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CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: No. 3 Corvette Zoom Transcript

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Official Release
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IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA
NO. 3 CORVETTE C8.R MEDIA AVAILABILITY TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 11, 2022

Corvette Racing drivers Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg – teammates in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R – met with members of the media during a Zoom conference call Tuesday to discuss the team’s entry into the new GTD PRO class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the transitions to a new spec of the Corvette C8.R, the outlook for the 2022 Rolex 24 At Daytona and other topics. FULL TRANSCRIPT:

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
HOW BIG OF AN ADJUSTMENT TRANSITIONING TO GTD PRO?
“Adding ABS is the biggest change for us. IMSA and Corvette Racing are doing a good job of adjusting a GTLM car into a GTD car. There has been a lot of work together to put together all the data and get our Corvette to the GT3 spec. The biggest difference is the tire for this year. We will have to adapt to that. A lot of the speed differences in previous years were due to the confidential tire to the customer tire, basically.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“It’s obviously good race against another 12 or 13 cars. When there are so few cars, strategy can go away a little bit. But now you have to pay attention to those who may not be in contention but can gamble big on strategy to come up to the front toward the end of the race. There are a lot of strategies to play there, and that’s where our engineers will be a really good tool to have. We’re very good at that. Who knows… with two Corvettes, we can split strategies like we did last year. It’s going to be tougher but it’s not the first time we have competed against a lot of cars.”

THERE ARE NOW TWO CLASSES – GTD PRO AND GTD – THAT RUN WITH IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT ON IDENTICAL TIRES. HOW WILL THAT DYNAMIC PLAY OUT?
“It will be interesting, for sure. I’m not used to that, and knowing we aren’t racing for the same result will be different. There could be a point where a GTD car is leading the GT field and end up winning the race. It will be strange for most of us. I don’t know if they are planning to split the classes in the pit stops or something. For sure, there will be a lot of play out. If you are leading, you’re going to want to have a ton of GTDs between you and the next PRO car. It’s going to be difficult to play out, especially on strategy. If you decide to stop at the same time and you end up all the way at the back of the GTD field, it will make things even tougher. We don’t know how it will play out.”

REVIEWING LAST YEAR’S FINISH AND POSITIVE COVID TEST. IS THERE A RISK OF RUNNING JUST A THREE-DRIVER LINEUP?
“It’s going to be tough for sure. The good thing about it being that late in the race, Nicky and Jordan could finish with no problem. I suspect that is what everyone is thinking. We definitely need to stay COVID-free for the next two or three weeks.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN NICK TANDY WAS JOINING THE TEAM FOR LAST YEAR? WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT HIM WHILE HE WAS WITH PORSCHE AND ALSO SO FAR WITH HIM BEING WITH THE TEAM?
“I raced against Nick for many years in different cars which at times made things a little bit not easy, but easier. There would be races when he would be more competitive than us or the other way around. But we kind of always found ourselves together many, many times fighting for the win. But now with Nick being in the same car makes things a little bit different in that all the advantages you had in the past, now he has them too. So it was the difference between us would be even smaller and it is trickier to find a weak point to be ahead. The addition of him on the team was great because it just gave us a ton more information and feedback. That brought the whole Corvette team further up. It also made us – Jordan, Nicky and myself – have to be even stronger if we wanted to beat them. I think overall it made Corvette Racing stronger which is the main thing.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
ON THE SIZE OF GTD PRO FIELD FOR ROLEX 24.
“It’s super exciting. The last couple of years, the field was getting smaller and smaller in GTLM. Now with IMSA moving to GTD PRO, we’re very excited. In moving to a new class, there is going to be a lot to learn for us with our car and converting it over to the spec. But if anyone is up to the task, it’s Corvette Racing. We did a couple of days testing last year after Petit Le Mans with the car to get a better understanding of the tire, ABS and what we have to run this year. We’re also spending lots of time in the simulator as well. We’re all looking forward to it. It’s going to have the competition with lots of manufacturers in the class. Thirteen cars in the class… every one of those cars I’ve seen so far can win the race. It definitely will be a big battle. At the end of the day it’s still a 24-hour race. I’m sure with a lot of those drivers and teams, they’re going to want to lead a lot and throughout the night. We just need to rely on our history and experience and knowing that we need to be there at the end just like last year. The fight comes down to the last couple of hours. We need to get through the night with a strong, safe car and go for the win at the end.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“We’re looking forward to the competition. The last couple of years, we were mainly racing our teammates. BMW and Porsche were there, but when you get down to racing just your teammate, those are the toughest guys to race. They have similar equipment and the same tools as you, plus they’re great drivers. You know they’re going to get the most out of it. You also don’t want to make any mistakes rub them. I’m looking forward to having 13 cars to battle. I’ve missed battling on starts and restarts, the strategy wars… that’s my biggest thing. I missed the actual racing side of what we had in the past.”

IN BASIC TERMS, WHAT ARE THE CHANGES YOU’VE MADE TO THE CAR TO BRING IT INTO THE GT3 WINDOW?
“The biggest things are the ABS and customer tires. There are a lot of little details that IMSA is making us do to get the C8.R closer. The car wasn’t designed for the class so they’re trying to make it as even as possible. The biggest aspect is understanding the way the tire works. The team has spent so many years with Michelin to develop the confidential tire to work properly for our car. Now we’re moving to a tire that will work for a front-engine, mid-engine and rear-engine car. Understanding how the way that works and maximizing it for not just one lap but for over a stint will be a huge thing to learn. ABS is another thing to understand the brake wear with that system. It’s good to have someone like Nicky who has so much GT3 experience who can lend a hand for Antonio and I who don’t have as much experience as he does in this type of car to understand what it’s supposed to feel like and how we make the most of that. There will be a lot of learning. Antonio and I spent two days in the car at VIR after Petit Le Mans last year to get a feel for things. I’m sure the Corvette Racing guys went back, studied all the data and made their developments. There have been other drivers in the sim developing those items that we were working on since then. I think we’ll have a good package for Daytona.”

HOW DID IT FEEL TO DRIVE?
“It still felt just like a Corvette, which is nice. The C8.R has been really successful since it came out with the mid-engine layout. The biggest thing was understanding how the way the tire worked, the window that it works in, how you use it, how much you can slide it, the temperature window that it works in. Those little details are good to understand. The tire degradation is going to be a different aspect for us. The ABS was different – just maximizing it in how much pressure to use, how consistent you can be if you’re pushing the brake pedal too hard. Little details like that were good to get a feel for last year before we go to the Roar where most of the work is for the Rolex and not really for car development or driver development.”

CORVETTE RACING EXPERIMENTED WITH ABS AT DETROIT LAST YEAR. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW?
“It’s the same system but there have been more development since then. Detroit was an experiment for Antonio and me to get a feel for it, plus Nick (Tandy) and Tommy (Milner). That was a unique event for us where we didn’t have any competition and were free to do it. So we chose to get some miles on the car with it, see how we felt and see what kind of feedback we could give the team to develop it. We took that to the simulator and the VIR test, where we did some more developments to increase the capability of the system. It helped to get a little bit of a head start during the season last year, and I think we’ll still be learning and developing it through the Roar and Rolex.”

HOW MUCH HAS THE SIM HELPED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE ABS AND LEARNING THE NEW MICHELIN CUSTOMER TIRE?
“The drivers were probably spoiled with how good the GTLM tires could be! But at the same time it created a lot of stress during a weekend on what tire to use, when to use it, what the other car is going to do and what the other teams were going to do. Now everyone is on the same playing field. I have a big trust in the team that we are going to maximize the tire’s capability. We have a lot of smart people that can do that. I have a lot of confidence going to that spec tire that our team will do a great job with it. We work with Michelin a lot with our simulator to get a better understanding of it.”

HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SORTING OUT WHO IS WHO? WHAT CARS ARE GTD PRO, AND WHAT CARS ARE GTD AM?
“We know Andy Lally won’t be letting anyone by. Other than that, we all keep track of what races are going on where and we know drivers pretty well… who to look out for, who we can trust on track and who we have to be more careful around. But there are a lot of different color cars coming and a lot of different manufacturers. I’ll definitely be studying before and during the weekend to see who’s who. Our guys usually make notes on drivers on-track of who to look out for so when we do get in the race, they will say to us we are coming up on the 18 car with this driver, be careful of them. They do a good job of helping us with that. They keep us out of trouble as much as possible. It’s the same thing with Prototypes when they are going by with who is in what car so we know who to leave a little more of a gap to than other guys.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN NICK TANDY WAS JOINING THE TEAM FOR LAST YEAR? WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT HIM WHILE HE WAS WITH PORSCHE AND ALSO SO FAR WITH HIM BEING WITH THE TEAM?
“I didn’t so a whole lot of racing against him over the years. We were always in a different class. But obviously I knew a lot about him before he came in and knew he would be a huge asset to the team and a huge competitor to Antonio and I for the championship, especially when it was mostly down to our two cars to win the championship. But it is always interesting to have someone new come in to the team especially with that much experience and success to see how they operate when you are so close to them and see how they work. He is definitely a hard worker. You always hear rumors about different drivers, but seeing him in person you understand why he is as strong as he is. He is always working… looking at data, looking at video trying to find every little bit which made us do the same thing last year. Like Antonio said, we had the same equipment and we were trying to find an advantage on everyone else. I looked at more data and video last year than I probably ever had trying to find little advantages in qualifying and the races to see where we could make it up. I think having guys like that elevates everyone’s game.”

IS IT MORE FUN TO HAVE A BIGGER FIELD, MORE CARS OUT THERE?
“I think it is more fun to have a high grid count with quality cars. I think it becomes more difficult when you get some filler cars with lesser drivers and teams. It makes it difficult when you have some drivers who aren’t as experienced on the track in such a high-profile event, especially when we are going to have such a competitive field in our class. Say we come through in the middle of the night with 13 GTD PRO cars and you come up on someone with lesser experience who doesn’t know how to get out of the way. It can cause a lot of confusion on-track and incidents. We do have a big, quality field with all the GTD Pro cars. They all have amazing lineups and teams. I haven’t looked too hard into the Pro-Am categories. But as Nicky said earlier, we are here to put on a show for fans as well and that creates entertainment. Sometimes you need that in a race. Sometimes you need someone slower to hold up another guy to make a pass. That creates a little more opportunity. We’re all looking forward to it. The offseason has been pretty short but at the same time it seems too long. We are all excited to get back to the track and back to racing.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R
HOW IS IT COMING BACK TO DAYTONA AS DEFENDING RACE WINNER?
“It’s not going to be easy, it seems. Like it has been said, the field is so big. There are lots more cars and not just in GTD PRO but also all the other GTDs creating one big class so we’re all driving against each other with similar speed. It will be very exciting and way more difficult to win it than last year. So let’s see. I’m excited to go again. It feels super good to already have one watch on my wrist, but let’s try to add a second one.”

WHAT’S MOST APPEALING ABOUT THE NEW CLASS AFTER BASICALLY RACING YOURSELVES LAST YEAR?
“It’s nice to have a bigger class just to have more actual racing and overtaking. In Europe, we have a couple of very big GT3 races, and I think this one is heading in that direction in terms of very big GT3 fields. It’s also a very nice thing to see for the spectators. It should be a very cool race.”

THERE ARE NOW TWO CLASSES – GTD PRO AND GTD – THAT RUN WITH IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT ON IDENTICAL TIRES. HOW WILL THAT DYNAMIC PLAY OUT?
“For me, it reminds me of what we have in Europe where you have a Pro-Am class. That makes it quite difficult because it’s hard to always know who is in the car at that time. It always feels like it is one big class together. Everyone will fight each other, so I think that is what we will see in the race. I wish that some of the Pro-Am cars in Europe sometimes would just let you pass since we are racing our own race anyway. But unfortunately it doesn’t work like that there and I don’t think it will work like that in Daytona. So I think it’s going to be a big mess but also an amazing show.”

LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CAR INTO THE GT3 PLATFORM, YOU ARE THE ONE WITH EXPERIENCE WITH ABS AND THE OTHER DIFFERENT ELEMENTS, DO YOU FEEL MORE PRESSURE THIS YEAR?
“No. Not really. I did some driving after Petit Le Mans with the car already with ABS and honestly it felt quite good straightaway. Of course, we have to do some work, but I think some of these packages in terms of hardware have been tested so much over in Europe already. I don’t think it will take so long to get so competitive. I think some of that kind of stress is already away. Of course, there are some details that need to be tweaked. But I don’t feel too much more pressure. Maybe I can give a little bit more input than before and that feels nice. But other than that, the team is full of really smart guys so they don’t really have to depend on me for that.”

YOU’VE MENTIONED THAT THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE GTD PRO AND THE GTD AM IS GOING TO BE MUCH TIGHTER. HOW DO YOU SEE THAT PANNING OUT DURING THE COURSE OF THE RACE WITH THE DPI CARS COMING THROUGH? WILL IT BE MORE DISTRACTING AND WILL YOU BE IN RACES AROUND YOU AND THEY WILL HAVE A SLIGHTLY HARDER TIME GETTING AROUND YOU?
“Yes, I definitely think so. There are simply more cars to get around. For us to get around the GTDs – which are effectively in a different class but a similar speed – it is going to make for a lot of fighting on-track and we are going to side-by-side with DPis also wanting to pass. In the past with GTLM, the differences were bigger so it was easier to pass or to just say I’m going to wait on this opportunity and I’ll take the next one. Now I think it is going to be more do-or-die sometimes, and I think it is really important for us to contain ourselves and wait until the end of the race. But I think it is going to make for a lot of fights on-track and a lot of action on TV.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Flying Lizard Motorsports to Run Trio of Porsches in Porsche Sprint Challenge

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif., (January 11, 2022) – Known for its long-running history and resume of success racing Porsche machinery, sports car racing champions Flying Lizard Motorsport will continue their legacy with the German manufacturer this season, entering three cars into the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge North America. Longtime Lizard racers Chris Bellomo, Paul Bonderson, and Mike Gaulke, who raced previously in the Yokohama Drivers Cup USA will represent the team in both the North America and West championships.

“I am really looking forward to the new challenge in 2022 in the Porsche Sprint Challenge,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “All our drivers had such a great season last year and we came away with two Championships. This is good momentum to start the new year with. Chris has taken delivery of a 992 Cup so we have a new model to get familiar with, we have planned additional testing and development and we’re making a change in engineering. We have brought on Joe La Joie as an engineer this year. This is somewhat of a reconnection between him and me. He engineered several cars for me when I drove, and I feel he will be a great addition to our program. He is very methodical and has experience with Porsche. We know that the competition will be tougher and our drivers will have some new tracks to learn but this is a great group of people and should be a lot of fun.”

Having just concluded a successful season where he expanded his racing resume, Chris Bellomo holds previous experience in the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge, having run the double-header event at Circuit of the Americas in 2021. After finishing eighth in his series debut in race one, he followed it up with a fifth-place finish in race two. Racing his Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Car, Bellomo also ran a full season in the Yokohama Drivers Cup where he secured the Platinum class Divers Championship with eight wins and an additional ten podiums. He also expanded to IMSA’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands series, where he closed out the year with two podiums at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. This season, Bellomo will race his 2021 992 Porsche GT3 Cup car in the ten Porsche Sprint Challenge events across North America, beginning with the season opener March 11-13 at Sebring International Raceway. After several years of racing a custom white, orange, and yellow livery, Bellomo’s Porsche will sport the iconic Flying Lizard livery the team has sported since 2004 but will switch out the traditional red and silver for grey and orange. Returning as Bellomo’s driver coach will be former Lizard Johannes van Overbeek, who worked with Chris last season to help secure the Drivers Championship.

“This year we are looking to build on our 2021 season with a new car, new livery, and new series. We will be racing a 2021 992 Porsche GT3 Cup car in Porsche Sprint Challenge in both West and National series. Johannes and I are looking forward to testing and becoming familiar with the new car to prepare for our first race of the season at Sebring. We will have a few new tracks to prepare for with testing and look forward to working with our new engineer, Joe La Joie. We are hoping for another successful year with FLM and are excited to race with our updated FLM livery!”

Paul Bonderson’s Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 MR will be the easiest Porsche for die-hard Lizard fans to spot, sporting the traditional Flying Lizard Motorsport red and silver livery fans have come to know and love. Bonderson also recently completed a successful season, earning two podiums and an impressive 13 top-five finishes in the Yokohama Drivers Cup.

“This will be my first season with the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge,” said Bonderson. “I am looking forward to learning new tracks, meeting new competitors, learning a lot, and having fun. I can’t wait to start the season at Sebring, a new track for me.”

Fresh off his own championship title celebration, Mike Gaulke matched his teammates’ excitement for the approaching season. In the Yokohama Drivers Cup Silver class, Gaulke raced his white and orange liveried Porsche to the class and overall championship titles with 20 podiums in 22 races. He and his Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 MR will join the team in their full-season Porsche Sprint Challenge endeavors, racing in the GT4 class. Gaulke will have Thomas Merrill return again for another year as his driver coach.

“Coming off last season, which was my best ever, winning the Yokohama Drivers Cup class championship in GT4 as well as the overall points championship, I am looking forward to competing in this year’s Porsche Sprint Challenge,” said Gaulke. “The increased level of competition and four new tracks will present new challenges, but that is the joy of this sport. I am very fortunate to have the support of a storied race team in Flying Lizard Motorsports, an outstanding coach in Thomas Merrill, and a trusted crew chief in Cris Weber. I am excited to get back on track!”

For future event and tune-in information, visit lizardms.com to subscribe to the team’s distributions and further season updates.

2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge Schedule
March 11-13 Sebring International Raceway
April 1-3 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
April 15-17 Sonoma Raceway
April 22-24 Ozarks International Raceway (GT4 only)
May TBD
June 3-5 VIRginia International Raceway
July 1-3 Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course (GT3 only)
July 29-31 Road America
August 12-14 Utah Motorsport Campus
September 1-3 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
September 16-18 Circuit of the Americas

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

Added conveniences, continuation of cost-cutting rules and great purses will greet South Boston Speedway competitors in 2022

By
Official Release
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Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway

By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (Jan. 11, 2022) — South Boston Speedway officials work hard to make racing more affordable for competitors, while, at the same time, keeping the competition on a level playing field and making racing fun for the competitors.

Implementing conveniences for competitors is also part of the picture that makes South Boston Speedway a great place to race. South Boston Speedway is adding a new convenience this season by making it possible for teams to register for events via Pit Pay. Drivers and team members will be able to download the Pit Pay app. After downloading the app drivers and team members can go to South Boston Speedway’s profile and purchase pit passes for any event.

“This will be a nice new convenience for our competitors,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Chase Brashears. “Competitors will not have to stand in line as long on race day. They can come up to the designated Pit Pay window, show their confirmation and receive their armband.”

South Boston Speedway officials note that a change in a tire rule is the only notable rule change for the 2022 season.

In 2016, South Boston Speedway implemented a two-tire rule in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division, limiting teams to the purchase of two tires per event. The goal with limiting the amount of tires a team can purchase is to lower the cost. This season, teams will purchase four new tires every other race date.

“While it will be a change, it will work out to be the same overall cost for the teams as it would be with the two-tire rule,” explained Jeff Bomar, the director of operations and competition for South Boston Speedway.

Aside from the change in the tire rule no major rules changes are planned for competitors for the 2022 season.

“Rules changes cost money,” pointed out Bomar. “We do what we can to help control costs for the race teams. I feel that is why we have been able to have steady car counts the past few seasons.”

Along with rules designed to cut costs for competitors across all four of the track’s regular racing divisions, South Boston Speedway provides a good purse structure for competitors.

South Boston Speedway’s purse structure guarantees $500 to start in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Late Model Stock Car Division. That helps make it more financially feasible for teams to move up to competition in the top-tier division and to cover costs.

Along with that, the purse for South Boston Speedway’s Limited Sportsman Division is among the better-paying purses in the region.

“We have a good package in place to help make racing as affordable as possible and keep everyone on a level playing field in terms of competition,” Brashears said. “That is a big reason why we saw consistent car counts, especially in the latter half, in 2021. We are looking to continue the momentum we had last season and build on it for the 2022 season.”

South Boston Speedway celebrates its 65th anniversary season in 2022. The track’s first NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event of the season is set for Saturday afternoon, March 19.

Four special events are included on South Boston Speedway’s 2022 season schedule. The first of the four special events will take place on Saturday, April 2 when the SMART Modified Tour returns for the second straight year.
The Sentara Healthcare American Sprint Car Weekend on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30 marks the second special event of the season with the track hosting winged 410-sprint cars for the first time ever.

A full slate of racing featuring the Must See Racing winged 410-sprint cars, the fastest cars on asphalt, will be held both nights. South Boston Speedway’s Limited Sportsman, Budweiser Pure Stock and Budweiser Hornets Division competitors will compete as part of the Friday night action. The track’s NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division teams and the drivers of the Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club will be featured on Saturday night along with the winged 410-sprint cars.

South Boston Speedway’s showcase NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series event, the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort, is set for Saturday, July 2. Along with the 200-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division race, the first race of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, fans will see the track’s Limited Sportsman Division, Budweiser Pure Stock Division and Budweiser Hornets Division competitors in action. A practice day and fan fest are slated for the day before on Friday, July 1.

The track will kick off a month-long celebration of its 65th anniversary on Saturday night, August 6 with Davenport Energy Night at the Races. South Boston Speedway’s month-long 65th anniversary celebration continues with the Italian Delight presents South Boston Speedway’s 65th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday night, August 20.

South Boston Speedway will close out its 2022 season of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points races with Championship Night on Saturday night, September 3.

The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour will return to South Boston Speedway on Saturday, October 22 to close out South Boston Speedway’s 2022 schedule. That event will feature the series’ Late Model Stock Car Division competitors in a 125-lap race and its Pro Late Model divisions teams in a 100-lap race.

South Boston Speedway will also be offering a different form of motorsports this season as drifting with be featured on Saturday afternoon, March 5. Additional drifting events may be added later.

The complete 2022 South Boston Speedway schedule, ticket information, competitor information and the latest news and updates can be found on the South Boston Speedway website www.southbostonspeedway.com and through the speedway’s social media channels.

Carson Hocevar Set for Debut in 36th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals

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Official Release
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TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 11, 2022) – Niece Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar is set to compete in the 36th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire from Jan. 10-15. The six-day event features five qualifying nights leading up to Saturday’s Lucas Oil Championship Feature Events on the quarter-mile clay oval at the SageNet Center at the River Spirit Expo Center.

“I’m so excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Hocevar. “Thanks to everyone at Beilman Motorsports for making this happen. Another big thank you to Al Niece for letting me come race in Tulsa, and for the sponsorship support from Niece Motorsports and Dave.com. It takes so much effort from so many people to get a race car to the racetrack, and I’m appreciative of every one of them.

This is a different animal, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge. I just love racing and getting to participate in the Chili Bowl is really a dream come true for me. I hope we’re able to get 2022 started off on the right foot.”

Related: 36th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire

Hocevar will make his Chili Bowl debut piloting the No. 31X Beilman Motorsports entry with sponsorship from Niece Motorsports and Dave.com. The 18-year-old is scheduled to qualify on Wednesday, Jan. 12 – the third of five-straight qualifying nights – beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Hocevar is one of 11 NASCAR national series drivers competing in this year’s Chili Bowl Nationals.

All five qualifying nights and Saturday’s championship feature events up to the D-Main can be streamed live on FloRacing, while MAVTV will show Saturday’s final feature events beginning with opening ceremonies at 7 p.m. ET.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

INDYCAR Announces 14-Race Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Schedule

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Official Release
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New Era for Series Includes Return to Iowa Speedway, Debut at Nashville

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022) – INDYCAR is launching a new era of operational control of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires with the announcement of a 14-race schedule for 2022.

The schedule features events in 11 key markets and three doubleheader weekends, including a return to Iowa Speedway and the series’ debut on the Streets of Nashville. In November 2021, INDYCAR added the role of promoter to its position of sanctioning body of Indy Lights.

All 14 races, qualifying sessions and practices will happen within 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekends, providing an inclusive atmosphere for the developmental series that serves as the final step toward competing in North America’s premier open-wheel series. Where available, Indy Lights will benefit from a more integrated paddock area as its team garages will be inside the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock footprint. Additional integration will come in marketing, digital assets and race officiating.

“To have all 14 races included with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule and its world-class venues is a tremendous step forward,” said Levi Jones, director of Indy Lights. “In addition to competing for the 2022 championship, Indy Lights drivers, crew members and teams will be able to see up close how event weekends run and operate in INDYCAR.

“Racing is the part they’ve known their whole life. Our goal is to also allow them the opportunity to see what it takes to become a true professional. The chance to connect and closely interact with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock is a pathway to realize that goal.”

The 2022 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season begins Sunday, Feb. 27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg. It is the 17th year that Indy Lights has competed on the temporary street circuit. The championship continues Sunday, May 1 at picturesque Barber Motorsports Park before the first doubleheader of the season on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14.

The second doubleheader of 2022 is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park in Detroit before the classic American road courses of Road America on Sunday, June 12 and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, July 3.

The first oval of the season comes Saturday, July 23 at Iowa Speedway. It marks the first appearance by Indy Lights on the .875-mile, D-shaped layout since 2018. It is followed by the series debut on the fan-favorite Streets of Nashville on Sunday, Aug. 7 and another oval at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 20.

A series of test days also will be included in the overall calendar for the 2022 season, at the IMS road course (Tuesday, April 5), World Wide Technology Raceway (Wednesday, June 15) and Iowa Speedway (Wednesday, June 22).

“The key is we are training successful athletes today to become superstars tomorrow,” Jones said. “Tests and races at all three venues, combined with the remaining schedule, will help provide each of our drivers the experience they need to be ready for the final step of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”

The 2022 championship finishes with a flurry of three races in eight days. The final stretch starts Sunday, Sept. 4 with an event at Portland International Raceway for the 18th season. The series champion will be crowned at the final doubleheader of the season, Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

In the United States, all races will be broadcast live on Peacock Premium, NBCUniversal’s expanding streaming service, with additional coverage during race weekends provided by the INDYCAR Radio Network.

“Last season, over 20 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES competed in Indy Lights at some point in their career,” Jones said. “It is a proven pipeline to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and we believe the connection will strengthen as the sanctioning body assumes operational control. There is little question the 2022 championship trophy will be one the champion will keep on their shelf forever and could be a sign of bigger success to come afterward.”

Start times for 2022 events will be announced at a later date.

About Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: Celebrating 35 years, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires develops drivers and teams to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Past champions include INDYCAR SERIES champions Paul Tracy, Cristiano da Matta, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden. In 2021, 20 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES were Indy Lights graduates, including rising stars and race winners Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward and Rinus VeeKay. The 2022 season consists of 14 races in the United States. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, please visit www.indylights.com. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

About Cooper Tire: Cooper Tire, a subsidiary of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Nasdaq: GT), specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper is headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations located in more than one dozen countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.

About Goodyear: Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

Montoya reunites with Arrow McLaren SP for Indianapolis May events

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by James Black/Penske Entertainment.

A familiar name will be returning to the NTT IndyCar Series starting grid in May 2022 after it was announced that Juan Pablo Montoya will be joining forces with Arrow McLaren SP and Mission Foods for a second consecutive season as he competes in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on May 14 followed by the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indy’s iconic oval-shaped layout on May 29.

Montoya, a racing veteran from Bogota, Columbia, will be piloting the No. 6 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet for both Indy events, where he will be a teammate to AMSP’s full-time drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, as he also bids for his seventh Indianapolis 500 entry and third victory.

“I’m excited to return to Indianapolis with Arrow McLaren SP and Mission, to once again compete in a race that holds a special place in my heart – the Indianapolis 500,” Montoya said. “I had a great experience with the team last year and look forward to building on the progress we made in 2021. I think we have a real shot at competing at the front of the field and challenging for the win.”

In May 2021, Montoya drove the No. 86 AMSP Chevrolet to a 21st-place result in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indy road course followed by a ninth-place result in the 105th running of the Indy 500. He won the 500 in his first attempt in 2000 while competing for Chip Ganassi Racing, thus becoming the first Columbian to achieve an Indy 500 victory, and became a two-time Indy 500 champion in 2015 while driving for Team Penske.

Montoya, whose racing career started with karting, returns to AMSP with a rich motorsports resume that includes previous competitions in British Formula 3, International Formula 3000, FedEx Championship Series, Formula One, IndyCar, Rolex 24 at Daytona, NASCAR, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship. During this span, he has competed for organizations that include Williams Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, Meyer Shank Racing, DragonSpeed USA and McLaren.

To go along with two Indianapolis 500 victories, Montoya has one championship and 15 career victories in IndyCar competition. His last victory in IndyCar was at the Streets of St. Petersburg in March 2016 while driving for Team Penske, which also marked his last full-time IndyCar season to date. He claimed his maiden IndyCar title in 1999 in a tie-breaker against Dario Franchitti.

By competing in both Indianapolis events this season, Montoya will reach 97 career starts in the IndyCar Series.

“We’re delighted to have both Juan Pablo and Mission Foods back for another Indianapolis 500,” Zak Brown, McLaren Racing’s CEO, said. “Juan Pablo is an institution in motorsport, with two Indianapolis 500 victories and an impressive Formula 1 career with multiple wins for McLaren. He adds experience that really benefits our team, giving us another driver with the potential to win anytime he steps into the car.”

Mission Foods, which partnered with Arrow McLaren SP in 2020, will be represented on Montoya’s car and suit for both Indy events and will serve as a yearlong associate sponsor for O’Ward and Rosenqvist.

“We are thrilled to partner again with Juan Pablo Montoya and Arrow McLaren SP for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500,” Juan Gonzalez, Mission Foods’ CEO, added. “The Indianapolis 500 and Juan Pablo are legendary to racing and loved by race fans everywhere. It’s an honor for our brand to align with icons like these.”

The 2022 GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course is scheduled to occur on May 14 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to commence on May 29 at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.

Richard Childress Racing Announces Breakthrough Partnership with 3CHI

By
Official Release
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Leader in natural, hemp-based consumable and therapeutic products to sponsor Tyler Reddick during 2022 season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 11, 2022) – 3CHI, a company focused on innovation within hemp-based consumer products, is teaming up for a groundbreaking partnership with Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 NASCAR Cup Series team in 2022, the two organizations announced today.

This is a significant partnership for both organizations as it marks the first category-specific team partnership in NASCAR and first hemp-based consumer brand sponsorship across all major professional sports.

The partnership will kick off with the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Tyler Reddick will drive the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro in the Great American Race, as well as a significant number of races during the 2022 season as part of the multi-race, multi-year partnership.

“This is a unique opportunity to leverage a team partnership with one of the most iconic and innovative teams in NASCAR to help introduce 3CHI’s vast array of products to a passionate and dedicated fan base,” said Justin Journay, founder and chief executive officer of 3CHI. “We’re looking forward to working with Richard Childress Racing to tap into the excitement of the sport and new Next Gen car, unique activation opportunities and technology involved.”

3CHI focuses on bringing natural science and new innovation to the hemp industry and has earned thousands of consumer testimonials to their benefit and enjoyment of 3CHI products. 3CHI produces products made by the industry’s best scientists, using the highest quality natural and organic hemp.

Everything produced by 3CHI follows all federal requirements for full legal compliance. 3CHI’s production and distribution of its products strictly adhere to a policy of safety above all else and sales are for responsible adult use only to consumers aged 21 and older.

“This is a first-of-its kind partnership, both within motorsports and within the sports industry as a whole,” said Torrey Galida, president of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re proud of our role as industry leaders in this category and look forward to introducing a pioneer in hemp-based consumer products to NASCAR, as well as educating fans about 3CHI’s innovative, science-based products.”

For more information, please visit 3CHI.com.

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.

About 3CHI:
3CHI began with roots as a CBD producer and quickly became a pioneer in science-based cannabis research. Founded by a biochemist, the company was the first commercial developer of hemp-derived Delta 8, leading to the immense popularity of legally compliant THCs today. Based in Indiana, the company continues as an industry leader in emerging THC science and innovative hemp-derived products. To learn more, click here: 3CHI.com. For questions and media inquiries, please reach out to: press@3chi.com.

Rheem Reunites with Harvick in 2022

By
Official Release
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America’s No. 1 Water Heating Brand To Serve as Primary Partner of No. 4 Ford Mustang for Three NASCAR Cup Series Races

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Jan. 11, 2022) – As Kevin Harvick embarks on his 22nd year in the NASCAR Cup Series, a familiar brand rejoins the driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2022.

Rheem, America’s No. 1 water heating brand and major air conditioning and heating manufacturer, is commemorating its 15th anniversary in racing, and as a part of the celebration, Rheem will partner with Harvick and the No. 4 team for three NASCAR Cup Series races. Harvick will drive the No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang March 6 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, May 8 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Sept. 11 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

The pairing reunites Rheem with Harvick, a relationship that began in 2007 when Harvick won the Daytona 500 in dramatic fashion, beating NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin for the victory by .02 of a second in a frantic green-white-checkered finish. It led to Rheem serving as a primary partner for Harvick’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), in 2008.

“Kevin Harvick helped launch Rheem Racing and through KHI, Kevin played a prominent role in Rheem realizing value in the sport and progressively moving up to the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Ed Raniszeski, executive director, Rheem motorsports. “Kevin’s long history with Rheem and his great rapport with Rheem customers makes this a very welcome homecoming. NASCAR has been an increasingly valuable platform for Rheem and we hope this reunion serves as our way of thanking racing fans for supporting Rheem and all sponsors who showcase their brands and believe in the power and future of NASCAR.”

Rheem’s debut with KHI came on May 2, 2008 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway where Harvick finished second in the Lipton Tea 250. Harvick delivered Rheem its first victory as a primary sponsor on Feb. 27, 2010 when he won the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas. Rheem aligned as a primary partner with Harvick in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2011 and stayed with him through the 2013 season before Harvick joined SHR in 2014.

“It’s been 15 years since we first started working with Rheem and it’s great to be back with them,” Harvick said. “The NASCAR fan is their customer, and we’ve worked really hard to understand that relationship to ensure Rheem gets a good return on its investment. This year kind of throws it back to how it all began with Rheem being a primary sponsor on one of my racecars. I’m proud to carry their colors again in 2022.”

Harvick is the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and he is also a two-time Xfinity Series champion (2001 and 2006). He has 119 points-paying victories across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup (58 wins), Xfinity (47 wins) and Camping World Truck (14 wins).

Harvick’s season kicks off with the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 5-6 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the official start of the 2022 campaign with the 64th annual Daytona 500 Feb. 20 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

About Rheem:

Founded in 1925, Rheem® innovates new ways to deliver precise temperatures while saving energy, water and supporting a more sustainable future. Rheem is America’s No. 1 water heating brand with products available in more than 80 countries. Paloma Co., Ltd.® of Nagoya, Japan, acquired the iconic Rheem brand in 1988. Today the company’s portfolio of premium brands include Rheem®, Raypak®, Ruud®, Eemax®, Richmond®, Splendid®, Solahart® and EverHot™ as well as commercial refrigeration brands Russell®, Witt®, ColdZone® and Kramer®, which are part of the Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG®) division and, most recently, Friedrich, an industry leader in high-end air conditioning solutions.

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 90 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at StewartHaasRacing.com and on social at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Single-day tickets go on sale today for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding

By
Official Release
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Ten races will be featured on track during the 18th annual event weekend

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2022) – Single-day tickets to the 2022 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding go on sale to the public today at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be bought online at gpstpete.com for the 18th annual event set for February 25-27th in downtown St. Petersburg.

Fans get an action-packed weekend featuring 10 races from six different series speeding down the runways of Albert Whitted Airport and racing along the Bayshore Drive waterfront and St. Petersburg skyline. Daily general admission tickets are $25 for Friday, $40 for Saturday, and $55 for Sunday. Single Day Grandstand seats are $120 in upper rows and $95 in lower rows. Junior pricing is available for ages 12 and under.

Multi-day tickets remain available for purchase for those fans wanting to attend all three days of the event weekend. A 3-Day General Admission ticket offers the best value at $60, and 3-Day Grandstand seats are $155 and $125 for upper and lower rows, respectively.

“There’s no better way to begin a new racing season while also enjoying the spectacular weather of St. Pete, Florida. ‘The Sunshine City’ is the perfect setting for the start of another NTT INDYCAR SERIES season,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by RP Funding. “We can’t wait to open the spectator gates in just over six weeks for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.”

The weekend schedule, highlighted by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race for its 18th annual visit to the streets of St. Petersburg, will have a full complement of racing series on track. INDYCAR’s future stars will battle in the Indy Lights series. More of the sport’s rising stars looking to climb the professional racing ladder will compete in Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship doubleheader races for both series. IMSA-sanctioned Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup and SRO’s GT America also add two races each to a loaded schedule with some fender-to-fender showroom stock racing for fans to enjoy.

For additional ticket prices, the event schedule and festival information, visit gpstpete.com. Follow Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on social media using @gpstpete and #FirestoneGP for the latest updates. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers.

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding:
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 1-3, 2022), Honda Indy Toronto (July 15-17, 2022), and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 2-4, 2022).

For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.

How to choose the best insurance for your vehicle purchase

By
SM
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Photo by Emmy Gaddy on Unsplash

If you are in the market to purchase a Ford F150 truck you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that the Ford F-Series truck is the best-selling vehicle of 2021 in the United States for the 40th consecutive year.

But before you rush out to purchase your new truck, one of the items that you will want to carefully consider is how to find the insurance coverage that will meet all of your automotive needs and do so at an affordable and competitive price. Below we have compiled all of the relevant information as we take a look at the average insurance cost for a Ford F150. We will also discuss all of the various elements that will affect the price of your automotive insurance policy.

There are numerous factors that will ultimately determine exactly how much you can expect to pay when you insure your vehicle. Please note that the different versions of the Ford F150 and the age of the truck can significantly impact the cost of your insurance coverage.

There are other things to consider which include, but are not limited to, your age, gender, driving experience, driving record, where you live and the safety rating of the vehicle. The trim package you choose can affect your insurance rate as well. A standard trim package with Two-Wheel Drive can cost as little as approximately $105 per month for liability insurance for an experienced driver with a clean driving record. The more expensive Crew Cab models that come with a premium trim package and Four-Wheel Drive can cost the same individual as much as $30 more per month for liability insurance.

The safety features and the safety ratings on the Ford F150 that you choose are important items to consider when purchasing any vehicle. Good safety features and ratings can reduce your insurance premium. Insurance companies will often offer discounts for certain safety features including anti-lock brakes, air bags, and anti-theft devices, just to name a few.

Notably, the 2020 Ford F150 crew-cab scored well in IIHS (The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) crash tests. But, keep in mind, that all Ford F150 models may not show the same crash tests results. You can look up the information on how the Ford F150 has performed previously in crash tests at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

If you choose to fully insure your Ford F150, you will probably want to obtain comprehensive insurance which will increase the cost of your automobile insurance. This type of insurance will pay for damage to your vehicle that is not caused by a collision, for example, damage caused by hail or hitting an animal, and the theft of your vehicle. For this reason, the cost of comprehensive insurance is partly based on how often the vehicle you own is stolen, commonly known as the theft rate.  

A 2018 study by the National Crime Bureau found that a full-size Ford pickup was the third most stolen vehicle in the United States. However, it is usually older year models that are typically stolen as they often don’t have any anti-theft protection.  

These are some of the items you should consider when purchasing a Ford F150 or any vehicle, and a guide to obtaining the best insurance coverage and rate. Lastly, always shop around to obtain several quotes before making your final decision.

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