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Mahindra Partners with Stewart-Haas Racing

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Official Release
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‘Official Tractor of Tough’ To Serve as an Anchor Sponsor for NASCAR Cup Series Driver Chase Briscoe and No. 14 Team

Mahindra Also Joins Briscoe for 36th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (Dec. 10, 2021) – Mahindra Ag North America has joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as an anchor sponsor for its No. 14 NASCAR Cup Series team and driver Chase Briscoe beginning with the 2022 season.

The multiyear partnership with the championship-winning NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas will feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The red-and-black No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang will debut in the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 5-6 in Los Angeles before returning to action for the traditional start of the season with the 64th running of the Daytona 500 Feb. 20 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra offers a range of tractor models from 20-125 horsepower, implements and the ROXOR side-by-side. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra Tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort at a great value. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“NASCAR, Stewart-Haas Racing and Mahindra’s shared values form a strong platform for us to connect with existing and potential customers. Our partnership with SHR provides an opportunity to tell our story to the wide audience of NASCAR fans who enjoy the outdoors and working their land,” said Viren Popli, President and CEO, Mahindra Ag North America and Mahindra Automotive North America.

“Chase Briscoe and Tony Stewart are relatable men of great character who have worked hard to get where they are today. Like our dealers, they have a tough work ethic and the drive to be successful. We are proud to have them representing the brand. In fact, Tony is already a Mahindra owner and has been putting his 5145 tractor to good use on his ranch in Indiana,” Popli added.

Briscoe just completed his first year in the NASCAR Cup Series and the 26-year-old from Mitchell, Indiana, handily won the rookie-of-the-year title driving the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for SHR.

“The NASCAR Cup Series is the toughest racing I’ve ever been a part of. It’s so competitive,” Briscoe said. “I learned so much this year and I really can’t wait to apply it all next season.

“I’m incredibly honored to represent Mahindra Tractors and all of its dealers. We both want to continue to grow and perform – me on the racetrack and Mahindra in the marketplace. It’s a true partnership that’s valuable to both of us.”

Prior to being promoted to the NASCAR Cup Series, Briscoe competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he won a series-high nine races in 2020.

“Chase has earned his spot in the Cup Series,” said Stewart, a fellow Hoosier from Columbus, Indiana, who lives on a 414-acre spread. “He was relentless. Anytime he was challenged, he never backed down, and that’s the way you to have to be at this level.

“Chase is just a really hard worker. He’s earned everything that’s come his way and then made the most of each opportunity. That’s what has always impressed me about him, and I think that’s what impressed Mahindra Tractors. They’re a really good fit. This is a very rewarding partnership and I’m proud to be a Mahindra customer.”

Briscoe is a third-generation racer whose career began on dirt tracks in and around Indiana. Stewart raced with Briscoe’s dad, Kevin, in USAC sprint cars and in non-wing cars, and he watched Chase come up through the open-wheel ranks of sprint cars and midgets on his way to NASCAR, just as Stewart did in the mid-1990s on his way to INDYCAR and then NASCAR.

“When it comes to the 14 car, I obviously have a passion for having dirt drivers behind the wheel,” Stewart said. “It’s special, but also practical. With the lower horsepower package they have in the Cup Series, you have to run these cars a lot freer, and I think that suits a driver with a dirt background.”

Briscoe will return to his dirt-track roots Jan. 10-15 during the 36th annual Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Raceway inside the SageNet Center. Mahindra Tractors will be the primary sponsor of Briscoe’s No. 5 midget.

“Dirt-track racing makes me a better Cup Series driver,” said Briscoe, who will make his eighth Chili Bowl appearance in 2022. “It forces you to adapt. You have to run different lines to get the most out of your car and you have to do it quickly.

“When I won my first Xfinity Series race on the Roval at Charlotte, I drove it like a dirt track. I made sure to not spin the rear tires to where I was good at the end of a run. Running the Chili Bowl is fun, but it also keeps you sharp. It’ll be a great way to kick off our first season with Mahindra Tractors.”

Briscoe’s first time behind the wheel of a racecar came in 2001. Driving a quarter midget, he won his first heat race and then won the feature event later that evening. Briscoe moved on to mini sprints and when he was 13, stepped into a 410 sprint car where, in his first race, finished 10th in a 40-car field. In a rookie season that saw 37 starts, Briscoe racked up eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, including a win in the last race of the season where he broke NASCAR Hall of Famer and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s record as the youngest person to win a 410 sprint car race.

Briscoe continued to race 410 sprint cars in the Midwest and people began to take notice. Soon, the switch from sprint cars to stock cars was on. Cunningham Motorsports hired Briscoe in 2016 to pilot its No. 77 Ford for a full-time drive in ARCA. Briscoe responded by winning six races and the championship by a whopping 535 points.

Briscoe has thrived in his transition to NASCAR, which was boosted by that ARCA title. He advanced to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2017, earning four poles and winning the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Ten top-five and 14 top-10s allowed Briscoe to make the playoffs, finish sixth in points and score the series’ rookie-of-the-year and most-popular-driver awards.

Briscoe parlayed a limited Xfinity Series schedule in 2018 where he drove for both SHR and Roush-Fenway Racing into a full-time drive in 2019 for SHR where he won the rookie-of-the-year title. His stout, nine-win season in 2020 earned Briscoe a well-deserved promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021.

About Mahindra Ag North America:

Mahindra Ag North America (MAgNA) is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes and the only tractor manufacturer in the world to win the industry’s top two quality awards – the Deming Application Prize and the Japan Quality Medal, care of Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers. Mahindra serves the agricultural and rural lifestyle customers in the United States and Canada by partnering with a network of independently owned dealerships. Houston, Texas, based, MAgNA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and began selling tractors in the USA in 1994. To learn more about Mahindra Ag North America, please visit us online at MahindraUSA.com and on social at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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.

Corvette Racing Entering Two C8.Rs for Daytona

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Official Release
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Marco Sorensen to join Milner, Tandy in second GTD PRO Corvette for Rolex 24

DETROIT (December 10, 2021) – Corvette Racing will enter two Chevrolet Corvette C8.Rs for the 2022 Rolex 24 At Daytona in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s new GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category.

For the Rolex 24, Marco Sorensen will join the driving roster and share the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette with Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy, who will race at Daytona ahead of their full program in the FIA World Endurance Championship. As previously announced, Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg will pilot the No. 3 Corvette as they go for their second straight class victory at Daytona to start another full-season push for an IMSA championship.

The 31-year-old Sorensen has competed at the highest levels of GT racing with two titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s GTE Pro category to his credit. He also placed third in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020 and was the fastest GTE Pro qualifier in 2019.

The appearance in the Rolex 24 will be Sorensen’s second in the race and in the WeatherTech Championship. He raced in the GTD category in 2017 and was third in qualifying for the race. Sorensen also has a strong background in single-seater racing with victories in GP2, Formula Renault 3.5 and the German F3 series.

Corvette Racing returns to the Daytona after a 1-2 finish in 2021 for the mid-engine Corvette C8.R as part of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) category, which ended at the end of the 2021 season. The GTD-PRO Corvette C8.R will look similar to the GTLM trim. A revised wing profile will mean a slightly different level of downforce at the rear of the Corvette. The C8.R will run on customer Michelin tires, per GTD regulations.

Under the skin, the GTD-PRO Corvette will retain the same 5.5-liter, flat-plane V8 with a slightly decreased power output over the GTLM rules package. An anti-lock braking system (ABS), tested by Corvette Racing at Belle Isle’s race in June, also will be featured on the IMSA C8.R along with other driver aids that are mandated by the class regulations.

Corvette Racing will open the 2022 season with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 27-31 from Daytona International Speedway. The week prior, the team will participate in the three-day Roar Before the 24, which will include a 100-minute qualifying race to set the grid for the Rolex 24.
MARCO SORENSEN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m super happy to join Corvette Racing. It’s a great opportunity for me personally to be with this team and try to achieve together the result that everyone is wanting – that’s of course winning! I love the mentality of Corvette Racing. It has a great car and from what I know, there are some really great people that I will team up with. So I’m really looking forward to this. Corvette Racing has always been a standout team to me because of the way they go racing. They go race and they race hard. They have been around for a very long time so to have the opportunity to go with the team to Daytona is a great one.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 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.

Castroneves Thrilled To See Indy 500 Ticket Celebrating Fourth Win

By
Official Release
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PRI-2021

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021) – This time, Helio Castroneves vows to collect a souvenir Race Day ticket to the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge just like the fans who will cheer him on in the 106th Running on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Surprisingly, the reigning winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” said he has never received – or at least kept – a souvenir ticket bearing his likeness in the year following his victories in 2001, 2002 and 2009. But now as a rare four-time winner, he figures it is time to showcase one of the most coveted keepsakes in sports.

“I know how much it means to the fans to have that small piece of history for that year,” said Castroneves, who said he has signed many of those race tickets over the years. “That’s part of why Indianapolis is so incredible because everyone has a chance to be part of it.”

The honor of the winning driver featured on the next year’s “500” ticket dates to Mauri Rose’s appearance in 1948.

Castroneves was presented Thursday with tickets from each of the previous three years he was featured as part of the official 2022 ticket unveiling at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The tickets were provided by the IMS Ticket Office and longtime “500” fan Matt Converset of Decatur, Indiana.

Thursday’s 2022 ticket unveiling was held in front of a live audience at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. Castroneves, who won this year’s race driving the pink-and-black No. 06 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing, got his first look at the design of IMS Art Director Mandy Walsh.

“Thank you to everyone,” Castroneves said. “This is so special, so much a part of history.”

The artistic shot taken by IMS Photo Operations Manager Chris Owens shows Castroneves with the symbols of his record-tying “500” victory: Four fingers raised, the traditional winner’s wreath, the Borg-Warner Trophy and a portion of his winning car in the background. In his previous images, Castroneves is raising the ceremonial bottle of milk in victory lane.

“Every time you (see the ticket), it brings you memories that we did something remarkable,” Castroneves said.

Tickets featuring the historic image will be mailed soon to fans in all 50 states and countries worldwide as IMS prepares to welcome a full capacity of fans “Back Home Again” next May.

The unveiling of the ticket is one of many upcoming reminders that the homecoming is coming quickly – in just 171 days. Castroneves is still to see his likeness on the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy, which he considers a chance to evaluate “how I am looking now,” he said, laughing.

Castroneves said his favorite Indy tradition is receiving the winner’s ring, made by Jostens.

“That’s something that I look at every day,” he said. “It makes me wake up with a smile on my face and (reminding me I’m going) back again to fight for it.

“As soon as they put that ring on my finger, I say it’s never coming off. In fact, this year I told (team co-owner) Mike Shank, ‘Mike, the only way you’re getting this ring is if you cut off my finger, and I don’t think you want a driver with four fingers driving next year.’

“It fits perfectly. No adjustments.”

Tickets for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May activities are on sale at IMS.com, by calling the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700 or by visiting the Ticket Office.

Four-Time Indianapolis 500 Winner Al Unser Dies at 82

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Dec. 10, 2021) – Alfred “Al” Unser, the second member of the Unser auto racing dynasty to win the Indianapolis 500 and the second INDYCAR SERIES driver in history to win four times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, died Dec. 9 at his home in Chama, New Mexico, after a 17-year battle with cancer. He was 82.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 29, 1939, Unser followed his three older brothers and the generation of Unser brothers before them into auto racing. He was known as a quiet sponge, absorbing the lessons learned by his family members.

Initially, the Unsers were known for their prowess of the famed Pikes Peak Hill Climb, with Unser’s uncle, Louis Jr., the first to race up the Colorado mountain in 1926. Louis went on to win the sprint to the top a record nine times, and the family’s win total stands at 25, including two wins by Al Unser (1964-65).

The first generation of racing Unsers had been pointed toward competing at Indianapolis, but the pursuit was abandoned when Joe, the middle of three brothers, died testing a car in Colorado in 1929. Twenty-nine years later, in 1958, Unser’s oldest brother, Jerry Jr., finally got the family to the “500.”

Third son Bobby earned his first chance at Indy in 1963, with Al following him in 1965 as part of the decorated rookie class that included fellow future winners Mario Andretti and Gordon Johncock, plus Formula One veteran Masten Gregory and motorcycle ace Joe Leonard, who won Indy’s pole in 1968.

Unser won his first “500” in 1970, two years after Bobby won his first. Unser then became the fourth driver to repeat as Indy’s champion, something no other member of his family achieved.

Unser added Indy victories in 1978 and 1987 to join A.J. Foyt as a four-time winner. Rick Mears became the third member of the exclusive club with his 1991 victory. Helio Castroneves became the fourth in 2021.

In 1992, Unser finished third in the “500,” but that’s not what defined the day. The race winner was his son, 30-year-old Al Unser Jr., making Unser the only driver in history to have a sibling and a son win Indy. Unser Jr. won his second “500” in 1994, pushing the family’s total to nine IMS victories. No other family has won more than four.

Combined, the Unsers have made 73 career starts in the “500,” a figure eclipsed only by the 76 of the Andrettis. The Unser participation: Al (27 races), Bobby (19), Al Jr. (19), Johnny (five), Robby (two) and Jerry (one).

While Unser was known for his driving patience, he also holds the record for the most laps led in the “500.” Leading the final lap of the 1987 race allowed him to tie Ralph DePalma’s 75-year-old record (612). Unser led 31 more laps over his final five IMS starts to push the all-time mark to 644.

Unser made 27 starts in the race, third-most in history behind only Foyt (35) and Andretti (29), and his final victory allowed him to break brother Bobby’s mark as the oldest race winner – 47 years, 350 days.

Unser won three INDYCAR SERIES season championships – in 1970, 1983 and 1985 – and eight 500-mile races. In 1978, he won the INDYCAR SERIES “Triple Crown” of 500-mile races (Indianapolis, Pocono and Ontario), a feat that remains unmatched.

Unser’s career begin in 1957 by racing modified roadsters, midgets and sprint cars. He made his championship dirt car debut in 1964 at Milwaukee driving for J.C. Agajanian, but that was his only start that season, and it lasted only 51 laps before the engine failed.

Coincidently, it had been at Foyt’s urging that car owners began to consider Unser for the sport’s better rides. Foyt had seen how smooth Unser had driven on the nation’s dirt tracks, and he praised Unser’s quiet, easygoing and disciplined style.

“He was a very smart race car driver,” Foyt said.

Unser’s first full INDYCAR season was in 1967, when he finished second to Foyt in the “500,” and the next year started a dominant period in the sport’s history. After winning five races for car owner Al Retzloff, Unser joined Vel’s Parnell Racing for the 1969 season, where he won five additional races with ace mechanic George Bignotti at the controls. The pairing might have won more often if not for Unser breaking his leg at IMS ahead of that year’s race.

In 1970, Unser added 10 more victories, including five in a row and eight of nine in a single stretch. Over a two-season stretch he won 11 of 13 and 13 of 16 races — 25 wins over four years.

Unser’s first “500” victory came in the No. 2 Johnny Lightning Special, a Colt/Ford that led 190 of the 200 laps from the pole. The margin of victory over Penske Racing’s Mark Donohue was 32.19 seconds.

“Al was the class of the field,” Johnny Rutherford said.

Unser’s second Indy win was with a similar car, but its path to victory was not as smooth. Unser started in the fifth position and only led 103 laps, including the final 83. McLaren’s Peter Revson finished second, 22.48 seconds behind the winner.

Unser nearly became the first and only “500” driver to three-peat. He finished second to Donohue in 1972.

In 1978, Unser drove for the Chaparral team in what was considered a second-tier ride. Yet, he was competitive throughout the race, dueling with Danny Ongais until Ongais retired with engine failure to hand Unser a commanding 35-second lead. Unser might have finished with that margin but, in a rare miscue, he struck a tire on his final pit stop. Tom Sneva tried to capitalize, but he came up eight seconds short.

Unser and Sneva were locked in a much closer battle in the 1983 “500,” and this one included Al Jr. in his first IMS race. Unser had his son protecting him from the charging Sneva, who eventually worked past both to take his only Indy win. After the race, USAC penalized Al Jr. two laps for interference.

The Speedway’s first father-son pairing was a preview of things to come. In 1985, the Unsers battled each other all the way to CART’s final race, with the father passing Roberto Moreno for fourth place in the closing laps on Miami’s Tamiami Park road course to beat his son for the season title by a single point.

Unser fought back tears describing the “empty feeling” of having to beat Al Jr. for the championship.

Unser won three races for Penske Racing, but the last one wasn’t scheduled. In 1987, the team needed a replacement for Ongais, who had suffered a concussion in a first-week crash in Turn 4 during practice. Unser, who was unemployed and still in Indianapolis to help his son’s struggling car, had been unhappy with Penske for releasing him at the end of the previous season, but he knew this was too good of a car to turn down.

Unser signed on the condition he would receive a new Cosworth engine to go with a year-old March which had been retrieved from a hotel lobby near the team’s headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania. On the second weekend of qualifying, Unser earned the 20th starting position, his second-lowest effort since becoming an Indy winner.

Andretti dominated the race, leading 170 of the first 178 laps, even lapping Unser, who couldn’t believe he had been driving so slowly.

“After that, I stood up in that car and started driving it like I should have to start with,” Unser said.

When Andretti’s car suddenly slowed with ignition issues, Roberto Guerrero assumed the lead. But Guerrero still had to pit one more time, and he had been nursing a troublesome clutch. Sure enough, he had trouble getting the car to leave the pit box, and the engine stalled. As Guerrero’s crew pushed him back to re-fire the engine, Unser sailed past on the front straightaway. Eighteen laps later, victory was again his.

“Everybody said, ‘I can’t believe he won the race,’” Unser said. “I said, ‘I can’t, either!’”

In 1992, Unser replaced the injured Nelson Piquet at Team Menard. He finished third to give John Menard’s organization and the Buick engine their best “500” finishes.

Unser drove for eight different teams in the late stage of his career between 1987 and 1994, finally deciding to retire on May 17, 1994 when he couldn’t get the underfunded car he was driving at the Speedway up to speed. Al Jr. won the race 12 days later from the pole on his father’s 55th birthday.

Unser finished with 39 INDYCAR wins, sixth on the all-time list. He won the prestigious Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds four consecutive years (1970-73).

“Al was one of the smartest drivers I ever raced against,” Andretti said. “I often said that I wished I could have had some of his patience.”

Unser illustrated his versatility by finishing fourth in the 1968 Daytona 500, one of his five NASCAR Cup Series races. He also finished fourth in a Cup road race in Riverside, California. He was USAC’s Stock Car Rookie of the Year in 1967 and captured the International Race of Champions title in 1978.

Unser was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1986 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1998. His collection of trophies and cars is housed at the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque.

Unser is survived by wife, Susan, and son, Al Jr. He was preceded in death by daughters Mary and Deborah. Bobby Unser died May 2, 2021 at age 87. The brothers had long been neighbors in Albuquerque.

Winning Life’s Drag Race: Taking Your Vehicle to the Finish Line

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SM
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Photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash

While few people have dreamt of getting a new car at some point, that dream gets easily tainted by the intrusion of reality: going to a sales lot, getting harassed by salespeople, shelling out thousands of dollars in cash (or worse, going into more debt or being talked into an extended payment plan), and driving away with a lighter wallet. Unless you have a rich relative from a mysterious land who leaves a fortune, or you win the lottery, few of us can afford to buy a brand new car as soon as our current automobile starts showing some signs of wear and tear. 

Some of the wear and tear signs can range from just minor inconveniences, like our stereos crackling and popping while playing music, or to more major things and potentially life-threatening incidents, like our tires slipping whenever a deluge of rain slips through our area. Fortunately, instead of springing for a brand new model car, you can instead trick out your current vehicle to make it competitive with even the most recent models from the most popular manufacturers while staying cost-effective… After all, you aren’t trying to race in NASCAR, just get to your work safe and sound each morning. 

With that in mind, here are some easy improvements you can make to your vehicle that will increase your overall quality of life and make it easier for you to take your current car as close as you can to its personal finish line. 

Replace Your Tires

The importance of replacing your tires regularly cannot be understated, as failing to purchase new tires every so often can lead to unsafe driving conditions, leaving your tires susceptible to punctures and making it easier for your car to lose traction on the road. If you haven’t replaced your tires in a while, this essential routine for all drivers might be the best place to start to make your car feel brand new. 

New tires will help your car drive like a new model, making your overall driving experience smoother and helping push back its eventual expiry date. Make sure you don’t go cheap on tires, as while quality tires are expensive, they tend to wear down slower and draw out your investment for a longer period of time. 

Install New, Top-of-the-Line Tech

Most newer models of cars, much like devices in other industries, are being made to integrate seamlessly with other devices we regularly use, like smartphones and tablets. If your car does not have Bluetooth connectivity or an interactive receiver, you may want to consider swapping out your factory-default receiver for something new. This simple change will make it possible for your car to connect to your phone, play music from your streaming library, and make hands-free calling possible, as well as allowing you to access online radio channels through services like SiriusXM.

You may also want to consider installing a backup camera in your vehicle, as most models of backup cameras tend to work well with interactive interfaces to ensure that when you back out of a parking space, you do so safely. Installing these two pieces of interconnected smart tech will make your car feel much newer, enabling it to compete with newer models from prominent manufacturers who have these features installed as a default. 

Consider Upgrading Your Audio Systems

As mentioned above, default factory speakers tend to be unreliable, fizzling out and popping after a given amount of time passes. They aren’t made to be durable or produce quality audio, with most manufacturers providing them to check off a box they know all automobile shoppers are looking for. As such, you may want to consider replacing your speakers, looking for a model that fits your car and serves your needs, and installing additional complementary pieces of tech like a subwoofer or an amplifier. 

These two speaker mods can give you sound that is both louder and deeper, crafting a more immersive listening experience of such power and clarity that you will be able to isolate each instrument as your favorite band plays.

While the idea of shelling out money is hardly ever-appealing, savvy car owners will know that choosing to upgrade their current vehicle now will ensure that their investment lasts as long as humanly possible. Take the initiative, assess your needs as a driver and where your car may be lacking, and spring for that new upgrade… Whether it’s a bones day or not, your car will thank you for treating it.

OPTIMA Batteries Joins Trans Am and SVRA as The Official Battery

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Official Release
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OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car series will join select SpeedTour events

INDIANAPOLIS (December 9, 2021) – OPTIMA Batteries has been announced as the newest partner to join the SpeedTour family. The agreement not only establishes OPTIMA Batteries as the “Official Battery of Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA)” and the “Official Battery of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli,” but will also involve OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car national points championship series in select SpeedTour events throughout 2022.

The incorporation of OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car into select SpeedTour events will be the most visible representation of the partnership. Formed as a safe, fun and high-profile national championship event for street legal performance vehicles, OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car incorporates five key components—autocross, speed/stop challenge, design and engineering, a road rally and a road course time attack. OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car will join six SpeedTour events in 2022, including Charlotte Motor Speedway (March 17-20), Sonoma Raceway (April 28-May 1), Road America (May 19-22), Portland International Raceway (July 14-17), VIRginia International Raceway (October 6-9) and Utah Motorsports Campus (October 14-16).

“When you think of the ultimate quality and innovation in the battery market, no company sticks out more than OPTIMA Batteries,” said Tony Parella, owner of Trans Am and SVRA. “I’m thrilled to have them as a partner, and even more excited to have them be part of our SpeedTour events. Our team has spent the last several years developing the infrastructure for our motorsports festivals, and OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car will be the perfect complement to that. It will be a thrilling experience for both our fans and drivers.”

The SpeedTour provides partners with value through a unique B2B ecosystem, located in a paddock filled with business owners and corporate executives. With highly-visible branding opportunities available during SpeedTour event weekends, in SpeedTour Quarterly Magazine and on the various SpeedTour websites and social media platforms. The list of partners from top brands and companies involved with the SpeedTour continues to grow.

“We are thrilled to become a part of the Trans Am and SVRA families,” said Cam Douglass, director of marketing at OPTIMA Batteries. “This partnership provides us with the perfect opportunity to connect on a B2B and B2C level, both with competitors so they can experience OPTIMA and with SpeedTour fans through Search for the Ultimate Street Car events. One of OPTIMA’s core values is innovation, so it’s exciting to become a part of the SpeedTour as it revolutionizes the modern-day motorsports event with its festivals.”

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

About the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli: The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is the longest-running professional road race series in the United States. The Trans Am Series was founded by racing factory pony cars in the late 1960s. More than 50 years after their launch, Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers continue to be sold today, with Trans Am racing credited as playing a major role in their success and longevity. The SpeedTour will host the professional race series at 16 events nationwide in 2022. For more on The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, visit GoTransAm.com or follow @GoTransAm on social media.

About Sportscar Vintage Racing Association: SVRA is the largest vintage racing organization in the world. A typical event has several hundred vintage race cars representing over 100 years of automotive history on the track. The drivers of these race cars are high net-worth, prominent professionals. In 2022, SVRA will host 22 events at some of the most iconic race tracks in North America, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Sonoma Raceway and Circuit of The Americas, among others. This nationwide footprint has over 312,000,000 Americans living within 200 miles of our events. For more on SVRA, visit SVRA.com or follow @SVRAlife on social media.

About OPTIMA® Batteries: OPTIMA high-performance automotive, marine and heavy-duty AGM batteries are manufactured by Clarios, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive batteries. OPTIMA REDTOP®, YELLOWTOP® and BLUETOP® batteries feature state-of-the-art SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY®. This patented design allows OPTIMA batteries to deliver superior performance in both starting and deep cycling applications. The OPTIMA product family also includes a line of Digital Chargers, with advanced multi-stage charging to charge and maintain a variety of vehicle batteries, maximizing battery life and performance. To learn more or to purchase OPTIMA products, please visit optimabatteries.com, call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or find @OPTIMABatteries on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

NASCAR & Next Gen Vision of the Future

By
SM
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Now the 2021 NASCAR season has concluded, aside from being a thrilling campaign that elevated Kyle Larson to the Cup Series Championship, this was also the end of the sixth-generation era. From 2022, the Next Gen car will introduce a completely new chassis design, along with paving the way for a bright future of other NASCAR innovations.

The birth of a new NASCAR era

“We’ve made no bones about we want to attract some new fans and new teams, and that starts with the car,” NASCAR senior vice president for racing innovation explained, as part of an insightful glance at the future published in October by the New York Times. Indeed, while NASCAR hopes to restore the appeal of classic stock car events, following a decade of declining interest, underpinning the Next Gen revolution is a keener focus on diversity.

Changing and evolving demographics have inspired the need for greater diversity, as NASCAR seeks to reach a much larger and more culturally varied audience. The biggest challenge comes from doing this without alienating the established, more traditional fanbase. But rather than taking a scattergun approach, NASCAR appears to be going down the right path, focusing on what will engage and entertain a much larger overall audience.

For the NASCAR purists, the Next Gen car promises the “Rebirth of Stock” and greater competitiveness, returning to the roots of racing vehicles more akin to their production-car counterparts. Cars on the racetracks will boast the iconic American muscular looks, resembling something fans could aspire to have in their own driveways, albeit with technical modifications including bigger wheels and lesser dependence on aerodynamics.

The body materials have also changed in the Cup Series cars, switching from sheet metals to durable composites, already introduced to the Xfinity Series in 2017. This brings the prospect of more aggressive racing, largely thanks to each car being more resilient and robust, less prone to taking damage that might otherwise end races for competitors. Overall, the Next Gen car should be less expensive, which potentially makes NASCAR more accessible to new teams.

By lowering costs, NASCAR is attracting new team owners and that will also lead to increased management diversity. Encouraging more teams like 23XI Racing or Trackhouse Racing owned by the entertainer Pitbull. Greater diversity of team ownership and of drivers behind the wheel, hailing from varied social and cultural backgrounds, could be the key to NASCAR earning reach within broader demographics.

The quest for wider international appeal

One thing that’s truly unmistakable, NASCAR is intrinsically a part of American sporting culture. While that may be a huge plus when it comes to selling the brand at home, it can also be a hindrance when attempting to gain a wider audience elsewhere around the world. The NFL has encountered similar difficulties, given that viewership beyond North American audiences is minimal on the global scale when stacked against comparable sports like rugby.

According to statistical data from 2019, the global TV audience watching Formula One surpassed 470 million, excluding the United States audience. By comparison, NASCAR attracted fewer than 3 million viewers globally. Time zone differences are obviously a hindrance, especially regarding live TV broadcasts and internet streams. However, broadcasting times alone don’t prevent people from watching, elsewhere around the world.

Interestingly, when it comes to online sportsbooks, NASCAR now features prominently leading international betting sites, many of which live stream the sporting events they cover. Given that NASCAR actually encompasses over 1,500 events over the course of each year, as highlighted in the dedicated NASCAR guide published by SBO recently, this means a huge array of betting possibilities and markets will surround every race.

Importantly, this growing interest in NASCAR wagering provides a foot in the door for the organization itself. If more people are watching NASCAR events at safe and secure betting sites, there is an ideal opportunity for increased international engagement. Using the successful NASCAR Whelen Euro series as an example, further collaborations with the FIA might help, as they are the organization who sanction Formula One events.

NASCAR could also take hints from the NFL marketing playbook, such as hosting events in the NASCAR Cup calendar in other countries. The Middle East and Asia have a massive appetite for motorsports and bringing NASCAR to those regions could provide a massive boost. Brand imaging is undoubtedly important, although there’s no better attraction for fans than the chance to watch events in their own backyard.

4rabet Promo Code for Newcomers

By
SM
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A betting site’s Promotion code, more often known as a promo code, is a code consisting of letters or numbers that users can enter into their promotional box to avail some form of a special offer. Generally, betting websites launch a promo code as an acquisition tool to attract new customers.

It is not necessary that for every betting site you will get promo code options, its term varies from site to site, such as bonus code, deposit code, a welcome offer, or even a referral code. It is to be kept in mind that the majority of betting sites have a welcome offer for new customers, but all betting sites don’t offer promotion codes at the time of joining. So, it is advisable to check for promo codes to get the best possible offer being a new customer to any betting website. 

Talking about one of the most popular betting sites of India, 4raBet, users can find a lot of different promotions such as promo codes, welcome bonuses, bonuses on deposits, and so on. 4raBet offers different promo codes from time to time. For instance, this year bookmaker’s office 4raBet has only one promo code 4rabets.in/bonus-codes/.

BonusPromo Code
+200% to the amount of the first depositBONUS2021
Free BetsBONUS2021

Promo can be used only once for the players who are not registered yet to the 4raBet site. Players can only activate a bonus code once and only when they create your account. In case you already have an account, this offer will not be available to you. 

Here are some of the steps below how to avail your bonuses:

  • Complete the registration process first: Start the registration process by visiting the main page of the official 4raBet site. Clear the cookies in your browser with priority. 
  • Enter the promo code: next step is to enter the Promo code of this year i: e BONUS2021 in the correct field. Make sure, promo code should be written correctly in terms of spellings and numbers. In case of any mistake, you won’t be able to correct it in the future. 
  • Complete the registration: For account creation confirmation, check the email and cell phone for a confirmation message. 
  • Make a deposit:  Go to the cashier’s desk and deposit an amount of 300 rupees or more whatever you wish to. 

Note: If you have specified a promo code, made a deposit, but your bonus still didn’t get credited, you can write to support which is available 24/7 round the clock for your assistance. 

New users at 4rabet are eligible for an amazing welcome bonus of Rs. 20,000 which is almost 200% of the first deposit. You will rarely see any betting website offering such a generous amount of welcome bonus. Even the match is usually done at 100%, but 4rabet goes one step further by offering this 200% match.

A player will be eligible for this offer by making a minimum deposit of Rs. 300. Users are free to make a deposit using any option and claiming the bonus. Also, to withdraw and use the money, they need to win back, and to win back, you need to bet on events with odds of at least 3. For each winning prediction, you will receive +5% of the prize money due to the bonus.

Talking about the withdrawal of the Bonus amount, you can withdraw the money even before winning the bonus amount, but in that case, bonus funds will be burned immediately. So, to keep them, you must withdraw them no sooner than 14 days after bonus activation.   

It’s an advantage to use the 4raBet site for Indian players, as it has more bonuses and promo codes than a regular betting company.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing unveils driver lineup for 2022 Indy 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Cote/Penske Entertainment.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will be fielding two NTT IndyCar Series entries in the 106th annual running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway scheduled for May 29, 2022, with Sage Karam set to return to the organization and being a teammate to newcomer Santino Ferrucci.

Karam will be retaining driving responsibilities of the No. 24 Dallara-Chevrolet while Ferrucci will be piloting the No. 23 Dallara-Chevrolet for the team.

Karam, a 26-year-old native from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and the 2013 Indy Lights champion, is coming off a seventh-place result in the 2021 Indianapolis 500, which marked his career-best result in his eighth start in the 500, seventh with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

Karam, whose racing career started with karting and includes the U.S. F200 National Championship, the Star Mazda Championship, Indy Lights and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, made his IndyCar debut in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold, where he finished in ninth place. After campaigning on a part-time basis with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2015, where he earned his first podium after finishing in third place at Iowa Speedway in July, he spent the next four seasons making one IndyCar start in the Indy 500 and in Dreyer & Reinbold’s No. 24 Chevrolet. During the 2019 season, he made two starts for Carlin. He then campaigned in four IndyCar events with Dreyer & Reinbold in 2020, all occurring at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Through 2021, Karam has made 24 career starts in the IndyCar circuit.

In addition to the Indy 500, Karam spent the 2021 season competing for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in Nitro Rallycross and for Jordan Anderson Racing in four NASCAR Xfinity Series events and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. In Nitro Rallycross, he achieved five victories and a runner-up result in the final standings, In NASCAR, he notched a season-best 16th-place result at Bristol Motor Speedway in September in the Xfinity circuit and a 32nd-place result at Martinsville Speedway in October in his lone Truck start.

“Doing more ovals in NASCAR this year has helped mentally prepare more to stay focused for the longer races,” Karam said. “The potential to improve in that area is there. We just need to nail down a few things. We are coming off of a high from last year, and the goal is to be even better in the 2022 Indy 500.”

Ferrucci, a 23-year-old native from Woodbury, Connecticut, is coming off a part-time IndyCar campaign with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where he competed in five events and achieved a season-best result of sixth place twice (Indy 500 in May and Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Race No. 1 at The Raceway on Belle Isle in June). The sixth-place result at Indy marked his third consecutive top-10 result in three career starts in the 500.

Ferrucci, whose racing career also started with karting and includes the Formula 3 European Championship, GP3 Series and Formula 2 Championship, made his inaugural presence in IndyCar during the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature in June for Dale Coyne Racing, where he finished 22nd and 20th. He then campaigned on a full-time IndyCar basis for Dale Coyne Racing in 2019, where he finished a season-best fourth place three times on the track, achieved the Indy 500 Rookie-of-the-Year title after finishing seventh in May and concluded the season in 13th place in the final standings. In 2020, Ferrucci finished in fourth place in the 2020 Indy 500 and settled in 13th place in the final standings for a second consecutive season.

Through 2021, Ferrucci has made 40 career starts in the IndyCar circuit.

In addition to IndyCar, Ferrucci campaigned on a part-time basis in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season for Sam Hunt Racing, where he achieved four top-15 results, including a season-best 13th-place result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, in seven starts.

“I am super thrilled to join DRR,” Ferrucci said. “Nothing is better than being a part of a team that has such a high work ethic. The team’s attention to detail is comparable to top teams in the series. In my last two ‘500’ races, we’ve been in the hunt to win, and I think I have grown a lot as a driver to understand that patience is needed to win. DRR has a great car and proved it last year with a seventh-place finish.”

Since making their inaugural presence in the IndyCar Series as a two-car team in 2000, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have fielded a total of 43 cars through 23 consecutive Indy 500s. Robbie Bhul recorded the team’s first and only IndyCar victory to date at Walt Disney World Speedway in January 2000. The team’s last full-time season to date was in 2012 when Oriol Servia drove the No. 22 car to four top-five results, including a fourth-place result in the Indy 500 and a 13th-place result in the final standings. Since the early stages of the 2013 season, the team scaled down to field a single car entry only in the Indy 500 on an annual basis.

From 2018 to 2020, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing fielded two cars in the Indy 500 for Karam and J.R. Hildebrand before returning as a single-car team for Karam in this year’s Indy 500.

“Our team is eager to get back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Dennis Reinbold, team owner of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, said. “We believe the talent of these drivers will be important in helping the team achieve the ultimate goal of winning ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ We, at DRR, have been improving our Indy 500 program with the singular goal of winning the race. Sage and Santino have exceptional talent and are key components for us to achieve the goal.”

Ferrucci and Karam are set to compete for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 29, 2022, which will mark the sixth event of the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season.

2018 5.3L Silverado LT | Customer Spotlight

By
Official Release
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AmericanTrucks Features a Truck Built for Work and Play

PAOLI, Pa. (December 9th, 2021) – The aftermarket parts experts at AmericanTrucks (AT) have released a new “Customer Builds” YouTube video highlighting a 2018 5.3L Silverado LT. AT’s Adam Maqboul sits down for a virtual one-on-one with owner Robert Veilleux to find out more about all the mods on his truck. With interviews like this, AT hopes to inspire Silverado owners and enthusiasts with all the possibilities for customizing their own ride at home. Complete details on Robert’s build can be found on his dedicated page at AmericanTrucks.com.

Growing up on a farm Robert was used to Chevies, but he always felt they were a bit “standard” and “plain.” Right off the bat, rain guards, side steps, and a bed liner were high on his list of upgrades. Robert also installed Axial Black LED Taillights for the look and function, being pleasantly surprised with the compliments that followed. Other key mods include a soft tonneau cover, ignition coils for added power and performance, and a closed box cold air intake with oil filter. Adam and Robert go over some of his smaller upgrades before wrapping up with a chat about Robert’s plans to get a supercharger as well as larger wheels and rims.

AT’s new “Customer Builds” video is a behind-the-scenes look at a 2018 5.3L Silverado LT built for the job site, off-road use, and for towing a boat. Each mod was thoughtfully chosen to boost looks, performance, and functionality. From the retractable running boards to the cold air intake, this Silverado delivers heaps of inspiration to new and seasoned truck owners alike. Viewers can subscribe to AT’s YouTube channel to see more interviews, product videos, truck news, and more.

View it here: https://www.americantrucks.com/profiles/101813?from=0   

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About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable online aftermarket retailers providing parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

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