Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Clash at the Coliseum Advance| Saturday, February 5, 2022

Ford drivers met with members of the media after practice sessions for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles Saturday afternoon.

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang — YOU WERE ONE OF THE GUYS THAT USED HIS BUMPER OUT THERE. WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE AFTER PRACTICE COMPARED TO WHAT THE OLD CAR WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE? “I didn’t even look. That’s not my job. My job is to use it, not fix it. That is the theory I am going with this week. I hit the wall, hit a car, and they haven’t said a word about it. So next time I will use it harder I guess.”

BEING FROM BAKERSFIELD, THIS IS ALMOST LIKE A HOME GAME FOR YOU. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO WIN THIS FIRST RACE AND ALSO HAVING IT KIND OF IN YOUR BACKYARD? “Well, first, just the guts that it took for NASCAR to take the leap and try an event like this and then seeing how practice went and how smooth everything has gone. The doors that are open have been blown wide open now. I think as you look at this particular facility, the thing that I remember most about it are Mickey Thompson off-road trucks jumping out of the top over there. Motorcycles and those off-road trucks were what I watched here. Obviously it is an iconic site and I think for me, being close to home and knowing that I have a lot of friends and family that are just intrigued by the event. The intrigue of the event is really the most valuable piece of the event, not only for what we do as teams but for our sponsors and new fans and for the sport in general. This is the type of event that you need to blow it out of the water at the start of the season to get the eyeballs and the people and you guys to all show up because it is different. That is the world that we live in. We live in different and trying new things and having the guts to do it is sometimes hard to do but the rewards are pretty big on the other side whe it works.”

IN TERMS OF BLOWING IT OUT OF THE WATER, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY IS ON THE DRIVERS TO DO THAT? “I don’t think you can screw it up at this point, personally. The event is here. The race track didn’t fly up. Practice went good. The cars all made the corners. People were passing each other and as our good friend Jim Hunter would say, ‘You have to have cars that pass, Kevin’ to make a good race. When you look at everything that has happened, the amount of tickets and media passes and all the things — you can’t screw it up at this point. That is my opinion.”

KNOCK ON WOOD? “You can’t, I am telling you. The race doesn’t even matter.”

WHAT IF WALLS GET KNOCKED DOWN OR? “Knock ‘em down. We will make them stronger next time. You already have everything in here and had practice and everything. You can not screw it up at this point. You can. You could screw it up, but we will just send you to all the haters on Twitter and they can lock your account down.”

WERE YOU JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW THESE CARS REACT WITH THE BUMPER CONSIDERING IT IS THE FIRST TIME IN THESE CARS? WERE YOU TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TOMORROW IN THE RACE IF YOU NEED TO PASS? “I think all the sightlines and things are a little bit different. I think trying to figure out how to pass and how to almost create that little crossover move to cut below somebody and just cut it a little closer than it probably needed to be. If there is one thing I have learned by watching my son race and the way that all these kids have been taught to race is you better go out and freaking go in practice or you won’t learn what you need to do. So you just go out and treat it like it is a race and go from there.”

SO YOU ARE LEARNING FROM KEELAN? “I am learning to be more open-minded. I would never have done this. I would have said you were crazy. Then you get here and it is pretty fun, pretty cool. I am probably the only guy that has been here but I think it is way better than racing through the streets of LA that we did in the southwest tour car back in 1999 with the jump through the gutter and things like that. We have done some different things. This is over the top and looks great.”

ANYTHING SURPRISE YOU THAT YOU LEARNED OUT THERE ON THE TRACK TODAY? “I think that is one thing that I did learn, that our simulations did a pretty good job. From what we had (out there) to what we had in the simulation was really good. I think as you get in the car and kind of overcome those things, I had no expectations other than to come here and just wing it and have fun with it. That is really what this event is. The Clash has always been kind of a recap of the year before with people who have won and not won and this is a little bit different than that just because of the fact that everybody is here. Or all the charter cars are here. For me, I was not going to come here and have a bad time. You shouldn’t do that on the first race of the year. I can show up and have a bad time but it isn’t going to be the first race when it is nothing but having fun and learning on the line.”

IF THIS CONCEPT CAN BE APPLIED ELSEWHERE, WHAT OTHER STADIUMS WOULD YOU LIKE TO RACE IN? “For me, I look at the NFL and what they do in London and I look at the things that they do. I think in order to really open doors, I think Wembley Stadium would be fun. I think everyone wants to do something but the weather has to be different. But this is something that you could put in the middle of the year and I think the All-Star race is definitely something that could learn something from this just because of the fact that it needs to be more like this instead of just at a 1.5-mile track that we go to all the time. It needs to have that intrigue and fun and atmosphere that goes along with an event that is different. I am of the opinion that I would never do this twice, but I know that I will probably get overruled after this happens. It is kind of like the Roval, the intrigue isn’t as much the second year. I would move it all over the place. If this goes like everyone thinks it will, it will just blow the doors open to opportunities and I would take them.”

A WEEK FROM TUESDAY WE WILL BE AT DAYTONA. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ANTICIPATION BUILD UP TO GET THE SEASON REALLY KICKED OFF AND UNDERWAY WITH THE NEW CAR AND EVERYTHING? “Yeah, I think you have a kick-off leading into Daytona that you haven’t ever really had before with everything this weekend. Hopefully the weather cooperates all week and it isn’t freezing like it was last week. I will take freezing over rain though. I think as you go into the Daytona 500, this is a great event, but there is nothing like coming to the green flag of the Daytona 500 with all the anticipation and excitement from the off-season and everything that has happened over this last year with the new car. YOu have a lot of enthusiasm and this event and hearing about this event, it is a lot like it had been 20 years ago when every race was an event. You have that feeling and that excitement and enthusiasm that goes with that event. I think this will make that bigger than it was. The new car will make that bigger than it was. YOu see the reflection in ticket sales that come with the enthusiasm from the race fans and I think that is only going to grow as we get done here.”

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE OUT OF RYAN PREECE THIS YEAR STARTING TOMORROW? “I think just those opportunities he will have. I believe in Ryan and the ability he has. Having those few opportunities and already seeing the things that he has done for Stewart-Haas Racing and knowing what the plans are to be able to implement, there is so much you have to take in during the first half of the year from a learning standpoint. A lot of that is going to have to be done through sim and the simulator. From the test to the simulation. There are more pieces to put all that together than there is time from the guys that are racing on a week to week basis. Having him in the cars for the Xfinity races and Truck races and being able to stay sharp and do things that he needs to do, but there is a lot more to it than just those few races that he gets.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Violet Defense Ford Mustang — YOUR FIRST TRUE PRACTICE WITH THIS WHOLE NEW LIFE YOU HAVE, HOW DID THAT FEEL? ANY SPECIAL TALKS OR ANYTHING? “No, not any special pep talks. We know we have a long way to go. This team hasn’t won a race in four or five years and hasn’t won a non restrictor plate track in almost nine or 10 years. You aren’t going to get where you want to be overnight. It didn’t fall off to where it is overnight and we aren’t going to fix it overnight. But we are damn sure going to try. I am cognisant that there will be some rough moments and all those things along the way that we are working through. We didn’t have the greatest practice sessions but that is okay. This is a one-off deal and we will work through it and be better for it together. I am fairly optimistic about all the things we are doing and the direction we are going and feel it will pay dividends as we go.”

THE EXPECTATION BEFORE YOU GOT HERE AND THE REALITY OF THIS PLACE, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOU? “It was hard to have an expectation to be honest. When I walked in on Thursday through one of those tunnels to take a look at it, it blew me away. Aesthetically this place is beautiful. To know that they did this in 30 days or less, I don’t know how they did it. It is funny because we have all these different things we try to do and then there is always a reason not to get them done. But when we really want to do them they get done. To build this right here in 30 days, as amazing as it looks, in this venue in probably not the most friendly of states to do it, is pretty impressive across all factions. I think the sport has a lot to be proud of. I won’t go so far as to say we can’t screw it up but we are certainly off to a great start. I am proud of our sport and proud of the stakeholders for getting us this far.”

YOU’VE GOT THE TEAM OWNER HAT BACK ON, IN TERMS OF SPONSORSHIP, WHAT LESSONS WERE YOU ABLE TO BRING FROM YOUR TRUCK TEAM DAYS TO THIS AND WERE THERE THINGS YOU LEARNED THAT BLEW YOU AWAY? HOW HAVE THE STRESS LEVELS BEEN? “It has honestly been a lot of fun. I am as happy as I have ever been. Head down, digging through a lot of things and solving a lot of challenges. I feel like we are moving the needle a lot and have a long way to go. I am really enjoying that whole process. The sponsorship side is always going to be a challenge. That is part of the race. It is the race before the race. Sponsorship funds the resources you have to be competitive and that is an ongoing challenge that will never go away. I know races like this help a lot. There was a lot of sponsor interest for this race and I applaud NASCAR for being willing to take chances to do things like this. It certainly helped us with those items. I can’t say there have been a ton of surprises. You get into the business side of things and get your hands dirty a little bit and you always find some things here and there that you maybe weren’t expecting. I am really proud of the things we have already done and the things we are going to do. I feel really good about this weekend helping to accent all those things. It has been a really exciting time for me.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH MATT MCCALL FOR THE FIRST TIME? WAS IT TRUE THE CLINCHER FOR HIM GETTING THE JOB WAS HIM SAYING THAT HE WANTED TO DO THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE THE DRIVER? “Well, I probably shouldn’t answer for him on what the clincher was. He has been great to work with and I am really excited to have him. Jack Roush put it best to me a couple of weeks ago when he said that we took most of the 1 team to become our team. If Chip was still in the sport he would have took a contract out on me, is what Jack said. Maybe that is true and maybe it is not. It is always nice to bring a team that had been in the playoffs and done a lot of great things over the last few years and has good experience. There are some really smart people that come over from there and a few other places. Certainly the things we need to compliment the other good people we had. He has been great to work with. He is a real racer and has raced himself as a race car driver and has a lot of similarities to me with Paul Wolfe who I have worked with in the past and has been nothing but first class. I think the sky’s the limit for him. I would probably give another comp to a guy like Rodney Childers and Kevin (Harvick) knows this better than anybody else. You get somebody that you can relate to and work with, and I have worked with some great people in the past, don’t get me wrong, but Matt is right up there with him and I think we can do a lot of good things.”

KEVIN HARVICK INTERJECTS: “And you will never lose a fight”

BRAD KESELOWSKI CONTINUED: “Yeah, that is right. The guy will karate kick some people. I tell you what. He has it going on. He knows moves I have never heard of before.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM
BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 5, 2022

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1, AND CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1: PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:

YOU’VE FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO GET OUT ON THE TRACK. WHAT ARE YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSIONS?
KYLE LARSON: “I think it’s awesome; everything about it. Staging outside, driving through the tunnel, getting out there – it all kind of has that grassroots feel to it a little bit. I feel like NASCAR did an amazing job with the race track and, so far, I don’t really have any comments of concern. I think that’s something good because I feel like, a lot of the time, us drivers think we’re way smarter than NASCAR (laughs) and we could have done a better job than them with whatever they were doing. Hats off to NASCAR and what they’ve done to build a race track here. I look forward to the rest of the weekend. I know it’s going to be a great event.”

CHASE ELLIOTT: “I completely agree. I don’t have anything else to add. They’ve done a nice job. Great scene. Obviously, we’re sitting up here and this is a great view. I’m not sure that we could ask for much more. Really nice work in the job of putting the race track together. Everything is super nice and well done. Props to everybody involved.”

DRIVERS SEEM TO BE APPROACHING THE RUMBLE STRIPS DIFFERENTLY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? CAN YOU CROSS THOSE DURING THE RACE, OR PART OF THEM? HOW’S THAT GOING TO WORK?
KYLE LARSON: “Yeah, Chase (Elliott) and I were talking in the elevator – I think NASCAR accidently probably stumbled across something pretty good because I feel like you can use it to get position on people or us it to get in their mirror a little bit to upset them in front of you to be able to get inside of them for the next corner. When you think of Martinsville (Speedway), they have the curb there and you can only get as low as the curb. But here, I feel like it’s a little bit faster to be just above it or just touching the rumble strips. But if you need to get down there, you can. I think it’s good and yes; I think we were all probably playing around with it a little bit as each practice session went on.”

KYLE, YOU MENTIONED A GRASSROOTS FEEL. AS MUCH AS EVERYTHING IS NEW HERE AND THIS IS A WHOLE NEW EVENT AND WERE IN THE NEXT GEN ERA NOW, DO YOU FEEL KIND OF AN OLD SCHOOL FEEL HERE TOO? WE’VE GOT THE GARAGE IN THE PARKING LOT. YOU GUYS ARE GOING ON THE STREET TO GET ONTO THE RACE TRACK FOR PRACTICE. WHAT’S THAT FEELING LIKE BETWEEN OLD SCHOOL AND NEW SCHOOL TODAY?
KYLE LARSON: “I don’t know. I can’t speak of old school, but like I’ve ran the Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis; similar to this. Or when I ran the Indy midget race, when they had that at the basketball arena. It was similar in the logistics of you have to drive outside the building to get fuel and then come back in and get in line; stuff like that. It’s a long hike to the grandstands if you wanted to go watch. I don’t know about old school, but maybe a little bit of the throwback I guess to our K&N days, when we were pitting out from behind our trailer and stuff like that.”

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU KYLE BECAUSE YOU’RE RUNNING A LOT OF SHORT TRACKS, ARE THERE ANY SURPRISES TODAY?
KYLE LARSON: “I would say the only really surprise to me was just the amount of grip it has. I thought it was going to take until the end of practice until we got some grip. But I feel like it only took a few minutes of each session to feel like you have some grip. Especially the grip on exit, I thought was really good. You could mat the throttle fine and get good grip down the straightway. That was honestly probably the only thing that surprised me.”

“The flow of practice was really fast, too. It was kind of hectic.”

IT’S BEEN A LONG OFF SEASON AND A LOT OF STUFF WITH TESTING THE CARS. ARE YOU GUYS HAPPY TO BE BACK IN THE CARS AND WHAT ARE YOU ALL ANTICIPATING GOING FORWARD? THIS WEEKEND, YOU’RE RACING FOR THE CLASH. BUT NEXT WEEKEND, WE GO TO DAYTONA AND THINGS REALLY KICK OFF.
CHASE ELLIOTT: “For me, it’s just good to be back going. I think we all were probably kind of getting to the point with the Clash in Daytona like we need to do something. That race was kind of just going on, I feel like, to go on. It added a week of being in Daytona and I feel like it was kind of becoming all for what. Let’s make it exciting and wherever this idea originated, obviously when this was first drawn up, I’m sure there were a lot of people that probably didn’t think it was possible. But I feel like it’s added a lot of excitement. It’s given our television partners something to promote differently than just us being at Daytona for another week. Also, it gives us an opportunity to not only have more eyes on this event, which is good; but also be able to promote the Daytona 500 through this event, which in my opinion, are two probably fairly major wins for everybody sitting here and that travel across the country doing this deal.”

CHASE, YOU WERE FASTEST IN PRACTICE. HOW MUCH ROOM DO YOU THINK THERE IS FOR MORE SPEED IN THE CAR FROM WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I felt like we could be better, for sure. And I think to Kyle’s (Larson) point, the track does kind of change a little bit as you run. You gain some grip and it seems like everybody goes a little faster the longer you run in a session. That was interesting. We were able to go through the things we wanted to change session to session and now we just need to decide where we want to land; maybe in between some of those changes that we did. But just try to make the right decisions and get yourself in a good position and try to go qualify well. I think qualifying is going to be fairly important for whether or not this is fun for you the rest of the weekend. So, we’ll see.”

GUYS WERE USING THEIR BUMPERS TO MOVE GUYS OUT OF THE WAY. WITH THIS NEW CAR, HOW FORGIVING IS IT TO MAKE THAT KIND OF CONTACT? IF YOU’RE ON THE RECEIVING END, HOW EASY WAS IT TO GET BACK GOING?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I don’t remember getting hit or hitting anyone yet (laughs).”

KYLE LARSON: “Yeah, same with me. I haven’t yet. But it looks like on TV, it seems the same as before.”

CHASE ELLIOTT: “Like a Martinsville-type impact. It looked a lot like that. But again, I’m not one hundred percent sure.”

INAUDIBLE
KYLE LARSON: “I do feel like though, if you’re fast enough, you don’t really have to because you have room to pass people now. With the rumble strips, you don’t have to use it like you would at Martinsville. Which you don’t have to at Martinsville either, but I think you could honestly use it less here.”

WHAT SPEEDS DID YOU REACH DURING YOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS AND WHAT SPEEDS DO YOU EXPECT TO REACH TOMORROW DURING THE RACE?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I think about 70 – 75 mph; somewhere in there. Probably top speed averaging probably 65 or something like that. Probably as slow as 40 or 35. I don’t know; pretty slow. But you don’t have to go fast to put on good racing either.”

DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU’RE GOING TO PASS SOMEBODY YET? CAN YOU GO INSIDE? DO YOU GO OUTSIDE?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I don’t think you’re going outside (laughs), in my opinion. But maybe.”

CHASE, YOUR CAR AND SEVERAL OTHER CARS HAD SCRAPS ON THE WHEEL WELLS. DID THE CAR REACT ANY DIFFERENTLY WHEN YOU SCRAP THE WALL?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “Yeah, I got the wall a little bit there off of (turn) two I think and it was a super minor touch of the wall. If we did any damage with that, then we’re going to have a long year ahead. But I’m not sure. It was a super light scrap so I don’t know.”

INAUDIBLE
KYLE LARSON: “I think we all want to be part of an event. I don’t think any race is a race without it being an event. I think this is going to be an awesome event or show; whatever you want to call it with the concerts and stuff. And just the atmosphere of the crowd here and the close racing. We want to see our sport grow, so I think we’re all excited to be here and excited to be a part of the event.”

YOU GUYS HAVE OBVIOUSLY COMPETED IN A LOT OF BIG EVENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF YOUR CAREERS. TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE’S GOING TO BE TONS OF FANS HERE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THE LEAD UP SO FAR AND WHEN YOU GOT ON THE TRACK FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY – HOW HAS THE LEAD UP FELT COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER BIGGER EVENTS YOU GUYS HAVE COMPETED IN?
KYLE LARSON: “For me, I think just the anticipation to get here and just get to look at everything in person is more than probably any other NASCAR race I can think of in my past. Maybe aside from my first few Cup races I got to run – just being excited to get to the track. You’re always excited, but this is something new, different and temporary. Yes, like Chase (Elliott) mentioned, moving the Clash from Daytona to here I think just added a whole bunch of excitement for everybody involved; me especially.”

YOU WERE JUST ASKED ABOUT THE LEAD UP. HOW ABOUT THE OUTCOME? I KNOW YOU’LL PROBABLY SAY ‘IT’S A RACE, I WANT TO WIN ANY RACE’. WHAT ARE THE STAKES OF THIS RACE PERSONALLY AND IS IT IMPORTANT TO WIN IT? WHAT LENGTHS MIGHT YOU GO TO BE THE CLASH WINNER AT THE COLISEUM?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I think it would be super cool to be the first person to win this race. I don’t think anybody would tell you anything different. Yeah, I think it would be a huge deal. Not only that, but a great way to start your year off. This is something new and exciting. I think we’re all very fortunate and lucky to even be here and be a part of it. If you’re standing on top of the mountain at the end of the day for something like this, this type of location and this type of an event – I think it is special and it should be for whoever wins.”

EVERYONE’S TIMES ARE WITHIN .9 TO 1 MPH. HOW ROUGH AND TUMBLE DO YOU THINK IT MAY GET TOMORROW?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I think that’s skewed because the track is so small. So, if you’re faster than someone by a tenth of a second, that’s a pretty large chunk and you can really see and feel that inside the car. If a guy has a tenth on you or a half of a tenth on you, he’s going to have a fairly significant advantage over you as he catches and likely passes you.”

THOUGHTS ON A FEW ON THE FINAL PRACTICE RESULTS: JUSTIN HALEY WAS FOURTH FASTEST. LANDON CASSILL WAS EIGHTH. CODY WARE WAS THIRTEENTH. DOES THAT KIND OF SURPRISE YOU AT ALL SEEING SOME OF THE NAMES THAT AREN’T USUALLY UP FRONT TO SEE THEM UP FRONT LIKE THAT? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT’S THE TRACK, THE CAR – WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHTS ON SEEING THE MIX OF NEW NAMES KIND OF SHUFFLING AROUND?
KYLE LARSON: “No – I wasn’t surprised. I think it’s just a combination of probably mostly the track just being as small as it is and it just allows other people to be closer and stuff in speed. I think the car being new, too, and the first weekend in it – I think there’s still a lot of good teams with a lot of resources still trying to figure things out. Everybody is.”

“I wasn’t too surprised. I think more surprised at guys who you would expect to be really fast that weren’t. I think those are the ones that stand out more than the teams that are maybe under funded that are up to speed.”

CHASE, YOU’RE A BIG SPORTS FAN. ANY OTHER STADIUMS THAT YOU’D REALLY LIKE TO RACE INSIDE IF YOU HAD YOUR WAY?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “That’s a good one. I haven’t really ever thought about that. Like a stadium in particular, I haven’t really thought about that. But I’ve always really admired Supercross and what they do. I feel like those guys being able to race indoors and in stadiums, their product is a little more logistical to make that happen regularly. Obviously, they have a season of doing it. But I’ve always admired that and I’ve always felt like that attracted a different fan base because of it. Because it’s in a big city and it’s easy to get to. Just a little different vibe and I’ve always thought that was a really nice feel for a motorsport event to go towards for the future. I wish four-wheel racing could do more of that. Yeah, there’s great stadiums across the country that would be great to race in. But this is just not a logistically practical thing to do every week for us. We have a great product elsewhere, too, that we can massage, make really good and make successful for a long time. It’s just different. Maybe we can do this again; I don’t know. But it’s a tough thing to do each week, I feel like.”

CHASE, YOU’VE BEEN TO SOME SPORTING EVENTS AND MAJOR EVENTS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE’S A FAN EXPERIENCE AT A NASCAR EVENT, BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THESE OTHER EVENTS. YOU SEE THIS WEEKEND, WITH THE CONCERTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HOW MUCH MORE OF THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED THAT THIS SPORT NEEDS TO LOOK AT?
CHASE ELLIOTT: “I guess it depends on what you’re into. Like I never go to an event for the half-time show. That’s just me. I don’t go to a major sporting event for what they have scheduled on the side. So, if I was coming to this event, it would be to watch a NASCAR race and to watch a really good short track race on asphalt. That’s why I would be here. But obviously there’s going to be different opinions on that as time goes.”

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Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

LOS ANGELES (February 5, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were made available to media after practice for to the LA Clash event today:

Is it an advantage to come to a market like this from a team ownership standpoint? More advantages or opportunities?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“Well, typically the Clash in general is a hard race to sell sponsorship for just in general it’s a very short race. But certainly, this one, as much build up as it has enables you to put it on the schedule as a legit race that you know, you can, you could sell for what you would sell for a normal event. On the other side, the ownership side, I just want to know what it’s going to cost for us to do this. That’s really all I care about. Your costs cannot out, cannot exceed your expenses. No other way your revenue. It costs a lot, but it costs the same — if the race pays less and your sponsor pays less, it makes less sense.”

How did this car react when you scraped the wall compared to the previous car?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“It was similar, it didn’t stick to the wall quite as much. It really looked like they just could repair some decals on it. They didn’t have to beat anything out. So, it seems like obviously the material that we’re using that’s similar to the Xfinity car, you’ll be able to rub it a little bit more than before, for sure.”

What do you think of this setting and this event so far?

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“I mean, I think it’s all good. It’s been fun so far. You know, definitely different and interesting. With the ability of what we’re all trying to accomplish and do here and put on a really good show, put on a really good race, I think that there’s an opportunity. Like Denny (Hamlin) said, with as much hype and everything that’s kind of built into this event, let’s make it one you know, so keep going so far so good, keep it going.”

Does this event make you feel like the sport is getting back to its roots with your garage in a parking lot and driving on side streets to get into the race track?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“Is grassroots a good thing? I mean, do F1 cars run through gravel street roads to get to the track? No. Yeah, I’m probably a little different than what the general public thinks, like, ‘let’s get back to the roots when it was much, much smaller sport.’ I think you’ve got to continue to grow, and you’ve got to continue to make the fan and the competitors experience better and better. That’s how you grow if you want to have a place where parking is good, traffic flows, good. great amenities, a great place to get a drink or food quickly at a race track. All those things are very underrated in our sport in the growth of it.”

For Kyle Busch, you were the first driver to get a win with the COT (Car of Tomorrow) and the first to get Toyota’s first win in the Cup Series in 2008. Do you have extra incentive to be the first to win with the Next Gen Camry TRD?

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“I would say no. But of course, in the back of my mind, you would say yeah, you want to be the first guy, but I think many of us would argue that the first race for this vehicle will be the Daytona 500. You know, we’re here obviously, it is a race. Yes, they will pay somebody at the end of the day to win it. But this is more as we’ve kind of alluded a little bit where it’s a show, I mean that’s fine, and we’re going to do our best job of being able to put on a good show. There’s going to be a race involved. There’s going to be a checkered flag at the end of it. And I’ve been involved in the sport enough where there’s a lot of Asterix on the things that I’ve accomplished. So, I’m sure me winning this race, I did not win the first race of the new car. It would be whoever wins Daytona, that’s how it would go.”

Are you guys glad to be done with the offseason and moving forward and heading to Daytona next weekend to get the season underway?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“As a driver, yes. I’m excited. Our offseason is always very short. We get a couple of weeks in November. Personally, I get December and then at the turn of the new year we’re meeting with you guys and doing production days and whatnot. It’s really, you know, kind of about a seven-week window where we have off as a team. I wish we had a few more weeks. There’s a real concern over parts supplies for cars, and so I just wish we had a little bit more time to prepare for on that front. I know our team loaded up at 2:45 in the morning or something. It’s just that the hours on the guys is what’s tough right now. If we had more time, then we wouldn’t have to push them so hard.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“Not being on the ownership side in the cup series, I don’t feel the stress that these guys do. Being a driver I’m like, ‘What are y’all waiting for?’ It’s nice to have a few off weeks get a few chances to kind of chill out and relax a little bit and then once it’s time to get going, like Denny said. It’s pretty much January that you start your year with production shoots, video shoots media stuff, whatever it might be to then get set for the year. Then starting here in LA and then one week I guess off again to start our season for real in Daytona.”

Does it being here make The Clash special again? Is it worth it to go out and try to win this race again?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“I think so. I mean, things get diluted for a lot of different reasons. Back then you had to, I think, you had to get a pole. I mean, that was the only way you get in and over time, if enough teams complain that they’re not a part of it, the rules get changed to make it to where more people can be included. Well, anytime you do that you dilute it. It’s not as special. It’s no different than the playoffs and have gone from 10 to 12 to 16. Making the playoffs in ’06 or ’07 it was hard. You had some legit guys that could win each and every week not make the playoffs and but that would that made the 10 rule really special, but as you dilute it a little bit more it certainly is not as special. This format is certainly where you have to get in on your own merit. There’s only one provisional there’s no inclusion for someone that’s got high in this for that. It’s back to being, in my opinion, it’s gonna be the best 23 cars on the racetrack or the best 20 cars this weekend anyway, so certainly in my mind, it makes it more prestigious than just getting in on one of the 10 things that you can get in on.”

Did the car practice how you thought it would?

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“I think lap times were a little bit quicker than many of us expected or anticipated. The driving of the car was about as much as I’d expect it to be. I think some of the issue is just brakes on entry. You know, making sure you slow down fast enough for the tight confines to be able to make the turn that you have. The acceleration to me was better than I had anticipated. You know, better forward drive out of the turn. So not as much wheel spin as I had expected but the tight confines – when I got into practice a little bit and had some cars in front of me and around me and stuff like that – It definitely was like okay, it’s tight, like how are you going to find a way to pass you know, some guys kind of holding and protecting low. The only way to get them out of the way is push them out of the way so I think you’re gonna see some of that as it comes down towards some opportune times when more is on the line.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“For my standpoint, I thought the car turned the corner just better than I thought. I mean, I think there was no way our old car was gonna make it around these corners. But this one, we talked about how it’s better for road course racing. These corners are very, very tight – tighter than anything that we have. It cornered quite a bit better than what I was anticipating. But other than that, everything was the same.”

Will the costs of the damage here be more cost effective than if the Clash was in Daytona?

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

“Yeah, if you like really crashed one, I think here you’re probably looking at $50,000 worth of stuff. That’s a guess. But yes, it’s not a total loss like a Daytona Clash would be.”

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.

2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Busch Joins Elite Group as Jordan Brand Athlete

Mooresville, NC (Feb. 4, 2022) – 23XI Racing announced today the partnership with the iconic and globally recognized Jordan Brand to sponsor the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD team for the 2022 season. With the partnership, Kurt Busch will join team co-owner Denny Hamlin as a Jordan Brand athlete. Jordan Brand will serve as the primary partner on the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for multiple races and as an associate partner for the entire season. In addition to branding on the car, the Jumpman logo will be included on the shoulders and belt of Busch’s firesuit and featured prominently on the back of his black, elephant-print accented helmet.

“Adding Jordan Brand to the No. 45 team and Kurt Busch is a big step for our team,” said 23XI Racing President Steve Lauletta. “As a new team that is continuing to grow, we have the unique opportunity to do things differently as we grow our brand to be one that is identified as more than just a racing team. Partnering with Jordan Brand, which is recognizable around the world, allows us the opportunity to utilize both of our platforms to introduce new fans to our team.”

“The addition of Jordan Brand to the No. 45 team is big and being the second driver in NASCAR alongside Denny as a Jordan Brand athlete is a real honor,” said Busch. “The roster includes athletes that are known for excitement and success and that’s what I intend to bring to the track each weekend. As the 23XI team continues to grow, this partnership will help ensure we reach new audiences and I look forward to an impactful relationship.”

The Jordan Brand will make its debut with Busch and the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD team at the Busch Light Clash at the LA Coliseum on Sunday, February 6, 2022 and will have its first primary race later this season.

About Jordan Brand

Jordan Brand, a division of NIKE, Inc., is a premium brand of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories inspired by the dynamic legacy, vision and direct involvement of Michael Jordan. The brand made its debut in 1997 and has grown into a complete collection of men’s, women’s and kid’s product.

About 23XI Racing

23XI Racing – pronounced twenty-three eleven – was founded by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020. With rising NASCAR star Bubba Wallace selected to drive the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD, the team made its NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2021 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Wallace made history on October 4, 2021, when he captured his first career Cup Series win, becoming just the second African American to win in the Cup Series, and earning 23XI Racing its first-ever victory. 23XI Racing expands to a two-car organization in 2022 with NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD.

Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series history at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum … The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will be the first NASCAR race held at the historic sports venue since it opened in 1923. The event will be held inside the stadium on a paved quarter-mile asphalt track. The Clash at the Coliseum will be a signature event as a part of the venue’s centennial celebration and mark the first time NASCAR’s prelude to the DAYTONA 500 will take place somewhere other than Daytona International Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series will also visit Southern California on February 27 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

The Clash … Richard Childress Racing has earned eight wins in the Clash led by Dale Earnhardt’s five victories (1986, ’88, ’91, ’93, and ’95) and three by Kevin Harvick (2009, 2010 and 2013). This year’s exhibition race will consist of 150 laps with an exclusive starting field of 23 drivers determined through heat races (25 laps consisting of 10 cars each) and two last chance qualifying races (50 laps). The final starting position will be awarded to the driver who finished the highest in the 2021 points standings who does not transfer.

How to Qualify … Single car qualifying on Saturday will determine the starting lineup for each of the four heat races. Below is a breakdown on how the heat races will be filled out:

• The top four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single vehicle qualifying session will be on the pole for each heat race, while cars that qualified fifth through eighth will make up the other half of the front row in each heat.
• The remainder of each field will be filled out using this methodology (Ex. – heat one will be made up cars with qualifying positions of one, five, nine, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37).
• The top four finishers (16 total cars) from each heat race automatically advance through to the Busch Light Clash, with the winner of heat one winning the pole and the heat two winner earning the outside pole.
• The winners of heats three and four will fill out the second row, with the remaining order of these 16 cars being determined in the same manner.

One Last Chance … The remaining six finishing positions from each heat (24 total cars) that did not advance will continue through to one of two 50-lap last chance qualifying races. Below is a breakdown on how the last chance qualifiers will be filled out:

• The starting order for these two events will be determined based on finishing positions in the heat races.
• Those who did not advance from heats one and three will make up the first last chance qualifying race while the second race will be made of up those from heats two and four.
• The fifth-place finishers from heats one and two will be on the pole in their respective last chance qualifying races. The fifth-place finishers from heats three and four will be on the outside pole.
• This pattern will continue to fill out 12 cars in each event.
• The top three finishers (six total cars) from both last chance qualifying races will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 17 – 22 of the 23 available positions.

A New Era of Racing … This season, drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will compete in NASCAR’s Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which officially debuts this weekend at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a collaboration of the brightest engineering minds in racing. With technology at the forefront, Richard Childress Racing has played a unique and critical role in helping to bring this new on-track identity to life, working closely with OEMs, other teams and NASCAR to build and test the initial prototype.

Catch the Action … The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will be televised live Sunday, Feb. 6 beginning at 5 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s True Velocity Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum … Dillon, the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion, is among the NASCAR Cup Series drivers vying for a spot in this year’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, a 150-lap non-points-paying exhibition race limited to 23 cars. Although this marks the first year that the Busch Clash will be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Dillon has participated in the race on eight previous occasions at it’s former location of Daytona International Speedway.

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AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on bringing NASCAR to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Clash?
“It’s going to be wild and interesting, that’s for sure. NASCAR really went outside of the box with this one, and from an entertainment standpoint, I think it should be great for fans. It’s a tight track to fit the cars on, so racing-wise, you’ll see quite a bit of beating and banging. NASCAR and Fox are both doing a good job creating excitement and adding to the racing with concerts, DJs and enhanced television coverage. It’s a bold experiment for our sport and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”

What stands out to you about the Next Gen race car?
“It’s very futuristic compared to what we’ve been driving. I think it’s going to be a breath of fresh air. We have a lot of kinks and things to work out right now, and there are a lot of unknowns, but I think that change is good for the sport. I think a lot of the fans are going to love to see the different things we do with the car. We’ll figure a lot out as we go. We had so much time and effort put into the old cars. We’re still figuring out things to make the old cars faster, which is crazy to think about when you look at how long we’ve had them. With the Next Gen, I think the engineers in our sport are going to be learning at a very fast pace, and we’re going to have to try to keep up with them as drivers.”

Are you concerned about the inventory of cars?
“I think it goes back to short-track racing. When you are coming up through the ranks of short-track racing, you do not have the inventory of cars that we’ve always had in the NASCAR Cup Series. If you wrecked your car, you could be out the next weekend. I don’t know that the inventory situation with the Next Gen car is that serious, but a wreck early in the season definitely could put you behind and put your team in a bind early in the season. Until we get more inventory of these cars, you want to take care of your equipment but you also want to win and put it all out on the line.”

There’s a lot of changes within the sport, and within the car. However, you are coming into a situation with the same crew chief in Justin Alexander and the same teammate in Tyler Reddick heading into the season. How important is it to have some degree of familiarity surrounding you heading into the season?
“I think it’s really important. Any time you can build with the same team over a year’s time you start to feel each other out more and know where everybody stands. We were very close to getting both of our cars into the NASCAR Playoffs last year. It came down to a points race between the two. Obviously this year, the biggest thing is trying to get locked in with a win. That’s what hurt us. I think we were super consistent throughout the season. We had our most consistent season ever and had some good runs. Unfortunately, there were some guys whowon that put us in a really bad spot. We don’t want to be in that spot again. We want to go to Victory Lane before the NASCAR Playoffs start.”

This Week’s Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum … Tyler Reddick is one of the NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing for a spot in the first-ever Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 6. The 150-lap non-points-paying race will be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The new track was created specifically for the inaugural event and is approximately 1350 feet long and 37.5 feet in width. The banking is 2.5 degrees and there’s a 10-foot apron with recessed rumble strips. The track will have SAFER barriers around the entire outside. The field is limited to only 23 cars, with 36 cars currently entered. Reddick has participated in two previous Clash events; one was held on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course (2021) and the other on the Daytona International Speedway oval (2020).

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TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on bringing NASCAR to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Clash?
“NASCAR bringing a race to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is really exciting because it’s never been done before and it’s going to be a part of the history books. The fact that I get to be a part of it is even better. I have always wanted to go to the LA Coliseum and now I get to go and actually say that I raced on it. It’s really cool and it’s definitely going to be an exciting and crazy show for the fans.”

What have you been able to learn about the Next Gen car during the offseason?
“The Next Gen car has proven to have a lot of unknowns and changes that we will have to learn to adjust to. During the Next Gen tests at Charlotte, Daytona, and Phoenix, we were able to really push the limit and see what the new car can do. There is more mechanical grip and less aerodynamic grip, so you have to keep it straight. You can’t just get sideways and be able to correct yourself. The side force doesn’t hold the cars down to the track. It’s definitely going to be a challenge but it’s a fun challenge and I’m excited to keep learning everything I can about the car to bring speed and results to our team.”

Heading into your third full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, this is also your third season with crew chief Randall Burnett on the pit box. How important is your relationship with him as we enter a new season?
“Randall and I have a really great relationship and it’s really important to have that when you’re trying to build a solid and successful team. We work really well together, and I think we’ve been able to learn a lot about the Next Gen car together during the tests and the offseason. Obviously, this year, we have a lot of goals for our No. 8 team and achieving those goals becomes easier when you have a good relationship with the leader of your team. 2021 was good to us, with a lot of good runs and consistent finishes that helped us punch at ticket to the Playoffs. Although our Playoff run ended early, it was the momentum we need for this season.”

Will Serve as Associate Partner of the No. 42 Chevrolet at Clash at The Coliseum and Daytona 500

STATESVILLE, N.C. (February 4, 2022) – Ethos Car Care, a leader in its industry, will ride along with Ty Dillon and Petty GMS as an associate sponsor when the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season gets underway. Ethos Car Care will be featured on Dillon’s No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Camaro ZL1 at both the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum and the Daytona 500.

While the upcoming Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum is an unknown, Dillon has always wheeled around Daytona International Speedway with relative ease. The Welcome, N.C., native has often found himself at the front of the field at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, nearly visiting victory lane during the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season when he hustled to sixth and fourth-place finishes in the two races at Daytona.

Ethos Car Care was founded with the simple goal of making professional detailing results quicker and easier than ever before. Their products are lab-tested, American made and created by professionals. Ethos Car Care products are superior because they come from decades of experience of the company’s founder, Tim Coats, detailing in the real world. He took this hard-earned experience and combined it with state-of-the-art chemistry to make products that produce results you truly must see to believe.

Ethos Car Care is proud to partner with Petty GMS, a newly formed team that brought together two storied organizations. Over the last decade, owner Maury Gallagher has built a victorious team, capturing two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships, one ARCA Menards Series title, and two ARCA Menards Series East championships, as well as 65 wins and 235 top-five finishes across six series. Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2010, serves as Chairman of Petty GMS. Petty, known as “The King,” accumulated over 200 wins and was the first of three drivers to win seven championships in the Cup Series.

“NASCAR indexes well with our brand and is a natural fit as we expand our presence. Race fans are brand-loyal and passionate, so we are excited be a part of these two season-opening events as we make our entry into the racing world,” Ethos Car Care founder, Tim Coats, said. “Ty Dillon and the Petty GMS organization are the perfect partners to help us achieve our desired goal of elevated brand awareness and educating consumers on the many benefits of using Ethos Car Care products.”

“I’m excited to have Ethos Car Care riding on our No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet for the Clash and Daytona 500,” said Dillon. “The Ethos Car Care products are not only created with high-end quality ingredients, but they are made right here in the United States. Tim (Coats) has built a business from experience and mixed it with science to create a line of products everyone can use on their vehicles.”

Please visit www.EthosCarCare.com to learn more about how innovative car care products can further enhance your love for motorsports.



ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. Founded in December 2021, Maury Gallagher, championship-winning team owner of GMS Racing, purchased a majority interest of Richard Petty Motorsports. Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, known as “The King,” remains a key stakeholder of the organization. For more information, visit www.pettygms.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Team Penske Becomes the First NASCAR Team to Use a Fully Electric Semi Truck to Pull Hauler

MOORESVILLE, N.C. / PORTLAND, Ore. (February 4, 2022) – On Thursday, Team Penske and long-time partner Freightliner, part of Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), made history by using the pre-production, fully-electric Freightliner eCascadia semi-truck to pull a full-sized Team Penske racecar hauler to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ahead of this weekend’s Clash event.

The electric semi-truck pulled the trailer from a Penske Truck Leasing (PTL) location in Ontario, Calif. to the inaugural race at the L.A. Coliseum as part of Freightliner’s primary sponsorship of the No. 2 Freightliner eCascadia Ford driven by NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year contender Austin Cindric. The eCascadia will remain on display throughout race weekend to give fans a firsthand look at the battery electric truck.

“Team Penske has been evolving with Freightliner since 1984,” said Team Penske Transportation Director Chris Yoder, who oversees 20 Freightliner trucks at the team’s Mooresville, N.C. headquarters and piloted the eCascadia during the historic drive. “I think it’s safe to say we’ve operated every model road tractor Freightliner has produced since 1984. Yesterday’s trip with the eCascadia will mark the pinnacle of our partnership. Together we’ve innovated and developed on the ground floor and this trip is symbolic of the next journey we plan to take together, a carbon neutral future with a focus on sustainability.”

“At Freightliner, we’re driven to deliver purposeful innovation for our customers and there’s a tremendous sense of pride to see the innovative all-electric Freightliner eCascadia used by our longstanding partners at Team Penske to make racing history. We look forward to cheering them on this weekend,” said Mary Aufdemberg, general manager, product strategy and market development, DTNA.

The eCascadia used by Team Penske is part of the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet, which includes 20 battery electric trucks in operation by PTL and its customers. The fleet began operation in 2019 and was supported by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), which focuses on improving air quality in the South Coast Basin of Southern California and partially funded the project.

“We’re committed to leading our industry in the transition to commercial electric vehicles and providing increasingly more sustainable truck options to our customers,” said Art Vallely, President of Penske Truck Leasing. “We continue to test new and innovative vehicles in our fleet, and we have been impressed with the performance of these Freightliner vehicles.”

To date, PTL has accumulated over 480,000 miles of use on the trucks, providing DTNA valuable feedback for the final series production coming in late 2022. The two companies share a passion for long term sustainability and carbon neutrality, making the development process even more meaningful with Team Penske ready to author the next chapter in an incredibly successful partnership on the racetrack.

A leader in global transportation systems, PTL constructed charging infrastructure across six locations in California. Technology partners also involved in this project included Team Penske sponsors such as Shell, Hitachi, and Siemens. Currently, PTL operates 10 Freightliner eCascadia day cab tractors and 10 Freightliner eM2 fully electric box trucks running regular routes to customers around Southern California with a focus forward on sustainability.

Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Freightliner eCascadia Ford team kick off the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season on Sunday with the inaugural running of The Clash, an exhibition run inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on a specially designed and constructed quarter-mile track inside the iconic venue.

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, two 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 full-time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Cup Series and the World Endurance Championship. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.

About Daimler Truck North America

Daimler Truck North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a leading provider of comprehensive products and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. Daimler Truck North America designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and their associated technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp and Detroit brands. Daimler Truck North America is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck Holding AG (DTG), one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.

About Penske Truck Leasing
Penske Truck Leasing is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. A leading global transportation services provider, Penske Truck Leasing operates more than 360,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,300 locations in North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck rentals, used truck sales, transportation and warehousing management and supply chain management solutions. Visit www.pensketruckleasing.com to learn more.

Network of travel stops celebrates decade with reigning Daytona 500 Championship team

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 4, 2022) – Love’s Travel Stops, the leading travel stop network, is back and ready to defend its 2021 Daytona 500 Championship win with driver Michael McDowell and Front Row Motorsports (FRM). The famous yellow and red heart scheme is back for its 10th consecutive season on the No. 34 Ford Mustang and will debut its new Next Generation look this weekend at the Clash inside the famed Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Speedco, a member of the Love’s Family of Companies, will also serve as a partner of the No. 34 team and McDowell.

Love’s will follow the NASCAR Cup Series back east to the Daytona International Speedway in two weeks where they will help McDowell defend his memorable 2021 Daytona 500 win. Love’s will be the featured partner of the No. 34 Ford Mustang for half of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. The popular travel stop will support McDowell during premier races at the Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Road America, Texas Motor Speedway and more.

A longstanding partner, Love’s is coming off its most successful season in the sport, highlighted by its Daytona 500 win, top-10 finishes and being in the NASCAR Playoffs. The company has enjoyed seeing the growth of FRM.

“We are very proud to continue our partnership with Front Row Motorsports and Michael McDowell,” said Dave Frankenfield, vice president of Marketing for Love’s. “Our customers have enjoyed following the team over the past nine seasons and we’re thrilled with the Daytona 500 win last year. We’re excited to see what this season brings and wish the team much success.”

In 2022, McDowell enjoyed a career-best year with Love’s and their partners. The team earned five top-10 and two top-five finishes along with the Daytona 500 victory. McDowell is ready to better that success with Love’s and Speedco as NASCAR ushers in a new era of racing.

“We’re ready to make this season even better than last year,” said McDowell. “We can only do that with the support of Love’s and Speedco. They are very loyal partners of Front Row Motorsports and we want to continue to bring them success on the track. I appreciate their partnership and I am ready to show what we can do together this year.”

For more information about Love’s, visit www.loves.com. You can also follow Love’s on social media: Twitter at @LovesTravelStops, Facebook at @LovesTravelStops and Instagram at @lovestravelstops.

About Love’s
Love’s is the nation’s leading travel stop network with more than 580 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 34,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has over 420 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance, and total truck care nationwide network with over 1,500 maintenance bays and 1,200 emergency roadside vehicles available for customers. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.