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Tony Stewart Racing To Join NHRA in 2022 with Two Fulltime Entries

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Official Release
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Team Will Feature Leah Pruett in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 14, 2021) – After more than four decades of racing around in circles, Tony Stewart has embarked on a straight and narrow path, albeit at more than 300 mph.

The championship-winning racecar driver who has successfully transitioned to being a championship-winning team owner is joining the NHRA in 2022. His eponymous team, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR), will field two fulltime entries – one in Top Fuel for nine-time event winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for 39-time event winner Matt Hagan.

The manufacturer and the team’s technical alliance associate, along with corporate partners, will be announced at a later date.

“When I retired from fulltime driving I said it wasn’t the end, but the beginning of a new chapter. This is proof of that,” said Stewart, who also co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series with machine tool magnate Gene Haas.

“I appreciate all forms of racing and I’ve always been intrigued about drag racing and NHRA, in particular. Back in 2009 when Tony Schumacher and I were both representing the U.S. Army, I got to hang out with him and Don Schumacher at the U.S. Nationals. Tony ended up winning and after taking it all in, I was hooked. But it wasn’t until I met Leah and started going to races regularly, where I saw the strategy and the preparation firsthand, that I truly understood it.”

Stewart has been a regular at NHRA events since last year when he and Pruett began dating. They are now engaged, with the couple set to be married in November after the season finale in Pomona, California.

“Beginning with Don Schumacher, I’ve probably annoyed everyone in the paddock with all the questions I’ve asked, but the more I learned about drag racing, the less I wanted to just be a spectator,” Stewart said. “I want to be an integral part of it. And I don’t do things halfway. I go all in. But I’m smart enough to know that I don’t need to be a rookie owner and a rookie driver, so I made sure to get two of the best NHRA drivers in Leah and Matt. I’m going to lean on their experience so we can hit the ground running in 2022.”

TSR was formed in November 2000. Since its inaugural season in 2001, TSR has earned 27 owner championships – 14 in USAC, nine in the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series, and four in the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets. TSR will continue its sprint car program, which is headlined by 10-time WoO champion Donny Schatz. TSR’s NHRA and sprint car entries will operate out of its existing 25,000-square-foot facility in Brownsburg, Indiana.

“I’m new to the NHRA, but I’m not new to motorsports,” Stewart said. “We have good infrastructure in place and we’re used to building things from the ground up. It makes success that much more rewarding.”

Pruett is currently in her 25th consecutive season competing in NHRA, which began in the series’ Jr. Drag Racing League as an 8-year-old. She won the 2010 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series championship in the Nostalgia Funny Car class and has spent the last eight years advancing her way through Top Fuel. However, the Redlands, California-native is not confined to NHRA’s top class. The 33-year-old Pruett has pulled double duty for a number of years by also competing fulltime in the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown, winning the title in 2018 for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR).

“I’m an NHRA lifer and nitro racing is my passion,” Pruett said. “Don Schumacher gave me an incredible chance when we teamed up back in 2016. I’ve learned a lot from him and he’s made me a better driver. He helped me take a massive step in my career and this opportunity with TSR affords another big step. I’m forever grateful to all the individuals who I’ve been able to work alongside with at DSR. Don’s mentoring has prepared me for this new endeavor in more ways than just on the track.”

Hagan is the three-time and reigning Funny Car champion (2011, 2014 and 2020). He joined DSR in 2009 and currently leads the point standings with only three races remaining. The 38-year-old from Christiansburg, Virginia, balances wrangling an 11,000-horsepower Funny Car down a 1,000-foot straightaway with wrangling cattle on his 3,200-acre farm.

“I got my start at 13 drag racing a four-wheeler. Went from that to sneaking cars off my dad’s lot and returning them with the transmissions nearly gone. I’ve loved going fast my whole life – from Pro Mod to finding where I thrive in the driver’s seat of a Funny Car,” Hagan said.

“Don Schumacher has been a huge chapter in my racing career. We’ve won a whole lot of trophies and multiple championships together over the years, and that’s because of the incredible team he’s placed around me and the opportunities that he’s given us to be successful.

“This next chapter with Tony Stewart is one I’m excited for. I’m ready to go racing. That’s what I’m here to do. I’m jumping into this new program with two feet and I’m confident in the package we’re bringing into the 2022 season with TSR. Let’s make some history.”

While Hagan’s future is set, he is intently focused on the present.

“Don Schumacher has been great to me and my goal this year is to deliver him another Funny Car championship,” Hagan said. “We’re in a dogfight and a lot can happen in three races. I want to go out on top.”

TSR will make its NHRA debut during the 2022 season opener Feb. 17-20 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Those interested in partnering with TSR for its inaugural NHRA season can contact the team at TSRnitro@TonyStewart.com.

Winning is only item on Layne Riggs’ agenda for Saturday’s Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour race at South Boston Speedway

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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. (Oct. 14, 2021) — There is only one item on Layne Riggs’ agenda for the 125-lap Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car race that will comprise half of Saturday night’s season-ending Autos By Nelson 250 presented by Bojangles at South Boston Speedway – winning the race.

“We’re just here to win,” the Bahama, North Carolina resident remarked during a break in a test session Tuesday at South Boston Speedway. “If we can’t win, we want to have the best finish we can get and get seen by as many people as we can, possibly some people that can hopefully get me somewhere else higher up the ladder. We’re just trying every weekend to make the best showing we can and impress as many people as we can.”

Riggs, the son of former NASCAR Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series driver Scott Riggs, has six career wins in the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Division including one win this season. He enters Saturday night’s event in ninth place in the series point standings, 78 points out of first place. The objective now is to finish the season on a high note.

“Points are not in our mindset,” Riggs noted. “The last three or four races we haven’t thought about points. If we can’t win the championship, we just want to win the race. We’re just going to try to win the race in front of the championship contenders.”

South Boston Speedway is a familiar venue to Riggs as he has raced at the .4-mile oval numerous times during his career. He has competed at “America’s Hometown Track” twice this season with a ninth-place finish being his best effort. Riggs said his familiarity with South Boston Speedway helps, but the advantage may not be as great as some people may think.

“A lot of people have a lot of experience at this track,” Riggs said. “Even though the CARS Tour hasn’t been here since 2019 a lot of people ran the July 3 race here at South Boston Speedway and a lot of people have raced in the local races here because the local races here are so big.

“I feel like it’s a pretty easy track to get ahold of,” Riggs continued. “I feel it’s more about your notes and your notebook for your car and setup as opposed to more of learning the track and having a neat little trick. As long as we can get our setup dialed in and we can be a little bit ahead of the game I think we will have just as good a shot at winning as anybody.”

Due to a shortage of tires that the CARS Tour competitors normally use the teams will be using a different tire this weekend at South Boston Speedway.

“It’s going to throw everybody for a big loop,” Riggs said. “These tires we’re going to race on this weekend are really, really hard. The higher the number the harder the tire is and the longer the tire will last. Here at South Boston Speedway they run a Hoosier F50 tire. This weekend we are running Hoosier F56s.

“The last time anybody ran the F56 tire was at Bristol,” added Riggs. “We ran the whole race at Bristol and you could still see where they didn’t wear out. Tire conservation is out the window this weekend. Everybody is going to be racing hard from lap one to the last lap.”
Riggs says he enjoys racing at South Boston Speedway.

“South Boston Speedway is one of the nicest facilities we go to,” he remarked. “It’s the smoothest asphalt we race on by far. It feels like you’re floating around the racetrack here versus places where it’s so rough you can barely see the racetrack because you’re bouncing around so much. It’s almost like a superspeedway here.”

Saturday night’s Autos By Nelson 250 presented by Bojangles is the final event of the season for the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour and the final event of the season at South Boston Speedway. It will be a big night of racing with a CARS Tour doubleheader featuring a 125-lap Late Model Stock Car Division race and a 125-lap Super Late Model race.

Both the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car and Super Late Model division championships are on the line Saturday night in what is one of the tightest championship battles in the series’ history.

Two-time Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour Champion Bobby McCarty of Greensboro, North Carolina, who won the series championship in 2018 and 2019, leads rookie Kaden Honeycutt of Aledo, Texas by just one point entering the 125-lap Late Model Stock Car race. McCarty won the 200-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division race at South Boston Speedway on July 3 and won the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown.

Matt Craig of Kannapolis, North Carolina, who has won three CARS Tour Super Late Model championships in a row, holds a slim eight-point lead over Mooresville, North Carolina resident Carson Kvapil, a three-time winner this season, entering the 125-lap Super Late Model race.

There are several other drivers in both divisions that have the potential to win the season’s final race and possibly provide a twist to the championship battles.

Saturday’s race day schedule has rotating practice sessions for the two divisions from 12:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m. and qualifying starts at 4:45 p.m. There will be an on-track Fan Fest driver autograph session at 5:45 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are priced at $15 each and are available through Friday night, October 15 on the South Boston Speedway website, www.southbostonspeedway.com. Also, advance tickets may be purchased at the South Boston Speedway office until 5 p.m. on Friday, October 15.

Tickets purchased at the gate and online on race day are priced at $20 each. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

The latest news and information about South Boston Speedway and its events can be found on the South Boston Speedway website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, and through the speedway’s social media channels.

John Hunter Nemechek Returning to KBM in 2022

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Official Release
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Eric Phillips to lead efforts of No. 4 team again next season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 14, 2021) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that John Hunter Nemechek will return to drive the No. 4 Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series full time in 2022. The organization also announced that Eric Phillips, the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, will once again call the shots atop the pit box for Nemechek and the No. 4 team next season.

With two races remaining in the 2021 season, Nemechek leads the Truck Series in wins (five), top fives (12), driver rating (114.5), average finish (8.5) and average running position (6.961). The 24-year-old drive is also tied for the most top 10s (15) and ranks second in laps led (570). He captured the regular season championship and with one race remaining in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs, sits 36 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

“I came to Kyle Busch Motorsports because it was an opportunity to get back to victory lane — I accomplished my goal of being here for wins and I’m excited to be coming back for more next year,” Nemechek said. “With the support of Kyle and Samantha, everyone at KBM and everyone at Toyota and TRD, I’ve been able to experience the thrill of victory alongside my long-term partners ROMCO, Fire Alarm Services, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety and Safeway, and we were also able to get Mobil 1 back to victory lane for KBM. We have some unfinished business left trying to bring the championship trophy home to KBM this year and then we’ll go to work on the brand new 2022 Tundra so that we can compete for more wins and another championship next year.”

“It’s been refreshing to see John Hunter get the No. 4 Tundra back out front leading laps, winning races and competing for a championship this year like it had in the past and it’s important for us that we are able to keep him in that seat for another season,” Kyle Busch said. “In addition to the accomplishments of the No. 4 team this season, the efforts that John Hunter and Eric have put in behind the scenes have helped keep that winning edge of performance in our whole program. I’m pumped to have the both of them back leading the charge at KBM as we roll out the new 2022 Tundra TRD Pro’s next season to continue our winning ways!”

Nemecheck, in his first season driving for KBM, collected his first victory of the season at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March, he also produced wins at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in April, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May and in June was victorious at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.

The second generation driver is an 11-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports in addition to his triumphs this season. Across 121 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled two poles, 1,169 laps led, 40 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4.

Phillips returned to KBM in 2021 to lead the No. 4 team efforts after six seasons working at Joe Gibbs Racing in various roles. In 2010, under Phillips’ direction KBM’s No. 18 team recorded eight victories in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 of those coming while at KBM.

Sponsor announcements for the 2022 season are forthcoming.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports:

Since debuting in 2010, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR. Owned by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and fueled by his passion for winning, the organization holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).

KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its state-of-the art 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (KBMteam) and by following the team on Instagram (KBMteam), and Twitter (@KBMteam).

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Texas

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Official Release
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Texas Motor Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021
1.5-Mile Oval
2:00 PM ET
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (33 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 1st

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

MAKING HISTORY: Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team overcame an alternator issue to win the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL event on Sunday. It marked his seventh victory of 2021 and 13th career win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Along with his wins at Sonoma Raceway in June and Watkins Glen International in August, Larson is the only driver in Cup Series history to win three road course races in one season.

MAKING A POINT: Larson has accumulated 65 playoff points this season through seven race wins (five points per win), 15 stage victories (one point per stage win) and winning the Cup Series regular season championship (15 points). He enters the Round of 8 with a 35-point advantage over second place and a 42-point advantage over the cutoff position.

SECOND TO NONE: Through 32 of 36 Cup Series races, Larson leads the series in wins (career-best seven), stage wins (15) and laps led (career-best 2,011) – 614 more laps led than his closest competitor. His 17 top-five finishes and 23 top-10s are both career-bests and tie him for the most in 2021.

OVER 40: Along with seven wins, Larson has also posted runner-up finishes in six races. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has finished in the top two in 41 percent of the Cup Series races held this year.

YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: In June at Texas Motor Speedway in the annual NASCAR All-Star Race, Larson battled Brad Keselowski and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott late before maneuvering into first and leading the final seven laps to capture the $1 million payday. It marked the second win for the 29-year-old in the annual exhibition race where no championship points are awarded.

UPPING THEIR GAME: At 13.65 seconds, the No. 5 pit crew owns the quickest average time for four-tire pit stops in 2021. During the playoffs, the team’s average time is even quicker with a series-best 13.24 seconds. The over-the-wall crew is comprised of gasman Brandon Harder, jackman Brandon Johnson, tire carrier R.J. Barnette and tire changers Donnie Tasser (front) and Calvin Teague (rear).

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. From the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.

NOW THE RACE IS ON: In March, Larson announced the launch of the Kyle Larson Foundation, which was established to better serve today’s youth, families and communities in need through hands-on support. The Sanneh Foundation and the Urban Youth Racing School are the primary beneficiaries of the foundation, which will also work closely with Hendrick Cares, the corporate social responsibility program of Hendrick Automotive Group. To kickstart the “Drive for 5,” Larson pledged a personal donation of $5 for every Cup Series lap he completes this season and will contribute another $5,000 for every top-five finish he earns. Through 32 races, he has already pledged more than $122,000 and raised more than $190,000. To learn more, please visit KyleLarsonFoundation.org.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 6th

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No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

WELCOME TO THE ROUND OF 8: For the fifth consecutive season, Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, has advanced to the Round of 8. Elliott is currently sixth in playoff standings, 43 points behind leader Kyle Larson. The 25-year-old driver has found victory lane at two of the three tracks in the upcoming round (Kansas, Martinsville). In his previous 56 playoff races, he has collected six wins, 22 top-five finishes, 31 top-10s and led 1,653 laps.

PLAYOFF PERFORMANCE: Through the six playoff races in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott has led 190 laps and spent 726 laps inside the top five and 1,254 laps running in the top 10.

2021 RUNDOWN: Only four races remain in the 2021 season and Elliott’s eight top-two finishes are tied for the most he has collected in a single year and is also the second-most of all drivers this season. With 32 races in the books, the driver of the No. 9 has also picked up two wins, 13 top-five finishes, 18 top-10s and 527 laps led.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS: Elliott will make his 11th Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. He has garnered two top-five finishes, five top-10s and led a total of 44 laps in those 10 previous starts. Earlier this season, Elliott finished third in the All-Star Race at the 1.5-mile track. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native collected his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 1.5-mile track in April 2014. In five Xfinity Series starts there, Elliott accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s.

GUSTAFSON IN THE PLAYOFFS: No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson leads all active crew chiefs for the most wins garnered during the playoffs (12), the second-most all-time behind only Chad Knaus (29).

KELLEY BLUE BOOK IS BACK: The navy and gold colors of Kelley Blue Book will return to Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the final time this season on Sunday at Texas. KBB.com is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week, the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website, www.KBB.com.

PIT CREW POWER: The No. 9 team owns the second-best average time for four-tire pit stops at 13.29 seconds during the playoffs. The Kelley Blue Book pit crew is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 11th

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No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

OH SO CLOSE: Basically in a must-win situation to advance on to the Round of 8 of the playoffs last Sunday, William Byron and the No. 24 team came up just shy of getting the job done at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Running up front all race long, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native led 30 laps – the most laps of any driver – before a late-race caution erased his lead. After contact from a competitor relinquished him to just outside the top-10 running order, Byron powered his way back through the field and reached the third position with seven laps to go. However, in the final laps, Byron got off track trying to catch the leaders on old tires, eventually crossing the stripe in 11th and ending his playoff run.

BEST YEAR YET: With only four races left in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Byron is continuing to have a career-best season at the highest level of competition in the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. So far, Byron has collected one win (Homestead-Miami Speedway), two pole awards (Road America and Indy road course – most by a driver this season), 10 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s all while leading 313 laps and collecting three stage wins. In his Cup career, these are the most top-five finishes, top-10s, laps led, and stage wins the 23-year-old driver has collected in a single season.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: With the Cup Series racing at seven mile-and-a-half tracks so far this year, Byron has finished inside the top 10 in five of those events. Going back as far as the last 11 races on 1.5-milers, Byron has secured seven top-10 finishes on that configuration of track.

TRUCKIN’ IT IN TEXAS: Byron’s success at Texas Motor Speedway began almost five years ago in his first start at the 1.5-mile oval with crew chief Rudy Fugle on the pit box. Starting from the sixth position, the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie led six laps before capturing the checkered flag becoming the youngest to ever win a Truck Series race at Texas.

TEXAS TOUGH: Texas Motor Speedway is a track where Byron has ran well at throughout his entire NASCAR career, even if the statistics don’t always reflect that. In six points-paying Cup Series starts at the Lone Star State track, Byron has two top-10 results, including a track-best finish of sixth in March 2019. In his 1,924 laps run at Texas across his six starts, he has spent 678 laps running inside the top 10 (35.2%). Byron also has four other starts at the 1.5-mile oval with an average finish of 3.5 in two Truck Series starts and 8.0 in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races. Byron also competed at Texas earlier this season for the All-Star Race, where he led the most laps (30) and was in contention to win before finishing the exhibition race in seventh.

FUGLE HAS ‘NO LIMITS’: While the Cup Series raced at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year for the All-Star Race, this Sunday’s event will mark Fugle’s first points-paying event as a Cup Series crew chief at the 1.5-mile oval. However, Fugle is no stranger to success at Texas. With 15 starts at the 1.5-mile oval, all coming in the Truck Series, Fugle has visited victory lane at the “No Limits” track five times – the most for him at any track on the circuit – most recently in 2019 when he swept both races with Kyle Busch in March and with Greg Biffle in June. Of those five wins, one includes a victory with Byron in June 2016. In his 15 previous starts, Fugle’s drivers have also racked up seven top-five finishes and 11 top-10s with 493 laps led.

ALL ABOUT AXALTA: Heading to the Lone Star State for Sunday’s race, Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. Now in its 29th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta will return as primary partner on Byron’s No. 24 for 14 races in 2021. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, click here.

48 Alex Bowman

Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Greg Ives

Standings: 12th

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No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

TOP 10 AT ROVAL: During Sunday’s 109-lap event on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Alex Bowman and the No. 48 team claimed a top-10 result after finishing 10th. The team suffered an electrical issue on lap 34 and elected to change the battery during the stage two caution. Bowman battled his way back up through the field to capture his fourth top-10 finish in four career starts at the ROVAL. Unfortunately, the team’s championship hopes concluded following the event after not advancing into the Round of 8.

FINDING SUCCESS IN 2021: Through 32 NASCAR Cup Series events this season, Bowman is having one of his best seasons to date. The 28-year-old driver has three wins this season, which is tied for the third-most wins in the series (Richmond Raceway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway), seven top-five finishes and 15 top-10s. Bowman’s seven top-fives are tied for a season best (2019) and his 15 top-10s are tied for a career best in a single season (2020). Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2016 as a replacement driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bowman has five wins, 23 top-five results, 56 top-10s, 1,066 laps led and three pole awards, including two in the DAYTONA 500.

BOWMAN AT TX: Bowman has 11 points-paying starts at Texas Motor Speedway since 2014. The driver’s best finish of fifth came in the fall of 2019 and again at the fall event of 2020. The Ally driver is tied for the most top-five results (two) in the last three Texas events, and he has led 57 laps at the 1.5-mile venue. The Tucson, Arizona, native also has two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013. Bowman qualified for the pole in both events and led a combined seven laps. He captured a 14th- and 18th-place finish in those races.

IVES’ TEXAS STATS: Crew chief Greg Ives will call his 13th Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. In his 12 previous starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the No. 48 crew chief has five top-five results and six top-10s with a best finish of second coming in 2016 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. The crew chief also has four starts in the Xfinity Series at Texas, including one win with Chase Elliott when he led 38 laps to bring home the victory in 2014. As a race engineer for the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports from 2006-2012, Ives was part of two wins, nine top-10 finishes and one pole award with driver Jimmie Johnson.

PIT PERFORMANCE: The No. 48 pit crew sits sixth on the charts for the fastest average four-tire stop time of 13.92. The team includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback and tire changers Scott Brzozowski and Devin DelRicco.

SEVENTH HEAVEN: Following Kyle Larson’s performance Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Hendrick Motorsports has accumulated 49 all-time wins during the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – 16 more than next-best Joe Gibbs Racing (33) and more than double third-place Penske Racing (24). In six playoff events this year, the team has won twice – both coming courtesy of Larson. Hendrick Motorsports has gone to victory lane in the seventh race of the playoffs a record seven times.

OOPS … WE DID IT AGAIN: Hendrick Motorsports has now won five consecutive Cup Series playoff elimination races dating back to last season. In 2020, Chase Elliott won the final three cutoff events – held at the ROVAL, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway – en route to winning the Cup Series championship. This year, Larson won at Bristol Motor Speedway, which hosted the first elimination race of the 2021 playoffs, and Sunday’s event at the ROVAL.

FOLLOW THE LEADER: Sunday’s showdown at Texas Motor Speedway will mark the eighth NASCAR Cup Series race held at a 1.5-mile venue in 2021. This season, Hendrick Motorsports has led 1,153 laps on intermediate tracks – the most ever by a team in the first seven events.

BATTING .500: In the last 20 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races, Hendrick Motorsports has recorded 10 victories. No other organization has more than four in that span.

EVERYTHING’S BIGGER: Entering Sunday’s playoff race at Texas, Hendrick Motorsports owns or shares the track records for points-paying wins (nine; tie), pole positions (seven; tie), top-five finishes (40) and top-10s (72). The organization is second in laps led there – just 13 behind leader Roush Fenway Racing.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on outlook for this round: “We’ve been good on the intermediate tracks this year and we have two to start this round. We weren’t as good as I would have liked at Texas, but we were able to get the victory in the All-Star Race. And we led a lot of laps at Kansas, so we are looking forward to getting back there. We ran top five at Martinsville, and that is a track where I don’t have much success but feel positive about it because of how we ran there in the spring.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, previewing Round of 8: “We won the Texas All-Star Race, but we weren’t that good at the beginning and had to work on that car a lot. We learned a lot in that race. We led a lot of laps at Kansas but didn’t finish out that race like we wanted. Martinsville has not been one my or Kyle’s best tracks, but we had great notes from the (No.) 9 team from their win last year and we ran fifth earlier this year.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on kicking off the Round of 8: “Texas, obviously, has been a real tough place for us. I feel like the good news is we had a really good run there at the All-Star Race for the first time since the repave, so that was really encouraging. Sometimes you’ve got to be careful about having a good run and going back because it doesn’t always work out. The way that we’ve performed at all three of the upcoming tracks earlier in the year, I feel like we can go and have a shot to win any of them, really. I hope we can lock ourselves in and go have another shot at a championship.”

Elliott on if anything feels different about this year’s playoffs vs last year’s playoffs: “Not a lot, to be honest. Other than just a little more experience of going through the rounds and what some of those challenges were down the stretch last year. I feel like that helps prepare us a little better. Some of the guys on our team, myself included, had never been in those situations, never been in the running at Phoenix and seen what that was like. I think that’s a good thing, but at the same time I don’t know that the message really changes a ton. The big thing for us last year was just trying to enjoy those big spots, having fun with them and trying to thrive in those big moments and I honestly don’t think that ever really changes. I really don’t feel a ton different; I am excited. Again, this is my favorite time of year and a part of the season that matters most so we are ready to get after it.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his mentality for the rest of the season: “I have learned pretty quickly to put the past behind you and move forward. We have four more chances to win coming up before the season ends and we’re going to take every opportunity that we get. If we look at the last round, we probably had the best car in two of those races. We just had bad luck, and even then we almost overcame it all. Moving forward, these next tracks are strong for us, especially our mile-and-a-half program. I think we’re going to do good things in these last races. It sucks that we won’t be in the playoffs, but a win is a win, and that’s what we’re here to do still.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on closing out the 2021 season strong: “I couldn’t be more proud of what William and the guys of the No. 24 team have done this season, especially in the playoffs. We controlled as much as we could have. And when things happened that we couldn’t control, we still worked as a group to overcome them as best as we could. Would we have loved to make it to the next round? Of course we would. That doesn’t mean our season is over, though, at this point. We’re going to go out there and try get as many wins as we can to close out the season and keep them still talking about us. We know what we’re capable of as a team, and we will continue to have the same goals – show up to the racetrack and execute the best race we can. First stop is winning a cowboy hat in Texas Sunday.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on his mindset heading to Texas: “Obviously being out of the playoffs isn’t what our team wanted, but a lot of things just didn’t go our way in Charlotte. We really wanted to go into the Round of 8 and on to compete for a championship for Ally, but we still have four more races to compete for wins and that is what we are going to do. Our mile-and-a-half program is really strong at Hendrick Motorsports and I know each time we unload we are going to have a good day.”

Bowman on testing the Next Gen car: “It’s a big change for sure. I think the car tends to make a lot more grip around the ROVAL, which I think we all expected that bring the NextGen to a road course. It is a lot of fun to drive and drives really well. You can slide it around and drive it pretty hard. The sequential transmission is pretty cool to work with as well. Anytime that you make significant changes to the airflow of a racecar, you are going to change how the car drives. Each change we made had its own characteristics that it brought to the racecar.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on overcoming challenges at the Charlotte ROVAL: “We needed to be about nine spots better on Sunday, but in the end we had to battle alternator issues and changing batteries, so all in all it was a race full of adversity. In the end, we struggled with the battery we had but thankful to get a top 10 out of it. The ROVAL lived up to its playoff-ending round event. We were still able to make passes and I feel like if we were able to get up front it would have been exciting.”

JR Motorsports — NXS Texas II Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
RACE: Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on NBC / Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 Allstate Peterbilt Group Chevrolet
• Michael Annett is on a roll at Texas Motor Speedway, earning top-10 finishes in four of the last five events on the 1.5-mile oval. The run includes his career-best finish, fifth, in the 2020 spring race there.
• The Iowa native will have longtime partner Allstate Peterbilt Group on his No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro this week in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary.
• Annett has three top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks in 2021 with a best finish of sixth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The No. 1 team enters the Round of 8 ranked eighth in the owner’s championship playoffs. They’ll be competing for a berth in the Championship 4 over the next three races.

Sam Mayer
No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his third NXS start on a 1.5-mile oval this weekend at Texas in a new-look QPS Employment Group Chevrolet featuring a silver and blue paint scheme.
• Mayer’s best finish on a 1.5-mile oval came at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 18-year-old started 22nd and finished ninth to earn his first career NXS top-10 finish.
• Mayer’s 94.8 driver rating at the Charlotte Roval was his second highest rating for the 2021 season. Driver rating is calculated through a formula of win, finish, top-15 finish, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps and lead-lap finish. The highest a driver can score is 150.
• Noah Gragson enters the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs this weekend as the fourth seed in the standings, 33 off the lead with three races until the Championship 4 is determined.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Gragson has been good on intermediate tracks this season, earning a victory at Darlington Raceway in September, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts. He was seventh at Texas in the spring and has led a total of 56 laps on the 1.5-mile oval.
• Gragson’s best finish at Texas came in this race a year ago, when the 23-year-old finished second. In five NXS starts at Texas, Gragson has one top five and two top 10s

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Sam’s Club Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier enters the first race in the Round of 8 as the third seed in the NXS Playoff grid, five points above the playoff cutline.
• Earlier this season at Texas, Allgaier came home with a runner-up finish after starting 16th and leading 23 laps.
• In 22 previous NXS starts in Fort Worth, Allgaier has earned three top fives, including two in the last three events, and 11 top 10s.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier ranks first in green flag passes (935), first in quality passes (681) and second in laps run inside the top 15 (3,373) at Texas.

Driver Quotes

“We’ve been pretty good at Texas in the past, and this type of track seems to really suit our Allstate Peterbilt Group team. We’ve been running up near the front the last few times we’ve raced there, and Bummy (crew chief Mike Bumgarner) had a great setup the last race. I can’t wait to get out there and get going.” – Michael Annett

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Texas this weekend with our Sam’s Club Chevrolet. We had a great car here earlier this season and I feel extremely confident that Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and all the guys on this JR Motorsports team will give me a car just as fast on Saturday. Hopefully we can have a nice, smooth day and be one spot better at the end of the race and get this Round of 8 started on a really strong note. We’re ready to go.” – Justin Allgaier

“This No. 8 QPS Employment Group team gave me a great car last weekend and we put together an entire race while running up front. That gives us extra confidence as we head to Texas this weekend. It’ll be my first time there but we’ve had a good couple races on 1.5-mile tracks this year and hopefully we can have this No. 8 towards the front again this weekend.” – Sam Mayer

“This is the one that slipped away from us last year. It couldhave locked us in to Phoenix to race for a championship but we lost it on the last lap. We need to go out and have another good run and be towards the front in both stages and hopefully we can fight for the win again at the end. It’s all about points and trying to stay as far ahead of the cut line as possible while making no mistakes.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JRM at Texas: JRM has competed at Texas Motor Speedway a combined 85 times in the NXS. Over the course of those 85 starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the organization has tallied one win, 22 top fives and 52 top 10s, while holding an average finish of 11.0. JRM’s lone win came in 2014 with Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team.
• #FridgeHunters: Fridge Hunters know how to work a Flexipe: We aren’t making a list, shopping, and spending hours in the kitchen. Think fast and loose! Grab a base like pasta, rice or bread. Add some veggies. Throw in some protein. And don’t forget the Hellmann’s. It works wonders with pastas, salads, sandwiches and bowls. Do a little chopping, toss in the skillet, and look at you–you’re Fridge Hunting with a Flexipe. A-mmmmazing. POST A PHOTO, TAG IT #FRIDGEHUNTERS. Show off what you made with those random ingredients and challenge a friend to Fridge Hunt, too. Let’s save as many meals as possible.
• Allstate Peterbilt Group: Michael Annett’s No. 1 Chevrolet will carry sponsorship this weekend from Allstate Peterbilt Group in honor of its 50th anniversary. Established in 1971, Allstate Peterbilt Group started with just one dealership location in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, and has since grown into an award winning one-stop resource for truckers with over 20 locations across the Upper Midwest serving Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Their secret? Never losing sight of what made these last 50 years possible…serving their customers.

Rush Truck Centers / Cummins Racing: Chase Briscoe Texas Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Texas Advance
No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview
● Event: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (Round 33 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 17
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 334 laps/501 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 105 laps / Stage 2: 105 laps / Final Stage: 124 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Four weekends remain in Chase Briscoe’s first season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) with a 334-lap race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth up next. The No. 14 Ford Mustang will carry the colors of Rush Truck Centers and Cummins for the fourth time this year in Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

● Texas serves as a home race for Rush Truck Centers, headquartered near San Antonio, and Briscoe’s second visit to the 1.5-mile oval this season. He finished fourth in the non-points-paying All-Star Open in June. In five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Texas, Briscoe finished in the top-five twice with a best finish of second in the first of two races at the Fort Worth track in 2020. He also finished in the top-five in both of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series outings in 2017.

● With locations in more than 22 states, Rush Truck Centers is looking to recruit the technicians it needs to operate the largest network of commercial truck and bus dealerships in the country. Prospective applications can find additional information on the Rush Enterprises Technician Careers page.

● Briscoe’s Ford Mustang and all of the SHR cars travel from race to race in haulers from Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. And those haulers are supported by RushCare, which helps customers find the nearest Rush Truck Centers location, provides service concierge and technical support, schedules mobile service, dispatches roadside assistance and more. Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in the United States with more than 100 locations, and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies.

● Indiana-based Cummins, from car owner Tony Stewart’s hometown of Columbus, is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. It is best known for its diesel truck engines. Since its founding in 1919, Cummins now employs approximately 61,600 people and serves customers in about 190 countries and territories through a network of some 8,000 wholly owned and independent dealer and distributor locations.

● Briscoe leads the Cup Series Rookie of the Year standings by 267 points and has been the highest-finishing rookie driver in 27 of 32 events. With Rookie of the Year honors in the Truck Series (2017) and Xfinity Series (2019), Briscoe is looking to join Erik Jones and William Byron as only the third driver in history to claim the title in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Typically we race at Texas twice a year, but that changed for this season with the addition of a race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin and the All-Star Weekend moving to Fort Worth. How prepared do you feel for your first full race at Texas?

“I’ve always run pretty good at Texas, so I don’t feel lost going into this weekend. I haven’t won there, but I’ve finished second a couple of times in Truck and Xfinity, so I’ve had good results, but it’ll be a bit different. I’m a little curious about how different it will be with resin on the track instead of the traction compound we’ve used in the past. In the All-Star Open, I felt like our car was really, really good, so maybe we can take something from that. But it’s hard to know if anything from that race will apply because we were running with less horsepower, and you could do some other things with the car that I don’t know if we’ll be able to do now. We’re not going to have the most ideal starting position and Texas is a place where track position is important. We’re going to have to do some things to gain that position because I feel like at Texas you run the speed of the guys you’re around, so if we can get up front with the faster cars, I think we could stay there.”

No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: Chad Haney
Hometown: Fairmont, West Virginia

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joe White
Hometown: Windsor, Virginia

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey
Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Justin Wilson
Hometown: Wise, Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Front End Mechanic: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Glenn Funderburk
Hometown: Mint Hill, North Carolina

Swann and BRANDSMART USA Team Up to Sponsor NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Ryan Vargas at Texas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Swann Security and BRANDSMART USA announce their partnership to be the presenting sponsors of NASCAR driver Ryan Vargas during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Swann Security is a three-decades-old veteran in DIY security products.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the number 6 Chevrolet Camaro that Ryan Vargas will be driving during the race will be wrapped in pink with BRANDSMART USA and Swann company logos.

BRANDSMART USA is one of Swann’s retail partners, with locations across South Florida and in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We are proud to sponsor Ryan Vargas with our cherished retail partner BRANDSMART USA for the special-edition car wrap during Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” says Leslie Conover, Vice President of Sales for Swann. “This cause is near to us and it is important to bring awareness because, in the United States, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.”

As the NASCAR Xfinity Series season is winding down, momentum is still going high for the anticipated Andy’s Frozen Custard 335.

“Swann Security has been an amazing partner this year,” says Ryan Vargas. “I am excited to bring the Swann Security and BRANDSMART USA paint schemes to Fort Worth at the Texas Motor Speedway.”

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 will air on television on NBC and radio stations PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR at 3 p.m. ET. There are 200 laps.

About Swann:

Swann is a veteran in the global security camera market and has been in this business for over three decades. Founded in Melbourne, Australia, Swann creates innovative DIY security solutions including its patent-pending Enforcer™ Series product line, which offers enhanced crime deterrence with red and blue flashing lights, spotlights, and sirens, combined with mobile alerts, when unwanted activity is detected. Also, Swann is the only brand on the market that offers a complete lineup of inter-connectable wired and wireless security solutions via the Swann Security app that is completely integrated with Google Assistant and Alexa. As the global leader in wired, DIY security solutions, Swann helps its customers protect their homes, businesses, and garages no matter where life takes them — around the world or around the track. Follow Swann on social media to stay updated on the latest products and news: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

ABOUT BRANDSMART USA:

BRANDSMART USA has eight stores in South Florida and two in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit www.brandsmartusa.com for more information and store locations.
BRANDSMART USA is celebrating 42 years providing the best prices and highest-quality merchandise to customers in South Florida and metro Atlanta from bedding to major appliances, TVs, kitchen goods, patio supplies, cellphones, gaming consoles, cameras, watches, and more.

SEXTON GATLIN RACING ADDS A.J. BENDER FOR THIS WEEK’S CALIFORNIA CUP AT LEMOORE RACEWAY

By
Official Release
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(Lakeside, CA, October 13, 2021) If the normal Sexton Gatlin Trio of Brent Sexton and his teenage sons Grant and Dalton was not causing enough grief for the competition, the team has added USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series rising star A.J. Bender to the roster for this week’s “California Cup” at the Lemoore Raceway.  Thursday and Friday will be preliminary nights at the Central Valley track with the finale to follow on Saturday.

Bender, whose three victories are second best in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series in 2021, has the weekend off in both USAC/CRA and CLS.  He recently purchased a car from SGR and the team offered him a ride in one of its other cars for this weekend’s prestigious race.  The San Diego, California resident is currently ranked 6th in CLS points and is 13th in USAC/CRA. 

Leading SGR’s charge into this week’s races is the youngest member of the Lakeside, California based team, 17-year-old Grant Sexton.  After a second-place result at the final Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series race at the team’s home track, the Barona Speedway on October 2nd, the teen has a 122-point lead in the SWLS standings with only two races to go.  Overall, he has started 19 races in 2021.  In those 19 events he has 13 top five finishes, 10 top three finishes, and five victories.  Four of his wins have come at Barona and the other came at Minnesota’s Norman County Raceway.  His last victory came at Barona on September 18th.

Brent Sexton is 13th in the SWLS standings and has a pair of wins.  The Tennessee native’s last victory was at Barona on August 21st.  Dalton Sexton, who does not contest every race, has a single triumph this year and it came at Barona on April 17th.   

For fans wishing to attend this week’s races, the track is located at 1750 Highway 41 in Lemoore (93245).  The Thursday and Friday shows will be preliminaries with the Finale on Saturday.  For information regarding ticket prices and starting times, the track is website http://www.lemooreraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (360) 393-0197.  

For fans who cannot make it to the track but who would like to watch the race, it will be available on FastFour Media.  Information is available at https://fastfourmedia.com/

After this week’s three nights of racing, SGR will get one week off before returning to action with the CLS on Saturday, October 30th, at the Ventura Raceway.  It will be the team’s first race at Ventura since 2019.

To keep up with all the exploits of the Sexton/Gatlin Racing Team, be sure to visit the team Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sexton-Gatlin-Racing-1173560279445564/

Sexton/Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2021 season possible.  Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, Swift Powdercoat, Maxima Oil, Infiniti Shocks and an extra special thanks to Scotty and Jimmy Keys.  

Sexton Gatlin Racing 2021 Results

March 26      Mojave Valley Raceway    David Bezio 2nd – Grant Sexton 3rd – Brent Sexton 8th

March 27      Mojave Valley Raceway    Brent Sexton 1st – David Bezio 3rd – Rudy Padilla 4th – Grant Sexton 6th

April 3          Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 2nd – David Bezio 3rd – Dalton Sexton 10th

April 10        Bakersfield Speedway       Brent Sexton 4th – Grant Sexton 5th

April 17        Barona Speedway             Dalton Sexton 1st – David Bezio 7th – Grant Sexton 9th

May 1           Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 1st – Dalton Sexton 2nd – David Bezio 3rd

May 15         Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 1st – David Bezio DNS

May 29         Central Missouri Speedway         Grant Sexton 19th – Shane Sexton 8th in B Main – Brent Sexton 9th in B Main – Dalton Sexton 13th in B Main

May 30         Central Missouri Speedway         Grant Sexton 3rd – Brent Sexton 16th – Shane Sexton 17th – Dalton Sexton 19th

June 12        Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 1st – David Bezio 2nd

July 24         Santa Maria Raceway       Grant Sexton 4th – Brent Sexton 5th

August 7       Barona Speedway             David Bezio 1st – Grant Sexton 3rd – Brent Sexton 12th

August 11    Norman County Raceway Grant Sexton 1st – Dalton Sexton 4th – Sheldon Creed 21st – Brent Sexton 11th B Main

August 13     River Cities Speedway      Sheldon Creed 6th – Brent Sexton 7th – Grant Sexton 8th – Dalton Sexton 10th

August 14     Greenbush Race Park       Brent Sexton 6th – Grant Sexton 7th – Dalton Sexton 9th – Sheldon Creed 10th B Main

August 15    Buffalo River Speedway    Sheldon Creed 2nd – Grant Sexton 4th – Dalton Sexton 6th – Brent Sexton DNS

August 21     Barona Speedway             Brent Sexton 1st – David Bezio 5th – Grant Sexton 6th – Dalton Sexton 13th

Sept. 18       Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 1st – Brent Sexton 3rd – David Bezio 5th – Dalton Sexton 15th

October 2     Barona Speedway             Grant Sexton 2nd – Brent Sexton – 3rd – David Bezio 8th

Kaz Grala To Make Second Start for Jordan Anderson Racing at Texas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C. (October 13, 2021) – Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) announced today Kaz Grala will make his second start of the season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 31 Bommarito.com / EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS); Saturday, October 16.

“Coming off a great Cup Series NextGen Test at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval this week, I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the No. 31 JAR Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series this weekend at Texas and compete.” Stated Grala.

“Jordan has assembled a great group of guys and drivers with his first-year team, and I am proud to have the opportunity to be a part of it. They gave me a great car last time out at Road America, and I’m confident we can earn a great finish at TMS. To have the Bommarito Automotive Group Halloween paint scheme on the car for the month of October is something I hope all our fans will be excited about.”

Having competed full-time and partially in NASCAR’s top three series for the last six seasons, the 22-year-old Boston, Mass. native holds 73 starts to his credit collecting one win, 10 Top-5’s and 28 Top-10 finishes. In 33 career NXS starts, Grala has raced to four Top-5 finishes, and nine Top-10’s.

In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday Grala’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS will debut a unique ‘Boo-mmarito’ Automotive Group Halloween themed livery.

“John, Chuck and everyone at the Bommarito Automotive Group have always been super supportive of new things to bring excitement to the team.” Stated JAR President Jordan Anderson.

“This weekend with a fan-favorite like Kaz in the car I thought it would be a cool idea to change it up a bit and run a Halloween theme on the No. 31 Chevrolet. We’ll also be featuring EasyCare on the hood as we continue to see success building our automotive group of business-to-business partners through different dealer groups.”

Now in the sixth year of supporting Jordan Anderson Racing; Bommarito Automotive Group currently operates 20 automotive franchises throughout every St. Louis neighborhood led by President John Bommarito and the over 900 dedicated team members. What once started as a vision to have one Bommarito vehicle in every driveway, is today a reality thanks to the family’s “Where Price Sells Cars” mission.

For more information on the Bommarito Automotive Group or to see the vehicles they currently have, visit them online at Bommarito.com, and follow their social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Joining Bommarito Automotive Group as a partner on the JAR No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 is EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts, a division of APCO Holdings.

Since 1984, EasyCare has been a leader in the automotive industry helping some of the most successful dealerships in the nation drive results in their stores with a full suite of driver benefits, innovative dealer services, and industry leading customer service.

For more information about what EasyCare has to offer, visit EasyCare.com for information about the APCO Holdings family of brands, visit APCOHoldings.com.

The NXS Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 will be broadcast LIVE on NBC and the NBC Sports App at 3:00 PM EST on October 16 and aired LIVE on the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and on SIRIUS/XM NASCAR radio Channel 90.

Stay updated with everything Kaz Grala by following him on Social Media; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For more information on JAR, visit JordanAndersonRacing.com, and be sure to follow the team all season on the JAR social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Jordan Anderson Racing

Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson. Established in 2018, JAR has competed full-time in the last three NCWTS seasons claiming back-to-back runner-up finishes in the 2020 & 2021 season opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. JAR fields a full-time entry in the NXS Series; the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS driven by Jordan Anderson, Tyler Reddick, Josh Berry, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, Erik Jones, Austin & Ty Dillon. JAR also fields the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for select drivers in the NCWTS.

Top 6 Mobile Racing Games Relevant At The End Of 2021

By
SM
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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

The mobile platform is great for racing. Touch control does not create many difficulties, and in some games, you can use the accelerometer to turn the gadget into a full-fledged steering wheel. Let’s consider the coolest smartphone races for the end of 2021. Find more racing apps at androidappsforme. If you are tired of grinding away and trying to find what you want for a certain game, try mmogah for all your gaming needs.

Asphalt 9: Legends

If you’re looking for an unassuming arcade race in the style of Fast and Furious purely, then Asphalt 9 will be a perfect choice. It’s a colorful and vibrant game with cinematic jumps and races.

Like all previous installments in the series, Legends doesn’t try to seem like a car simulator. The controls here are rather mediocre. However, Asphalt 9 copes with its main task perfectly – the game entertains for long hours. Variety of tracks, the ability to knock out opponents, drifting, and more than 40 different models of cars with the ability to pump. All this is on the background of stunning console-quality graphics.

Asphalt 9: Legends is one of the best races for the mobile platform that will give a lot of fun.

Forza Street

Forza series is practically a reference racing simulator for consoles and PC. But not many people know that there is another interesting mobile version of this race.

Forza Street is not an arcade race and not even a racing simulator – it is a beautiful movie. The gameplay is reduced to only pressing one button at the right moments – in time to slow down, accelerate, and nitro. They won’t let you drive the car. The race itself will be shown from the outside in a cinematic style.

Despite the variety of cars, most of them behave almost identically. For example, you will easily overtake the newest Lamborghini in an old BMW – just hit the buttons on time. There is a career and a storyline, but they are rather banal and will not captivate you for a long time.

As a result, Forza Street is not very similar to its elder brothers. The game can drag on for several hours, but it is only because the players are not even allowed to play and drive the car.

Need for Speed: No Limits

One of the most famous racing series NFS long ago began the conquest of the mobile platform. If we are talking about one of the latest games, you should try No Limits.

In No Limits, there is an impressive choice of licensed cars, the possibility of external and internal tuning, the system of damages. Fans of the series will like the presence of chases with policemen. Let them look not so large, and there will be no helicopters, but they create a proper atmosphere.

Need for Speed: No Limits tries to return the racing spirit to the mobile platform. In some ways the game succeeds – beautiful graphics and colorful races are available, but be prepared for the donation.

Real Racing 3

Perhaps, Real Racing 3 can be called the best racing simulator for mobile. The developers have concentrated their attention on-track racing and made a noteworthy game.

The first and most tangible plus of the game is the stunning graphics. Famous tracks, elaboration of cars to detail, the presence of the view from the cockpit. Real Racing 3 has more than 60 famous cars and even their racing versions of GT and Le-Mans. For each car, the developers have tried to make the unique behavior and sound of the engine. At least, you can easily distinguish Ferrari from BMW just by the sound.

Career is represented by some tests in different categories. The races are quite dynamic and require concentration. You can also choose one of several control modes. But pumping takes a huge amount of time. The prices in the game are exorbitant, and the top cars and improvements cost real money.

Ignoring the aggressive doughnut, Real Racing 3 is one of the best racing games with fantastic graphics.

Mario Kart Tour

Arcade racing was popular decades ago. Among the exclusives from Nintendo was the famous race with Mario, which has received a lot of rave reviews. Now you can enjoy your favorite characters on your smartphone in Mario Kart Tour.

Cartoon graphics, a variety of tracks, and an incredibly exciting race – all these are not the only pluses of the game. As you pass the championship you will collect stars and unlock various bonuses – new maps, characters, and more. All this does not get bored even after a few hours.

Races are different each time, thanks to all sorts of bonuses, with which you can hit the enemy. But you will have to get used to the controls – you will have to steer only with one finger, as well as drift. Despite this, it will not be difficult to win.

Mario Kart Ru is mandatory for all fans of this universe, and the rest can join these races for the sake of interesting gameplay on miniature maps.

Nitro Nation Drag & Drift Racing

The unfamiliar Nitro Nation Drag & Drift Racing has a lot to offer and the overall impression is not lost even to the best parts of NFS.

This is a classic drag simulator. A straight track, two opponents, and players are only required to switch speeds in time and remember to use nitro. In terms of gameplay, the game is as simple as possible, and the races usually last no more than 30 seconds. A recent update also introduced a drift mode with the ability to activate the handbrake.

What is interesting about Nitro Nation Drag & Drift Racing is the detailed tuning of the car. Dozens of parts can be installed here, increasing power and reducing weight. Also, players have access to a couple of dozen licensed cars – BMW, Mercedes, Lotus, Nissan, and others. Nitro Nation Drag & Drift Racing even has a Fun section, where you can take a ride in a couple of tanks.

It all looks beautiful and interesting, so the career will pull you in for at least a few days.

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