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Schrader and Swanson to tackle Salem’s highbanks in ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200

By
Official Release
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A pair of former USAC Silver Crown Series champions will take to the high-banks at Salem Speedway this weekend for the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200, the final short track race of the series’ 2021 season.

For one of the former open wheel champions, he will be returning to the site of his 18th and final – for now – ARCA Menards Series victory. For the other, he’ll be looking to make his second career series start as he continues to build his budding resume in full-bodied stock cars.

Ken Schrader, the 1983 USAC Silver Crown champ, used that success to propel himself into a career that included the 1985 NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year award, four career Cup wins, two Xfinity Series wins, a Camping World Truck Series wins, 18 ARCA Menards Series wins, and hundreds of wins all across the country on both paved and dirt short tracks.

Schrader’s most recent ARCA victory came on the hills at Salem Speedway in 2015. He returns looking to repeat that feat, driving for 1995 series champion Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track High Performance Racing team. The two have a long history together, both highly successful open wheel short trackers who transitioned to stock cars and tasted success. Schrader was the car owner when Hillenburg won at Daytona in 1995, catapulting him to a championship run. The two most recently teamed up at DuQuoin in September, with Schrader driving to a third-place finish.

Kody Swanson’s career numbers in the Silver Crown division are unmatched. He’s a five-time series champion, and he holds a one-point lead over Logan Seavey headed into the series finale at Toledo Speedway on October 10 as he tries to lock down his record-extending sixth series championship. He is the career leader in series wins with 34, two of which came earlier this season at Lucas Oil Raceway in May and again in July.

Swanson will climb aboard the No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet headed up by 2016 ARCA Menards Series championship-winning crew chief Chad Bryant. The two teamed up for Swanson’s only previous series appearance, an eighth-place finish at Iowa Speedway in 2020.

Schrader and Swanson add flavor to what is already a packed weekend at Salem Speedway. The Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 is the finale for the Sioux Chief Showdown, the championship-within-the-championship in the ARCA Menards Series on short tracks and road courses. Ty Gibbs, the current overall championship leader, maintains a 17-point advantage over Corey Heim heading into Saturday’s 200-lapper. Gibbs was the winner the last time the series raced at Salem in 2019, leading 196 of the race’s 200 laps on his way to what was his second career series win.

The Salem Speedway Great American Stocks will also be in action with a 50-lap feature event, which will take place just after the on-track autograph session for the ARCA Menards Series drivers.

Advance discount tickets are available at 14 Indianapolis, Louisville, and southern Indiana Menards locations. Adult general admission tickets are just $20, a savings of $10 per race day ticket price.

For complete event information, including live timing & scoring, visit ARCARacing.com. For ticket and camping information, visit TrackEnterprises.com.

DiBenedetto, Quick Lane Team Have High Hopes for Talladega

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Official Release
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The last time Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center team raced at Talladega Superspeedway they won Stage One, led 28 laps including the white-flag lap and finished fifth in the April 25 GEICO 500.

This time around, in Sunday’s YellaWood 500, the strategy and the goals will be a bit different. With the team eliminated from championship contention, there’s less emphasis on earning points and more on putting the No. 21 Mustang in position to race for the win in the closing laps.

DiBenedetto said the Quick Lane team is capable of coming away with a victory if the late-race circumstances play out in their favor.

“We have been in contention to win at the superspeedways countless times now,” DiBenedetto said, adding that being there at the end requires a lot more than just racing luck.

He said that he, spotter Doug Campbell, crew chief Jonathan Hassler and other team members, as well as the entire Ford contingent, put in a lot of hours going over scenarios that are likely to occur at Talladega and coming up with strategies to deal with them.

“Doug, myself and the team have really worked hard on our race craft at these places to be there when it counts,” he said. “Luckily we don’t have to race for Stage points and are there to try and take the win!”

There will be no qualifying or practice prior to the start of Sunday’s 188-lap race, which will feature Stage breaks at Laps 60 and 120. DiBenedetto will start 15th, the line-up having been set based on results from Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the 12 championship contenders starting ahead of the rest.

The green flag is set to fly at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. Eastern Time), with NBC carrying the live TV broadcast.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Busch Light Racing: Kevin Harvick Talladega Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Talladega Advance
No. 4 Busch Light #Hunt4Busch Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: YellaWood 500 (Round 31 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 3
● Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 2.66-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 188 laps/500 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 68 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● With summer in the rearview mirror and fall now upon us, hunting season has commenced. Busch Light has geared up accordingly to create a hunt of its own this Sunday during the YellaWood 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with Kevin Harvick leading the way. The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and winner of 58 Cup Series races is, of course, dressed appropriately. Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang rolls into Talladega carrying a sportsman theme, with blaze orange signifying Busch Light’s #Hunt4Busch challenge. Fans can win up to $1,000 in beer money in each stage of the race by logging onto their Twitter feed, following @BuschBeer, and turning on their notifications. At the beginning of each stage, Busch Light will provide different targets for fans to hunt while watching the race live on NBC, and all fans have to do is tweet #Hunt4Busch and #Sweepstakes when they spot one of the targets. It’s the only way to bag some bucks from the comfort of your couch.

● Harvick comes into Talladega on a four-race top-10 streak, a run punctuated by a strong second-place drive Sept. 18 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway where he led three times for 71 laps. Before finishing second at Bristol, Harvick finished eighth Sept. 11 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and fifth Sept. 4 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. In his most recent outing last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Harvick came home ninth. He has finished among the top-15 in the last 10 races, a streak that began July 11 with an 11th-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

● Harvick has scored 20 top-10s in the 30 races run this season, third-most among NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Only Kyle Larson (22 top-10s) and Denny Hamlin (21 top-10s) are ahead of Harvick in this category.

● Harvick is currently 10th in the NASCAR Playoff standings, seven points below the cutline with only two races remaining before the current 12-driver playoff field is whittled down to eight. Harvick is in the midst of his 12th consecutive playoff appearance and his 15th overall. He has advanced into the Round of 12 in all eight editions of the current playoff format. Coming into this season, he had advanced all the way to the Round of 8 since 2014, and five times he’s competed in the Championship 4, winning the title in 2014.

● The driver of the No. 4 Busch Light #Hunt4Busch Ford Mustang finished fourth in his last outing at Talladega in April. Harvick led three times for 12 laps to increase his laps-led total at the 2.66-mile oval to 276. It was his eighth top-five and 17th top-10 in 41 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega.

● Harvick’s eight top-fives at Talladega tie him with Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano for the second-most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Hamlin stands at the top of this category with nine top-fives at Talladega.

● Harvick’s 17 top-10s at Talladega are the second-most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Only Busch has more (21 top-10s).

● Among those stats is a lone win at Talladega. Harvick came out the victor in a dogfight of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega on April 25, 2010. There were an incredible 88 lead changes in the 200-lap race around the 2.66-mile oval and three massive accidents that collected a total of 24 cars. Harvick kept his car intact throughout each bout of calamity and despite leading only two laps, the second lap led was the one that counted most. Harvick got underneath race-leader Jamie McMurray in the track’s tri-oval to sweep past McMurray and take the win by just .011 of a second. It was just the 12th of Harvick’s 58 career Cup Series wins.

● In addition to his 41 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega, Harvick has eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, with a best result of second in April 2006.

● At Talladega in October 2008, Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) enjoyed one of its most dominant days ever. The team qualified 1-2-3-4 for the first time in its history. SHR drivers then led 155 of the race’s 193 laps (80.3 percent), including the last lap by Aric Almirola, who delivered SHR’s milestone 50th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series victory and the organization’s 11th win of 2018.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light #Hunt4Busch Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Describe the intensity of racing at Talladega.

“You have to be aggressive just for the fact that if you’re not aggressive, it always seems like you’re not going to be where you need to be. Nine times out of 10, the aggressor is going to be the guy who comes out on the good side of things just for the fact that you’re making things happen and you’re not waiting for something else to happen. When you wait for something else to happen, that’s usually when you get in trouble because it’s usually someone else’s mess. You can still get in trouble if you’re aggressive, but with this rules package and the way things are, it’s best to stay aggressive and try to stay up front.”

Blocking seems to be a necessary evil at Talladega. What’s your take?

“I don’t like blocking, but it’s a necessity. Blocking is something that has evolved over the years as people have figured out trying to time the runs, and people have figured out when you can block and when you can’t. It’s just a matter of putting yourself in a position where you think you’re making the right move, and sometimes you make the wrong move. It’s just a game of inches. It just really is a high-speed chess match that you have at 200 mph – and this week will be absolutely no different. There will be a big crash. There will be mistakes made. There will be pit errors made. There will be strategy played. But I can promise you we’re all going to race in a pack – and that’s the way Talladega should be.”

What are your expectations for Talladega?

“For me, it’s been a destruction derby over the last couple of years. We’ve run really well at Talladega, but that’s just kind of the phases you go through when you go to Talladega. I’m doing worse than 50-50 on whether you crash or finish the last few years, but it’s one of those places where you want to race up front and race hard all day because you have to try to win stages. I believe you have better odds at the front of the pack when it comes to staying out of a wreck if you can keep that track position all day. You’re going to race in a pack – three-wide at times – and you’re going to get pushed and have to push at times. You just never know what’s going to happen because Talladega is its own animal. It’s hard to finish a race there. As we’ve seen over the past however many years, you try to put yourself in the right position and hope you have a little bit of luck on your side that particular day. I know our Busch Light Ford Mustang will be fast enough to contend for the win, but you just have to get to the finish.”

Talladega and its sister track, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, are often mentioned in the same breath, but there are differences between the two venues. What are they?

“Talladega is a lot bigger. It’s a lot wider. The track itself is bigger. The shape of Talladega is different than Daytona because of the track being wider and the way the tri-oval is shaped. The start-finish line is almost all the way down into turn one, which seems to change some of the outcomes of the finishes because you have to go all the way down the front straightaway before you get to the finish line. Talladega’s tri-oval is a little bit different than Daytona’s. That bottom groove has a little less banking than the rest of the racetrack, so it’s almost like you’re dipping down into a hole. Sometimes you see guys get loose down into the tri-oval and spin out, so it ends up being where some of the wrecks are caused. It’s really hard to push through that tri-oval, especially as you’re heading down into that bottom lane. It’s tough to know exactly where you need to be at the end of the race. I’ve only won one of them there. In that particular race, we were tandem racing and I was second coming into the tri-oval and was able to get past Jamie McMurray. But I would still rather be leading and in control. It’s a chess match all day. You have to have a little bit of luck on your side, but you can also put yourself in a good position by making the right moves, having a good day on pit road, and not making any mistakes.”

No. 4 Busch Light #Hunt4Busch Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Kevin Harvick
Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Interim Crew Chief: Greg Zipadelli
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith
Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer
Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Stephen Doran
Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard
Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Stan Doolittle
Hometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Richie Bean
Hometown: Bradford, Vermont

Tire Specialist: Jamie Turski
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Hodges
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell
Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

JASON WHITE HEADED TO TALLADEGA

By
Official Release
-

September 29, 2021. This weekend Sun Peaks, British Columbia racer Jason White will make his return to the track and he’s going big. White will pilot the #33 Powder Ventures Excavating/YourGMCTruckStore.com Chevrolet at NASCAR’s biggest track, Talladega Superspeedway, in the Chevy Silverado 250.

It’s been a busy time away from the racetrack for Jason White who spent much of his time working on the frontlines helping extinguish the wildfires that caused significant destruction and loss of life this summer. With the situation now better under control White felt the time was right to return to the track.

“Obviously there were other priorities this summer, but I’m really looking forward to getting back in the #33 Powder Ventures Excavating/YourGMCTruckStore.com Chevrolet at Talladega” said White. “When we were here last season, we learned a few things and I know we’ll be even stronger this weekend” he added.

White’s experience with Reaume Brothers Racing goes back to 2018 when he first drove the #33 Powder Ventures Excavating/YourGMCTruckStore.com Chevrolet at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Building chemistry together since then, White drove from 31st at the start to a top-ten finish in the Truck Series race at Daytona in February of 2020.

“We’re really building something here with Reaume Brothers. They have a good understanding of what I’m telling them about the #33 Powder Ventures Excavating/YourGMCTruckStore.com Chevrolet and with our Superspeedway experience together, it should make for a very good weekend.

That experience will come in handy with no practice or qualifying session, just the 250-mile race. “We’ll use our same strategy as before, feel out where we are in the early going, stay in a good position and be ready for the end of the race, that’s where we can take advantage of opportunities” said White.

Race Stages: 20/40/94 laps totaling 250.4 miles

Social Media: Follow Jason White on twitter, @racinjasonwhite and like his Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/RacinJasonWhite

Schedule: No practice or qualifying. Race, Saturday, October 2nd, 1PM Eastern

Television: Coverage: FS1 in the USA and Fox Sports Racing in Canada

McDowell, Love’s Travel Stops and Delo Ready to Break Through at Talladega Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 29, 2021) – Michael McDowell is set to head back to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this weekend, a place where he’s earned a fifth and third-place finish in two of the last five races at the track; and on Sunday, McDowell looks to breakthrough and score his second win of the 2021 season at NASCAR’s biggest track.

McDowell is no stranger to restrictor plate racing, something that he made abundantly clear by winning the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season opening Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in February. Now, McDowell looks to make Front Row Motorsports history by becoming the first driver to win multiple races during the course of a single season.

The weekend, Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team will be accompanied by Love’s Travel Stops as well as one of their returning partners, Delo, who offers coolants/antifreeze, transmission fluids, gear oils and hydraulic oils for top performing heavy duty diesel engines.

“It’s always exciting to be headed back to a superspeedway with Love’s Travel Stops on board,” said McDowell. “With exception to losing a motor in a fluke deal during this summer’s Daytona race, we’ve been extremely successful on the restrictor plate tracks this season. We started off the year by winning the Daytona 500 with Love’s (Travel Stops) and then almost backed it up with a second win during the spring Talladega race, where we finished third,” continued McDowell.

McDowell explained that, “Front Row Motorsports has always had a great superspeedway program. We had a pair of top-five finishes at both Daytona and Talladega in 2019, but we still didn’t seem to be on anybody’s radar – but now, I definitely think that other teams know what we’re capable of and will be keeping a close eye on our bright yellow Love’s Travel Stops, Delo Ford Mustang this weekend.”

This Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race will be televised live on NBC at 2 p.m. ET.

ABOUT LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS
Love’s Travel Stops is the nation’s leading travel stop network with more than 560 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 33,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has over 415 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network with over 1,500 maintenance bays and 1,200 emergency roadside vehicles. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.

ABOUT DELO
Delo® Goes Further So You Can Go Further
Delo heavy duty diesel engine oil is formulated with ISOSYN® Advanced Technology to deliver industry-leading durability, reliability and efficiency. It works in synergy with the changing conditions in your engine to maximize protection, optimize performance and extend oil life.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Team Penske reveals 2022 Cup Series crew chief lineup

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

Team Penske took to social media to reveal its crew chief lineup for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, featuring a new member to the roster.

Jonathan Hassler, a former race engineer, will be serving as a full-time crew chief for Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Ford Mustang team next season. Hassler currently serves as crew chief for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang team driven by Matt DiBenedetto. In 15 races this season, Hassler, who replaced veteran Greg Erwin in June, has guided DiBenedetto and the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 team to one top-five result and five top-10 results.

Hassler is set to replace Todd Gordon, the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief who is set to retire following the 2021 season. Currently, Gordon has won three races with Blaney and the No. 12 team.

Veteran Jeremy Bullins will be remaining as crew chief for Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford Mustang team set to be piloted by Austin Cindric, who will enter the 2022 season as a full-time Cup Series rookie candidate following four full-time seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Cindric, the 2020 Xfinity champion who is currently in pursuit to defend his series title, is set to replace Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion who is set to join Roush Fenway Racing as a driver and part-owner.

Paul Wolfe, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief, will also retain his role as crew chief for Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford Mustang team and driver Joey Logano. Wolfe and Logano are currently in their second full-time season together, where they amassed four victories, 20 top-five results, 35 top-10 results and a third-place result in the 2020 Cup Series final standings.

All three of Penske’s Cup operations are competing in the Round of 12 in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs that is set to continue at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 3, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to commence at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for The Clash on February 6 followed by the 64th annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20.

Truck series set to return to Sonoma Raceway for first time since 1998

By
Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif. – NASCAR is trucking its way back to Northern California.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make its return to wine country for the first time in 24 years when it returns as a companion event to the NASCAR Cup Series race on Saturday, June 11. Sonoma is one of three new venues on the 2022 schedule, which was released today by NASCAR.

“This is such an exciting day for Sonoma Raceway,” said speedway executive vice president and general manager Jill Gregory. “The truck series was born on the west coast, and some of the most memorable moments in the history of that series have come on road courses just like Sonoma. This race will be a great addition to the biggest motorsports weekend in the Bay Area.”

The truck series competed four times at Sonoma from 1995-1998 with Boris Said winning the last race in 1998. The return of the trucks to Sonoma will coincide with the Cup Series’ annual visit to the picturesque road course. A complete weekend schedule of events and race start times will be announced later.

The Truck race will run as a doubleheader with the General Tire 150 ARCA Menards Series race the same day. Start times have not been set.

Tickets for the Sonoma NASCAR Weekend are available now on the Sonoma Raceway website.

Back to the Future: New Venues, Return of Familiar Locations Highlight 2022

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Slates

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2021) – NASCAR today announced the 2022 schedules for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, slates that feature exciting – and significant – adjustments for race fans.

For the first time since 2000, a NASCAR national series will return to the twists and turns of Portland International Raceway when the Xfinity Series heads to the Pacific Northwest on June 4. The 1.964-mile road course hosted the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for a brief stint in 1999 and 2000 – the only visits by a NASCAR national series in the track’s long history.

Similarly, the Camping World Truck Series will renew its beating and banging brand of racing when it returns to the .686-mile Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the first time since 2011. The July 29 event will serve as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs opener and offer drivers the first chance to clinch a spot in the Round of 8. The event is part of a jam-packed weekend of racing in the city of Indianapolis, as the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series will race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

In addition, the Camping World Truck Series will visit a pair of new road courses in 2022. The series will return to wine country’s Sonoma Raceway for the first time since 1998, joining the Cup Series for a weekend doubleheader (June 11). Then, after trips to Knoxville Raceway (June 18) and Nashville Superspeedway (June 24) for the second consecutive year, the Camping World Truck Series will debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 9 – a track that hosted the NASCAR Xfinity Series on an annual basis from 2013 – 2021.

“For the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, we loved the idea of being able to deliver new road courses to both schedules and a short track for the Camping World Trucks while still returning to our traditional venues and the new tracks we introduced in 2021,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of strategy and innovation. “Not only do these changes continue to deliver on what our fans are asking for, but we feel they will create even more drama and intensity as drivers battle to win championships at Phoenix Raceway in November.”

Texas Motor Speedway will kick off Playoff festivities in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (Sept. 24). The cutoff races in the Xfinity Series will mirror the Cup Series as the Charlotte Roval (Oct. 8) and Martinsville (Oct. 29) are set to pare the field from 12 to 8 to 4.

In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Kansas Speedway (Sept. 9) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 22) will trim the Playoffs field.

Once again, both series will open the season on consecutive days at the ‘World Center of Racing,’ Daytona International Speedway. The Camping World Truck Series gets underway on Feb. 18, with the Xfinity Series kicking off its season on Feb. 19. As announced earlier in the year, all three NASCAR national series seasons will culminate with NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway Nov. 4 – 6.

A total of 15 tripleheader weekends will make up the 2022 schedule.

Broadcast times and networks for all three series will be announced at a later date.

Below are the full 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedules (Playoff races in bold font):

2022 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES SCHEDULE
DateRace / Track
Saturday, February 19Daytona
Saturday, February 26Auto Club
Saturday, March 5Las Vegas
Saturday, March 12Phoenix
Saturday, March 19Atlanta
Saturday, March 26COTA
Saturday, April 2Richmond
Friday, April 8Martinsville
Saturday, April 23Talladega
Saturday, April 30Dover
Saturday, May 7Darlington
Saturday, May 21Texas
Saturday, May 28Charlotte
Saturday, June 4Portland International Raceway
Saturday, June 25Nashville Superspeedway
Saturday, July 2Road America
Saturday, July 9Atlanta
Saturday, July 16New Hampshire
Saturday, July 23Pocono
Saturday, July 30Indianapolis Road Course
Saturday, August 6Michigan
Saturday, August 20Watkins Glen
Friday, August 26Daytona
Saturday, September 3Darlington
Saturday, September 10Kansas
Friday, September 16Bristol
Saturday, September 24Texas
Saturday, October 1Talladega
Saturday, October 8Charlotte Roval
Saturday, October 15Las Vegas
Saturday, October 22Homestead-Miami
Saturday, October 29Martinsville
Saturday, November 5Phoenix

2022 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SCHEDULE

DateRace / Track
Friday, February 18Daytona
Friday, March 4Las Vegas
Saturday, March 19Atlanta
Saturday, March 26COTA
Thursday, April 7Martinsville
Saturday, April 16Bristol Dirt
Friday, May 6Darlington
Saturday, May 14Kansas
Friday, May 20Texas
Friday, May 27Charlotte
Saturday, June 4World Wide Technology Raceway
Saturday, June 11Sonoma
Saturday, June 18Knoxville
Friday, June 24Nashville Superspeedway
Saturday, July 9Mid-Ohio
Saturday, July 23Pocono
Friday, July 29Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Saturday, August 13Richmond
Friday, September 9Kansas
Thursday, September 15Bristol
Saturday, October 1Talladega
Saturday, October 22Homestead-Miami
Friday, November 4Phoenix

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

JR Motorsports — NXS Talladega II Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Talladega Superspeedway
RACE: Sparks 300 (113 laps / 300.58 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 4 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Josh Berry
No. 1 TMC Transportation Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will pilot the No. 1 TMC Transportation Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway, one week after driving to victory in the playoff opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The No. 1 will carry the familiar black and gold colors of TMC Transportation at Talladega and next week at the Charlotte Roval.
• In two previous restrictor-plate starts—one each at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega—Berry finished 27th in the season opener at Daytona and 31st at Talladega.
• Berry has led 62 laps in his last four starts, including 38 last week at Las Vegas, and has paced the field for 213 laps throughout the 2021 season.

Sam Mayer
No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NXS start at Talladega this weekend in the QPS Employment Group No. 8 entry.
• In one start at a superspeedway in his NXS career, Mayer started 22nd and finished 11th after leading one lap at Daytona in August.
• Mayer and the No. 8 team currently sit 11th in the owner points playoff standings. With two races remaining in the Round of 12, Mayer is just 34 points below the eighth and final transfer spot.
• Throughout the 2021 season the No. 8 team has amassed one victory, four top fives and 10 top 10s while pacing the field for 201 laps.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson got the 2021 NXS Playoffs started in a good way with a third-place finish in the opening event at Las Vegas, his home track.
• In five starts at Talladega, Gragson has two top-five and four top-10 finishes with the best being a third-place run in this race last season. He’s also completed every lap of competition at Talladega and led 48 circuits, with an average finish of 6.8.
• Gragson remains fourth on the playoff grid following Las Vegas, 37 points above the cut line to advance to the Round

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier enters the second race of the Round of 12 in the NXS Playoffs 38 points above the cutline.
• In 12 previous NXS starts at Talladega, Allgaier has earned a best finish of second, coming in the spring of 2016.
• Overall, Allgaier has recorded three top fives, six top 10s and has led laps in six of the last eight NXS events held at the famed superspeedway.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in green flag passes (2,548), quality passes (1,690) and laps run inside the top 15 (995).
• Additionally Allgaier will pilot the No. 77 BRANDT Chevrolet on Sunday for Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series.

Driver Quotes

“Winning at Las Vegas was so exciting. The car was so fast there at the end, and this No. 1 team has a big spring in its step after we closed the deal. Talladega is big and fast, and we have good superspeedway cars here at JRM. I like racing on the big tracks like Talladega, and with how fast our Camaro was at Las Vegas, I look forward to helping our team, our teammates and TMC Transportation go for another win this week.” – Josh Berry

“Anything can happen at Talladega. You can go from leading the race to the middle of the pack in an instant. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do once we unload on Saturday with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. JR Motorsports always brings extremely fast race cars to the superspeedways and I feel extremely confident that will be the case again come race time. Hopefully we can avoid any potential trouble out there and be in contention for the victory at the end to help get us in a position to advance into the Round of 8.” – Justin Allgaier

“The last time we were at a superspeedway we ran really strong and I led my first laps in the Xfinity Series. JRM always brings fast Camaros to these types of races and this weekend should be more of the same. Hopefully we can work with our JRM teammates and keep the four of us out front to sweep the podium and more this weekend.” – Sam Mayer

“Last weekend was great, but if it weren’t for the mistakes I think we had a car capable of winning. The organization has always built fast speedway cars and with the Hendrick power underneath the hood, this weekend will be no different. The plan is to stay out of the mess and be there at the end. If we can do that, then hopefully this Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Camaro will be contending for the win.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates

• JRM at Talladega: JRM has competed at Talladega a combined 49 times. Over the course of the 49 starts at the 2.66-mile facility, the organization has tallied two wins, 14 top fives and 26 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came in 2016 when Elliott Sadler drove the No. 1 to Victory Lane after only leading the final lap of the day.
• Hellmann’s Surprise: COMING SOON TO A FRIDGE NEAR YOU! Buckle your aprons, this fall Hellmann’s has a surprise for you. We’re firing up a new campaign and you won’t want to miss it. Look out for the big reveal on October 14. Click here to sign up and be the first to hear about the new campaign and get a taste of our exciting, new content.
• #KeepMoving: Fear of judgment stops 46 percent of people from moving. Degree is dedicated to giving those who face judgment a platform to inspire the next generation through representation and equipping them with the skills they need to #KeepMoving with the #BreakingLimits Program. Learn more here.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 09.29.21

By
Official Release
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NEWS RELEASE

This Week in Motorsports: September 27-October 3, 2021
· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Talladega Superspeedway – October 2-3
· ARCA: Salem Speedway – October 2

PLANO, Texas (September 29, 2021) – It’s time for the final superspeedway race weekend of the year as NASCAR’s top three series make their way to Talladega, while the ARCA Sioux Chief Showdown champion will be crowned in Salem, Indiana.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Hamlin locked in… Denny Hamlin has clinched his spot in the Round of 8 with his second consecutive opening round win, this time at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hamlin has proven to be one of the best at superspeedways as well with three Daytona 500 victories. Hamlin is also the defending Talladega race winner as he drove past Matt DiBenedetto on the final lap to earn his second victory at the Alabama superspeedway last October.

Strong starts for Busch, Truex… It was a strong start to the Round of 12 for both Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. as both earned top-five finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Both drivers sit 30 points over the cutoff heading into Talladega.

Xfinity Series drivers in position to advance… After earning top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, all three Toyota Xfinity Series Playoff drivers – Harrison Burton, Daniel Hemric and Brandon Jones are in position to advance to the second round. Jones made the biggest move from below the cutoff to 10 points to the good with his sixth-place finish in Las Vegas.

Ferrucci returns… Santino Ferrucci will be back behind the wheel of the Sam Hunt Racing Toyota Supra this weekend, making his superspeedway debut. In six starts this season, the former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year has been impressive – scoring four top-15 finishes.

Toyota looking to sweep Truck Championship Four… With two races remaining in the Round of 8, Toyota drivers are currently in position to sweep the Championship 4. Ben Rhodes regained the points lead with a second-place finish at Las Vegas. He is followed by John Hunter Nemechek, Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton. Friesen has had an incredible run in the Playoffs – finishing all four events inside the top-six.

Toyota Truck Manufacturer Championship… After a stellar season in the Truck Series, Toyota is looking to potentially clinch the Truck Series Manufacturer’s Championship at Talladega Superspeedway. With victories in 14 of the 19 Truck Series events this season, Toyota has clinched the tiebreaker and needs to hold an 80-point advantage leaving the superspeedway. Currently, Toyota holds a 76-point advantage over Chevrolet.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Toyota Drivers in Contention for Sioux Chief Championship… Either Ty Gibbs or Corey Heim is going to win the Sioux Chief Showdown Championship this weekend at Salem (Indiana) Speedway. With six victories in the nine events thus far, Gibbs holds a 17-point advantage over Heim heading into the weekend.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

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