Ford Performance NASCAR: Mark Rushbrook and Doug Yates Looking Forward to 2022 Season

By

-

January 24, 2022

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Preseason Media Availability | Monday, January 24, 2022

The NASCAR season kicks off in two weeks with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, where the NASCAR Next Gen Mustang will make its debut in competition. Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports, along with Roush Yates CEO Doug Yates, participated in a media Q&A session this afternoon to talk about that event and the rest of the 2022 campaign.

MARK RUSHBROOK, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports – THE RACE SEASON IS OFF TO A GOOD START FOR FORD IN THE WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP, RIGHT? “Yeah, it was fantastic. The WRC Rally 1 cars are all new this year. They’re going electrified with hybrid and the new formula for the chassis and everything, so we have a new Puma hybrid that debuted a week ago and was revealed. The first event was this weekend, WRC Monte Carlo, which is the big one in the rally world. We had Sebastien Loeb in the car, a nine-time champion, and he brought back the win with a brand new car. It was very competitive being first place with Loeb, third place with Craig Breen and sixth place with Gus Greensmith, so we are really happy with that new car and competition over there.”

DOUG YATES, CEO, Roush Yates Engines – THINGS ARE PICKING UP NOW WITH THE CLASH IN TWO WEEKS AND THEN DAYTONA. HOW IS YOUR ORGANIZATION SET FOR THE START OF THE 2022 SEASON? “I’m excited about the Next Gen car debut. It’s a whole new era for the sport and we’re proud to be a part of that. We’re looking forward to Daytona and the Clash. There are a lot of great things going on for our sport, racing at the L.A. Coliseum is something I think is gonna be really awesome. I’m gonna be there and I think that’s something pretty neat. I remember being a little kid and going out to Riverside with my dad to start the season many, many years ago and so getting back to some of that, but that will be a good way to kick it off and I’m looking forward to getting to Daytona. That’s obviously my favorite racetrack and hopefully we can go down there and back up our win that we had with Michael McDowell last year and start the season off strong. But a lot of work. Everybody at the shop and the teams have been working hard and we’re ready to get going. I’m sure everybody at the shop is ready for us to get out of the shop.”

WHEN NASCAR WAS TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN THE 550 AND THE 670 THERE WERE QUESTIONS ON WHETHER THE ENGINE BUILDERS COULD DO THE 670 FOR THE WHOLE SEASON. ARE YOU GUYS IN A BIND AT ALL FOR THE CLASH AND VEGAS? ARE YOU IN GOOD SHAPE AND WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ANGST? “The engine specification changed quite a bit. Obviously, the camshaft is tailored for more power going from the 500 to 670, so we had to finalize on that camshaft and order the parts and do the durability work. So, that last Charlotte test when we finally decided that we were gonna go 670 across the board, that was the very first durability cycle that we really understood. So we took the data from the Charlotte test, built up an engine with those parts and ran a durability test. We actually had a failure and had to go back and make some adjustments to the camshaft to calm it down a little bit. We broke something on the exhaust side, so we had to go back and re-work the camshaft and then order the parts to build all those engines, which, the main change for us was the valves. So the valve sizes have changed and we had to call our suppliers and say, ‘Hey, can you change these parts for us and get them here in time to build these engines?’ So there was that amongst a couple other key parts, so it was really a change in the design of the parts and to get that supply chain ratcheted back up to build these engines. Some of those are very tight. We’re tight on some lead time items, but we’re gonna be fine. We talked with the other engine builders – TRD and Hendrick – and at first they pushed back a little bit and I think if that’s the path we’re gonna go, I think we all agree we’d rather just start there and go. By the way, I think the test looked a lot better with the 670 package, in my opinion. I think the drivers really like it, so I think it’s the right thing to do for the sport and the engine guys just have to make sure we can deliver, and I think we’re on track.”

MARK RUSHBROOK CONTINUED – CAN YOU TAKE A PASSENGER CAR TRANSAXLE AND PUT IT IN THE NEXT GEN CUP CAR? “Physically, there are some similarities in the internals of it, but in terms of the physicals to take out of one of our street cars to put into this Next Gen car, I don’t think we’d want to actually do that.”

ARE YOU GOOD AS FAR AS WHERE THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS NOW AS FAR AS WHAT THE FORD TEAMS NEED FOR THE FIRST MONTH OF THE SEASON? “I think that’s a fair way to put it. Race teams always want to be prepared and ahead on everything. That’s part of what they need to do and have everything in stock that they need to do when they need to do it, but I think at this point, everybody has a plan with the supply parts that are all coming through to be able to support these races at the beginning of the season.”

WHAT DOES THE CLASH MEAN FOR FORD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TALK FOR THE POTENTIAL OF NEW FANS BEING AT THE TRACK? IS THERE ANYTHING MORE YOU’RE DOING FOR THAT EVENT TO GET YOUR MESSAGING OUT? “We’re excited for the Clash weekend for a lot of different weekends. Obviously, the first one is the debut of the Next Gen car in racing competition, and there’s a point of pride that we want to go there and be competitive and win in the heat races and the LCQ’s and get the win in the main event, for sure. That means a lot for us as a brand and for our drivers, but I think for the sport it may be even bigger in terms of going to a new market like that and a new place for a track with a new format. That’s what we love about what NASCAR has been doing recently, that they are willing to experiment and try some new things to see if it works or doesn’t work. I expect that we’re gonna learn a lot this weekend. We’re gonna be able to talk to a lot of people or tell our story to a lot of people that maybe we normally wouldn’t with schedules and formats that we’ve seen in the past, so we are definitely doing some special things, some different things to take advantage of that opportunity. That revolved around our full lineup of cars, but also especially electrification. We’re racing combustion engine vehicles on the track, but we’ll have some specific displays there to tell our electrification story as well.”

THIS EVENT IS A WEEK BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL AND EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT TIED IN TO THE SUPER BOWL IT IS CLOSE. DOES THAT MATTER? AND WOULD IT BE GOOD TO LOOK AT A SIMILAR TIE-IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN PHOENIX AND VEGAS? “I think independent of the Super Bowl this is the right thing to do and we’re really looking forward to it, and I think that just adds to it that it’s back-to-back with the Super Bowl in the same market. If there’s an opportunity to do that again in the future, we certainly would be interested in that.”

DOUG YATES CONTINUED – BRAD KESELOWSKI IS KIND OF A DISRUPTER IN A WAY, SIMILAR TO JACK ROUSH. DO YOU SEE THAT AS WELL AND IS BRAD MAKING AN IMPACT AT RFK ALREADY? “That’s a great parallel. I know both of them really well, starting with Jack and racing against my dad all these years and finally coming together to form Roush Yates in 2004 and spending time with him. He’s an engineer. He’s an outside the box thinker, very competitive, one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever seen, always looking for an advantage. When Brad went over there being very similar. Brad is a guy that’s always thinking outside the box. He’s always asking the tough question and always looking ahead. I think the two of them are gonna make a great combination. Jack was really ready for somebody to come in and lead their company to the next level and Brad can do that. The thing about racing is you always have to have confidence that the guy holding the steering wheel can get it done and that’s where they’re at now. They have a championship level driver with Brad and Jack and Roush Fenway will give them the resources to get that program where they need to be. It’s an exciting time. Roush Fenway is a partner in Roush Yates racing, so I’m excited and happy for those guys. I think they’re gonna put some wins on the board and really make some progress. Things take time, but I think they’ll make some progress and make Edsel and Mark proud of everything they’re gonna do this year.”

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO THE CLASH? “I usually don’t go west very often, but there are a couple things. One, the Next Gen car is something I’m really excited about. I think it’s a big step forward for the sport. I’m excited about racing at the L.A. Coliseum. I think just as a fan of the sport, I think what Ben Kennedy and Jim France are doing there is really exciting so I just want to go there and show my support, but I also want to be there. I think you asked the question to Mark, we want to be the first ones to win with the Next Gen car. When fuel injection came out in 2012, we won the Daytona 500 with Matt Kenseth. That’s something obviously I take a lot of pride in and we’d like to score that win with the Next Gen car, but it’s just an exciting time for the sport. I think they’ve done a lot of great things and beyond all that, I’ve sat at home for about two years and I’m ready to get back to the racetrack.”

THE OPENINGS ON THE FRONT END OF THE NEW CAR. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AS FAR AS TEMPERATURES GO? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IF THAT’S THE CASE? “With any car you have to find out the sensitivities and understand the areas to work on and we’re trying to work through those as quickly as we can. Obviously, for this car the air, NASCAR is not gonna allow any tape on the front end. There will be a blocker behind the radiator which will basically control the temperatures, the air exits over the hood, but also the air induction is in the front of the car, so the blocker plate not only controls your temperature but also controls a bit of how much air pressure goes to the engine which makes the power. So, we are debating on how hot to run the engine in order to make the most power and have the best aero benefit. Last year, we ran as hot as we could to get the aero benefit and put as much tape on the front end and now this year we’re trying to figure out ultimately what is the fastest lap time for a given temperature in the air box pressure. So, it’s a nuance to this car that we’re working through and trying to get that right. It’s probably not as big a deal when we go to the Clash and short tracks, but when we go to Daytona we want to make sure we optimize that to go down there and have the quickest car we can.”

CAN YOU GIVE A BALLPARK ON THE TEMPERATURES? “Last year, we ran as high as 310 degrees water temperature, so really, really hot – extremely hot – and this year we may run 200 degrees water temperature, so that’s a big change. When people first asked me what does the Next Gen car do to the engine? I said, well the engine is pretty much the same, but now a year later just to fit the engine in the car we have a new front engine plate, new bell housing, exhaust is out each side which creates different tuning and the temperatures are different and the RPM is different, so pretty much everything has changed with the engine. We had 200 engines here and we just delivered the Clash engine last week, but we have about 180 of them apart waiting on those decisions, so we’re pretty busy here.”

MARK RUSHBROOK CONTINUED – WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THIS NEXT GEN CAR? IS IT A FRESH SLATE FOR EVERYONE AND ARE THEY COMFORTABLE WITH IT YET? “I don’t know that we’re comfortable with it yet. It’s an all-new car and the teams, with our support, have been racing the Gen 6 cars for so long and knew them pretty well. Even when there changes made from year to year in the rules a lot of the same principles applied in terms of what to do or where to optimize, but now everything is new and similar to what Doug just went through, it’s optimizing all of those different variables. There are still a lot of knobs to turn on these vehicles in all part of it, whether it’s engine, aero or chassis, and it’s getting comfortable with turning those knobs and making sure we’ve truly optimized it. It’s really testing our people to think differently than they have in the past, not just rely on the same principles and also want our tools – to be able to use them for that optimization, especially with our simulator. It’s getting a lot of use right now.”

DO YOU AGREE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SEASON MIGHT BE GOING ON IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE CAR YOU WOULD BE GOOD WITH THAT IF NASCAR WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING? “That’s the great thing about this sport, the series, is everyone wants to work together to keep it a very healthy series with great racing for the fans. I think we’ve got the right starting point for this series. Everybody is truly behind this and we’re excited. We’re sure it’s gonna bring some really good racing, but if in that case on some tracks maybe we learn there are things we can do better and as an industry I think everybody would work together to make any changes, if needed. Right now, we think we’ve got the right package and we’ll see how it goes.”

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE OUT OF HAILIE DEEGAN THIS YEAR AND WITH PENSKE DROPPING ITS XFINITY PROGRAM, WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY WITH THAT SERIES? “Hailie, we’re expecting a lot out of Hailie this year. She had a good start to her truck career last year, but it was tough without practice and qualifying and getting fully comfortable with the truck. We did see as we went back to tracks for the second time she was performing a lot better, so I think this year she’ll be a lot more comfortable in the truck. She’s getting more simulator time. She’ll get more track time and think she can be very competitive there, but as we started with her earlier we are working with her and she is very motivated to get into any car, any truck, racing anywhere. We had her down at IMSA Daytona for the last three days for the Roar in the Mustang GT4. She’ll be back there Thursday and Friday practicing, qualifying and racing in that four-hour race partnered with Chase Briscoe, and she’s gonna be doing a lot of other things beyond that and outside of trucks. So, I think she’s gonna get a lot more seat time and get more experience and looking for that performance to continue improving. As far as Xfinity and specifically if that’s around Hailie’s career as well. If she performs in trucks this year, we would expect that she would go into Xfinity for 2023. You’re right, we do have a reduced footprint in Xfinity this year, but that can be different next year if Hailie is ready to go up to the Xfinity level.”

DOUG YATES CONTINUED – HOW DO THE CHANGES FOR THIS NEXT GEN CAR STACK UP AGAINST ANYTHING ELSE YOU’VE SEEN IN YOUR CAREER? “Probably the thing about the Next Gen car is we haven’t tested this much in recent years. I can’t remember testing this much since the nineties. In fact, Red Farmer used to test our car when Davey was out doing things. I saw him at the Hall of Fame the other night and it was pretty neat, but I think just the preparation for the testing has been pretty fast and furious, especially with the different combinations of power levels. So, if NASCAR wants to test 510 horsepower and 550 horsepower at the same track, we have to be prepared with calibrations for both of those and then you have a Charlotte test, kind of how the 670 got started was Greg Zipadelli came up and said, ‘Hey, we want more power. What can we do?’ We were at 550 horsepower and we changed the tapered spacer and made it 670 and the guys like that. So, really, our biggest challenge this winter is just being adaptable to all those different combinations and then now that we know what we’re gonna race with the two combinations – 510 horsepower at Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta now – and 670 everywhere else, now our real work starts so we know we can go develop durability cycles and optimize the components. So our real work started after NASCAR said 670 the week before Christmas. It’s been a busy offseason, probably the busiest in a long time, so that’s probably been our biggest challenge and now we’re ready to really start getting ready for the season with performance development and trying to get off to a strong start.”

DO THE HOURS YOU’RE PUTTING IN REMIND YOU OF THE NINETIES? “The past couple of Saturdays have, but nothing like back in 1991, that winter, my dad and I wanted to win the Daytona 500, so we went in the shop and took the clocks off the wall and for two-and-a-half months we never left – seven days a week. That was pretty intense, but it was rewarded with a 1992 Daytona 500 with Davey Allison. So, it’s not quite as bad as that, but I remember those days and those are fond memories. We’re not quite as intense. We didn’t have 200 employees like we do today at Roush Yates and the support of Ford Motor Company like we have today, so it’s a lot better in a lot of ways, but it’s been a pretty fast-paced winter.”

MARK RUSHBROOK CONTINUED – BESIDES NASCAR IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE PIPELINE ON THE IMSA SPORTS CAR ROUTE? “Sports car is a place that we truly enjoy racing. We’re really happy with the Mustang GT4s that we have now with Roush Yates power in those as well. It’s been a good customer car, so we’re able to sell cars that are racing here in the U.S. in World Challenge as well as IMSA, and there’s one that’s been racing over in Europe that has had quite a bit of success over there. It’s a good car for us to use for training our drivers, both in racing and in track time as well. It’s been very successful for us. We’re certainly not sour on sports car racing. It’s certainly of interest for us to come back at the right time with the right car and the right class, so we’ll see what we have in the future for that. WRC, I did want to say something relative to that, especially around the Tech Center, which many of you have been to in North Carolina. We’ve always said that gets used for all of our global programs and that WRC Puma, even though most of the rally events are in Europe and our team, M-Sport, is in the UK, we used our Tech Center very heavily both in the simulator world and aero world with the scale tunnel, running at PTG and our computational fluid dynamics tools as well, so the same tools that we use in NASCAR and analytical tools as well as physically there in the Tech Center were used for WRC Puma and also used in Australia we unveiled a Gen 3 Mustang in December that will be racing in 2023, so the same thing. It was used in the same facility with the same people to develop those global race cars.”

AT WHAT POINT DOES IT MAKE SENSE FROM FORD’S POINT OF VIEW THAT NASCAR HAVE SOME SORT OF HYBRID COMPONENT SINCE THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE SELLING ON THE STREET? “Hybrid in rally makes so much sense because they’re out driving on obviously closed off roads, real roads that are closed off, a point-to-point rally, so there is a lot of hard acceleration and a lot of hard braking, so a lot of opportunity to recover the energy and then deploy it as you come out of the corner, and that’s worked really well in those cars and the performance in maintaining a spectacle because you still have the sound, the smell of a combustion engine, but also the electric application to improve performance further, and also tell a pretty cool story. As they drove through the service park it was full electric, so it was a quiet car going through downtown Monaco, but then a loud, beautiful sounding car out on the rally stages. NASCAR is obviously a different format. We’ve said for a long time that a hybrid on a track like Daytona, the oval, just doesn’t make any sense because the point of hybrid is regeneration of the energy under braking and then deploy it under acceleration. With the format of the big ovals like that or the intermediate tracks, it just doesn’t make sense to put hybrids, so maybe at some point, whether it’s on a short track or a road course would be the right opportunity. I think our world is accelerating so quickly to full electric that that is something that the industry needs to talk about, and I don’t think it’s replacing the combustion engine. I think that needs to stay here for quite some time, a long time. Hopefully, that’s good for you to hear, Doug, because that’s what fans want. They want the sounds, the smells. It’s a spectacle, but can the sport in some way bring in some other element with electrification? I think that’s what we need to talk through as an industry to continue to be relevant, but continue to have that great spectacle.”

SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE PART OF ELECTRIFICATION BUT ALSO STAYING WITH THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE? “I think our position is Cup can be ICE without hybrid for quite some time – to be the spectacle of this sport – but if there is a way to bring in full electric, so just vehicles with full electric only, no combustion engine, just electric, if there’s a way that could be brought into the sport to supplement what we have with ICE in Cup, I think that’s a great opportunity for manufacturers to bring fans to the track for the ICE spectacle but for us to be able to tell some electrification stories. We’re going to be doing that on our own at the Clash as I said earlier. We’ll be racing those ICE cars on track, but we’re gonna have a display with electrification to tell that story to those fans. We need to be able to tell that, too.”

CAN YOU CLARIFY HOW THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND GREG ZIPADELLI HAD AT THE TEST? DID HE GO THROUGH NASCAR OR JUST TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT? “I think the second day of that test at the oval, NASCAR said, ‘Hey, we’re open to you guys trying a few things you really want to try.’ So, John Probst and the guys were on board with that. We had the 670 power level already prepared for the short tracks, so we had that tapered spacer and calibration ready, and I think Kevin Harvick wanted to try something different. I think he was bored and ready to do something different, so that led to something that maybe we should try as a sport and maybe this will be more interesting than the 550 package at the test. That’s kind of how it developed, but NASCAR was fully onboard and supportive of that at the end of the second day just trying to make sure everybody exhausted that test and it turned out that way.”

Richard Childress Racing Announces Partnership with Guaranteed Rate

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

Premier mortgage lender to sponsor Tyler Reddick’s No. 8 Next Gen Car

WELCOME, N.C. (January 24, 2022) – Guaranteed Rate, a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services, and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have announced a partnership with Tyler Reddick and his No. 8 Chevrolet for multiple races during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.

Fans can experience the unveiling of the new No. 8 Guaranteed Rate Chevrolet on social media as it hits the track for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 25 with Reddick behind the wheel at the final Next Gen test of the offseason at Phoenix Raceway.

“I’m excited to partner with Guaranteed Rate this season,” said Reddick. “Their commitment to the power of belief connects perfectly with what the entire Richard Childress Racing team is striving to achieve. We are looking forward to working together to showcase our commitment to NASCAR fans everywhere.”

Reddick and RCR join a host of Guaranteed Rate’s successful sports partnerships, which include the NHL, National Lacrosse League, UFC, Bassmaster and the Professional Bowlers Association.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Richard Childress Racing as Tyler gets behind the wheel of his new and improved Next Gen No. 8,” said Guaranteed Rate Vice President of Sports Marketing and Partnerships Steve McNelley. “Our focus on technology, innovation and speed makes this sponsorship a perfect fit, and we’re proud to kick off the season with one of NASCAR’s most talented drivers.”

For more information, visit rate.com.

About Guaranteed Rate Companies
Guaranteed Rate is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have more than 11,000 employees in over 850 branches across the U.S., serving all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate Companies have helped more than 1 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, with a total loan volume of more than $116 billion in 2021 alone. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

About Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2022 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet), along with two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill.

Stoner Car Care Racing Supports Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness at Daytona

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

The team will help promote awareness and fundraising through the Roar and Rolex weekends

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (24 January 2022) – The statistics are staggering: more than six million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s Disease, while more than 11 million Americans provide daily care for relatives or friends with Alzheimer’s or dementia. One in three seniors die of either Alzheimer’s or dementia.

These numbers show the magnitude of Alzheimer’s Disease in the U.S., and two members of the Orlando-based Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing team have made it their mission to raise awareness and funds to fight this dreaded disease.

To assist in their endeavor, the No. 09 Stoner Car Care Aston Martin Vantage GT4 driven by Rob Ecklin, Jr. and Ramin Abdolvahabi will carry a special decal this season to support the effort, beginning with next weekend’s BMW M Endurance Challenge, race one of the 2022 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season and part of the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The local Alzheimer’s Association will also be on the race grid with special giveaways and information.

Bill Slupski, who works for the U.S. Department of Defense in Northern Florida also manages fuel for the Stoner Car Care Racing on IMSA race weekends. His son Alex works with Sunday Group Management, creating video content for Stoner Car Care. The Slupski family has firsthand knowledge of the affect that Alzheimer’s disease has on a family, and as they wondered how to make a difference, they chose racing as the “vehicle” for their program’s platform. They formed the End Alzheimer’s Racing team as a way to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, competing in karting events around Florida.

“The key to us is to showcase the Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing program as a way to raise awareness about both the Alzheimer’s Association and the End Alzheimer’s Racing team,” said Slupski, a native of Jacksonville, Fla. “Our program began as part of the Association’s ‘The Longest Day’ effort, which encourages people to use their favorite hobby or activity to raise money for Alzheimer’s on the longest day of the year, which is June 21. But for End Alzheimer’s Racing, it’s a year-round effort.

“Huge thanks to Stoner Car Care and Automatic Racing for allowing us to utilize the platform of IMSA sports car racing to spread word about the Association and the Longest Day program,” Slupski continued. “Being involved with the Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend puts us in front of thousands of people. Raising awareness about this disease as well as raising funds is extremely important to us.”

Slupski works closely with Carly Wille, Senior Development Manager of The Longest Day program at the Central & North Florida Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Wille looks forward to the opportunity to bring awareness to the Rolex 24 weekend.

“As the prevalence of Alzheimer’s increases, it is of the utmost importance to us that we raise awareness and let those affected by Alzheimer’s and all other dementias know that they are not alone and that we are here to help,” said Wille. “The Longest Day initiative gives participants the opportunity to take any hobby or activity that they enjoy and turn it into a fundraiser. I have to say that the #EndAlzRacing team is one of our more extreme TLD events and it has been such a blast to work with them for the past few years. My hope is that they may inspire other racers or fans to take part in The Longest Day in the future.

“There are roughly 8,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease in Volusia county alone,” Wille continued. “So in just the small area surrounding the Speedway there are so many affected by this disease. My hope is that attendees and race fans will see our logo or hear about the #EndAlzRacing team’s efforts and either support by donating to their Longest Day team or strike up a conversation about the cause.”

For Automatic Racing team manager David Russell and driver Rob Ecklin, Jr., President of Stoner, Inc., the chance to help the Slupskis raise awareness was an absolute no-brainer.

“We’re glad to support Bill and Alex and the End Alzheimer’s Racing team,” said Ecklin. “Alzheimer’s impacts so many families in this country – it’s been in my family as well. We’ve all been touched by it so it’s great to be able to support the effort. We’ve done some work with our local organizations in Pennsylvania, but we know how many fans will be at Daytona so the chance to make it more personal makes this a win for everyone.”

“This is such a great cause, so I really love this alignment,” said Russell. “It’s an absolute privilege to be a part of this alliance, between Bill, Rob, and the Alzheimer’s Association. The fan grid walk at Daytona is one of the most packed events of the year so to be able to get this message to all those fans is outstanding.

Part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, the BMW M Endurance Challenge takes the green flag Friday, January 22 at 1:35 p.m. Eastern. The race will be live streamed in the U.S. on Peacock TV, while international viewers can watch via IMSA.tv. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com.

About Invisible Glass

Automatic Racing sees their way to victory with Invisible Glass, the top-selling automotive glass cleaner in the United States. The Invisible Glass product line includes aerosol and spray bottle cleaner, Invisible Glass with rain repellent for windshields and wiper blades. Find more online at https://www.invisibleglass.com/

About Stoner Car Care

Stoner Car Care produces high-performance car washes, waxes, polishes, and dressings for auto enthusiasts and car care professionals. The Stoner Car Care line-up includes Invisible Glass, America’s #1 Automotive Glass Cleaner, along with many other appearance products. Whether driving, washing or waxing, Performance Matters! Stoner car care proudly formulates all of our product since 1942

About Automatic Racing

Based in Orlando, Automatic Racing is one of the longest-running teams in the paddock, forming in 2001 and competing in all but one of the 11 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge races at Daytona. The team has been developing, preparing and racing the prestigious Aston Martin Vantage GT4 since 2012. Automatic Racing won the 2017 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge title.

WÜRTH EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TEAM PENSKE AND TEAMS UP WITH RYAN BLANEY IN 2022

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

Global Partner for Hands-On Professionals Transitions to the No. 12 Ford Team this Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 24, 2021) – Team Penske and Würth jointly announced today that the two companies will continue their long-standing partnership, focused on the No. 12 Ford Mustang and driver Ryan Blaney for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Würth’s first race as a primary sponsor on the No. 12 Ford will come in the second event of the year at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., on February 27. In addition to the race at Auto Club Speedway, Würth will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 12 Ford Mustang in Cup Series races at Talladega and Watkins Glen in 2022.

“We are very excited to enter our 11th year as a proud partner of Team Penske and we are thrilled to welcome Ryan into our Würth family,” stated Thomas O’Neill, Executive Vice President/CEO of Würth Line Craft North America. “Ryan’s preparation, positive attitude, and drive to win are qualities that mirror our Würth culture and what we also look for in our employees. We look forward to success on the track this season in the No. 12 at Fontana, Talladega, and Watkins Glen.”

The partnership between Team Penske and Würth began in 2012, with the company serving as a multi-race primary sponsor on the No. 2 Ford team. Würth has visited Victory Lane three times as a primary sponsor – twice with Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Cup Series and once with Sam Hornish Jr. in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“Team Penske has enjoyed a great relationship with the Wurth USA group for over 10 years,” said Roger Penske. “Their dedication to excellence and high-quality products aligns perfectly with our business and our focus on performance. The partnership with Wurth benefits our teams at the track and at our race shop, as well as our automotive dealerships and truck leasing facilities across the United States and around the world. We look forward to building on our partnership as Wurth teams up with Ryan (Blaney) and the No. 12 Ford team in the NASCAR Cup Series this season.”

Blaney enters his seventh full-time season in NASCAR’s premier division in 2022. On the strength of three wins and strong performances throughout the 2021 season, Blaney narrowly missed qualifying for the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Playoffs. Posting his most career victories in a single season, Blaney advanced to the Playoffs Round of 8 for the second time in his career. Blaney has seven wins, 49 top-five and 96 top-10 finishes in 234 NASCAR Cup Series starts entering this season.

“I’m really excited to start the next chapter with Würth in their relationship with Team Penske,” said Blaney. “Obviously they’ve been to Victory Lane a few times and I’m hoping to take them back there at Auto Club Speedway in the second race of the season. I’m really excited about the opportunity to represent them on and off the track with the No. 12 Würth Ford Mustang. It’s especially exciting having the opportunity to be part of a large community of over 82,000 employees and millions of customers around the world.”

Würth Representatives show up for their customers across the Automotive, Industrial and Woodworking Industries providing quality products, unparalleled service, and customized solutions to make their jobs easier. Würth prides itself on having the very best cleaners, fasteners, adhesives, as well as industry leading vending machine inventory management systems. These systems and quality Würth products are used by Team Penske, both in its race shop and at the track.

About Würth
Würth is Quality. The Würth Companies of North America provide customers with everything they need to succeed in the Automotive, Industrial and Woodworking Industries. From body shops to fleet garages, Wurth USA is the leading supplier of high-quality products and services for the transportation maintenance and repair industry. Würth Industry of North America specializes in the creation and management of vendor managed inventory programs for industrial production. With 420,000 line items available, Würth Industry of North America is the most complete C parts supplier in the industry. Würth North American Wood Division companies build strong partnerships for the cabinet and woodworking professional by providing premier manufacturer brands combined with superior delivery systems through their own fleet. The Würth Group’s 400 companies throughout 84 countries proudly serve over 3 million customers every day.

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

TR3 Racing Takes Rolex 24 Pole with Lamborghini

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

Fast start to IMSA WeatherTech Championship debut with GTD Pro

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (23 Jan. 2022) – TR3 Racing made an impressive debut in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition, winning the GTD Pro class in Sunday’s 100-minute qualifying race for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Driving the No. 63 Lamborghini Miami Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, Andrea Caldarelli and Mirko Bortolotti wrote a new chapter in IMSA history by scoring the first-ever GTD Pro class pro. The duo will be joined next weekend by Marco Mapelli and Rolf Ineichen in the 60th running of the Rolex 24.

The car ran in podium contention throughout the event, with Bortolotti making a pass for the lead with 13 minutes remaining and holding on to win by 0.475-seconds.

“It’s great to start a week like this,” Bortolotti said. “It doesn’t mean much for the 24, but at least we have the best starting position. Great job by Andrea and the whole team. We’re happy for today, and now we’ll get ready for the 24-hour race. Traffic will play a very big role, and the more experience you have here will be able to help position yourself to get some benefit from traffic, That really helped me close up on the leaders today, and then to attack at the end. This was a really important race for the team, because they’re brand-new to this series. It’s great to have it the week before the Rolex 24.”

Andrea Caldarelli was third-fastest of the 13 GTD Pro cars in qualifying with a lap of 1:46.577-seconds. He ran fourth in the early going, and then worked his way to the lead by his pit stop. Bortolotti took third early in the final half hour, and then took the lead with 13 minutes remaining.

“I never started on the pole position for this race, so that’s definitely good,” Caldarelli said. “It’s also rewarding because this is a brand-new category – GTD Pro – and I’m very proud to get this victory for TR3 Racing. The car has many years in the pocket, so we’re working on the small things. We know we have a strong package, but we know our competitors are very strong, and that fact that P1, P2 and P3 were within one second definitely shows that.

“It was very nice to see so many GT cars out there,” Caldarelli added. “The first two laps were very fun, and I enjoyed them a lot. Today showed that it’s going to be a very, very close race, and very tough. It really doesn’t matter – GTD Pro or GTD – any one can win.”

TR3 Racing is also fielding a contender in the GTD class. John Megrue and Jeff Segal finished 13th in class in the No. 19 Piloti Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo. Bill Sweedler and Giacomo Altoe also tested at the Roar in preparation for the Rolex 24. Megrue was 17th in Saturday’s qualifying with a lap of 1:58.809-seconds.

“It was an uneventful race, which was our No. 1 goal,” Segal said. “We know we have a good car; we also know we are new to a lot of the elements of this as a team together. A bunch of us have done this many times individually, but not as TR3 Racing. It was important for us to go out and do the race, do the pit stop sequences and make sure everything works together. I’m happy it went well, with no incidents. We’ll use this as a good jumping-off point for the race.”

The 60th Rolex 24 At Daytona takes the green flag at 1:40 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Jan. 29.

About TR3 Performance:

TR3 Performance was founded by Arthur, Oliver, and Gregory Romanelli in August 2012. Frustrated with the rising costs and plummeting quality from local shops, the brothers saw an opportunity to establish a shop of their own that would live up to their high standard of excellence, where they could hold themselves to the caliber of workmanship they had sought out in the marketplace as enthusiasts. In 2015, TR3 Racing was established as the team stepped into racing at the professional level. What started out as a modest 2,300-sq.ft. enterprise has now exploded into the premier performance shop in South Florida.

Ambetter Named Entitlement Partner For 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Race at NHMS

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

The Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m.
Ambetter also becomes Official Health Insurance Partner for NHMS and five additional Speedway Motorsports properties: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

LOUDON, N.H. – Ambetter, America’s number one Marketplace Health Insurer, has extended its partnership with New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) to become the entitlement sponsor for New England’s only NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race. The Ambetter 301 will take place at 3 p.m. on July 17 as part of the speedway’s traditional mid-summer NASCAR weekend. The healthcare provider will also receive premium signage displays and hospitality opportunities, feature activation in the Fan Zone and the opportunity to select VIP dignitaries.

“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with New Hampshire Motor Speedway and be back at ‘The Magic Mile’ as the sponsor of the Ambetter 301,” said Suzanne DePrizio, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Centene, Ambetter’s parent company. “Ambetter is on a mission to ensure all Americans have access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve. This partnership is a fantastic way for us to connect with racing fans about their health and our mission.”

“We developed a great relationship with Ambetter last year as sponsor of our NASCAR Xfinity Series race, and we’re proud to expand our partnership to the Cup Series level,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “Ambetter is about keeping people healthy, and we’re about people having a good time. It’s a natural fit for us to work together toward good health and good times for fans at the Ambetter 301 this summer.”

In addition to the Cup Series race entitlement at NHMS, Ambetter will also become the Official Health Insurance Partner at NHMS and five additional Speedway Motorsports properties: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway. Ambetter will receive signage, activation, hospitality and marketing opportunities at those premiere entertainment venues on NCS race weekends.

Ambetter will donate 100 tickets to military members and first responders to attend the NCS races at each of these facilities, and The Centene Charitable Foundation will donate $100,000 to Speedway Children’s Charities, the official charity of Speedway Motorsports.

“We are thrilled to not only be growing Ambetter’s relationship with New Hampshire Motor Speedway this year, but also to include other Speedway Motorsports facilities,” said Speedway Motorsports Chief Sales Officer Kevin Camper. “Ambetter will expand their footprint at ‘The Magic Mile’ through the Ambetter 301 entitlement, and we will also provide unique opportunities for them to showcase their products and unique healthcare offerings to potential customers in markets from coast-to-coast.”

Ambetter, born out of the Affordable Care Act, is on a mission to help everyone get the care they deserve, especially those underinsured or uninsured. Ambetter offers a variety of healthcare services to its members, including preventative and wellness services, mental health and substance abuse services, prescription drug coverage, My Health Pays® Rewards Program and telehealth services. With over two million members nationwide and coverage available in 26 states, Ambetter helps simplify healthcare for people across the country. Members have access to a national network of care providers serviced through local health plans, delivering the affordable, quality care in the communities where they live and work.

Ambetter’s relationship with Speedway Motorsports began in 2021 when they put their name on NHMS’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race, the Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200, and administered COVID-19 vaccines throughout the weekend in the Fan Zone.

“Ambetter is committed to developing partnerships that make a positive impact in our communities and help our members achieve their whole health goals through affordable health insurance solutions,” said Ambetter President Kevin Counihan. “We look forward to this enhanced relationship with Speedway Motorsports to serve NASCAR fans across the country.”

New England’s race weekend gets underway on Friday, July 15 with Friday Night Dirt Duels at The Flat Track, continues with Doubleheader Saturday, July 16 featuring the NXS and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and is headlined by the Ambetter 301 NCS race on Sunday, July 17.

Be sure to check NHMS.com/Events/NASCAR-Cup-Series/Schedule/ often, as the schedule will be continuously updated as race weekend approaches.

Tickets:
Log on to NHMS.com for tickets and more information on the weekend’s lineup of action-packed racing. Doubleheader Saturday tickets start at just $35 while kids 12 and under are free. Sunday’s Ambetter 301 tickets start at just $49 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.

Follow Us:
Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), Twitter (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

About Ambetter
Ambetter is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act. It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a Fortune 25 multi-national healthcare enterprise. Ambetter is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventative and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance abuse services, prescription drug coverage and more.

About Speedway Motorsports
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Speedway Motorsports provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary.

Mazda MX-5 Cup Set for Epic Season Opener at Daytona

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

January 24, 2022 – After a tremendous 2021 season that produced incredible racing, photo finishes, and a thrilling fight for the championship, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is ready to back it up with another season of amazing racing in 2022. Preparing for a second season under IMSA sanctioning, the quest for the $250,000 championship prize season begins this week at Daytona International Raceway as part of the legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona event.

Last year’s Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup races at Daytona were a sight to behold. The amount of drafting on the high banks of the oval created constant position changes all race long, building to a dramatic four-wide drag race to the finish in Round One. The winner of that race: the new Mazda MX-5 Cup Champion, Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance).

Wagner comes into the season opener with no pressure and approaches the first two races of the year the same way he’d approach a title-deciding race.

“I’m just as relaxed as always,” Wagner said. “I sometimes have a bit more at stake in certain parts of a season than at the beginning, but I’ve never let any points or expectations determine how I race. I’ve always had confidence in myself and that brings a more relaxed and fun atmosphere to everything. At a certain point, each race just becomes another race.”

This is most definitely not just another race for the more than 10 rookies entered in the field, including the most recent winner of the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout, Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports).

“I’m really looking forward to working with my new team, Hixon Motor Sports,” Zilisch said. “I think together we will be able to accomplish a lot and I’m excited to get to work with all of the crew and the drivers. I think that Daytona this year will be a ton of fun. With that being said, I know that we need to start the season off well to get the ball rolling. I’m expecting consistent top five results throughout the weekend to keep me up front. I think if I can do that I’ll be satisfied.”

Two other drivers were awarded $75,000 scholarships at the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout and will be on the grid as rookies at Daytona: Bryce Cornet (No. 65 Hixon Motor Sports) and Laura Hayes (No. 22 Thunder Bunny Racing).

Each MX-5 Cup car is built in Daytona Beach at Flis Performance. Having a single builder creates remarkable parity across the vehicles and contributed to an average margin of victory of 0.627-second last season. The two race finishes at Daytona were no exception at 0.108-second and 0.13-second, respectively. Even on the final lap it was hard to predict who would be the winner thanks to the huge drafting opportunity in the final turn.

“I think it was pretty clear to see you don’t want to be leading going onto the banking of NASCAR Turns 3 and 4,” Zilisch said. “Selin [Rollan] and Preston [Pardus] tried it last year and ended up 7th and 8th. It’s obviously going to be a lot of strategy that we are going to need to go through as a team.”

Wagner was third entering the final turn last year but used the draft from Rollan and Pardus to launch into the lead. The move was not part of a master plan from Wagner.

“I don’t think there is an ideal position to be at the end,” Wagner said. “I think you can win from 1st or 5th, just depending on what everyone else decides to do. You can never plan for what other drivers are going to do, you just have to race your own race and try to be somewhere near the front at the end. The rest just has to be sorted out in the moment. When I won last year at Daytona, I didn’t even realize it was the final lap.”

Following Wagner across the line was the eventual Rookie of the Year, Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing). It was the first of several podium finishes for Paley en route to his $80,000 rookie prize from Mazda, but the young talent is still in search of his first win and could get it done this weekend at Daytona.

No doubt after last year’s races, more eyes than ever will be on the 31 MX-5 Cup cars taking the green flag at Daytona. Like last year, those not at the track will be able to stream both races live on IMSA.com/tvlive with commentary from IMSA Radio’s John Hindhaugh and Shea Adam. New this year, however, fans can follow the stream on RACER.com as well as on the Peacock app.

Thursday’s Round One race is slated to go green at 5:30pm ET, while Friday’s race will begin at 10:15am ET. Live timing for all sessions is available at MX-5Cup.com.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion is awarded $250,000 as the top rookie nets $80,000.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Exclusive: First Seasons with James Hinchcliffe

By

Briar Starr

-

January 24, 2022

James Hinchcliffe - Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix_ReferenceImageWithoutWatermark_m45910 — Photo Courtesy of Penske Entertainment/Joe Skibinski

In this edition of ‘First Seasons,’ Speedway Media catches up with James Hinchcliffe who recently competed for Andretti Autosport and will be calling races for NBC Sports in 2022. We will take a look back at his first year in racing and his early years of being in the sport.

During the interview, Hinchcliffe discusses what it was like getting a late start entering the sport, his first race at Birmingham, winning his first race at St. Petersburg, returning to Indy the year after his crash and many other facets of his career.

SM: Following your two years in the Indy Lights racing series from 2009 through 2010, you made the move to the IndyCar Series at the age of 24 competing in 16 of the 17 races. How did you make the move to the IndyCar Series after competing with Sam Schmidt and Mark Moore in Indy Lights and racing for Newman-Haas? Did you feel it was the right age to make your first Indy start?

JH: “It’s a very interesting question, certainly a bit later than what these kids are doing nowadays,” Hinchcliffe said about making his debut. “In a lot of ways, I was told by a lot of the engineers at Newman-Haas that my maturity served me quite well, despite having few IndyCar starts. I think I came with a lot of experience and maturity that they (Newman-Haas) haven’t seen from other rookies.

“Moving to IndyCar with them was such an incredible opportunity, especially a team of that pedigree as a rookie. For me, it was a dream scenario. The only thing I wish we would’ve been able to do was keep going after 2011. The team obviously shut down at the end of the year. I was proud to deliver them their last title, which was winning Rookie of the Year.”

Do you remember when you had your first conversation with Newman-Haas that led to getting a ride in 2011?

JH: “The conversation came after my 2010 Indy Lights season,” he said. “We got a phone call from Newman-Haas to go test with them. They said, myself, J.K. Vernay (former Indy driver) but they wanted a rookie to be Oriol Servia’s teammate. So, they organized a two-day test at Sebring and by the end of the test, I was a tenth of a second quicker than Oriol. That eventually led to my first offer.”

SM: What was it like going down to Sebring for the first time and being in an IndyCar? Was that surreal for you?

JH: “It really was,” Hinchcliffe said about making his first laps in an IndyCar. “My dad and I flew down and it had been him and I since we were nine years old. It was kind of a cool moment. However, there was a tremendous amount of pressure. For the past 15 years everything, just kind of built up to that moment and you had to deliver. This was a great opportunity at the time. To go execute on the day, that was a great moment between my dad and I.”

SM: As you were entering your first season, how did you manage expectations as a rookie driver? Was winning races or championships on your mind, or were you thinking more like ‘Let’s take this race by race and see where we end up at the halfway point, and then look ahead to the rest of the season?’

JH: “It’s kind of funny actually,” the Toronto native said about managing expectations as a rookie. “The kids who come into today’s sport say they are going to win races and such, but for me, I was not that driver. I thought to myself, ‘Look man. You go into every junior category year as one of the two to three drivers who have a realistic shot at the championship.’ When you get to the top and you think you’re going to beat Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, that was an outrageous thought for me. I still couldn’t believe I was on the same grid with these guys.

“Honestly, what was so cool about that was it made me a lot calmer, and I took a lot of pressure off myself. I’m a rookie and it’s okay to learn, it’s okay to make mistakes. I didn’t drive with that pressure on me. In my first race, I qualified next to Dario Franchitti and I thought this was okay. In our second race, we finished fourth at Long Beach. So, we had some good results very early.”

SM: Obviously, you had experience at some of the tracks the year before, but driving an IndyCar is an entirely different animal. What do you remember about the weeks leading up to Birmingham? Were you anxious, nervous, or was it more a feeling of, ‘Let’s get this going?’

JH: “I felt all of those things (nervous, anxious, pressure), but the pressure was off a little bit,” Hinchcliffe said about making his debut. “Making my debut was a huge amount of relief. We missed the first race at St. Pete because we didn’t have sponsorship yet. During the St. Pete weekend, I was down there with the team and helping Oriol. We got a phone call Saturday night from a company we had been talking to and they wanted to be with us starting next week.

“It was a roller coaster of emotions leading up to that first start. I remember during the first two years, I was walking up to the grid and I had a hard card and I would just be there to be seen. I’ll never forget at Birmingham, they (IndyCar officials) called all non-essential personnel off the grid. Then I said, ‘Oh no dummy. You stay here, you get to do this.’ It was definitely a roller coaster.”

SM: In your first outing, you had a decent qualifying position of eighth but unfortunately your day ended early due to a crash on Lap 40 and you finished 24th. Discuss what you recall about the event and is there anything you think you could have done differently to avoid a crash with E.J. Viso and Simona de Silvestro?

JH: “No, unfortunately, it was one of those deals where E.J. got into an incident with somebody and he spun around, and I was forced to go around the outside of him. When he did that, E.J. left his foot off the brake and I ran into the back of him,” he said. “Unfortunately, that was just disappointing to not finish in your first race after all that potential, but it goes with the sport.”

SM: Despite the disappointing finish, were you still on a high after completing your first IndyCar race?

JH: “No, the end of that race was super depressing,” Hinchcliffe said. “You really want to finish your first one, I don’t like ruining equipment. I felt bad for the crew guys. I was standing around the car when I got back to the trailer and I just felt bad for breaking the car. Crash damage is your responsibility as a driver, but thankfully the accident wasn’t of our doing.”

SM: At the following race in Long Beach, you scored a fourth-place finish and would also finish fourth at Loudon and Kentucky. Along the way, you had finishes of 20th and 19th at Texas, 14th st Toronto and finished 20th at Mid-Ohio. Was there a learning curve for you throughout the season or was there a point when you ever got comfortable?

JH: “I think learning the flow of a race weekend was a big thing, learning the car was definitely a big thing too,” he said. “I really can’t speak of the transition of the new Indy Lights car to the new IndyCar, but I did think the old Lights car was a very good training tool and stepping stone for the old IndyCar. There are a lot of things to get used to. Understanding red tires versus black tires, qualifying format, long races, saving fuel, etc. I really just tried to learn in every practice session and be a little better.”

SM: Your first Indianapolis experience came in 2009 with Sam Schmidt, but your first Indy 500 start came in your rookie season in 2011. You qualified 13th and finished 29th due to a crash. With the exception of the crash how surreal was it to make your first Indy 500 start in the IndyCar Series? How were your emotions making your first practice run, your qualifying attempt and the pre-race ceremonies?

JH: “It was amazing,” the six time IndyCar winner said. “I had watched the Indy 500 for years as a kid growing up. I attended my first Indy 500 in 2008 as a fan and I thought, TV doesn’t do this thing justice. In 2009 and 2010, when you were a part of the show, I thought okay, now I get it a little bit. In 2011, it really hit me now that I was actually a part of the race.

“The race is so unique. The first practice runs are nerve wracking. Qualifying at Indy is always the scariest thing you do all year. We were very proud of our qualifying effort of 13th. The disappointing finish that day sat heavier than any other race, because so much goes into that race. The emotions around the race are so drastic. Overall, my first Month of May was incredible.”

SM: As for your rookie year, you finished 12th in the standings and had an average finish of 13.9. In 2012, you obtained your first podium finish at Long Beach for Andretti Autosport. How special was it to get your first podium finish or did it not really register to you at the time?

JH: “It was huge,” Hinchcliffe said. “I always loved the Long Beach track and stepping into the Andretti car; it was a new car that year. The race prior to that at St. Pete, we finished fourth and I could just taste it (the podium). We came close a few times in my rookie year to get a podium finish and I wanted it so badly. Long Beach is a place where it just suited me well.”

SM: The year after in 2013, you had a stellar season with three wins. You would win your first-ever career IndyCar race at the season opener at St. Petersburg. You qualified fourth and led 26 of the 110 laps. As you continue to reflect on your career, what does that first victory still mean to you and have you ever had a chance to rewatch that race?

JH: “Not lately, I probably haven’t watched that win back in the last decade, I maybe watched it that year,” he said. “To this day, it’s the most memorable win for me and my career. (Winning) was validation for everything I put into that sport. To have both my parents there that day was special. There was a unique tie-in with the car I was driving, a Dan Wheldon tribute. That was his (Wheldon’s) hometown.”

SM: You then had a dominating win at Iowa, nearly leading all the laps and had a victory at Sao Paulo. Which victory was more satisfying to you that year? Winning the season opener or the dominating victory at Iowa leading all but 24 laps?

JH: “If you had to pick between the two, Sao Paulo was the more satisfying win,” the Toronto, Canada native said. “The way that race played out and the tricks Takuma Sato had been playing, I was pretty fired up about it. When we won on the last lap, that was really cool.

“The Iowa win, it was sort of a Sunday drive. Not that winning is ever easy, but we just kind of controlled it. I remember saying in the press conference, ‘This is what Scott Dixon must feel like on mile and a half tracks.’ But, you know, it’s rare to have a day like that in IndyCar and I certainly appreciated that moment. The Sao Palou stuck a little better.”

SM: Obviously, a few short seasons after your first win, you suffered a near-death crash at Indy in 2015 during practice. However, a year later when you returned to the track, you qualified on the pole, led 27 laps out front, and brought home a seventh-place finish for a team you started with in Indy Lights? How special of a moment was that for you knowing that a year earlier you nearly died, but a year later, you almost won?

JH: “I showed up to Indy that May and I was so far past the accident,” the 35-year-old said. “I was already back in the car and I already crashed on an oval again. All anyone could ever talk about was my crash the year before and me coming back there. I remember saying to my team on unloading day, ‘My biggest goal for May was to leave with a different story to tell.’ We nailed it on that part.

“Qualifying was such an accomplishment for the team. To be on the pole for the 100th running of the Indy 500, it was such a 360 full-circle moment. It was cool to share it with that group because it was nearly all the same guys with my car the year before when we did it. The race was great and had a few things fallen a little differently, we probably could’ve had a legitimate shot at winning.”

SM: Throughout your 11-year career in IndyCar, I’m sure there are many races where you wish you had another opportunity to redo them. In your mind, are there any races that stand out the most and, if so, which race and why? Would you say the 2016 500?

JH: “It’s tough, there’s so many variables in the Indy 500,” Hinchcliffe said. It was a different fuel game that ended up winning that race. A race that sticks in my mind is Texas of that year in 2016, where Graham Rahal beat me by a little bit after dominating that race. There’s nothing I could have done differently. Early in my career, I had some bad races in Toronto and that really sucked, but we had some podium finishes later on.”

SM: You have six IndyCar victories in your career and three in the Indy Lights Series. Which trophy means the most to you in your collection and why?

JH: “Actually, the trophy that means the most to me is the Greg Moore legacy award,” he said. “Greg being my hero as a driver and one of the reasons to be an IndyCar driver. To win an award as a young driver, definitely was a great moment.”

SM: Some drivers keep a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years in the sport?

JH: “My mom used to collect a lot of merchandise of mine and I’m pretty sure there is a box or two that ended up in my basement when they moved,“ Hinchcliffe said. “You know, I don’t really look too much at that kind of stuff. My one thing I really value is helmets. For me, helmets tell stories. I got one helmet from every year of my career and that’s all the way back to go-karting. I treasure my helmet collection.”

SM: Wrapping this interview up, it’s hard to believe your debut came 10 years ago, 12 years in Indy Lights. However, if time travel was available, what would a 35-year-old James Hinchcliffe tell a 22-year-old James Hinchcliffe? Is there anything you would do differently?

JH: “Don’t give up, just keep going,” the now turned NBC analyst said. “There are going to be times in the sport where you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. It can be a brutal, cruel environment. I think a little word of encouragement to my younger me, knowing it was going to work out, probably helped those few sleepless nights.”

Throughout Hinchcliffe’s career, the Canada native has earned six NTT IndyCar wins with 18 podium finishes and has led 781 laps. In addition, he’s won three Indy Lights races and finished runner-up in the championship in 2010 before making the move to IndyCar in 2011.

Fans of James can follow him on Twitter and Instagram and like him on Facebook, as well as visit his website here.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing: Strong Debut for the GR YARIS Rally1 with Second Place for Ogier

By

Official Release

-

January 24, 2022

Toyota City, Japan, Jan 24, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team has completed a strong debut event for the new GR YARIS Rally1 with Sebastien Ogier claiming second overall and Kalle Rovanpera finishing fourth at Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Ogier had been on course to claim a record-extending ninth win on the famous event before a cruel late twist in the thrilling weekend-long battle for the victory, suffering a flat front-left tyre on the penultimate stage of the rally. The time lost turned his lead of 24.6 seconds into a deficit of 9.5s. Along with new co-driver Benjamin Veillas, Ogier gave his all in the final stage and, having been handed a 10-second penalty for a jump start, finished just 10.5s from the win.

Fourth was an impressive result for Rovanpera and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen, who made huge strides forward in pace and confidence in their new car from Saturday onwards. In all they claimed three stage wins, including on the rally-ending Power Stage. The five bonus points put Rovanpera third in the championship as the leading full-season contender, with Ogier to contest selected events this year after stepping away from full-time competition.

Elfyn Evans was also in the battle for the lead until he went off the road on Saturday’s SS11 and lost 20 minutes. On the final day he set his sights on scoring bonus points in the Power Stage and completed a one-two in the stage for the GR YARIS Rally1.

All three of the team’s drivers claimed stage wins over the weekend and the car was fastest on nine of the 17 stages. It demonstrated both impressive performance and reliability despite the challenges of the new Rally1 regulations, which included the introduction of hybrid power to rallying’s top level for the first time. In Monaco to join the team and witness the GR YARIS Rally1’s successful debut was Kazuki Nakajima, the recently-appointed Vice Chairman of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Europe.

TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta recorded his third consecutive Rallye Monte-Carlo finish in the top category and claimed eighth place overall, setting a pair of top-three stage times on the final day and scoring the first points for the newly-established TGR WRT Next Generation.

Quotes:

Akio Toyoda (Team Founder)
“It was so close for Seb to achieve his ninth victory in Rallye Monte-Carlo, but I was happy to see that the cooperation with his new co-driver, Benjamin, seemed to be working well. His driving feeling with our new partner, the GR YARIS Rally1, also seemed to be fairly good. This new partner is an electrified car following the new regulations to make this sport more sustainable. I assume it required delicate handling despite its strong power, but Seb quickly made friends with despite it being slightly difficult. I respect him for being able to make friends right away. Also, I would like to express my respect to the leadership of the FIA, WRC Promoter, and all others involved in the preparations as they have helped this historic and traditional World Rally Championship move toward the realisation of carbon-neutrality with electrified cars and new fuel.

Our other crews seemed to be struggling a bit with our new partner, but it was great that a TGR driver set the best time in all stages on Day 3. How well our crew and GR YARIS Rally1 cars are going to get along event by event is something new to look forward to this season, although I still feel something is missing when I see the rally cars leaving the service park quietly.

The base car of our rally car was Yaris until last year, and it changed to GR Yaris from this year. GR Yaris is a production sports car that we, Toyota, made by ourselves to win in motorsports. The car has finally started the real competition stage now. I’m so glad, and I would like to thank everyone who has worked together with me to build GR Yaris. I know that the members who built GR YARIS Rally1 from the GR Yaris also went through a lot of troubles and worked very hard. I have to sincerely thank all members in Finland led by Jari-Matti, and all members in Cologne. The season has just begun and I believe we can continue the good work together.

To the fans, I appreciate your continued support for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team this season. Thank you very much.

P.S.
To the fans and spectators who helped Elfyn and Takamoto on the stages. I watched the videos on social media. Thanks to your big help, two cars were able to continue the rally. Thank you so much!

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“For sure there is some disappointment in this moment because we were so close to winning, but this is motorsport sometimes and we have to accept it. The most important thing is that we know we have a car that is capable of winning and a car which is reliable and this gives us the strength to look to the future and the rest of the season. Seb did a really good job and unfortunately he just didn’t have luck on his side today. Kalle has improved so much from the beginning of the rally and he did a really great Power Stage today. Elfyn also showed great performance here, just with a small mistake yesterday, but he also did a good drive in the Power Stage which helps us in the championship. I want to say congratulations to M-Sport and Ford, because it is nice to be competing at the front with them again, and also to Sebastien Loeb for an amazing achievement; it was an incredible battle this weekend that I know the fans really enjoyed.”

Sebastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“It has been a huge joy to compete in this special rally again and to be in this incredible fight. This weekend we don’t come out as the winner but we can definitely keep our head up. Together with Benjamin and the team we did the job. We have done a great performance over the weekend and there were no issues on the car, which is a fantastic achievement. Fate decided differently today but I’m still smiling and I still enjoyed this fight very much. Honestly I feel there was nothing I could do about what happened on the penultimate stage. It was a cut I avoided on the first pass but on the second pass it was impossible to avoid, it was very dirty and I had to follow the line of the others. But well done to Sebastien and Isabelle for the victory, they have done a remarkable performance and it was a very tough fight. It’s been a good weekend for the sport.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s been an encouraging weekend in some ways but it’s massively frustrating to make the error that was so costly yesterday. I had a good feeling in the car but that doesn’t count for much because we finish the rally with very few points, which is a disappointment. I had a pretty good run in the Power Stage but maybe towards the end I didn’t make the most of the hybrid system in the tricky conditions. Overall the team has done a really good job. We didn’t have a lot of testing but I found a much happier place with the car during the event. I think it performed really well without any issues, so a big thank you to the team.”

Kalle Rovanpera (Driver car 69)
“I am really happy to see the progress we made during the rally. I didn’t really know what was happening at the beginning but we believed in ourselves, pushed hard and found a good pace in the car. We did everything we could and finally got the setup much better and I could start to learn the car myself. I have to say big thanks to my engineer for pushing with me and doing big changes to the car. So it was a really positive weekend in the end and we could do a good run in the Power Stage also. It’s important to get all the points we can so it’s nice to be in this position, even if it means we will be cleaning the road in Sweden. That’s going to be a bit tricky but we will do our best to be ready for that.”

For the latest results please visit www.wrc.com

What’s next?
Rally Sweden (February 24-27) is the only full winter event of the season taking place on snow and ice. This year the event moves further north to a new base in Umea meaning all of the stages will be new to the drivers. Metal studs inserted into the tyres bite into the ice to provide grip and allow for some of the highest speeds of the year.

News URL: https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/72626/

Top 5 Cars for Young People and Students

By

SM

-

January 24, 2022

In the architectural world, it is usually acknowledged that a vehicle is a highly costly pleasure that most people normally cannot afford. Most people have no concerns as long as they are employed and receiving a strong, stable paycheck. For those who work and earn money, there are plenty of things to do at open-door banks and automobile showrooms for the sake of taking a walk. But as an ordinary student who dreams of his first car? In this case, one far from trivial question torments: where to acquire the money? Get a new job for some additional cash? Purchase a business plan and start your own business? Borrow money from your parents or a loan?

Let’s check to see whether this is the case.

DO STUDENTS EVEN NEED A CAR?

Whether a student needs a car or not is a frivolous question. Someone will say, sure, its existence truly saves time (essential for cities where there is no metro), someone will answer on the contrary, because public transit is much faster to travel to than by your vehicle (typical for the capital). Let’s try to assess all the positives and cons of such a purchase.

The «Pros»:

Taking a car instead of taking public transportation is far more convenient and pleasant, especially during rush hour.
A college student who has a car isn’t frightened of the weather’s “charms,” such as cold and rain.
You may always offer a ride home to the girl you adore while driving your automobile.

The «Cons»:

A automobile is a luxury that comes at a price. These funds aren’t available to all college students. It is possible, of course, to save meticulously, depriving oneself of all other pleasures. Is it actually worth it?
Don’t forget to include in the cost of owning an automobile. The first stop is for gas and a wash. Second, let’s talk about sundries. A considerable sum can be amassed in a single year.

Whether you need a car or not is a personal choice that each individual must make.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE CAR?

Because this article is focused on students from average families rather than the “golden elite,” the following will be the criteria for picking an automobile for a student:

Affordable price (Up to 3000 dollars).
Repairs and consumables are available for purchase at a low cost.
Non-new vehicle. Inexperienced drivers should not purchase a vehicle from the salon. When it comes to small collisions, inexperienced drivers are more likely than more experienced drivers to have their automobiles repaired.

The main criteria

Choosing a car should be done with the assistance of an expert, ideally, a specialist who is capable of figuring it out; otherwise, these are only the words of a deceptive salesperson. When choosing a car, it is important to consider the following:

The year in which the automobile was built. However, even if this is not the most essential selection factor, it is significant, particularly when it comes to domestic brands. The older the automobile, the worse its condition is considered to be. Of course, it is possible to identify an exception to the rule, but doing so will take a significant amount of time.
The state of its physical body. Moreover, this is the point to which you should pay particular attention. Certain bran a galvanized body that is of great quality and may endure for decades. However, this is not a characteristic seen in the majority of inexpensive vehicles.
How the engine and gearbox work together is explained. This is especially true in the case of international brands. A foreign-brand car’s engine or transmission can set you back a big coin if it has to be replaced. As a result, when purchasing a car, make sure to ask to drive it and pay attention to how the engine starts and operates, as well as how and with what sound the gears change.
This brand’s availability in the car parts market has been confirmed. It is predicated on the availability of parts as well as the cost of those parts.
Motorists’ opinions and experiences. Before purchasing a car, pick 3-5 alternatives that are acceptable for the price range that you are considering, and be sure to study the reviews of previous car owners.

TOP 5 CARS FOR STUDENTS

Daewoo Matiz.

Compact, reasonably priced, and not outdated. These characteristics are sufficient to qualify as a student vehicle. In some countries, on the other hand, the car has been designated as a vehicle for women. Male students, on the other hand, are not inclined to take him seriously. However, for females, this is the most appropriate alternative! An automobile starts at 750 bucks and goes up from there.

2. Volkswagen Golf.

Machines with a dependable brand and good performance. A Golf that was manufactured in the 2000s has a starting price of $1,300.

3. Nissan Almera.

The automobile appears to be well-made, dependable, and reasonably priced. Beginning at $ 750, machines manufactured in the year 2000 are available. It is possible to get an excellent choice for 1200 bucks.

4. Honda Civic.

This is an option for folks who enjoy the visuals of racing vehicles. Although the cheap model is unlikely to provide you with a compelling incentive to chase (since there will be few horses in it), the automobile itself is attractive. And it’s a hit with the ladies! The base price for automobiles manufactured between 2000 and 2002 is $1,300.

5. BMW 3 series.

Automobiles that came off the manufacturing line in the 2000s are available for purchase for $1,900. For 2500, you can get a pretty excellent deal on a solid selection. The car’s maintenance costs a lot of money. However, she has typically drawn the attention of young people of both sexes.

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

Ford Performance NASCAR: Mark Rushbrook and Doug Yates Looking Forward to 2022 Season

Richard Childress Racing Announces Partnership with Guaranteed Rate

Stoner Car Care Racing Supports Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness at Daytona

WÜRTH EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TEAM PENSKE AND TEAMS UP WITH RYAN BLANEY IN 2022

TR3 Racing Takes Rolex 24 Pole with Lamborghini

Ambetter Named Entitlement Partner For 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Race at NHMS

Mazda MX-5 Cup Set for Epic Season Opener at Daytona

Exclusive: First Seasons with James Hinchcliffe

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing: Strong Debut for the GR YARIS Rally1 with Second Place for Ogier

Top 5 Cars for Young People and Students

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

Site Map

Archives

Popular Category