, however, he finished no higher than 16th and settled in a career-best 12th place in the final standings after having his title hopes come to an end following the Playoff’s Round of 12 in October.

Between 2018 and 2019, Clements achieved a total of six top-10 results and a season-best result of fourth place at Bristol in August 2019, but he missed the Playoffs during both seasons with his best points result being 14th in 2019. By then, he surpassed 300 career starts.

After notching five top-10 results, a season-best on-track result of third place at Pocono in June and a 13th-place result in the 2020 Xfinity final standings, Clements commenced the 2021 season with a 22nd-place result at Daytona. He was able to return to the Xfinity Playoffs on a strength of seven top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, with his best result being sixth place at Darlington Raceway in May. After his 2021 hopes diminished due to respective finishes of 39th, 24th and 12th during the first round of the Playoffs, he went on to match his career-best result in the final standings of 12th place.

Through 199 previous Xfinity starts, Clements has achieved one victory, four top-five results, 32 top-10 results, 83 laps led and an average-finishing result of 21.0. He is coming off a 37th-place result at Daytona to commence the 2022 Xfinity Series season.

Clements is bound to make his 400th career start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Auto Club Speedway, which will occur on Saturday, February 26, at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.

Monster Energy to Sponsor 81st Annual Bike Week at DAYTONA!

By
Official Release
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Tickets Start at $45 for 52nd Running of DAYTONA Supercross and $35 for DAYTONA 200

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2022) – When thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts visit Daytona Beach for Bike Week in March, they will experience some added excitement and action as Monster Energy will be a major part of a host of the events that will make up the 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy, March 4-12.

“Monster Energy is very excited to be part of this year’s Bike Week with Daytona International Speedway,” said Dave Gowland, VP – Motorsports for Monster Energy. “Two major components to Monster Energy are racing and lifestyle, which is a part of the DNA of Monster. It is only fitting for Monster to spend and invest in, if not the largest, the Best Bike week this country has to offer. We’re ready for Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy.”

Monster is bringing the action with a week full of excitement. Plans are to have a host of Monster Athletes on hand and host autograph sessions, including Off-Road and Dakar Champion Casey Currie with his Drift Jeep and Keith Sayers (FMX) as well as the Harley Unknown Industries stunt riders. Also, scheduled to be on hand will be FMX stars’ Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, Axell Hodges, Blake “Bilko” Williams, Taka Higashino and Vicki Golden. Timing for these sessions are TBD.

In addition, there will be numerous Monster entertainment demonstrations, one that will feature daily QuarterPipe High Air demos featuring the biggest names of the X Games, along with two FREE concerts – Face To Face on Wednesday (March 9) and Steel Panther on Friday (March 11). Both concerts, which will be held in Lot 4 outside the Turn 4 tunnel entrance, are brought to you by Monster Energy. Please note: Event and appearance schedule subject to change.

The tradition-rich 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy will feature DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200. Tickets are on sale now for both anticipated events.

DAYTONA Supercross
The 52nd running of DAYTONA Supercross, the most demanding course of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship season – and the only AMA Supercross event in the state of Florida in 2022, is set for Saturday, March 5. The 80th running of the DAYTONA 200, hosted by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike and North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, will take place a week later on Saturday, March 12 at the World Center of Racing.

DAYTONA Supercross is the longest continuous Supercross race in America dating back to 1971 and features the best riders in the world. It could also be one of epic, historic proportions. Eli Tomac will go for a record sixth victory that would take him out of a tie with the Greatest of All Time, Ricky Carmichael, with five DAYTONA Supercross titles. Tomac has won the last three (2019, ‘20, ‘21) and five out of the last six (2016, ‘17). For the 15th straight year, Carmichael will lend his signature design to the most grueling Supercross course on the circuit.

Advanced general admission frontstretch seating for DAYTONA Supercross is just $45.00. Kids 6-12 are $15 and ages 5 and under are free in general admission areas. Trackside Access, which allows fans to view the race while standing on the frontstretch of the 2.5-mile tri-oval, is available for an additional $20 and gets fans closer to the action that anywhere else on the Supercross circuit; kids 5 and under are free. Access to the Monster Energy AMA Supercross pits is free during the day for all ticket holders.

Hospitality packages, including the Rolex 24 Lounge ($265.00), President’s Row and Loge Boxes are on sale. Infield car parking is available in advance for $10. Two “Track Walks” will take place on Saturday from 3-3:10 p.m. and 5:15-5:25 pm., and can be purchased for just $75.00 (must be accompanied by a race ticket).

DAYTONA 200

The DAYTONA 200, which features the incredible machines on both the high banks of Daytona International Speedway as well as the infield road course, has tickets starting at $35 for frontstretch seating only and $45 for fronstretch seating coupled with infield access, which includes garages and UNOH Fanzone. Parking is also available for $20 in advance.

The DAYTONA 200 will feature new rules based off the proposed 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, which take into consideration several performance related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines. The DAYTONA 200 will not be included as part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, leaving the opportunity open for the best riders from around the world to compete for the minimum $175,000 in purse and contingency that will be offered.

In addition to the DAYTONA 200, the MotoAmerica weekend at Daytona International Speedway will be the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship, marking the first time Baggers will race on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph, and also the first round of the Twins Cup Championship.

Also a part of the excitement of DAYTONA 200 weekend is the Dunlop M4 Suzuki Two-Seat Superbike program where fans fan take a ride around Daytona International Speedway with a professional superbike racer at speeds up to 150 mph! All proceeds from the Dunlop M4 Suzuki Two-Seat Superbike program are donated to the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit focusing on improving racetrack safety through the deployment of soft barriers. Fans must be 18 years old to ride. Price is $500 person and includes weekend general admission and a weekend parking pass.

A host of Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy camping packages to take in both event weekends are also available where families can make Daytona their home for a week. All ticket and parking options can be found at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. In addition, fans and visitors can enjoy the Bike Week Motorcycle Marketplace at Daytona International Speedway available. The area’s largest motorcycle marketplace will feature the nation’s top motorcycle parts, apparel vendors and much more.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news. For information on all events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as The World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

NASCAR, NBC Sports Announce 2022 Grassroots Racing Coverage on USA Network

By
Official Release
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All Races from the ARCA Menards Series East and West, and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour to Air Tape-Delayed on USA Network

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2022) – NASCAR and NBC Sports announced today broadcast coverage for the 2022 slate of grassroots races on USA Network, including events in the ARCA Menards Series East and West, and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

USA Network will air tape-delayed coverage of every race from the three series – except those that are combined ARCA Menards Series events – for a total of 30 race broadcasts. All televised coverage on USA Network will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

All races from the ARCA Menards Series East and West (when not combined with ARCA Menards Series events), and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will air live on FloRacing.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

The season kicked off with the New Smyrna Visitors Bureau 200 at New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 12. USA Network begins its grassroots coverage with a tape-delayed broadcast of the event on Friday, Feb. 25 at 12 p.m. ET.

ARCA Menards Series East

The 2022 campaign started with the Race to Stop Suicide 200 at New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, Feb. 15. USA Network will provide tape-delayed coverage of the event on Friday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. ET.

ARCA Menards Series West

The NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Irwindale Speedway marks the first USA Network race of the season for the ARCA Menards Series West. It will air live on FloRacing on Saturday, March 26 at 10:05 p.m. ET before USA Network provides tape-delayed coverage on Friday, April 1 at 1 p.m. ET.

“NBC Sports is a fantastic partner and supporter of grassroots racing,” said Brandon Igdalsky, NASCAR managing director, touring series. “Showcasing the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and ARCA Menards Series East and West on USA Network delivers grassroots racing to a potential new fanbase, spotlights the stars of tomorrow, and provides avid fans with another quality content option.”

Complete event/air dates and times for all three series on USA Network are below. All times eastern and schedule subject to change.

2021 ARCA Menards Series East Schedule

DateLocationFloRacingCoverageUSA Network CoverageTime
Tue. Feb. 15New Smyrna SpeedwayFri. Feb. 251:00 PM
Sat. March 19Five Flags SpeedwayLive – 6:05 PMMon. March 281:00 PM
Fri. April 29Dover Motor SpeedwayLive – 5:30 PMFri. May 61:00 PM
Sat. May 7Nashville Fairgrounds SpeedwayLive – 9:35 PMFri. May 1312:00 PM

2021 ARCA Menards Series West Schedule

DateLocationFloRacingCoverageUSA Network CoverageTime
Sat. March 26Irwindale SpeedwayLive – 10:05 PMFri. April 11:00 PM
Sat. April 23Kern County Raceway ParkLive – 10:00 PMFri. April 291:00 PM
Sat. June 4Portland International RacewayLive – 7:30 PMFri. June 1012:00 PM
Sat. June 11Sonoma RacewayLive – 2:30 PMThurs. June 162:00 PM
Sat. July 2Irwindale SpeedwayLive – 10:00 PMFri. July 812:00 PM
Sat. Aug. 20Evergreen SpeedwayLive – 9:30 PMFri. Aug. 262:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 3Portland International RacewayLive – 8:00 PMSun. Sept. 111:00 PM
Sat. Oct. 1All American SpeedwayLive – 9:45 PMFri. Oct. 73:00 PM
Fri. Oct. 14The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLive – 11:35 PMFri. Oct. 2112:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 5Phoenix RacewayLive – 10:00 PMFri. Nov. 111:00 PM

2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

DateLocationFloRacingCoverageUSA NetworkCoverageTime
Sat. Feb. 12New Smyrna SpeedwayFri. Feb. 2512:00 PM
Fri. April 1Richmond RacewayLive – 6:30 PMSat. April 94:00 PM
Sat. May 14Riverhead RacewayLive – 8:00 PMFri. May 2012:00 PM
Sat. May 21Lee USA SpeedwayLive – 7:00 PMFri. May 2712:00 PM
Sat. May 28Jennerstown SpeedwayLive – 8:00 PMThurs. June 22:00 PM
Sat. June 18Monadnock SpeedwayLive – 8:30 PMSat. June 2511:30 AM
Sat. June 25Riverhead RacewayLive – 8:00 PMSun. July 31:00 PM
Sat. July 9Wall StadiumLive – 8:00 PMFri. July 156:30 PM
Sat. July 16New Hampshire Motor SpeedwayLive – 6:00 PMFri. July 2212:00 PM
Fri. July 29Claremont Motorsports ParkLive – 9:00 PMFri. Aug. 51:00 PM
Wed. Aug. 17Thompson Speedway Motorsports ParkLive – 8:00 PMSun. Aug. 211:00 PM
Sat. Aug. 27Langley SpeedwayLive – 8:30 PMFri. Sept. 212:00 PM
Sat, Sept. 3Oswego SpeedwayLive – 7:30 PMSun. Sept. 1112:00 PM
Sat. Sept. 17Riverhead RacewayLive – 8:00 PMSun. Sept. 251:30 PM
Sat. Oct. 8Thompson Speedway Motorsports ParkLive – TBDSat. Oct 152:00 PM
Thurs. Oct. 27Martinsville SpeedwayLive – 8:00 PMFri. Nov. 41:00 PM

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’).

NBC SPORTS’ NASCAR COVERAGE

NBC Sports is the official home of the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs, covering the race for the NASCAR Cup Series & NASCAR Xfinity Series championships. NBC Sports’ NASCAR programming also includes races from NASCAR’s regional touring series; annual events such as the NASCAR Awards and NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony; and original programming across NBC Sports’ platforms and Peacock.

Taking Advantage of Online Promo Codes and Referrals

By
SM
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With the cost of living steadily increasing, it has become more and more important to learn tips on how to save money online. Over the past three years in the United States alone, the cost of living has increased by 14%. The good news is that through social media, email, and clever use of search engines, it’s possible to save more than ever when it comes to online purchases and subscriptions.

Promo Codes

Among the easiest ways to save whilst navigating the online landscape is via the use of promo codes. For those unfamiliar, promo codes are basically ‘passwords’ offered by retailers and companies that you can use to get deals online. BrokeScholar is an excellent source for discounts, coupon codes and more. These promo codes are essentially just digital coupons that can save you money on merchandise, groceries, gambling, and even subscriptions.

Almost everything online nowadays has a way to acquire discounts with promo codes. Some examples include casino promo codes, which can allow premium games to become available with higher cashouts, or even free money on the house at your disposal. This is a more lucrative one as it can generate a significant amount of money with well-placed bets. Another would be free shipping or premium cost saving when ordering groceries for your family online.

The best way to find these promo codes is by using a search engine such as Google. For example, if you were trying to buy a brand-specific pair of jeans online, you simply would just have to search ‘<brand name> promo codes’ to likely find a full list of potentially usable codes to use at checkout.

The aforementioned method isn’t exactly the most reliable, however, as oftentimes the codes will be long expired by the time you need them. Therefore, it’s important to use email subscriptions and even social networking to get your hands on these codes as soon as possible. There are also apps, and browser extensions such as Honey that automatically search for available coupons for you if you don’t wish to fool with finding them yourself.

Referrals

Referrals are another method to save money online with the use of social networking. By using referrals, you can get serious discounts on merchandise from specific brands or companies that require accounts. The caveat is that you either have to be the referee or referred by someone else, each providing their own benefits.

The benefit of being the one referring others is that often you will gain free store credit to make purchases for free with that account. This also extends towards subscription-based services where if you attain a certain number of referrals, you can even get that subscription for free indefinitely. This is a win-win scenario as the people you refer will get a price reduction, and you get to save on the costs of future merchandise or subscription fees. The inverse also applies for being referred, you will likely see a significant portion of the costs removed when using a referral code or link.

Finding these referral links does require some networking, but fortunately, that is also easy to do. Most big social media websites already offer services such as groups, and you can simply find a group for referral code sharing between members. Alternatively, you can just ask your friends and families about the services they use and collaborate to share codes so you all can save together.

In closing, it’s obvious that promo codes and referrals can save you money. Remember that almost every single website that offers merchandise or services has a way to save with one of these two methods. Before you click checkout or subscribe, please take a minute or two to double-check your emails, ask around, or even use a search engine. Saving money on purchases leaves room for more financial opportunities, and your wallet will thank you.

JR Motorsports — NXS Fontana Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Auto Club Speedway
RACE: Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Auto Club Speedway this weekend.
• In one start on a track measuring 2 miles in length (Michigan International Speedway), Mayer ran inside the top 10 until a mechanical problem prematurely ended his day toward the end of Stage One.
• Mayer currently sits 23rd in the NXS point standings, 35 points behind the leader and 12 points behind the playoff cutline, after an eventful weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

Josh Berry
No. 8 PUBG MOBILE Chevrolet
• Josh Berry and the No. 8 team welcome PUBG MOBILE aboard the JRM Chevrolet for four races in 2022, starting this weekend at Auto Club.
• The 31-year-old will make his first start at the 2-mile speedway in Fontana. In one start on a 2-mile oval, Berry held a commanding lead until a late-race yellow handed him a fourth-place finish at Michigan.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native currently sits 15th in the NXS driver standings after the opening race at Daytona.
• During Berry’s part-time season in 2021 he recorded two wins, six top fives and 12 top 10s while pacing the field for 216 circuits.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson seeks his first victory in Fontana this weekend after coming off a third-place finish in the season opener at Daytona.
• In two previous starts on the 2-mile oval, Gragson owns a best result of 12th in 2019.
• On NASCAR’s 2-mile ovals at Auto Club and Michigan, Gragson has an average finish of 10.8, with a best result of second at the latter in 2019.
• Gragson’s Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber®/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet led 12 laps in the season opener and battled for

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 12 starts at Fontana in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has earned a best finish of second, coming in this event in 2018.
• Overall, Allgaier has tallied six top 10s at the Southern California oval, including four in his last five races.
• In his NXS career on tracks 2 miles or greater in length, Allgaier has earned one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 18 top fives and 36 top 10s in 71 career starts.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in quality passes (494), green-flag passes (707) and laps run inside the top 15 (1,527) at Fontana.

Driver Quotes

“This is my first time at Auto Club but I have been watching a lot of film on the track from the past races to see how it races. The worn out surface and the way the track has multiple grooves should give us a great race. I’m ready to get there in our Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet and see what we have when we unload. This is one track our team has circled with how much preparation we have put in at the sim the last few weeks.” – Sam Mayer

“It’s going to be interesting going back to Fontana this weekend after having not raced there since 2020. We’ve had some really strong runs there in the past and I feel really confident that we will have that same speed again on Saturday. Fontana is such a wide track that really lets you race all over, which makes it a lot of fun. Hopefully we can have a smooth day with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and be in contention for the win in the end.” – Justin Allgaier

“I raced with this team at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the schedule, and we had the win until a late yellow came out. The tracks are different, but the speed we had at Michigan and the time I’ve spent in the sim for Auto Club has me ready for this weekend. This PUBG MOBILE Camaro looks great and it would be fitting to be in Victory Lane with winner winner chicken dinner on the side of the car.” – Josh Berry

“The last time we were at Auto Club in 2020, we had a really strong run going but ended up getting some damage in a wreck off of Turn 2. We’re able to run up against the wall which is where I am at my best, so hopefully we can get this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro on the boards and be there at the end.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Auto Club: JR Motorsports has competed at Auto Club Speedway a combined 45 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 45 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied one win, nine top fives and 25 top 10s. JRM’s only win came during the 2015 season when Kevin Harvick drove the No. 88 to Victory Lane.
• Fourth Anniversary: Celebrating its fourth anniversary, PUBG MOBILE is a battle royale mobile game developed by Lightspeed and Quantum Studios of Tencent Games and KRAFTON, Inc. and is based on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. The game focuses on visual quality, maps, fast-paced action, and other aspects, providing an all-rounded surreal battle royale experience to players. For more information, visit pubgmobile.com and download the game for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.
• Celebrating 50 Years: Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bass Pro Shops by checking out the latest from country music star Chris Janson. This is our kind of song! It’s a touching tribute to Bass Pro Shops’ founder’s dad, John A. Morris and Dale Sr., and a salute to all those who love spending time in the great outdoors! Click here to watch the full music video.

Mission Foods Expands SpeedTour Sponsorship to Trans Am, FR Americas and F4 U.S.

By
Official Release
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MIAMI (February 23, 2022) – SpeedTour is thrilled to announce that Mission Foods is extending its sponsorship of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and expanding its partnership to include three additional series in 2022. After joining SVRA as a new sponsor in 2021, Mission Foods will now also partner with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas) and Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.) in the upcoming season.

The Mission Foods partnership will include three event titles, which will add the Mission Foods name to events held at Sonoma Raceway, Virginia International Raceway and Circuit of the Americas. The Mission Foods Sonoma SpeedTour event weekend will be held on April 29-May 1, the Mission Foods VIR SpeedTour event will take place October 7-9, and the Mission Foods Austin SpeedTour event will run from November 4-6. Mission Foods will now be the Official Tortilla and Chip Company of SVRA, Trans Am, FR Americas and F4 U.S.

“We are very pleased that Mission Foods has decided to expand their partnership to include all four of the diverse and competitive racing series under the SpeedTour banner,” said Tony Parella, President and CEO of SpeedTour. “I am personally a very big fan of their products; whenever my wife and I are having Mexican food, we always serve MISSION® Tortilla Strips. Having Mission Foods involved as a title sponsor for our race weekends at Sonoma, VIR and COTA will move the needle, while adding to the festival atmosphere at each of those events. Juan Gonzalez, the President and CEO of Mission Foods, is a competitor in our garage, and we loving having him at the track. We appreciate that he saw the value offered by SpeedTour, and I am excited that he has chosen to represent the brand on an even larger stage.”

MISSION, the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps, will now be represented at 48 races at 20 racing venues across the United States.

“We are excited to expand our partnership to be part of all four racing series in the SpeedTour circuit” said Juan Gonzalez, Mission Foods Chief Executive Officer. “I love racing in the IGT Series, and it’s an honor for Mission to support the SVRA and all its participants and fans.”

The 2022 SpeedTour season kicked off earlier this month at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on February 4-6. The action continues this weekend with the Sebring SpeedTour at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway, February 25-27.

About SpeedTour: SpeedTour hosts motorsports festivals encompassing America’s top road racing series at the most prestigious race tracks across the country. Competition ranges from the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli (Trans Am), Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), Formula Regional Americas powered by Honda (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda (F4 U.S.), to International GT (IGT) and more. Trans Am, FR Americas and F4 U.S. are all sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, which is related to SpeedTour through a long-term agreement to the commercial rights to brand and operate SCCA Pro Racing. With 21 events on the 2022 schedule, SpeedTour will exceed 5,500 entries. Between racing, concerts and car shows, SpeedTour events often attract more than 25,000 spectators. Additional marketing and promotional opportunities for SpeedTour are available through SpeedTour Quarterly Magazine, a quarterly magazine delivered in both print and digital formats and SpeedTour TV, a live streaming platform. Several marquee SpeedTour events will be live streamed at SpeedTour.TV.

About MISSION®: MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With a presence in over 112 countries MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, visit www.missionfoods.com.

INDYCAR Brings Real-Time Automated Highlights
to Fans through WSC Sports Partnership

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022) – INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and WSC Sports, the global leader in AI sports video technology, today announced they will partner for the 2022 INDYCAR season to bring AI-powered video highlights direct to fans.

WSC Sports’ platform identifies key moments in each race and automatically publishes highlights and content to NTT INDYCAR SERIES digital properties, along with driver and team social channels.

This is the first time AI-fueled technology will deliver real-time content directly to NTT INDYCAR SERIES fans, ultimately providing more access and personalized content to consumers across the racing season.

As the title sponsor and technology partner of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NTT collaborated with INDYCAR to architect a multi-year digital transformation roadmap to drive enhanced fan interaction and engagement, operational excellence and deliver SMART Racing and SMART venue innovations. To support execution, NTT not only lent its Smart Sports, Media and Entertainment business solutions, services and expertise, but those within its partner ecosystem which includes WSC Sports, an NTT-invested company, which NTT introduced to enable and enhance INDYCAR’s content creation and distribution capabilities.

INDYCAR initially started working with WSC Sports at the beginning of the 2021 season and based on the success of recent collaborations, the series is expanding to a fully automated highlights solution for the 2022 season that begins Sunday, Feb. 27 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on NBC. In addition, the WSC Sports platform will help fuel exciting new fan experiences such as ingesting streams from all race cars with In Car Cameras (ICCs), providing fans with automatically generated real-time highlights from an unprecedented and unique point of view of the race from their favorite driver.

“It’s a thrill for us to be able to capture the excitement of INDYCAR racing and be able to share all the action with fans in real-time,” said Joe DaCosta, North America business development, WSC Sports. “Motorsports are a new focus for us in the U.S., and we are excited to be able to partner with a first-class organization like INDYCAR.”

“The fierce physical challenges and unrelenting pressure of driving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will now be conveyed to millions of digital consumers in real time thanks to this partnership with WSC Sports,” said SJ Luedtke, INDYCAR vice president of marketing. “In partnership with NTT, we’re in the midst of an aggressive and dynamic transformation that will extend the reach of our sport and convey our bold and unique narrative in increasingly relevant ways.”

Using machine learning technology, the WSC Sports platform auto-detects, indexes and tags each moment from a race in real-time so that highlights can then be distributed to digital properties automatically and at scale. This helps INDYCAR engage with fans and expand their reach, grow their brand and explore new monetization opportunities for their racing content. This partnership adds to WSC Sports’ growing number of motorsports clients which already includes Extreme E and NASCAR.

About INDYCAR

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

About WSC Sports

WSC Sports’ proprietary AI technology platform, automates the creation and distribution of highlights for over 200 leagues and broadcast partners across the globe, including – NBA, NHL, ESPN, YouTubeTV, NASCAR, Extreme E and Tencent.

Utilizing advanced AI and Machine Learning technologies, the WSC Sports platform analyzes live sports broadcasts, identifies each and every event that occurs in a game, and in real-time creates and publishes customized short-form videos. This enables sports media rights owners to maximize the use of their content, creating new revenue streams and a personalized fan experience on every platform for every type of fan.

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview – 02.23.22

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: February 21-27, 2022

· NCS/NXS: Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, Calif.) – February 26-27

· NHRA: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (Chandler, Ariz.) – February 27

PLANO, Texas (February 23, 2022) – NASCAR and NHRA are both on the West Coast this weekend as NASCAR makes its return to California after a successful event at the Los Angeles Coliseum, while the NHRA jets down from Pomona to the Phoenix area.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS

Wallace looks to continue strong start to the season… Bubba Wallace came within mere inches of his first Daytona 500 crown on Sunday evening, but the strong finish has the 23XI Racing team ready to take on California as they currently sit fourth in the overall point standings. Wallace is looking for his first Fontana top-10 finish in the Cup Series but did earn back-to-back top-10 results there in the Xfinity Series in 2016 and 2017.

Truex planning to add to Fontana success… Martin Truex Jr. had a solid start to the 2022 NASCAR season as he won both stages in the Daytona 500 before coming home in 13th. His solid stage results have him sitting in the top-five of the point standings heading into Auto Club Speedway. Truex won the 2018 running of the event – leading 125 of 200 laps.

Busch wants another Fontana trophy… In recent years, Kyle Busch has been the man to beat at Auto Club Speedway. The Las Vegas-native won Toyota’s first race at the track in 2013 and added two more victories in 2014 and 2019.

Bayne makes his return to Toyota… For the first time in over a decade, Trevor Bayne makes his return to Toyota in his first of seven scheduled starts for the Tennessee-native with Joe Gibbs Racing. Bayne scored his first four Xfinity Series poles with Toyota while driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2009 and 2010. He will be teammates with JGR full season drivers Brandon Jones and reigning Xfinity Series rookie of the year, Ty Gibbs, who is making his track debut.

Jones looking for redemption… Jones has been waiting a long time for Fontana redemption. The last time Xfinity cars were on track in Fontana in 2020, Jones won the pole and led the first 73 laps in his JGR Supra before encountering tire issues.

Earnhardt back for another race… Jeffrey Earnhardt is back aboard a Sam Hunt Racing entry this weekend after a solid top-15 finish to begin his tenure with the team. Earnhardt will be in the team’s flagship No. 26 Supra entry after wheeling the No. 24 in Daytona.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Ashley plans to continue strong start to season… In his first race as part of Team Toyota, Justin Ashley delivered, driving his Toyota Top Fuel Dragster to the win with seven stellar passes. As the points leader, the New York-native looks to pad his lead with another strong performance in Phoenix.

Toyota GR Supra Funny Car solid in its debut… 2018 Funny Car champion J.R. Todd and former U.S. Nationals winner Alexis DeJoria had a solid start with their new Toyota GR Supras at Pomona – each scoring a round win. They are looking for more in Phoenix, a place where DeJoria scored her first career win in 2014.

Torrence reigning winner… Once he drives into Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Steve Torrence will have been the reigning winner of this race for nearly two years. The Arizona Nationals were cancelled in 2021 due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, and Torrence was the victor in 2020.

Stay Connected

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About Toyota

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

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

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

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