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Corvette Racing, Porsche Racing take wins in IMSA event at Virginia

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of LAT Images

Ahead of the penultimate race at Road Atlanta, the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class and the GT Daytona (GTD) class had their own battles this weekend at Virginia International Raceway.

In one of the rarer times on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar schedule, the GTLM and GTD category battled it out on the track with the exception of the DPi as DPi classes who will return for the final race of the season at Road Atlanta.

GTLM

Corvette Racing has swept most of the races on the schedule this season with the No. 79 Porsche settling in the third and final position. When the teams rolled in on Friday, Corvette Racing was looking to do the same thing they had been doing all weekend, win. However, they had to fight for that win.

On Friday afternoon in qualifying, the No. 4 of Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy paced the field with laps of 1:40.263 seconds and 117.140 mph.

When the race began, Corvette was dominant, leading nearly every lap of the race albeit with the No. 3 of Jordan Taylor leading the way and Milner/Tandy trailing behind in second. At the 2 hours and 17-minute mark, Tandy took the lead from the No. 79 Porsche of Kevin Estre.

The battle continued between the two manufacturers, as the Porsche and Corvette had a shoving match. Tandy and Estre shoved each other off the track multiple times trading paint, while Estre, unfortunately, received the worst of the melee and wound up driving in the grass as a result.

Even though there was multiple contact between the two teams, no action was taken by IMSA officials.

From there, Tandy/Milner continued to show the way and take home their third straight victory of the year.

“Today is all about that guy right there,” Milner said. “He (Nick Tandy) made it happen today for sure. Porsche definitely had pace on us for sure, but when you have got a guy like that who can race like he does, he got a little bit, but he gave it right back. What an awesome race. That was a lot of fun to watch. I’m super happy for all of our Corvette Racing guys. We got a little lucky there with the No. 3 car. I think it was going to be close at the end. What a race! That was awesome.

“Look at this winning car,” Tandy, the overall race winner said. “First of all, congratulations to Corvette Racing, one-two again. It was an awesome race. It shows a way to win a race when you don’t have the fastest car. Honestly, the Porsche should have won the race. But honestly, when you kind of lose your brain and start driving stupid, stuff happens. Luckily with our Corvettes, we kept them on the track and didn’t do too much damage to them, so here we are talking to you.”

Photo Courtesy of Corvette Racing

Official GTLM results:

  1. Nick Tandy
  2. Antonio Garcia -17.852 seconds
  3. Kevin Estre -38.665 seconds

GTD

The GTD class was action-filled, including an on-track incident between the No. 96 of Bill Auberlen and the No. 3 of Garcia.

At the 2 hour and 30-minute mark, Auberlen was leading the race but was clipped on the inside by the No. 3 of Garcia and lost the lead. Following the incident, he had major right side damage to his machine and eventually finished 12th in the GTD running order, 1 lap down.

It was the Porsche 911 GT3R driver Laurens Vanthoor who took the lead and went on to win the GTD category, his fourth victory of the year.

“This win is the happiest I’ve got so far because yesterday was just our mistake, a stupid mistake,” Vanthoor said. “Today, when any mistake happened, they made up for it like triple the time because the pit stop is what got us out in front, which is amazing what they did.

“Zach Robichon (Vanthoor’s teammate), how quickly he got by at the start and up to the front. Those things helped give us the race. In all honesty, when I was in front of the BMW, I wasn’t very optimistic I was going to stay there because he was very quick. I pushed hard and pushed like it was qualifying laps. Managed to stay out in front at the end.”

Official GTD results:

  1. Laurens Vanthoor
  2. Bryan Sellers
  3. Jack Hawksworth
  4. Patrick Long
  5. Ross Gunn
  6. Alex Riberas
  7. Jeff Westphal
  8. Daniel Morad
  9. Franck Perra
  10. Katherine Legge
  11. Mike Skeen, 1 lap down
  12. Bill Auberlen, 1 lap down
  13. Zach Veach, 2 laps down
  14. Andy Lally, 13 laps down
  15. Mario Farnbacher, OUT, Accident

Up Next: The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series will take a month off before returning for the final event of the season at the 10 hours of Road Atlanta.

Allmendinger three-peats at the Charlotte Roval, Playoff’s Round of 8 set

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ted Seminara for SpeedwayMedia.com.

A week after being eliminated in an early accident at Talladega Superspeedway, AJ Allmendinger raced his way into the Round of 8 in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs after leading the final 21 laps and winning the Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course for a third consecutive season on Saturday, October 9.

The starting lineup was based on a performance metric formula, weighing the driver’s and owner’s results from a previous Xfinity event, the owner points position and the fastest lap recorded from a previous Xfinity race. With that, Playoff contender Austin Cindric started on pole position and was joined on the front row with Justin Allgaier.

Prior to the event, Michael Annett, who returned as driver of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the first time since Richmond Raceway in September, started at the rear of the field due to replacing Josh Berry, who was originally on the entry list.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Cindric and Allgaier battled dead even for the lead entering the first turn while Jeb Burton and Noah Gragson made a four-wide move on Harrison Burton and Justin Haley to move up towards the top five.

From Turn 1, the six additional infield turns of the Roval and entering Turn 8, Cindric managed to remain with the lead ahead of Allgaier, Daniel Hemric and the field. Behind, Tommy Joe Martins spun entering Turn 8, but the race remained under green as the field scattered to avoid Martins. Shortly after, Kris Wright, who sustained a flat tire, spun entering the backstretch chicane.

When the field returned to the start/finish line, Cindric was able to lead the first lap ahead of Allgaier, Hemric, Brandon Jones and Gragson, who was being challenged by Haley.

As the field made their way out of the infield turns in Turn 8, the first caution flew when Sage Karam spun in Turn 6 following on-track contact. At the same time, Jade Buford, who was trying to dodge Karam, pinned his car against Brett Moffitt and the wall as the field behind was forced to scatter. 

By the fifth lap, the race restarted on the frontstretch. At the start, Allgaier challenged Cindric side-by-side through the infield turns before Cindric prevailed entering Turn 7. While battling Hemric for the runner-up spot, Allgaier locked up his tires entering the backstretch chicane, but managed to keep his No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro straight and through the chicane clean, though he lost the spot to Hemric.

Three laps later, Allgaier slipped and made contact with the wall in Turn 2, damaging the right side of his Camaro. The incident forced Allgaier to pit under green and fall below the running order. At the same time, Cindric, who was leading, missed the backstretch chicane and served his penalty by stopping on the frontsretch chicane, thus surrendering the lead to Daniel Hemric. 

Another three laps later, the second caution of the event flew due to Gray Gaulding stalling in the backstretch. Under caution, some like Michael Annett, Brandon Brown and Allgaier pitted while the rest led by Hemric remained on the track.

When the race restarted on Lap 14, Hemric retained the lead over Cindric entering the infield turns as the field fanned out to multiple lanes and jostled for positions. Through the infield turns, the oval turns and the chicanes in the backstretch and frontstretch, Hemric was able to remain ahead of Cindric, Gragson, AJ Allmendinger, Brandon Jones and Justin Haley while the field battled in a single-file line.

With five laps remaining in the first stage, Hemric was leading by nearly a second over Cindric while Allmendinger, Gragson and Haley were in the top five. Brandon Jones was in sixth ahead of Gibbs, Herbst, Harrison Burton and Jeb Burton. Meanwhile, Josh Williams spun in the backstretch chicane, but the race remained under green.

Just as the pit road closed with two laps remaining in the second stage, Cindric peeled his No. 22 Richmond/Menards Ford Mustang to pit road for service and in preparation for the second stage. Meanwhile, Hemric continued to lead by more than three seconds over runner-up Allmendinger and nearly second seconds over third-place Gragson. By then, Gibbs overtook Haley to move into fourth place.

On the final lap of the first stage, the third caution of the event flew due to possible fluid on the course and when No. 15 Toyota driven by Kris Wright, who was smoking through the backstretch, came to a stop in Turn 12 due to a broken track bar. The caution was enough for the first stage scheduled on Lap 20 to conclude under a cautious pace as Hemric claimed his eighth stage victory of the season. AJ Allmendinger settled in second followed by Gragson, rookie Ty Gibbs, Haley, Brandon Jones, Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, Jeb Burton and Jeremy Clements.

Under the stage break, nearly the entire field led by Hemric pitted while few led by Cindric, who pitted prior to the first stage’s conclusion, remained on the track. 

The second stage started on Lap 22 as Cindric and rookie Sam Mayer filled the front row. At the start, Cindric retained the lead over Mayer entering the first turn while the field fanned out to three and four lanes. Behind, Hemric muscled his pink No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra to third followed by Gragson, who made a four-wide move prior to the first turn to move up into the top five.

When the field returned to the start/finish line, Cindric was the leader of a four-car breakaway stretched out by less than a second. Meanwhile, Allmendinger was in fifth, trailing by three seconds, while Austin Hill, Haley, Preston Pardus, Brandon Jones and Gibbs were in the top 10.

By Lap 25, Cindric continued to lead by seven-tenths of a second over Mayer while Hemric, Gragson and Allmendinger remained in the top five. Meanwhile, Allgaier was mired in 29th in between Loris Hezemans and Stefan Parsons.

Three laps later, the fourth caution of the event flew when Josh Bilicki ran over the curbs through the backstretch chicane and destroyed the front spitter of his car, where the front of his car went airborne before he limped to pit road in a cloud of smoke and ended up in the garage. The debris and damage towards the backstretch was enough for the event to be red-flagged for approximately five minutes.

When the red flag was lifted following the cleanup and repairs to the chicane, names like Herbst pitted under caution while the rest led by Cindric remained on the track.

Down to the final laps of the second stage, the race restarted under green. At the start, Cindric powered ahead on the inside lane while Mayer struggled to launch on the outside lane. Through the infield turns and the circuit turns while the field jostled for positions, Cindric was leading ahead of Hemric, Haley, Gibbs and Mayer.

A lap later, Jeb Burton made contact with the wall entering Turn 2, but he proceeded under green and just outside of the top 15.

When the field surpassed the halfway mark on Lap 35, Cindric stabilized his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Hemric. Meanwhile, Gibbs moved his No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Supra up to third place while Haley and Mayer remained in the top five. 

Just then, the caution returned due to debris reported on the frontstretch. Under caution, some led by Cindric pitted while the rest led by Hemric remained on the track.

With three laps remaining in the second stage, the race resumed under green. At the start, Hemric fended off Haley to maintain the lead entering and exiting the infield turns. He also continued to stabilize his lead through the backstretch chicane, the oval turns and the frontstretch chicane.

On the final lap of the second stage, Haley started to close in and challenge Hemric for the top spot. Despite getting close to Hemric’s rear bumper through the infield, Hemric continued to lead over Haley. Haley issued a final challenge on Hemric entering the frontstretch chicane, but the latter managed to hold him off to win the second stage on Lap 40 and record his ninth stage victory of the season. Haley settled in second followed by Myatt Snider, Gragson, Clements, Brandon Jones, Harrison Burton, Gibbs, Jeb Burton and Mayer. By then, Hemric and Allgaier secured their spots for the Round of 8 in the 2021 Xfinity Series Playoffs based on points.

Under the stage break, some led by Hemric pitted while the rest led by Gibbs and Mayer remained on the track.

With 25 laps remaining, the final stage commenced. At the start, Gibbs jumped ahead from the field following a strong start while the rest of the field jostled for positions through multiple lanes.

The following lap, Gibbs was out in front by one-and-a-half seconds over Mayer, who had Allmendinger and Cindric challenging behind. Herbst, who was now placed in a “must win” situation to keep his title hopes alive, was in fifth ahead of Sage Karam, Allgaier, Ty Dillon, Alex Labbe and Haley while Hemric was mired in 13th. Meanwhile, cousins Harrison and Jeb Burton, both of whom were battling one another for a Playoff spot, were in 16th and 18th.

Down to the final 20 laps of the event, Gibbs continued to lead by eight-tenths of a second over Allmendinger, who was methodically closing in for the lead. Behind, Cindric moved up to third while Mayer fell back to fourth. Karam was in fifth ahead of Haley, Allgaier, Hemric, Herbst and Labbe. By then, cousins Harrison and Jeb Burton were in 15th and 16th.

Just then, Gibbs, who was battling brake issues, missed the backstretch chicane and was forced to come to a complete stop on the backstretch before proceeding. Gibbs’ misfortune allowed Allmendinger to take the lead as Cindric and Mayer moved up to second and third, thus dropping Gibbs to fourth ahead of Karam.

Five laps later, Allmendinger was leading by nearly four seconds over Cindric while Mayer, Haley and Hemric were in the top five. Karam was in sixth ahead of Gibbs while Allgaier and Herbst battled for eighth in front of Labbe. Harrison Burton was mired in 15th ahead of teammate Brandon Jones, Jeb Burton, Clements and Gragson while Michael Annett was in 21st.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Allmendinger stabilized his advantage to more than four seconds over Cindric and Mayer. Haley, who was in fourth, trailed by nearly nine seconds while Hemric, who was mired in fifth, trailed by more than 13 seconds. 

Not long after, Cindric got loose approaching Turn 7, which allowed Mayer to briefly move into second before Cindric fought back through the oval turns. While both Cindric and Mayer battled, Allmendinger extended his advantage to more than six seconds. In addition, Haley started to close in on Cindric and Mayer for the runner-up spot.

With five laps remaining, Allmendinger remained as the leader by nearly nine seconds over Cindric, who was under fire by Mayer, Haley, Hemric and Gibbs for the runner-up spot. By then, Herbst took his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang to the garage due to a rear end issue. The late misfortune ended Herbst’s hopes of advancing to the Round of 8.

A lap later, the caution flew due to an incident involving Tommy Joe Martins in Turn 14. The caution all but evaporated Allmendinger’s advantage of nearly nine seconds.

Under caution, names like Hemric, Labbe, Allgaier, Gragson, Snider, Michael Annett and Ryan Sieg pitted while the rest led by Allmendinger remained on the track.

With two laps remaining, the race restarted under green. At the start, Allmendinger launched ahead on the inside lane while Cindric spun the tires on the outside lane. Through the infield turns and the chicanes while the field battled for late positions, Allmendinger maintained the lead ahead of Mayer while Gibbs and Cindric battled for third. 

When the final lap started, Allmendinger continued to lead by nearly two seconds over Gibbs and Mayer, both of whom battled for second ahead of Cindric and Hemric. Then entering Turn 5, Mayer sent Gibbs in a spin, dropping Gibbs back to sixth as Cindric, Mayer, Haley and Hemric moved up the leaderboard. Soon after, Mayer missed the backstretch chicane and came to a stop before proceeding. By then, Mayer dropped out of the top 10.

In the midst of the late spins and battles, Allmendinger was long gone as he made his way through the frontstretch chicane and cruised his No. 16 Hyperice Chevrolet Camaro across the finish line for the win.

With the victory, Allmendinger captured his sixth road course win, which was the most all-time for an Xfinity competitor. In addition, he captured his fifth victory of the season and his 10th triumph in the Xfinity circuit as he took another step closer in capturing his first NASCAR national touring series championship.

“I knew [the final caution] was coming out,” Allmendinger said on NBC. “It wasn’t gonna go simple like that. That was a fight today. We had to be kind of on defense early, worried about the points. This place was tough to pass. The track was really slick to begin with, obviously with all the rain. [I] Can’t thank all the men and women at Kaulig Racing enough, [team owner] Matt Kaulig, [team president] Chris Rice. This Hyperice Chevy, once it got into the lead, it was stupid fast. The big picture’s the championship, but getting another win, three in a row here at the Roval, that means the world to me…What an awesome day.”

As the cars were approaching the finish line, a multi-car melee struck that involved Gibbs, Josh Williams, Brandon Brown and Ty Dillon.

Cindric, who secured his spot for the Playoffs based on points a week ago at Talladega Superspeedway, finished in second place after leading a race-high 22 laps while Hemric, who won both stages and led 17 laps, made his way up to third place on fresh tires.

“Pretty solid round,” Cindric said. “I feel like today’s a bit of a missed opportunity. I feel like I was able to drive as hard as I wanted to today. I made some mistakes because of it, but learned some things. [I] Thought we were gonna be a bit better today, but it should set us up for Texas. I know we put in a fast lap early. Finishing second and good in points. I had fun today.”

Haley, Brandon Jones and Gragson secured their spots for the Round of 8 after finishing fourth, fifth and sixth while Preston Pardus, Snider, Allgaier and Mayer ended up in the top 10 on the track.

“I think me and AJ probably had the best cars there,” Haley said. “His points gap coming into today just allowed him to short-pit and get the lead, and I had to go through traffic through that second stage. I think we had a pretty good LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet. A second-place car. I don’t know. We never really got towards AJ, but awesome day. Locked into the Round of 8.”

“Pretty much, all the road courses this year haven’t been too bad to us,” Jones said. “Lot of time, lot of effort into trying to make something of this. There’s been a lot of additions at road courses, so it’s a big part of our schedule now. Today paid off for us, I think, having a lot of preparation to come into this weekend and have a run like we did. [I] Did exactly what I really needed to do. I know when when we step into a race track, we wanna win. That’s our main goal, but we sat down as a team and said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna make it to the next round.’ It’s all about being smart…All that went perfect.”

“[Today] was alright,” Gragson said. “I didn’t really feel like we had the speed we did here in the rain or the dry in the past. [I] Salvaged a fourth- or fifth-place car. To come home sixth from starting at the back there at the end, we’re just focused on points the whole time. Pretty much, just race the race at 80 percent, 85 percent. There’s a lot at risk, but there’s a lot of reward here at this race track for speed and it’s a big penalty when you go off…Came back, did our job, collected points in all three stages and came home a sixth-place finish. We’ll keep on pushing. On to the next round in the Playoffs.”

In the midst of the late chaos and battles, Harrison Burton coasted his No. 20 Dex Imaging Toyota Supra across the finish line in 15th and secured the eighth and final transfer spot to the Round of 8 over his cousin Jeb Burton, who had his title hopes come to an end.

“Yeah, it was a boring race for us ’cause it was just pins and needles,” Harrison Burton said. “We had two decent first stages where we ran about seventh or eighth or wherever. Then we come into this race, the last stage, and it’s like, ‘OK, just stay wherever [Jeb] is.’ It wasn’t the most fun. I wasn’t able to be aggressive, be like myself, just kind of cruising, so that was boring. Glad it worked out. Now we can go and we’ll go win and get into Phoenix. That’s all that matters is getting to Phoenix with a chance. These next three races, [we] might have to win one. These are all great tracks for us, so I’m excited to go try.”

“I made a couple of mistakes,” Jeb Burton said. “I got in the wall and I was side by side with Harrison. Luckily, it didn’t end our day, but I just need some more laps here. I hadn’t raced here before. I was getting better and better. [I] Appreciate Kaulig [Racing] and everything they’re doing for me. Congrats to AJ. He helped me a lot. Just needed a little bit more.”

AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric, Daniel Hemric, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton have transferred into the Round of 8 in the Playoffs. Jeb Burton, Myatt Snider, Riley Herbst and Jeremy Clements have been eliminated from title contention.

“I made a rookie mistake there,” Snider said. “I pulled out too soon on the restart, knowing there were a couple of slow cars in front of me. I was just trying to get all I could and misunderstood the rule that I follow. That’s on me. [Crew chief] Andy Street made a great call to get us tires there at the end, help us get back up there to eighth and get ourselves a fight for it, but finished eighth and we’re still 15 points out, we’re gonna need a lot more than that. Really proud of everybody on the TaxSlayer crew for slaying it. That’s what I gotta learn for next year’s ride. It’s just to not make those rookie mistakes…Something to build on.”

“We just got in a wreck the first [Playoff] race we couldn’t avoid, broke a rocker arm at Talladega, lost a cylinder and rode around, and battled hard here today with our pink All South Electric Chevrolet,” Clements said. “We weren’t as fast as Xfinity internet this round, but we’re gonna keep digging deep and give it all we got. We got four more races to learn and try to get better for next year. I’m proud of our effort. This is how we should’ve ran the last two races, so it is what it is. We were dealt the cards we had and we were in a big whole, but just proud of our group. I’m proud we made the Playoffs and we’re gonna keep trying to get faster.”

There were six lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 13 laps.

Results.

1. AJ Allmendinger, 21 laps led

2. Austin Cindric, 22 laps led

3. Daniel Hemric, 17 laps led, Stage 1 & 2 winner

4. Justin Haley

5. Brandon Jones

6. Noah Gragson, one lap led

7. Preston Pardus

8. Myatt Snider

9. Justin Allgaier

10. Sam Mayer

11. Josh Williams

12. Jeremy Clements

13. Jeb Burton

14. Alex Labbe

15. Harrison Burton

16. Jade Buford

17. Landon Cassill

18. Austin Hill

19. JJ Yeley

20. Jeffrey Earnhardt

21. Ty Gibbs, seven laps led

22. Brandon Brown

23. Kyle Weatherman

24. Stefan Parsons

25. Sage Karam

26. Ty Dillon

27. Michael Annett

28. Joe Graf Jr., one lap down

29. Will Rodgers, one lap down

30. Matt Mills, one lap down

31. Spencer Boyd, one lap down

32. Ryan Sieg, two laps down

33. Tommy Joe Martins – OUT, Accident

34. Riley Herbst – OUT, Suspension

35. Loris Hezemans – OUT, Electrical

36. Ryan Vargas – OUT, Axle

37. Brett Moffitt – OUT, Accident

38. Josh Bilicki – OUT, Accident

39. Kris Wright – OUT, Suspension

40. Gray Gaulding – OUT, Rear gear

Bold indicates Playoff contenders.

Playoff standings.

1. AJ Allmendinger – Advanced

2. Austin Cindric – Advanced

3. Justin Allgaier – Advanced

4. Noah Gragson – Advanced

5. Daniel Hemric – Advanced

6. Justin Haley – Advanced

7. Harrison Burton – Advanced

8. Brandon Jones – Advanced

9. Jeb Burton – Eliminated

10. Myatt Snider – Eliminated

11. Riley Herbst – Eliminated

12. Jeremy Clements – Eliminated

The Round of 8 in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs will commence next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for a 300-mile feature. The event will occur on Saturday, October 16, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. 

Ford Performance NASCAR: Cindric Finishes Second on Charlotte Roval to Lead Ford

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series — NC Drive for the Cure 250
Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | Saturday, October 9, 2021

FORD FINISHING RESULTS
2nd — Austin Cindric
32nd — Ryan Sieg
34th — Riley Herbst

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang — WHERE WERE THE KAULIG CARS BETTER TODAY? “From turn one to turn 17 apparently. They’re fast. They’ve been fast all year. I feel like this has honestly been one of my weakest road courses for probably exactly what you saw — the rear tires fall off way too much. I felt like I was driving a skid pad car after about 10 laps. I feel a little bit lucky and a bit fortunate, honestly. I didn’t get moved or put in the wall, so either way we had a fast car. I think we set a fast lap time and got a good finish, so that sets us up well for Texas. I just wish we could have taken advantage of getting a playoff point.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE NEXT ROUND OF TRACKS? “In this format you have to get to Phoenix and then have your best day. That’s where my mind is. Honestly, out of anyone in the playoffs I would like AJ to win because he and I have the most playoff points over anybody and if he gets five more, it’s way better than the guy right below the cut getting five more. That’s my mentality. Those guys have been on it all season, not just recently, so I think today we maximized.”

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAST RESTART? “I spun my tires like crazy. I was worried about that, but I didn’t think it was gonna be that bad. Like I said, I feel like I could have tried a second gear restart. I think that would have helped me out at least maintaining some track position, but from there it was just not meant to be today.”

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang — WHAT PUT YOU OUT? “I think a truck arm broke or something broke when we were running seventh or eighth in the final stage. We didn’t have the pace to win, but it just stinks because maybe if Las Vegas didn’t happen we would have been OK with a seventh-place finish. It is what it is. We can still race for a win this year.”

YOU HAVE FOUR RACES LEFT AND MAKING THE PLAYOFFS IN YOUR FIRST YEAR WITH THIS TEAM IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD ABOUT. “My only goal this year was to win a race. I really didn’t care about playoffs, so we still have races left to achieve my goal and we’ll try to do that.”

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: Third Straight for Milner, Tandy, No. 4 C8.R

By
Official Release
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Garcia, Taylor on cusp of GTLM title after runner-up finish

ALTON, Va. (Oct. 9, 2021) – Corvette Racing’s Nick Tandy and Tommy Milner took their third straight victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by winning the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR on Saturday as the late-season roll continues for the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

Tandy went from third to first in the span of a contact-filled, half-lap with 50 minutes to go for the winning move. Saturday’s victory goes along with the triumphs at Laguna Seca and Long Beach for the No. 4 Corvette C8.R.

Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, leaders in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Drivers Championship, finished second in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette. They only need to start the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to wrap up their second straight title and another Manufacturers Championship for Chevorlet.

Saturday’s race was full of momentum changes and strategies – all on NBC’s national television audience. Taylor led from the start, overtaking pole-sitter Milner into the first corner. The two Corvettes stretched out their lead over third-place Cooper MacNeil to around 35 seconds before Milner made the first Corvette pit stop 28 minutes into the race for fuel, Michelin tires and a driver change to Tandy. That came in response to a full-service stop for the No. 79 10 minutes earlier, and the combo of the No. 4 Corvette’s pace and a quick stop meant Tandy was clear in second place by 40 seconds.

The No. 4 Corvette inherited the lead on a slow stop for the No. 3 C8.R team 53 minutes into the race. Taylor led by more than a minute, but the pit stop misstep relegated Garcia to second but still clear of Kevin Estre in the No. 79.

The race’s lone full-course caution came near the halfway point and shifted the strategy fortunes. Tandy stopped for fuel and tires, the earlier stop allowing the No. 4 team to perform a tire change while refueling the Corvette. Garcia got tires only after barely 20 minutes of green flag running.

The restart with 66 minutes left saw the three GTLM contenders in a line. Estre shoved Tandy out of the way for second place with about 50 minutes left and did the same to Garcia – still on older tires – shortly thereafter. The battle between the No. 3 Corvette and the 79 allowed Tandy to catch back up to the lead pair. He got by Garcia during the 3 vs. 79 fight and stuffed the No. 4 Corvette to the inside at Turn 12 leading on to the backstretch to take the lead.

Corvette Racing will close the 2021 season at Petit Le Mans from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Saturday, November 13.

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM RACE WINNER: “What a great win. I got a pretty poor start and was in the wrong engine mode. That was my fault and that let Jordan get pretty far up alongside me. With the conditions as they were, I just went a little bit wide in Turn One and that was the spot gone. From there it was just about trying to get back up to him and saving as much fuel as I could. When the Porsche came in so early there, the plan for us was to try to cover them on strategy in case a yellow came out. Today we definitely needed a bit of luck and got that. We also had this guy next to me (Nick Tandy) in the car at the end. He did an absolutely incredible job. He got raced really hard and raced back pretty hard for a pretty good show! I’m super happy for our whole team – another win for the 4 Corvette. It’s another 1-2 for Corvette Racing. It definitely didn’t look like was going to go that way for us, but a lot of hard work, good racing and here we are 1-2 again. It feels great, feels good for the team and I’m happy to get one of these Michelin Man trophies.”

EMOTION BEHIND THE WIN AND WINNING THREE IN A ROW: “Nick and I were talking after Lime Rock. We felt like we had a car that was fast and a crew that was having good pit stops. We were just missing the last little piece. Sometimes it’s luck and sometimes it’s the little mistakes that we all make. I will say that for the whole year the team has been really good on our side. We had a super-fast car at Daytona. Sebring and other things didn’t go our way. It was frustrating for us and frustrating for our crew guys. It was a time for everyone on our side to buckle down and get every last little detail just right so we get these wins. I’m a firm believer of making your own luck. From our side, we made another conscious effort to make sure we were doing everything we could possibly could to get the result. We had the speed and all the ingredients to get these wins; it just wasn’t getting put together. When you make that extra effort and get the results, it’s one of those things that encourages that same intensity, same drive and same passion that got us three wins. Today was about making sure we continued down that path. To be honest, we got a little bit lucky today. My start was pretty poor and by trying to cover the Porsche on their pit strategy, that put us in a bad spot if the race had gone green the whole way. Obviously it didn’t but were still behind the eight-ball a little bit by having to cover them. Today we had the luck plus the right guy in the car at the right time. It’s worked for us. We’re making our own luck but also working super hard for it.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM RACE WINNER: “I’ve got to give full credit to Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the guys and girls on this team. It started with Tommy putting it on pole and Jordan again on the front row for Corvette Racing. From the start, we split strategies and nailed all the stops on the strategy from there. The car was bullet-proof. Hats off to everyone on the team.”

FIGHT FOR THE WIN: “It was an interesting one. There was about an hour-and-15 minutes to go with the three GTLM cars in a line. I especially know how fast that RSR should be around this circuit because I sat in it last year. If there’s a circuit you want to take that car to, it’s this place. With the change in the BoP from last year, we knew they could have walked away with this race. Kevin (Estre) is a good friend of mine. I respect him a lot and he’s a great driver. When you start smashing into cars in front of you when you have no real room or right to put your car where he did… I think what happened was karma or what-not. It was a good race but it’s always great to win the races when you really shouldn’t. It was fun out there. I always enjoy a good fight. When you race people like Kevin, Antonio (Garcia), Tommy and Jordan (Taylor), there’s always going to be a good fight. We enjoyed it, and we got the better of it. I’m really glad the Corvette was up to the job and kept the wheels on it.”

CONCERNED ABOUT A PUNCTURE FROM TURN FOUR CONTACT? “Yes. The first real contact was a big hit on the wheel. I checked the steering but it was straight. You never know if you’re going to get a puncture or knock off the splitter. I saw where we lost some aero parts at the front. You never really know so you just hope. But what I do know is how strong are these Corvette Racing C8.Rs – from experience in the past! It was nerve-wracking but that is IMSA GTLM racing.”

RANKING BATTLES? “Personally, it was probably one of the best because we had such a performance deficit. The Porsche couldn’t stretch its legs because it was stuck behind the Corvettes. We just managed to keep him there. We’ve said before that it only takes two cars to make a good race. So when you have three out there at the front fighting for the overall win… for us it makes no difference whether we’re fighting for second or third in a class with eight cars in the class or whether it’s the Corvette and Corvette in the third-fastest class. I hope the interest in this race and the interest in GT racing around this weekend made it a good show.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – SECOND IN GTLM: “It was an up-and-down race that ended in another Corvette 1-2. It looked good for us on the 3 car side for much of the race until the yellow came out. That really gave the tire advantage back to Nick as well the 79 since they both were on a three-stop strategy. It made it difficult to defend from the Porsche, and to be honest it wasn’t a clean overtake. In the end, we ended with a 1-2 team finish. Sure we would have liked to be back on the top step but it didn’t work out. We’ll try to get back there at Atlanta.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – SECOND IN GTLM: “It’s not the way we wanted to end the day after being in control of it from the green flag through the first half of the race on the two-stop strategy. Once the yellow came out, it kind of mixed things up. It was a tough fight all the way to the end. It was a good job by the 4 Corvette and a tough fight with the 79 there in the middle. Good job today for Corvette Racing with another 1-2. We can go to Petit Le Mans now and race as hard as we want to for a win there.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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.

Richard Childress Racing Announces Partnership with Whelen Engineering

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Official Release
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Whelen Engineering to Sponsor Sheldon Creed for Full 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series

WELCOME, NC (October 9, 2021) – Whelen Engineering, Inc., a global leader in the emergency warning industry, will partner with Richard Childress Racing for Sheldon Creed’s rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022, the two organizations announced today. The partnership includes fulltime sponsorship of the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet driven by Shelden Creed for the entire 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Schedule.

“Whelen Engineering takes pride in our long-standing involvement in motorsports,” said Peter Tiezzi, III, General Manager of Motorsports and Project Manager for Whelen Engineering Company, Inc. “We know that our relationship with an iconic team in Richard Childress Racing and a young, talented racer in Sheldon Creed illustrates our commitment to auto racing, while simultaneously increasing the public’s awareness of our presence and capabilities.”

Whelen Engineering is known throughout the world for its powerful, reliable warning lights and scene illumination solutions, sirens, and control systems for first responders and emergency services as well as aviation and mass notification industries, all of which are manufactured in America.

“Whelen Engineering is a world-class brand that continues to innovate and maintains the same passion and dedication to technology and performance as RCR,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. “We’re looking forward to many on and off-track successes together, and I know that Sheldon will do a great job representing the Whelen brand.”

Creed, 24, is currently in a close battle for the 2021 NASCAR Truck Series title and has eight career wins in the series. The Alpine, California native grew up competing in short course off road racing, winning championships in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and Stadium Super Trucks. He has earned championships in the NASCAR Truck Series (2020) and the ARCA Racing Series (2018).

“Whelen is a name synonymous with motorsports so it is truly an honor to represent them as I start my first year of fulltime competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Creed. “I’m going to do my best to make Whelen Engineering, its employees and the entire Whelen community proud, and I’m looking forward to doing so with a competitive team like RCR.”

Myatt Snider, current driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for RCR, will remain part of the RCR/GM driver development program. Specific 2022 plans for Snider will be announced at a later date.

For more information, please visit rcrracing.com.

About Richard Childress Racing:
Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2021 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet), along with two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Myatt Snider (No. 2 Chevrolet).

About Whelen Engineering:
Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

RCR Event Preview – Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

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Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Although the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL configuration is a fairly new addition to the NASCAR schedule, Richard Childress Racing has made seven starts at the track in the NASCAR Cup Series, earning a best finish of 11th in 2018 with Ryan Newman.

The Welcome, N.C. organization has also made five ROVAL starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning one top-five and three top-10 finishes.

Special Announcement… Join RCR at the Team Chevy Display in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Midway for a special announcement on Saturday, October 9 at 12 Noon. ET.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Drive for The Cure 300 Presented By Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL will be televised live Saturday, October 9, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Performance Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL will be televised live Sunday, October 10, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Performance Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Dillon has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, with a best finish of 19th in 2020. He is a former winner at the track’s oval configuration (Coca-Cola 600 in 2017).

About Whelen… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL?
“The ROVAL has never been the greatest track for us, but I have high confidence leading into the race this year because we have performed so well on road courses this year. I’ve improved as a driver, and we have improved as a team, so we’ll see what we can do. We’re going to try our hardest.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Tyler Reddick has one previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, earning a 12th-place finish last year.

About Lenovo… Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$50 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world. To find out more visit lenovo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Weibo and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
Is there any comparison between the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL and the Daytona International Speedway Road Course you competed on earlier this year?
“I really thought the two were going to be pretty similar, but they are really nothing alike. The Daytona Road Course is a really challenging track. The chicane we added to the frontstretch has some similarities to what the nature of the Charlotte ROVAL can be like, but to me, the Charlotte track feels a lot more like a street course. I really enjoy both tracks even though they are nothing alike other than being two ovals we’ve turned into road courses.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL… Snider has one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, recording a 14th-place finish last season while piloting the No. 93 Chevrolet. The Charlotte, N.C. native had a strong run in downpour rain conditions, driving his way up into the second position during the event.

About TaxSlayer… TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million federal and state e-filed tax returns in 2020 and processed $15 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit TaxSlayer.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on racing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL? Some drivers say it is two different tracks – the infield and the oval.
“I only have one race on the ROVAL, which was last year in the soaking wet conditions. To be honest, I really enjoy the ROVAL. I had a really fast run there last year in the No. 93 and I feel like I will have another fast run this time around in our TaxSlayer Chevrole

Fallen Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee’s Husband, Friend; Daniel Craig, Star of “No Time to Die” and Clive Standen from NBC’s “Taken” Named Bank of America ROVAL 400 Dignitaries

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Official Release
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Daniel Craig attends the World Premiere of "NO TIME TO DIE" at the Royal Albert Hall on September 28, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Universal Pictures)
  • Nicole Gee, one of 13 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan during a bombing at the Kabul International Airport on Aug. 26, will be honored before racing goes green in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400
  • Daniel Craig, the iconic actor who stars as James Bond in the upcoming ‘No Time to Die,’ named Honorary Starter
  • Clive Standen, best-known for his rolls on NBC’s ‘Taken’ and the History Channel’s hit drama series ‘Vikings’ to serve as Honorary Pace Car Driver

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2021) – Before the start of the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on Sunday, friends, family and thousands of race fans will honor the memory of Sgt. Nicole Gee, one of 13 U.S. service men and women killed in a bombing attack on the Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan on Aug. 26.

Nicole Gee

Based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sgt. Gee served with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, U.S. Marine Corps. Her husband, fellow Marine Sgt. Jarod D. Gee (2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, USMC) and best friend, Sgt. Mallory Harrison (Combat Logistics Battalion 6, USMC), will serve as grand marshals for the event, giving the command to fire engines to start the pivotal NASCAR Playoff showdown.

Just two days after the release of his fifth and final reprisal of the role of James Bond, “No Time to Die” star Daniel Craig will serve as Honorary Starter. The acclaimed actor will be introduced during pre-race festivities and wave the green flag to bring the field roaring to life at the start of the race.

As Honorary Pace Car Driver, actor Clive Standen, well-known for his roles as Bryan Mills in the NBC drama “Taken” and as Rollo in the History Channel hit series “Vikings,” will drive the Bank of America ROVAL 400 Toyota Camry TRD pace car during ceremonial laps on the 2.28-mile, 17-turn course before the green flag falls. The actor-producer is also host of the up-and-coming Vikings podcast and will star alongside Bruce Willis in the 2022 Redbox movie “Vendetta.”

Additional dignitaries for Sunday will all be live, on-site for the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, including:

Color Guard: Cabarrus County Sherriff’s Office Honor Guard
Invocation: Susan Chastain, mother of NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain
National anthem: Hannah Dasher, Nashville recording artist and TikTok celebrity
Dignitaries for Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Xfinity Series race include:

  • Color Guard: Charlotte Fire Department Honor Guard
  • Invocation: Corey LaJoie, NASCAR Cup Series driver
  • National anthem: Briley Hussey
  • Honorary Starter: Jennifer Grady, Senior Strategic Policy Consultant, Blue Cross NC (9-month survivor)
  • Grand Marshals: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Employees, Sara Lopez (survivor one year, four months), Victoria Artis (11-year survivor), Robin Winter (8-year survivor)

TICKETS:
Adult tickets start at just $35 for Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina, while kids 12 and under get in free. Fans can catch all the action from Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 for as little as $49, while kids 12 and under are just $10. For details or to purchase, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267).

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Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedways attractions and events by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

CORVETTE RACING AT VIR: Milner Keeps No. 4 C8.R Rolling with Pole

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Official Release
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After 0.003-second qualifying gap, C8.Rs start 1-2 overall in GT-only fight on NBC network

ALTON, Va. (Oct. 8, 2021) – Corvette Racing will line up 1-2 for the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR on Saturday with Tommy Milner leading the way following Friday’s qualifying session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Virginia International Raceway.

Milner, driving the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, set a lap of 1:40.263 (117.410 mph) to best Corvette Racing teammate Jordan Taylor by a scant 0.003 seconds in the 15-minute session. The two Corvettes will lead the all-GT field at the start for the noon ET broadcast on the NBC network.

It was the first pole for Milner this year and his first with Corvette Racing. He was the fastest qualifier at VIR in the 2004 GRAND-AM Rolex Series’ GT class.

Milner and teammate Nick Tandy arrived at VIR with momentum following back-to-back wins at Laguna Seca and Long Beach. Their results have helped solidify Corvette Racing’s hold on the top two spots in the GTLM Drivers standings with two events to go.

Taylor and Antonio Garcia enter Saturday leading the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Drivers Championship on the strength of four wins and six pole positions this year. The No. 3 Corvette C8.R duo also won five races in 2020 en route to the class title.

All four Corvette drivers have tasted success at VIR. Garcia’s three VIR wins – all with Corvette Racing – ranks him second among all IMSA drivers entered for Saturday’s race. leads all active IMSA drivers with three VIR wins. Milner, Taylor and Tandy each have two victories to their credit.

In addition, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with eight IMSA VIR wins with four coming from Corvette Racing.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR is scheduled for noon ET on Saturday with live coverage on NBC, NBC Sports Gold and Trackpass. Live IMSA Radio coverage will air on XM 202, SiriusXM Online 992 and IMSA.com, which also will host live timing and scoring.

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM POLE-WINNER: “It’s relieving in some sense! It’s good to get these little victories like qualifying. It doesn’t mean everything but it means something, for sure. I’m really happy with our Corvette. The balance has been really good today, and the pace has been really good. I’m glad I could finally put it all together in qualifying to get a pole.”
“I spent almost all my entire career racing the same class of car. I got my first ever career pole position in GRAND-AM in 2004 at this racetrack. It feels fitting to get my first ALMS GT/GTLM pole here at VIR. I’m super happy. It’s good to have the pace in the Corvette. I’m happy for our guys as well. As satisfying as it is for me, it’s satisfying for them, as well. Qualifying doesn’t mean a ton, obviously; the race is what matters. To get these little battles and little victories means something for sure. It feels great.”

MOMENTUM ON THE NO. 4 CORVETTE SIDE: “We need to keep doing what we’ve been doing… finding every last little bit out of the car, out ourselves and out of the pit stops. Even though there are three cars in the class, we are racing harder than we ever have against our teammates. It’s great racing. For the fans watching and at the track they can tell that when we are racing, we are racing these guys as hard as we ever have anyone else in our careers. Those guys are the best competition to have – the same car, the same equipment and same everything. To get these little victories means something.”

RACE OUTLOOK: “The race is going to be very challenging for both our cars and the Porsche as well. Maybe not in qualifying speed, they aren’t the fastest. But if you look at practice times, they do seem to have the faster car. It will be a big challenge for both the Corvettes to maximize our strategy as best as we possibly can. We are racing our teammates, for sure, but we’ll our best to make sure a Corvette wins the race. If that means we have to work together a little bit at the start of the race to not fight ourselves too much in order to get as much as a gap as we can, then we’ll do that. I’ve never felt like I’ve had to race so hard in my life than racing our teammates this year. They have been super fast and competitive. It’s taken us a little bit to get to their level in some sense and get these wins. But I’m happy we’re there. I’m looking forward to the race.”

RACING IN HIS HOME STATE: “VIR is essentially my home track. I live in northern Virginia and only four hours away from here. It’s a track where I’ve raced for many, many years and I’ve had success in the past. It’s one of your classic, all-time great sports car tracks in the world. It has some of the best people who run this racetrack as well, so it’s always a pleasure to be here. The fans are awesome. There are lots of campers, lots of families and lots of people having a good time. In years past, the race atmosphere has been great and the fan walk is always packed full of people. I’m excited to put on a good show tomorrow for the fans.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – QUALIFIED SECOND IN GTLM: “It was good. Three-thousandths of a second… I should have gone to the bathroom before qualifying. Actually I did but I should have gone again… maybe three times! It was good to get to show how close these cars are. Looking at the data, you can really see how close everything was. It’s good to get another 1-2. The race will be interesting tomorrow. It still looks like there will be mixed conditions. So there’s still a lot to play for.”

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.

Ga. native Travis Denning to perform pre-race concert at Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Pre-race track passes offering stage-front access ahead of the March 20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 now available

HAMPTON, Ga. (Oct. 8, 2021) – Country music singer/songwriter and Warner Robins, Ga., native Travis Denning will perform a live concert for race fans ahead of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March 20, 2022.

Before NASCAR’s stars hit the track for 500 miles of racing action, fans will enjoy Denning’s head-turning catalog of music, which has tallied nearly 400 million streams worldwide.

The Mercury Nashville recording artist is a rising star with hits like “ABBY”, “After A Few”, and “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs.” Denning has previously toured with Dustin Lynch, opened concerts for Cole Swindell, Alan Jackson, LANCO, and Riley Green, and headlined the “Heartbeat Of A Small Town Tour.”

The concert will be followed by driver introductions, pre-race ceremonies, and the start of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, the first NASCAR Cup Series event to be held on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s all-new, 28-degree banked racing surface.

Limited pre-race track passes will be sold with stage-front access to Denning’s concert and NASCAR Cup Series driver introductions on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s frontstretch. Insiders Club members can get pre-race track passes for a discounted price of $39; all other fans can experience the pre-race festivities up close for $49.

All other grandstand ticketholders can enjoy the concert from their grandstand seat as part of their admission to the March 20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Tickets for the March 18-20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About Travis Denning

A native of Warner Robins, Georgia, singer/songwriter and Mercury Nashville recording artist Travis Denning just released his “clever kiss-off” (Billboard) and “wickedly fun good-riddance anthem” (PEOPLE) “ABBY.” Already amassing over 17 million streams and the track reaching the No. One spot on Sirius XM’s Highway Hot 30, the track earned the most adds at country radio upon add date. Denning celebrated his first No. One and GOLD-certified single in 2020 with the “shadowy” (Rolling Stone) “After A Few.” Accelerating his ascend from a chart-topping single, the song is taken from his debut EP BEER’S BETTER COLD that debuted in the Top 20 of Billboard’s Country Albums chart. Denning first made waves with the release of his Top 40 debut single “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs.” Denning has toured as direct support for Dustin Lynch and has previously opened shows for Cole Swindell, Alan Jackson, LANCO, Riley Green and his first headlining “Heartbeat Of A Small Town Tour.” With over 398M million streams worldwide, Denning has been spotlighted for his head-turning sound and was previously selected as one of CRS New Faces, an Opry NextStage recipient and a CMA KixStart Artist, as he makes his mark within the industry. Inspired at a young age, Denning developed a love for country, pop, rock and heavy metal and started playing local bars from the age of 16, as he built a strong following from his distinctive songs and raucous guitar solos. A prolific writer with an unquestionable stage presence, Denning moved to Nashville and secured outside cuts by Jason Aldean, Justin Moore, Michael Ray and more. Denning’s newest songwriting cut includes Michael Ray’s Top 20 single “Her World Or Mine.”

About the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend:

Since 2015 the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 has been the main event in Atlanta Motor Speedway’s spring NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This storied race brings awareness to Folds of Honor and its mission to help families of military servicemen and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.

On Sunday, March 20, 2022, this 500-mile race will be the first for the NASCAR Cup Series on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s revamped racing surface, with NASCAR’s best taking to the reconfigured 28-degree banked corners for the first time.

More information on the March 18-20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Finalists Announced

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Official Release
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October 8, 2021 – Mazda Motorsports has announced the 12 racers who will vie for three scholarships worth a combined $260,000 to go toward competing in the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires.

To add to the top scholarship valued at $110,000, two $75,000 scholarships were added last year and continue into this year’s event. As part of Mazda’s women’s initiative to expand opportunities for women in motorsports, at least one of the three winners will be female.

“Winning a Mazda Motorsports 2021 scholarship to race in MX-5 Cup helped me in ways I never expected,” commented Chris Nunes, a recipient of a $75,000 Shootout scholarship last year. “Not only did it assist me in reaching my professional racing goals much sooner than I ever expected, it also has given me contacts that will be beneficial to further my career within the industry. The Mazda scholarship has also opened my eyes on how to be a successful business person and to communicate effectively with others. I really owe everything that has happened to me over the past year and beyond to Mazda Motorsports.”

This year’s 12 finalists were chosen from a group of 31 nominees. The group consisted primarily of top performers in SCCA Club Racing, the NASA Teen Mazda Challenge or the Spec MX-5 Challenge Series. Nominees submitted videos focused on their off-track efforts to help earn their spot in the Shootout.

Series partner Flis Performance will be on site with three MX-5 Cup cars plus engineers and data analysts. Flis will also manage the ballasting process for the cars to ensure the kind of parity that the series is known for, with hundreds of passes happening every race as well as razor-thin margins of victory.

Presenting sponsor BFGoodrich® Tires will also be on hand, providing support for the on-track activity as well as one set of tires per driver.

The MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship winners will be announced at the close of the competition on Thursday, October 21.

The finalists:

Aidan Fassnacht – Spec MX-5 Challenge
Alex Berg – Spec MX-5 Challenge & Spec Miata / Teen Mazda Challenge
Bryce Cornet – Spec MX-5 Challenge
Bryson Morris – Spec MX-5 Challenge / Teen Mazda Challenge
Clayton Ketcher – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge
Connor Zilisch – Spec MX-5 Challenge & Spec Miata
Grant West – Spec MX-5 Challenge
Jillian Fichter – Spec Miata
Laura Hayes – WRL
Michael Borden – Spec MX-5 Challenge
Michele Abbate – SCCA, WRL & Trans Am
Wyatt Couch – Spec MX-5 Challenge / Teen Mazda Challenge

*Due to significant professional experience, Michele Abbate is not eligible for the $110,000-valued scholarship intended to help a club racer advanced to pro racing, but is eligible for the Women in Motorsports scholarship. Note: Laura Hayes and Jillian Fichter are eligible for any of the three scholarships.

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

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

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