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HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Advance

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 6

● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

● Layout: Quarter-mile oval

● Format: 150-lap Feature with a 23-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)

● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

● Note: Heats and LCQ are broadcast live from 3-5 p.m. EST. Feature airs live at 6 p.m. EST.

Notes of Interest

● It’ll be a Southern California homecoming like no other for Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), when he and his fellow NASCAR Cup Series competitors kick off the 2022 season with this weekend’s exhibition Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. The recently turned 24-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, will help usher in a new era of American stock-car racing’s premier division by debuting an all-new racecar on a new track. The long-anticipated NextGen car will see its first racing action Saturday and Sunday on a purpose-built, quarter-mile, asphalt oval inside the confines of the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It will be the first time the series has kicked off a season at a track other than Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway since 1981, when the schedule opened on a road course at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway, approximately 50 miles east of Los Angeles. Riverside was demolished in 1989, the Moreno Valley Mall now standing in its place.

● The NextGen is the seventh version of the stock car NASCAR introduced in 1949. Its most notable features include a sequential shifter, 670-horsepower engines, a single center-lock wheel nut akin to Indy cars and sports cars, and car numbers just behind the front wheels, as well as carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body panels, a carbon-fiber floor that covers the entire underneath portion of the car, and a rear-end diffuser – all of which are in place to reduce dirty air. Its rack-and-pinion steering replaces the archaic recirculating ball used in its predecessors, and an independent rear suspension is a drastic upgrade from the full-floating axle first championed by 1950s-era Detroit products. Most importantly, the NextGen car is much more in line with what manufacturers sell and consumers want to see.

● Custer earned a spot in last year’s season-opening Busch Clash non-points event held for the first time on the road course at Daytona by virtue of his first career Cup Series victory at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta the previous July. If he is to race in the main event for the second time in his career this weekend, the 2020 Cup Series Rookie of the Year will need to race his way in. Here’s how it will work:

● On Saturday, NASCAR Cup Series competitors will take to the track for practice prior to single-car qualifying runs to determine the starting order for four heat races. The field will be open to 40 entrants. On Sunday, on-track action will begin with four, 25-lap heat races consisting of 10 cars each. Below is a breakdown on how the heat races will be filled out:

● The top-four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single-car 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: Heat one will be made up of 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 those 16 cars being determined in the same manner.

● 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 (LCQ) races. Below is a breakdown on how the LCQ 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 LCQ race. 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 LCQ 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 LCQ races will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 17-22 of the 23 available positions.

● The final spot in the Busch Light Clash will be reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2021 points standings who does not transfer on finishing position in the heat races or LCQ races.

● All other drivers will be eliminated from competition for the remainder of the event weekend.

● The quarter-mile oval at the Coliseum is the shortest track the Cup Series will race on this year. Custer has shown flashes of brilliance on short tracks during his steady rise to the fulltime Cup Series ranks in 2020. Since turning heads as a 13-year-old with a solid fourth-place finish in a June 2011 Langer’s Juice S-2 Sportsman Series race at nearby Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, Custer has scored four wins, 17 top-fives, 30 top-10s and has led 1,138 laps on short tracks.

● Returning to Custer’s No. 41 Ford Mustang for his third fulltime Cup Series season is team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

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

Your thoughts about embarking on your third fulltime NASCAR Cup Series season with a brand-new racecar and racing in your old stomping grounds?

“First of all, I just love racing at home. And secondly, racing at a new location – at such an iconic location like the L.A. Coliseum – will hopefully bring a lot of new fans into our sport. There are so many unknowns going into this race, I don’t think anybody knows what to make of it. Looking at the racetrack, I think it’s pretty much a promise that somebody’s going to be in a fight on the frontstretch. It’s a really tight racetrack, it’s going to be a lot of beating and banging, it’s going to be fighting over space and trying to get to the front any way possible so you can transfer through to the next race. A lot of it can come down to qualifying or the pill draw, whether you can get the track position you need. But it’s going to be one of the most interesting races of the year because I don’t think anybody knows what to expect.”

What is it going to be like for a driver to be in that Coliseum environment, and how do your prepare for that?

“Nobody really knows what to expect with this being the first race with the new car and also a track we’ve never run before. Like I said, with how small the track is, there’s going to be a lot of beating and banging and it’s probably going to be the craziest race of the year. You get on a simulator to figure out little things – just getting prepared, getting the visuals right for the racetrack, getting a little bit of a feel for it. But really, it’s going to be a lot of adapting. You’re going to go out there for the first lap of practice and you’re going to try and soak it up and adapt as fast as you can.”

Do you have any expectations after what you’ve experienced so far while testing and working with the NextGen car?

“We’ve had a few tests – Dover, Daytona, Charlotte. With this new car, you’re definitely trying to get as much seat time as you can. It should level out the playing field a lot just because it’s new for everybody. It’s something that everybody has to learn, everybody has to figure out how far they can push the car. This is the biggest change NASCAR has had in the last probably 50 years from season to season, so it’s going to be an interesting year and a lot of equalizing.”

A lot of your fellow competitors head to the Coliseum after having competed in some exciting short-track and dirt-racing events during the offseason, like last month’s Chili Bowl. Is that something you would like to do someday?

“I would love to. I ran a little bit of Midget stuff when I was younger. I wouldn’t say as a professional but I was younger and wanted to learn the basics of major racing. I think every single time I watch a race like the Chili Bowl, I want to be a part of it. It’s one of those races that’s so awesome to see how excited every single person is to be there. And how many cars they get, how competitive it is, it’s just one of the greatest grassroots short-track races of the year. I think open-wheel dirt racing is some of the most fun you can have as a driver, also, so I’d love to try and get a little more experience this year and try to get to run at the Chili Bowl. But it takes that right opportunity – you don’t want to be the guy who goes out there cold turkey and flips the car down the frontstretch.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

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

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Dewayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Austin Greco
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples
Hometown: Hudson, Illinois

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

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

Weekend schedule and format for Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

By
Angie Campbell
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Photo by Michael Chow for NASCAR-Digital Media

NASCAR’S Busch Light Clash exhibition race will have a new look in 2022. Since 1979 this event has been held at Daytona International Speedway as a prelude to the regular season. This year, for the first time, the 150-lap event will be held on a 0.25-mile asphalt oval that has been constructed inside the renowned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

There will not be any regular pit stops during the Busch Light Clash but there will be a break at the halfway point of the race on Lap 75. At this time, teams will have a six-minute window to make adjustments. Caution laps during the race will not count.

Kyle Busch, the returning Busch Light Clash winner, also won in 2012. Dale Earnhardt holds the all-time record with six victories.

The FORMAT

Only 23 drivers will advance to the main event on Sunday with 36 drivers currently vying for one of those spots. Qualifying will be held Saturday and the order will be set by the final 2021 Cup Series owner points, from lowest in owner points to highest.

Every car entered in the Clash will participate in one of the four heat races Sunday afternoon. There will be 10 drivers in each heat race and the top-four finishers in each heat race (16 drivers) will automatically advance to the main event.

The fastest driver from Saturday’s qualifying session will start on the pole in the first heat race and the second-fastest will start on the pole for the second heat race with this formula continuing through each heat race, as shown below.

Heat Race 1 Lineup

  1. Fastest in qualifying

2. Fifth fastest

3. Ninth fastest

4. 13th fastest

Heat Race 2 Lineup

  1. Second fastest in qualifying

2. Sixth fastest

3. 10th fastest

4. 14th fastest

After the heat races, there will be a final opportunity to qualify for entry into the Clash with two Last Chance Qualifiers comprised of 50 laps each. The top three finishers in each LCQ race (6 drivers) will advance to the Busch Light Clash.

The last position (23rd) will go to the driver who finished the highest in the 2021 points standings but did not earn a spot in the heat races or the Last Chance Qualifiers.

The Schedule

Saturday, Feb. 5

12:30 – 2:30 p.m.: – Cup Series practice – The teams will be divided into three groups and each group will have three 8-minute practice sessions – FS2/MRN

8:30 – 9:30 p.m.: – Cup Series qualifying – single-car, three laps – FS1/MRN

Sunday, Feb. 6

3 p.m. ET: – Busch Light Clash qualifying heat races (Four heat races – 25 laps each – FOX/MRN

4:10 p.m. ET (time approximate): Two last-chance qualifiers – 50 laps each – FOX/MRN

6 p.m. ET: – Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, 150 laps – FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Entry List:

EntryCar No.DriverTeamCrew ChiefManufacturer
11Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamPhil SurgenChevrolet
22Austin CindricTeam PenskeJeremy BullinsFord
33Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingJustin AlexanderChevrolet
44Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingRodney ChildersFord
55Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsCliff DanielsChevrolet
66Brad KeselowskiRoush Fenway Keselowski RacingMatt McCallFord
77Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsRyan SparksChevrolet
88Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingRandall BurnettChevrolet
99Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsAlan GustafsonChevrolet
1010Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingDrew BlickensderferFord
1111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChris GabehartToyota
1212Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeJonathan HasslerFord
1314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingJohnny KlausmeierFord
1415Ryan PreeceRick Ware RacingJason HoughtalingFord
1516AJ AllmendingerKaulig RacingMatt SwiderskiChevrolet
1617Chris BuescherRoush Fenway Keselowski RacingScott GravesFord
1718Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingSeth ChavkaToyota
1819Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingJames SmallToyota
1920Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingAdam StevensToyota
2021Harrison BurtonWood Brothers RacingBrian WilsonFord
2122Joey LoganoTeam PenskePaul WolfeFord
2223Bubba Wallace23XI RacingBootie BarkerToyota
2324William ByronHendrick MotorsportsRyan FugleChevrolet
2431Justin HaleyKaulig RacingTrent OwensChevrolet
2534Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsBlake HarrisFord
2638Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsSeth BarbourFord
2741Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingMike ShiplettFord
2842Ty DillonPetty GMS RacingJerame DonleyChevrolet
2943Erik JonesPetty GMS RacingDave ElenzChevrolet
3045Kurt Busch23XI RacingBilly ScottToyota
3147Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingBrian PattieChevrolet
3248Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsGreg IvesChevrolet
3351Cody WareRick Ware RacingBilly PlourdeFord
3477Landon CassillSpire MotorsportsKevin BellicourtChevrolet
3578BJ McLeodLive Fast MotorsportsLee LeslieFord
3699Daniel SuarezTrackHouse Racing TeamTravis MackChevrolet

Pfaff Motorsports victorious at Daytona 24 Hours

By
Official Release
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Image credit: Pfaff Motorsports/Lenssen Photo

Porsche Team, Drivers Capture First-Ever Win at Legendary Endurance Race

DAYTONA, Fla., Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In what is already being considered one of the greatest all-time battles in sportscar racing, Pfaff Motorsports captured the inaugural IMSA GTD Pro class victory in the 60th running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona on the final lap.

Porsche factory drivers Mathieu Jaminet (FRA), Matt Campbell (AUS) and two-time IMSA prototype champion and former F1 driver Felipe Nasr (BRA) banded together for their first event with the Canadian-based squad following a successful preseason test last week at the 5.73-km (3.56 mi) Florida circuit, where the team qualified second in its plaid-livery Motul Porsche 911 GT3 R ahead of the 2022 season-opener.

Entering the calendar’s longest and most grueling race, wet weather during Thursday and Friday practice sessions meant less track time before Saturday’s race start, where dry track conditions combined with unseasonably cold temperatures throughout the 24 hours.

From the wave of the green flag, Pfaff challenged for the lead, taking the top spot on lap nine and staying within the top two positions for the next 120 laps. From there, the team and drivers were methodical in their execution, keeping within the top four positions and performing flawlessly in the pits, while a stream of 17 full-course yellow flags kept the field together throughout the race.

Making a push in the final quarter of the race, Campbell began to chip away at the leading KCMG Porsche, swapping to the top spot before handing the car to Jaminet for the final stint – and a tumultuous two-hour battle with former Pfaff driver and 2021 GTD champion Laurens Vanthoor.

Under green flag conditions, Jaminet and Vanthoor fought head-to-head in the final hour, in what would become one of the Daytona 24’s most exciting finishes.

With just four minutes remaining, Vanthoor retook the lead, defending Jaminet with every available resource; the two drivers pushed each other to the track limits and sometimes beyond, battering their 911 GT3 Rs in a fierce dogfight.

Coming down to the final lap, Jaminet made a calculated dive on the inside of the international horseshoe corner and held steady entering into the NASCAR superspeedway. Making a last-ditch effort with just six corners remaining, Vanthoor pulled alongside Jaminet on the outside of the Le Mans chicane, where the two bumped and went off track. Jaminet held steady as Vanthoor spun, giving the French driver clear air to cross the finish line and capture the team’s first win at the Daytona 24 Hours – in Pfaff’s third full season in IMSA WeatherTech competition.

Mathieu Jaminet, Driver:
“At the moment I am speechless. It is difficult to realize what just happened. This is the biggest race I have won in my career. This is the one everyone wants to win; it is the watch (Rolex Daytona) everyone wants to have. To finally get it, it is incredible. I need some time to realize what just happened. Especially in that way: a proper field, proper cars around us. I had a crazy finish with one of the best GT drivers in the world fighting against me. The big picture is just perfect.

“Matt did an incredible job throughout the race but especially at the end, because he brought the car back up to the KCMG Porsche which made a huge difference. I am super happy.

“Honestly, I didn’t know it was the last lap. Everyone will remember the last four minutes, but for me, it was two hours of hard fighting. To stay in front for two hours was tough – really tough. When it comes down to the last lap of 24-hours of racing, it is what everyone wants to have, including us drivers, but on the other hand, I feel for the other team because they deserved to win as much as we do. So, hats off to Laurens and to the KCMG crew because they also deserved that win. We worked hard for it. Hats off to everyone at Pfaff Motorsports. They did an amazing job on strategy and in the pits.”

Matt Campbell, Driver:
“I’m super emotional. We are pretty speechless to win a race in such a fashion, especially in the new era with GTD Pro. It is fantastic. To win it the way we did with Mathieu in the car and the finish we had, it just makes it that extra special. And now we can call ourselves Rolex 24 Hour winners. It is an incredible feeling.

“If you look at the cars that were in GTD Pro, it was a race of attrition. We just knew we had to keep it clean until the morning and see if we were in a position to fight, and we were. We had a fantastic strategy and we were able to bring the car back to the front with five hours to go. Then we could start thinking about pacing ourselves for the final hours.

“Mathieu and I have done this race many times. We have come close many times, and now to be able to finally have a win, especially with a full-season effort with Pfaff, it is a great way to start the season. Hopefully, we can get a few more along the way.”

Steve Bortolotti, General Manager:
“That was an intense finish. Obviously, Laurens is a great driver and we know that from working with him last year, and winning the IMSA championship with him. We thought we had a really good car, especially at the end. Mathieu did an amazing job. Frankly, all three drivers did an amazing job. The team was on it all weekend.

“Obviously, this is something we will remember forever. This is why we do it. We put this program together with the goal of success as a group. We win as a team; we lose as a team. We are going to make it a point to continue this legacy and build something great.”

Pfaff Motorsports now returns to its headquarters in Toronto, Canada in preparation for round two and the series’ second-longest event, the 12 Hours of Sebring, happening March 16-19.

Stay tuned for further announcements from Pfaff Motorsports. For more exciting news and behind-the-scenes content, follow @PfaffMotorsports, @Pfaff_Porsche, @Porsche_Markham, and @PfaffAuto on Instagram and Facebook.

About Pfaff Automotive Partners
Pfaff Automotive Partners, a leading Canadian automotive retailer, was founded in 1964. Its brand offering includes Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, MINI, Porsche, McLaren, Singer Vehicle Design, Pagani, BAC Mono, Harley-Davidson, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, and Automobili Pininfarina automobiles and motorcycles. It has a 50-plus-year racing history across many forms of motorsport. The company also operates Pfaff Tuning, Pfaff Leasing, and Pfaff Autoworks. For more information, please visit www.pfaffauto.com.

About Motul
Motul is a world-class French company specialized in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motultech activity. Present in more than 120 countries, Motul USA was established in 1989 as a subsidiary of Motul France and is based in Southern California. Motul is recognized as the specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant for automotive engines, the 300V lubricant, making use of Esters technology from the aeronautical industry.

Throughout the years, Motul has gained experience as an official supplier to many racing teams and manufacturers and contributes with them to further technological development in motorsports. Motul is supporting those teams in international competitions such as: 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTechSportsCar Championship, Super GT, Drift, Pikes Peak, Japanese championship Super Formula, Blancpain Endurance Series, Dakar, Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic, MotoGP, World Superbike, World MX, FIM Endurance World Championship, IOM TT, Roof of Africa and score of others.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Advance

By
Official Release
-

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM

The 2022 NASCAR season kicks off with this weekend’s inaugural Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, marking the first time the annual non-points event takes place away from Daytona International Speedway.

This Week’s Schedule:

Sunday, February 6 – NASCAR Cup Series Clash at the Coliseum, 6 p.m. ET (FOX)

LOOKING AT THE 2022 FORD CUP LINEUP

There have been a few changes to the Ford lineup since the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season ended. Here’s a look at the 2022 full-time roster:

Driver – Car Number (Team)
Austin Cindric — No. 2 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)
Kevin Harvick — No. 4 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)
Brad Keselowski — No. 6 Ford Mustang (Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing)
Aric Almirola — No. 10 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)
Ryan Blaney — No. 12 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)
Chase Briscoe — No. 14 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)
David Ragan, Ryan Preece, Joey Hand, TBD — No. 15 Ford Mustang (Rick Ware Racing)
Chris Buescher — No. 17 Ford Mustang (Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing)
Harrison Burton — No. 21 Ford Mustang (Wood Brothers Racing)
Joey Logano — No. 22 Ford Mustang (Team Penske)
Michael McDowell — No. 34 Ford Mustang (Front Row Motorsports)
Todd Gilliland — No. 38 Ford Mustang (Front Row Motorsports)
Cole Custer — No. 41 Ford Mustang (Stewart-Haas Racing)
Cody Ware — No. 51 Ford Mustang (Rick Ware Racing)
B.J. McLeod — No. 78 Ford Mustang (Live Fast Motorsports)

NEXT GEN MUSTANG SET FOR DEBUT

The NASCAR Next Gen Mustang will take to the track for the first time in competition this weekend, beginning a new era of stock car racing. The Cup Series vehicle is all-new from the ground up and features components like rack & pinion steering and independent rear suspension that are common in today’s passenger cars. The exterior of Ford’s Next Gen Mustang was designed through a collaborative effort between Ford Performance engineers and the Ford Motor Company Design Studio team. During that process, the car also went through extensive simulation testing at the Ford Performance Tech Center in Concord, NC, and on the Ford Motor Company campus in Dearborn, MI.

FORD CLASH HISTORY

The Clash has been held in some form since 1979 and Ford has won it nine times by seven different drivers. The best stretch for Ford in the event undoubtedly came during a three-year winning streak in which Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett all reached victory lane from 1998-2000. Jarrett owns three of Ford’s nine victories (1996, 2000, 2004) in the event and on two of those occasions (1996 and 2000) he went on to win the Daytona 500.

ELLIOTT CLAIMS FORD’S FIRST CLASH VICTORY AT DAYTONA

Bill Elliott became the first Ford driver to win a non-points event in the NASCAR Cup Series on Feb. 8, 1987 when he captured the Busch Clash. The format that year was a single 20-lap run (50 miles) with no pit stop required. Elliott, who started on the pole in his No. 9 Coors Thunderbird after a blind draw, fell back to sixth on the start after Terry Labonte and Ricky Rudd were involved in an accident on the first lap. On the ensuing restart, Elliott steadily reeled in leader Darrell Waltrip and passed him on lap eight. Elliott led the final 13 laps and won with an average speed of 197.802 mph, a record that still stands for the event. A week later, Elliott won his second Daytona 500.

TAURUS WINS DEBUT AS RUSTY WINS INAUGURAL BUD SHOOTOUT

Taurus made NASCAR history as the first four-door sedan and it wasted no time in opening eyes as Rusty Wallace drove it to victory in its debut race – the 1998 Bud Shootout. The win was Wallace’s first at Daytona International Speedway and it came with a little help from his younger brother, Kenny, who pushed him across the finish line on the final lap. Bill Elliott and Jimmy Spencer finished third and fourth, respectively, to give Ford a sweep of the top four positions.

DJ HOLDS OFF JR FOR SHOOTOUT TRIUMPH

Dale Jarrett won his third Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 7, 2004 in his No. 88 UPS Taurus. The race was broken up into two segments – an initial 20-lap run followed by a 50-lapper to the finish – and marked the beginning of Nextel as series sponsor. Jarrett and Kevin Harvick were side-by-side at the white flag, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Jarrett the push he needed to complete the pass on the outside going through turn one. Even though Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray got into an accident on the backstretch, the race finished under green with Jarrett holding off Earnhardt Jr. for the win.

LOGANO BREAKS CLASH DROUGHT

Joey Logano snapped a 13-year Ford winless drought when he won The Clash in 2017, making him the manufacturer’s first victor since Dale Jarrett in 2004. Logano found himself in the right place at the right time, taking the lead after Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski made contact on the final lap. Keselowski had a run and was trying to pass Hamlin, whose attempt at blocking came too late and resulted in both cars colliding. That enabled Logano to get through and win the Clash for the first time in his career. Four Ford drivers finished in the top six spots as Danica Patrick was fourth, Kevin Harvick fifth and Keselowski sixth.

KESELOWSKI SETS THE TONE

In a foreshadowing of what the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series would look like, Brad Keselowski took Ford to Victory Lane in the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. Keselowski led a Ford sweep of the top four finishing positions as he took the lead on lap 39 of the 75-lap feature and never looked back, holding off Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Ryan Blaney, respectively. It marked the second straight Clash win for Ford and served as a springboard that saw the Blue Oval lead the series with 19 points wins and capture the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.

FORD’S BUSCH LIGHT CLASH WINNERS

1987 – Bill Elliott

1992 – Geoffrey Bodine

1996 – Dale Jarrett

1998 – Rusty Wallace

1999 – Mark Martin

2000 – Dale Jarrett

2004 – Dale Jarrett

2017 – Joey Logano

2018 – Brad Keselowski

M&M’S Racing: Kyle Busch Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Advance

By
Official Release
-

KYLE BUSCH
‘Clash’ of the Titans

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Feb. 1, 2022) – As the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season quickly approaches, it’s shaping up to feature many new and unique twists than fans have seen in quite some time.

The traditional season-opening exhibition race, now called the Busch Light Clash, was held for 43 years at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Debuting in 1979, the non-points event was held on the 2.5-mile oval for the first 42 years, then moved to the Daytona road course for the 2021 edition. For this year, the event has been reimagined in a big way, moving to a purpose-built, quarter-mile, asphalt oval inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum kicks off the 2022 season at a track other than Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for the first time since 1981, when the series opened its season on a road course at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway, approximately 50 miles east of Los Angeles.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), is the defending winner of the Busch Light Clash, albeit with a thrilling, last-corner victory on the Daytona road course last February as Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney collided in front of him, allowing the Las Vegas native to slip past both drivers to bring home the checkered flag. The win was Busch’s second in the season-opening exhibition race to go with his thrilling comeback in 2012, when he inched past Tony Stewart at the line to bring home the win on the Daytona oval.

While starting the season on a purpose-built track inside the Los Angeles Coliseum qualifies as new and unique, it’s not nearly the only new thing NASCAR fans will need to get used to in 2022. The Clash also serves as the debut of the NextGen car in NASCAR’s top series.

The NextGen car is the seventh-generation stock car introduced since NASCAR began sanctioning what is now called the Cup Series in 1949. While the car has a sleek, new look more in line with the street versions of each of its manufacturers. Highlights of the NextGen car include a sequential shifter, 670-horsepower engines, single center-lock wheel nuts akin to what is used on Formula One cars, Indy cars and sports cars, and car numbers shifting forward, just behind the front wheel well.

In addition to those notables, the NextGen car also features carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body panels, a carbon-fiber floor that covers the entire underneath portion of the car, and a rear-end diffuser to reduce dirty air. Also, rack-and-pinion steering replaces the archaic recirculating ball, and an independent rear suspension is a drastic upgrade from the full floating axle.

As for the Clash race format, Busch will be one of an expected 36 entries who will vie for 23 starting spots in the 150-lap feature on the quarter-mile Coliseum oval. The race weekend starts with practice and qualifying Saturday and continues with heat races and last-chance qualifiers Sunday. The feature race begins at 3 p.m. EST and will be televised live on FOX.

So as Busch and his fellow Cup Series competitors head out West to compete in the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, he’s hoping he can bring home a win with his M&M’S Camry in this “Clash” of the Titans of NASCAR’s top series in the City of Angels.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

What does it mean to be able to race at a place like the Los Angeles Coliseum?

“It’s really cool. Obviously, the history of the Coliseum is really, really neat. It’s going to be tight corners for us, there’s not a lot of space there. We’ll put on the best show we possibly can. Being it’s such a historic venue, we hope we can get a good crowd out there and enjoy the show, and hopefully have a few new eyeballs come out there and tune in on TV, and keep some of those people to watch our other races during the remainder of the year.”

How do you think the racing is going to be like at the Coliseum?

“I have no idea what it’s going to be like. Top speed is probably going to be around 60 mph and the low speed in the corners may be 20 mph. It’s going to be action-packed. We aren’t going to be able to spread out and get away from each other. We are going to be all over the top of each other’s bumpers and doors. Double-file restarts are going to be really tight, and there’s going to be a lot of fenders bent and probably feelings hurt.”

What is your anticipation level for the Clash?

“My anticipation level is probably a lot like everyone else’s, just not exactly knowing what we are going to see. I’ve raced on tracks that small before, but it was in Legends cars. We’ll have to see how this track fits these big, heavy stock cars. We’ll see how it goes. I’d like to do nothing more than take our M&M’S Camry to victory lane the very first time we get to run at a new venue like the Coliseum.”

What’s it going to be like being in Los Angeles to start the season with a unique, first-time event like the Clash at the Coliseum?

“Being in Los Angeles is cool. But when it comes time to race, it’s time to get down to business. We have objectives in mind to be able to go out there and win. It’s a performance-based business, so with that in mind, you want to go out there and do well whether it’s a points-paying race or not for your team and for your sponsors. It’s the first race with the new car so there’s a lot on the line there. You’re going to be close to the fans, it will remind us a lot of Martinsville and Bristol, lining up on pit road before the race just 20 to 30 feet away from the fans right across the way at the fence line.”

Event Overview:

● Event: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 6
● Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
● Layout: Quarter-mile oval
● Format: 150-lap Feature with a 23-car field set by Heats and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
● Note: Heats and LCQ are broadcast live from 3-5 p.m. EST. Feature airs live at 6 p.m. EST.

Notes of Interest:

● The Format: The L.A. Coliseum track is only a quarter-mile in length – the shortest track the NASCAR Cup Series will compete on in 2022. Only 23 cars can compete in the 150-lap main event. Full format details are below:

On Saturday, Feb. 5, NASCAR Cup Series competitors will take to the track for practice prior to single-car qualifying runs to determine the starting order for four heat races. The field will be open to 40 entrants. On Sunday, Feb. 6, on-track action will begin with four, 25-lap heat races consisting of 10 cars each. Below is a breakdown on how the heat races will be filled out: The top-four fastest qualifiers from Saturday’s single-car 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: Heat one will be made up of 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 those 16 cars being determined in the same manner. 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 (LCQ) races. Below is a breakdown on how the LCQ 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 LCQ race. 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 LCQ 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 LCQ races will advance to the Busch Light Clash, filling out positions 17-22 of the 23 available positions. The final spot in the Busch Light Clash will be reserved for the driver who finished the highest in the 2021 points standings who does not transfer on finishing position in the heat races or LCQ races. All other drivers will be eliminated from competition for the remainder of the event weekend.

● ‘Busch’ Clash history: The Busch Light Clash will mark Busch’s 16th appearance in the non-points event, with his 14 races competing on the 2.5-mile oval and last year’s Clash victory coming on the Daytona road course. He brought home his first of two Clash victories in 2012. In that race, Busch passed three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart coming to the finish line on the final lap. Busch won by .013 of a second, the closest finish in Clash history. Busch has led 61 total laps in his 16 previous Clash starts.

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Breaks Through for First IMSA Podium Finish At Daytona

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Official Release
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Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Breaks Through for First IMSA Podium Finish, Taking Third Place in GTD at the 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona in No. 32 Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports, and team drivers Stevan McAleer, Mike Skeen, Scott Andrews and James Davison, made their debut Rolex 24 At Daytona a memorable one this weekend with a third place IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship GTD finish in the No. 32 Gilbert Korthoff (GK) Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3. The break-through podium showing came in just the GK team’s fifth WeatherTech Championship GTD start, second major endurance race and first-ever 24-hour race. The GK Rolex 24 podium capped a successful week for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer teams across two racing series in IMSA’s season-opening weekend of competition at Daytona International Speedway, including three podium finishes, an IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge victory in the new bronze class and a top five in the debuting IMSA WeatherTech GTD Pro class.

Out of the record six Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries in the Rolex 24, the GK team stepped up to join its fellow Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer teams in a strong showing in both the GTD and GTD Pro classes throughout the twice-around-the-clock race. Each of the six entries led at least one race lap in the Rolex 24, with GK taking the lead three times at the front of the GTD field for 21 total laps led.

The GK No. 32 remained a fixture in the top five, and frequently broke into the top three, for 20 hours, remaining competitive throughout the race with each of its four drivers behind the wheel. Andrews drove the final stint and raced into third place after another lead competitor was assessed a penalty following the final restart of the race. The No. 32 crossed the finish line just over six seconds behind the second-place finisher and less than 20 seconds shy of the GTD class winner.

It was the second-consecutive year a Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer team reached the podium in its Rolex 24 debut. In 2021 Winward Racing drove a Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the GTD victory in its first Rolex 24, with a repeat win looking likely for the majority of this past weekend’s race.

Returning 2021 winning drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis were joined by Mikael Grenier and Lucas Auer in the pole-winning No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and stepped up as the GTD team to beat early in the race. From Saturday afternoon through early Sunday morning, Winward led the GTD field 13 times for a total of 151 laps, but a second-straight Rolex 24 race win was not in the cards.

A contact incident in the race’s second hour created a vibration that ultimately led to a costly front-end and hood repair early Sunday morning that put Winward nine laps down from the GTD leaders. Undeterred, Winward returned to the race and steadily picked up a few positions in the final five hours to finish sixth.

In the debuting GTD Pro division, Proton USA fielded a pair Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries for an international group of all-star drivers. The trio of Patrick Assenheimer, Dirk Müller and Austin Cindric co-drove the No. 15 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3 to a fifth-place class finish, persevering in a solo run to the finish after the team’s sister car retired at daybreak on Sunday.

Cooper MacNeil, Maro Engel, Jules Gounon and Daniel Juncadella combined to lead 77 race laps in the No. 97 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3. Gounon was at the wheel and leading GTD Pro Sunday morning as the race entered its final quarter, but the No. 97 was in the pits 20 minutes later with a race-ending technical issue. A cooling system water hose worked its way loose and the No. 97 was retired due to overheating.

Two other Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries competing in GTD also saw promising and race-leading runs end far too soon. The No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Kenny Habul, Raffaele Marciello, Luca Stolz and Fabian Schiller led 25 laps early on, only to sustain heavy damage in a multi-car incident on track just before the race’s four-hour mark. Habul was uninjured in the incident.

Alegra Motorsports was competitive from the drop of the green flag with Michael de Quesada, Daniel Morad, Maximilian Götz and Linus Lundqvist co-driving the No. 28 Alegra Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3. The No. 28 led three different times for 19 laps at the front of the GTD field in the race’s opening hours, but a technical issue forced the team to the garage and eventual retirement early Saturday evening.

A total of 10 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer teams competed at Daytona, including four Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries in Friday’s season-opening IMSA Pilot Challenge four-hour race.

Three Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries from Murillo Racing, and the No. 11 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Gary Ferrera and Kris Wilson, all finished within the overall top-14 in the four-hour race’s 31-car Grand Sport (GS) class field.

Ferrera and Wilson crossed the finish line 11th overall and first in the Bronze Cup class, a new championship within the overall 10-race GS schedule for Bronze-rated drivers, which most commonly designates sportsman or “Am” competitors.

Second in Bronze Cup, after a solid run to 14th overall, went to veteran teammates Brent Mosing and Tim Probert in the No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Murillo’s other entries combined for a pair of GS and overall top-10 finishes. Jeff Mosing and Eric Foss finished eighth in the No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 while Christian Szymczak and Kenny Murillo co-drove the No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 to a 10th place finish.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing competitors in both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge is round two of each series during the 12 Hours of Sebring weekend a Sebring International Raceway, March 16 – 19.

Mike Skeen, Driver – No. 32 Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I’m just extremely proud of all these guys. It’s our first time together, but there’s a lot of guys who have been here before and done this race. It’s a very promising start for the program, and I am really excited to see what we can do for the rest of the year. I am ecstatic to be on the podium. We obviously came here for a win, but this feels like a win at the moment. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 was really consistent throughout, even in really difficult temperatures all night and most of the day. We are starting off with some good points, and that puts us in a really strong position for the championship.”

Stevan McAleer, Driver – No. 32 Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “This is a spectacular result for us. Moving up to the GTD class this year, this is my first big event with the new guys and taking on the talent level in this field is no small task. There were 22-plus cars in this field, and we have been running at the front all weekend. It is pretty special, and we are ecstatic for Mercedes-AMG as the highest finishing Mercedes-AMG GT3. I can’t thank the team enough. The car was solid, and it is very easy to drive on old tires, which is important in endurance racing.”

Russell Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a pretty tough Rolex 24 for us. We had a lot of issues throughout the race, but the team really worked hard to bring us back to the front several times. Just like everyone always says, this was a race about just trying to stay alive, and I think there was teams out there that did a better job at that than we did. It’s on to the next one, we have proven we can win here, and now I am looking forward to competing in a full WeatherTech Championship GTD season. I think we will be equally fast at Sebring.”

Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I think we should be proud. We were the team to beat, led many laps and from the start of the race we were always in the top three. Philip, Russell and Lucas did an amazing job, and I think the four of us were one of the strongest lineups in the GTD field. The little bit of damage was unfortunate, it was very, very light contact, but enough to create some issues that we paid the price for early Sunday morning. With 61 cars on track, these things can happen, so we just have to keep working hard and come back at Sebring.”

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “A bit unlucky and a very tough race for us. We had a little bit of contact at the very beginning of the race, which led to the hood letting go on the oval. That dropped us from contention for the win, and even a podium position. Up to that point, everybody had done a really good job, driving wise, the crew on pits stops, great strategy and we had a lot of laps as the leading car in GTD. It was looking strong for the second win in a row, but it wasn’t meant to be this time. We will just have to come back and try again next year.”

Dirk Müller, Driver – No. 15 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We just had to get the car to the finish line. We were in a position to take it if something happened there at the end. We needed some action in front of us to get on the podium, and it didn’t happen. Thanks to everyone on the team, Mercedes-AMG and to Patrick and Austin for being great teammates and strong drivers. It was an awesome experience. Fifth for us was a good result.”

Maro Engel, Driver – No. 97 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “First of all, a big thank you to Cooper and everyone on his team and Proton for all welcoming us in a great way. Our Mercedes-AMG GT3 was handling very well, and we were always in contention. We were leading and unfortunately had an issue in the early morning hours after which we had to retire. It’s a tough race here in Daytona. Last year I was one of the smiling winners, but we will take this one on the chin and come back next year and get the win again. A big thank you to everyone involved and to my three awesome teammates.”

Daniel Juncadella, Driver – No. 97 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a great experience to be a part of this team, our first race with them and Cooper, and we were in a very competitive position. Racing can sometimes be bittersweet, and only one can win, and it wasn’t meant to be this time. We really showed we were in the fight for it, and that is a good sign for the year and our confidence. We will keep going and keep fighting for good results.”

Jules Gounon, Driver – No. 97 Proton USA Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s disappointing for us. Our Mercedes-AMG GT3 was perfect from the start of the race, but we had to retire the car when we were P1, which is a difficult pill to swallow. The team did a great job in their first race with the Mercedes-AMG GT3, and the car was great as always. It was amazing to have Cooper on the car, and Dani and Maro did an amazing job as they always do. We will try again for a Rolex next year.”

Gary Ferrera, Driver – No. 11 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “This is a new team and a new car to me. I only drove the Mercedes-AMG GT4 a few times last year – it’s a proper race car and very strong – so I am super excited we can do this well. I desperately want top-10 overall finishes, and we were just outside of that due to one mistake on a pit stop, but other than that, things are fantastic. I am fairly new to the car, but Kris and I have been doing this for a while. We are kind of like an old couple!”

Kris Wilson, Driver – No. 11 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “This is our first win together in GS and we couldn’t have done it without Gary. The car worked well. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is always great. The handling is great, and the braking is great. We will keep moving forward, hopefully do some testing and build on this solid result.”

Brent Mosing, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “The Murillo Racing team was great. They are like one big family for us. Jeff and I are close. He is the youngest and I am the oldest of five in our family. We grew up together really close and loving cars. I have done 100 races through last year’s finale at Road Atlanta, and they have all been with Murillo Racing. That has been great and starting off with the four-hour race at Daytona is always great, and this is the first time Tim and I have done it by ourselves. We are both excited to finish the season off after this great start.”

Tim Probert, Driver – No. 65 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “This is so cool. Daytona is the birthplace of it all, the ‘World Center of Racing,’ so it means an awful lot to get our first bronze podium in the first bronze race at Daytona. The Murillo team gave us a great car, flawless, and the team did a perfect job. It was an awesome debut to the season for the Mercedes-AMG GT4.”

Eric Foss, Driver – No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “It was awesome to come back here to Daytona, especially with three cars. Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak in the No. 72 Mercedes-AMG GT4 is a huge addition to the team, adding additional good drivers to share the data and spread the load on setup stuff. It has really helped us work on the Mercedes-AMG GT4s.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “It was a really big challenge coming into Daytona with two new cars and three total. Everybody was up for the task, decided to give it our best shot, and I think we did that at Daytona. There are always things you need to improve as a team, but overall, I think everyone is happy with how the team performed and how our Mercedes-AMG GT4 performed. We wouldn’t have any other car.”

NTE/SSR Suffers Heartbreak at Rolex 24 At Daytona

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Official Release
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DAYTONA, Fla., (February 1, 2022) — Returning for their second year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, NTE Sport and Star Spangled Racing kicked off the season again with another challenging effort in the 60th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The No. 42 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, driven by Don Yount, Benjamin Hites, Jaden Conwright, and Markus Palttala, showed strong pace all week, but in the end, retired from the 24-hour endurance race early, suffering from a mechanical issue

After a week of practicing in the rain and undesirable conditions, Yount started the race on Saturday afternoon from 18th in class in much-desired sunshine and dry conditions. Cognizant to keep the car clear of traffic and any on-track incidents, the team focused the first stint on consistent lap times, setting the car up to be best over the long haul. For the next eight hours, Hites, Yount, Conwright, and Palttala chipped through the GTD class in an effort to break into the top five in class. Approaching the halfway point, Conwright battled against Milroy in the No. 70 McClaren with the two drivers exchanging positions throughout the course of their stints.

Shortly after 2:00 am, Hites increased pressure after having difficulty trying to pass Lacorte in the No. 47 Ferrari for several laps, resulting in contact with the Ferrari. Hites served a drive-through penalty and continued the chase to break into the top five in class. As the night waned, the drivers were unable to stay within the top five and moved up and down in standing, still remaining in the top ten.

forty-five minutes after sunrise, Hites reported into the pit box that there was an ABS sensor warning. As he braked for turn one the car locked up and the front left tire blew out, causing damage to the car. He limped the Lamborghini to the box and the team determined it required a trip back to the garage. After what the team hoped was a suitable repair to allow them to finish the race, they made a driver change, but Conwright soon received another ABS sensor light. NTE Sport owner Paul Mata was forced to make the difficult decision to retire from the race.

The Dallas, TX-based team returns to Florida March 16-19 as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship heads to Sebring International Raceway for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. For event information, visit imsa.com.

Michelin Pilot Challenge
In Michelin Pilot Challenge, the entry of the partnership of NTE Sport and mc2 autosport had a tough start to the race week, with an incident early into the weekend. The team quickly repaired the car and rebounded, making the No. 12 Aston Martin Vantage ready for drivers Manny Franco, Josh Hurley, and Thomas Merrill. Manny Franco piloted the No. 12 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in qualifying to an 18th in class starting position for Friday’s Michelin Pilot Challenge race. Lap after lap, the team charged through the field until a cooling issue retired the car early. The team hopes to contest in the full Michelin Pilot Challenge season, with further announcements being made at a later date.

About NTE Sport
NTE Sport is based in Dallas, Texas, and first raced in 2020. Owner Paul Mata has been in the industry for over 20 years before starting his own team and has always focused on bringing together a diverse group of individuals to provide new opportunities and bring new people into the sport. Past female drivers include Sheena Monk and Ashley Freiberg, and drivers from diverse racial backgrounds include Ryan Nash, Jaden Conwright, and Kerong Li. Dedicated to bringing highly skilled individuals from various backgrounds, NTE Sport aims to continue to make North American sports car racing a fun, welcoming, supportive environment while participating in the most competitive series in North America.

About Star Spangled Racing
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Star Spangled Racing is a newer sports car racing team, established in 2020 by first-generation immigrant Tiger Tari from Turkey. Tari is an accomplished businessman, race car driver, and philanthropist with big motorsport ambitions. Star Spangled Racing provides driving opportunities in the USA and Europe. Follow on Instagram here.

About mc² autosport
The founding principle of mc² autosport is that the simplest solution is most often the correct one. Our highly-professional staff are carefully selected for each of our drivers, and they are proven leaders in their class of vehicle. Our primary objective is to eliminate as many race day variables as possible, control what we can control, and mitigate any concerns that could impact the outcome of the race. We take the most direct approach to success by focusing on what’s important now. We do it right and we do it once.

About Southwest Funding
Southwest Funding began operations in 1993 under the name Dallas Residential Mortgage. We enjoyed great success early on and before long we were serving the entire state of Texas. This growth caused us to change our name to Texas Residential Mortgage.

As we continued to grow and thrive in the industry, Texas Residential Mortgage was changed to Southwest Funding to better accommodate our growing business in other states.

Today we’re still thriving, thanks in part to happy customers who have spread the word about what our company is doing to help borrowers get a home loan that fits their situation in an enjoyable and timely way. www.southwestfunding.com

About Gas Monkey Garage
Richard Rawlings, owner and founder of Gas Monkey Garage, is the star of the international hit series “Fast N’ Loud” & “Garage Rehab”. Since the inception of Gas Monkey Garage in 2004, Richard Rawlings continues to be anything except ordinary. Having built two commissioned custom cars for Hot Wheels, setting numerous world records, and cementing Gas Monkey Garage as a household name, Richard does anything but blend in!

Aside from his garage and television shows, Rawlings is a savvy businessman, turning Gas Monkey Garage into a full-fledged brand, owning multiple restaurants/venues, selling merchandise worldwide, and becoming a social media maverick boasting 20+ million followers. Learn more about Richard Rawlings and Gas Monkey at GasMonkeyGarage.com.

Lamborghini Dallas
Lamborghini Dallas has earned the Highest Rated Lamborghini Dealer in the United States award by DealerRater 10 years in a row. With a state-of-the-art showroom, factory-certified service facility, parts depot, and a team of master technicians, Lamborghini Dallas is dedicated to the legacy of the famed raging bull. As a member of Boardwalk Auto Group, we cultivate a focus on top-flight performance. It’s the driving force behind every nameplate we represent, every car we maintain, and every customer we have the privilege to serve. Performance. It’s what we do.

About the DropUp Agency
The Dropup Agency is a consulting firm that provides innovative technology and marketing solutions. Companies of all sizes trust us to provide modernized results with a scalable infrastructure, helping them to transform digitally. Through innovation, creative design, and passion-driven marketing, Dropup helps brands more uniquely connect with customers.
www.thedropupagency.com

Violet Defense to Serve as Primary Partner for Keselowski at LA Clash

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Official Release
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Keselowski to Debut 2022 Violet Defense Scheme in his RFK Debut at Clash; Innovative brand to be featured as the primary on multiple entries for the No. 6 and No. 17 in ’22 Season

CONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 1, 2022) – Violet Defense, who joined the RFK Racing fold in 2021, will serve as the primary partner when NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski makes his much anticipated debut as the driver/owner for RFK Racing this Sunday in the iconic No. 6 Ford at the Clash at the LA Coliseum. In addition, the leading innovation brand will serve as the primary partner on multiple entries for the No. 6 and No. 17 NASCAR Cup Fords during the 2022 season.

“We are excited to be partnering with the RFK Racing team again this year, especially with Brad joining the team. Not only does this partnership give us the opportunity to support the RFK team, it gives us a great platform to educate businesses and the sports community about the value of UV disinfection to protect the health and safety of their teams,” said Terrance Berland, CEO of Violet Defense.

Keselowski, the 2012 Cup Series Champion, joined RFK Racing in November and enters the 2022 campaign as one of the sport’s top drivers to watch. He finished top-10 in points in nine of the last 11 seasons, including a runner-up result in 2020. Overall Keselowski has 75 NASCAR wins including 35 in the Cup Series, and will embark on his 13th full-time season in the sport’s top level.

The much anticipated LA Clash will take place Sunday (Feb. 6, 6 p.m. ET, FOX). The Orlando-based germ killing company entered into a multi-year partnership in the fall of 2021, debuting with a four-race slate to close out that season. In addition to the primary schedule below, Violet Defense will continue to serve as an associate partner in all races in 2022.

“We’re thrilled to not only continue, but expand this partnership with Violet Defense, a company that is proving to push the envelope in all areas,” said Steve Newmark, RFK Racing President. “Their excitement to be in the sport and with our race team is unparalleled, and their products and services continue to be at the forefront of our efforts to keep our employees safe and healthy both at home and on the road.”

Violet Defense Primary Races

Feb. 6: Clash – No. 6
Feb. 27: Fontana – No. 6
March 13: Phoenix – No. 6
April 3: Richmond – No. 17
July 31: Indy Road Course – No. 17
Oct. 23: Homestead – No. 6

About Violet Defense

Violet Defense uses UV disinfection to protect everyday spaces from harmful pathogens by killing up to 99.9% of E. coli, Salmonella, MRSA, C. diff., Norovirus, C. auris, and coronavirus. Violet Defense’s technology is the only known Pulsed Xenon solution that can be installed into a room full-time, creating a continuous way to address disinfection needs of all types of settings. For more information, visit www.violetdefense.com or follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn (@violetdefense).

About Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing
RFK Racing, in its 35th season of competition in 2022, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner himself in the NASCAR Truck Series, joins the ownership fold while piloting the iconic No. 6 Ford, and brings to the team a championship mindset himself having won the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Magnus Racing Finishes Second at Rolex 24, Glimpses Holy Rolex

By
Official Release
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And here concludes the tale of John Potter, King of Magnus and the knights and drivers of the No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3—The Wise Sir Andy Lally, Sir Spencer Pumpelly the Brave, and Sir Jonny Adam, the not-quite-so-brave-as-Sir-Spencer-Pumpelly. Them and their trusty crew went on a great crusade to search for the Holy Rolex at Rolex 24 At Daytona and came in second place, instead receiving a very beautiful shrubbery. The runner-up finish brought Aston Martin Racing their best result at the famed event, leading to much rejoicing from the peasants throughout the land.

“We’ve had to wait for too long to see an Aston Martin finish on the podium at Daytona, and Magnus Racing knows what it is doing when it comes to top-class GT endurance racing in the US,” said Huw Tasker, Head of Customer Racing at Aston Martin. “That the team decided to race with Vantage in 2022 is further evidence of its growing reputation and the overall success of the GT3 programme. The level of competitiveness for Magnus Racing throughout the race is proof that Aston Martin can contend for victory in the biggest endurance races around the world, and we look forward to working with them through 2022.”

The group set out for their sacred quest for the Holy Rolex on Saturday afternoon from ninth place with Potter competing against 21 fearful foe. Despite the 61-car field, the team rode the trusty steed to the top five within the first four hours and remained steady for the majority of the race. Record cold temperatures descended on Daytona International Speedway over the course of the race, but all at Magnus Racing remained strong and brave as they charged forward. As one does over the course of a 24-hour race with 61 cars, the Magnus Racing Aston Martin fell two laps down to tenth position in the GTD class but used the 16 caution periods to their advantage to reclaim ground given to them by the racing gods, getting back on the lead lap.

By the halfway point, the team was back in third place, and Sir Andy Lally took the class lead two hours later. Two hours before sunrise, Sir Spencer Pumpelly found himself in an intense duel while running in second place and spun off track in the Le Mans Chicane. He rejoined in fourth and continued to press on, keeping the car as close to the leaders as possible as the sun came up. Lally took over for the final run, running in third as the checkered flag neared. With flawless pit stops, the team was able to keep the car in position to fight for a podium. With less than 30 minutes on the race clock, the second-place car received a drive-through penalty, moving the Magnus No. 44 car up to second place, where the team finished, earning Aston Martin Racing their best win at the grueling event.

The Twelve Hours of Sebring is next up for the Utah-based team, March 16-19 at Sebring International Raceway. Magnus Racing is slated to only run the four endurance races in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar: the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Six Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans.

Stand by for attack. The oil of many a valiant car shall be avenged. In the name of Beau Barfield, we shall not stop our fight until each one of our foes run behind us and the Holy Rolex returns to whom God has chosen.

Thus ends this chapter in Magnus Racer and the Holy Rolex. In case you don’t know why this release is worded in such a grand fashion, please enjoy the video below.

21 Team Headed to the L.A. Coliseum

By
Official Release
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Back in the day, NASCAR promoters could pack the grandstands for stock car races inside football stadiums.

Races on the quarter-mile oval inside Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., were popular in days gone by and still wildly successful today.

NASCAR officials are hoping to capture some of that bullring magic with this weekend’s Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Coliseum.

Harrison Burton will make his debut in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang on the quarter-mile asphalt oval track that has been constructed inside the historic Coliseum.

Although he raced often on short tracks as he worked his way up racing’s ladder Burton has little experience on a track as tight as the one inside the Coliseum.

“I ran some three-eights and some quarter miles in Legends cars, but none in a stock car,” he said. “It’s going to be an adjustment period for sure. There’s not much of a notebook for that.

“Preparing for the race and understanding the track will be a challenge.”

Burton said he’s relying on iRacing and on the simulation tools provided by Ford Performance to learn all he can prior to the opening practice session on Saturday morning.

“There are ways to get it done,” he said. “I’ve used iRacing and simulation in the past to prepare for road courses and new tracks, and this one is definitely a new one.”

Historically speaking, he has big shoes to fill at his Wood Brothers team when it comes to Cup-level success on stadium tracks. Team founder Glenn Wood won four Cup races at Bowman Gray Stadium, and Marvin Panch added a fifth. Wood led every lap in three of his Stadium wins as did Panch in his.

Saturday’s practice session will be shown on FOX Sports 2 at 12:30 PM ET. Qualifying will be at 8:30 PM ET on Fox Sports 1. The 25-lap Heat races and 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying races will be televised on FOX beginning at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday. Coverage of the 150-lap, non-points Clash follows at 6:00 PM ET on FOX.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change & maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator & electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension & steering, wheel alignment, belts & hoses, lamps & bulbs, wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services. Ford employs approximately 187,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.

*See seller for limited-warranty details.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

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