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HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Richmond Race Report

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Official Release
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Custer Finishes 22nd at Richmond
HaasTooling.com Demo Day Team Struggles with Balance

Date: Sept. 11, 2021
Event: Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/155 laps/165 laps)
Start/Finish: 21st / 22nd (Running, completed 397 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 28th with 436 points

Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Cole Custer started 37th and finished 27th.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford driver, set to start 21st, had to drop to the rear of the field at the start of the race. But he didn’t stay there long, as he advanced to 26th by the time the competition caution came out on lap 30.
● During that caution, the No. 41 team brought their driver down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to combat a tight-handling racecar. Unfortunately, the team was handed a penalty for an uncontrolled tire and had to start at the rear again.
● Custer worked his way up to 28th after just 16 laps and continued to pass cars as the stage continued. He reported that his racecar had trouble turning in the center of the turn.
● The 23-year-old driver held onto his No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Mustang to finish 27th in the stage.
● During the stage break, Custer came down pit road for four tires, fuel and another round of adjustments. He restarted the second stage 22nd.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-235):

● Custer started 22nd and finished 20th.
● During the opening laps of the second stage, Custer began to lose spots as the long run continued. He came over the radio on lap 110 to tell the team that his car was still tight and lost rear grip on the long runs.
● On lap 133, the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day team brought their driver to pit road for four tires, fuel and another set of adjustments during green-flag stops. He rejoined the field 29th after his stop.
● Custer’s Ford mustang started to respond better on the long run, and he climbed all the way up to 21st during the caution-free run.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day team brought Custer down pit road for another round of green-flag pit stops on lap 181. After four tires, fuel and another set of adjustments, the No. 41 rejoined the field 23rd.
● During the remainder of the caution-free Stage 2, Custer climbed as high at 20th, where he finished the stage.
● The team pitted again during the stage break for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 236-400):

● Custer started 20th and finished 22nd.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford driver reported that his Ford Mustang was starting to become loose before the caution flag waved on lap 251. After the race went back green on lap 254, Custer began to fall back as the Ford Mustang struggled on the short run.
● As the run continued, Custer reported that his Ford Mustang was still not turning in the center of the corners and needed more rear grip.
● On lap 290, the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day team brought Custer down pit road for four tires, fuel and more air pressure adjustments to try and help the balance of his racecar.
● During the next run, Custer reported that his Ford Mustang was starting to get too free. The No. 41 team brought Custer down pit road for their final stop of the race on lap 353 for four tires, fuel and an adjustment to help tighten handling.
● Unfortunately, the 23-year-old racer was unable to overcome the balance issues on his racecar and had to settle for a 22nd-place finish.

Notes:

● Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fourth of the season and his third at Richmond. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was 1.417 seconds.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 30 laps.
● Only nine of the 37 drivers in the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders finished on the lead lap.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Today was just a rough day at Richmond. We struggled with the balance of our No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Mustang throughout the entire race. We’ll take what we learned today and move ahead to Bristol.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 18, at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. It is the third race of the 10-race playoffs and the last race in the Round of 16. It starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Cummins/Rush Truck Centers Racing: Chase Briscoe Richmond Race Report

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Official Release
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Briscoe Finishes 16th at Richmond
Cummins/Rush Truck Centers Driver Nearly Misses Season’s Eighth Top-15

Date: Sept. 11, 2021
Event: Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/155 laps/165 laps)
Start/Finish: 26th / 16th (Running, completed 398 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 23rd with 505 points

Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Chase Briscoe started 26th and finished 25th.

● The Cummins/Rush Truck Centers driver said his Ford Mustang was tight across center and lacking forward when the field was slowed under yellow for the lap-30 competition caution. He pitted for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment and restarted in the 25th position on lap 37.
● With a handful of the leaders restarting in the rear after receiving pit road penalties, Briscoe slipped back to the 26th position. He ultimately moved back into 25th at the conclusion of the first stage.
● At the break, Briscoe brought the No. 14 Ford Mustang to pit road for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to help with forward drive off of turn four. He restarted 19th for the second stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-235):

● Briscoe started 19th and finished 16th.
● The Cummins/Rush Truck Centers driver was running 18th when the field began to make green-flag stops on lap 130. He brought his Ford Mustang to pit road on lap 132 for tires, fuel and additional adjustments, though he said the handling of his car had improved.
● Briscoe rejoined the field in the 20th position.
● On lap 182, Briscoe pitted from 15th to make a scheduled green-flag pit stop for fresh tires. He returned to the track in the 20th position, one lap down, and drove his way into the 16th spot before the end of the second stage on lap 235.
● Briscoe pitted for tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment at the stage break, but he told the team he was happy with the handling of the Cummins/Rush Truck Centers Mustang.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 236-400):

● Briscoe started 14th and finished 16th.
● The Cup Series rookie driver started the final stage in 15th, the first car one lap down. On the initial start on lap 245, he lost the Lucky Dog position to Austin Dillon.
● When the fifth caution of the race occurred on lap 251, Briscoe stayed on track to restart 15th on lap 255.
● Briscoe made a scheduled stop under green on lap 293. He pitted from the 17th position for tires, fuel and no adjustments.
● The Cummins/Rush Truck Centers driver made his final green-flag stop on lap 342. His Ford fired off too tight, and he asked for an air pressure adjustment to help with his front turn.
● Briscoe was in 19th place once the green-flag pit stop cycle was complete, and he picked up three positions before the checkered flag.

Notes:

● Briscoe was the highest finishing NASCAR Cup Series rookie for the 24th time this season.
● Briscoe’s 16th-place result bettered his previous best finish at Richmond – 22nd, earned in the series’ prior race at the track in April.
● Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fourth of the season and his third at Richmond. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was 1.417 seconds.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 30 laps.
● Only nine of the 37 drivers in the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders finished on the lead lap.

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

“This was one of my best runs at Richmond, for sure. I think we still have a long way to go, but I don’t hate it as much as I used to. It certainly helps when the car is handling the way it’s supposed to. The result doesn’t show the effort put in and how strong we were, but I feel like it was something that I can build on now that I kind of understand how to drive the track.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 18, at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. It is the third race of the 10-race playoffs and the last race in the Round of 16. It starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

No. 10 Smithfield/Tuesday’s Children Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Richmond Race Report

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Official Release
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Almirola Finishes 14th at Richmond
Smithfield Ford Driver Remains Three Points Ahead of Playoff Cutoff

Date: Sept. 11, 2021
Event: Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway(.75-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/155 laps/165 laps)
Start/Finish: 9th / 14th (Running, completed 399 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 11th (2,056 points, three points ahead of top-12 cutoff)

Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Aric Almirola started ninth and finished 10th, earning one bonus point.
● Almirola said his Smithfield Ford turned good in the middle of the turns but struggled with drive off the turns.
● The No. 10 team radioed that Almirola was the second fastest car on track before the competition was called.
● He pitted for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments to restart ninth.
● The Smithfield driver raced to eighth before a caution was called on lap 42.
● Almirola restarted seventh. His drive off of the corners continued to affect his speed, causing him to fall outside of the top-10.
● Almirola raced back inside the top-10 before the stage ended.
● He pitted under caution for four fresh tires, fuel and chassis adjustments and gained two spots on pit road.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-235):

● Almirola started eighth and finished eighth, earning three bonus points.
● The Smithfield driver continued to battle drive off of the turns and fell outside of the top-10.
● Almirola made the pass for 10th on lap 131. He pitted a lap later under green for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments.
● When green-flag pit stops cycled through, Almirola gained a position and was scored ninth.
● Almirola raced to eighth by lap 166.
● He pitted under green for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments on lap 180.
● Almirola was scored sixth when green-flag pit stops cycled through.
● He pitted at the end of the stage for four fresh tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments to improve the handling.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 236-400):

● Almirola started seventh and finished 14th.
● The Smithfield driver was scored ninth after a caution on lap 251.
● Almirola continued to battle handling issues throughout the run. He pitted under green on lap 295 for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments.
● As Almirola exited pit road he reported a loose wheel and was forced to pit again, putting him a lap down in 20th.
● Almirola drove to 16th before pitting under green with 54 laps to go.
● He drove the No. 10 Ford to 14th by lap 361 and held his position inside the top-15 to the checkered flag.

Notes:

● Almirola earned his eighth top-15 of the season and his eighth top-15 in 19 career starts at Richmond.
● This was Almirola’s third straight top-15 at Richmond. He finished sixth in the series’ prior visit to the track in April and eighth last September.
● Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fourth of the season and his third at Richmond. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was 1.417 seconds.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 30 laps.
● Only nine of the 37 drivers in the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders finished on the lead lap.

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield/Tuesday’s Children Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We didn’t have a race-winning car, but I thought we could have run fifth to eighth, so I’m a little frustrated but it’s a team sport and we’ll go to Bristol and keep fighting.I think we’re competitive. We’re in the hunt. We had a loose lugnut and I had to pit again under green, and then got us behind. I don’t know where we finished. I think we finished 14th instead of sixth or seventh, which is about where we were running, so frustrating that we gave up those points. This situation we can’t really give up any points. It would have been a lot nicer to go to Bristol plus 12 instead of plus three or four, but it is what it is. It’s no big deal. We’ve got to put our head down and go race. It’s the same situation. We’ve just got to go racing and score as many points as we can. You just hate to give up six, seven, eight points.”

Playoff Standings (with one race to go before Round of 12):

  1. Denny Hamlin (2,127 points) 1 win
  2. Martin Truex Jr. (2,113 points) 1 win
  3. Kyle Larson (2,151 points) +88 points
  4. Joey Logano (2,093 points) +40 points
  5. Ryan Blaney (2,081 points) +28 points
  6. Kevin Harvick (2,078 points) +25 points
  7. Chase Elliott (2,072 points) +19 points
  8. Christopher Bell (2,070 points) +17 points
  9. Brad Keselowski (2,066 points) +13 points
  10. Kyle Busch (2,061 points) +8 points
  11. Aric Almirola (2,056 points) +3 points
  12. Kurt Busch (2,053 points) +0 points
  13. Alex Bowman (2,053 points) -0 points
  14. Tyler Reddick (2,048 points) -5 points
  15. William Byron (2,035 points) -18 points
  16. Michael McDowell (2,015 points) -38 points

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 18, at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. It is the third race of the 10-race playoffs and the last race in the Round of 16. It starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Hunt Brothers Pizza Racing: Kevin Harvick Race Recap from Richmond

By
Official Release
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Harvick Finishes Eighth at Richmond
Driver of No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang
Scores Series-Leading 27th Top-10 at Virginia Short Track

Date: Sept. 11, 2021
Event: Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/155 laps/165 laps)
Start/Finish: 5th / 8th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 6th (2,078 points, 25 points ahead of top-12 cutoff)

Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr., of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Kevin Harvick started fifth and finished ninth, earning two bonus points.
● Contact with Ryan Blaney on lap two damaged the right-front corner of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang.
● Harvick settled into sixth place by lap three and held that spot until passing Brad Keselowski for fifth on lap 27.
● “Tight into the corner, loose off the corner,” said Harvick after the competition caution on lap 30.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel on lap 31. Lined up fourth for lap-37 restart.
● “Just plows taking off and loose as soon as you put the throttle down,” said a fifth-place Harvick while under caution on lap 42.
● Harvick was sixth on lap 50, three laps after the race returned to green.
● Fell to seventh on lap 70 as a hard-charging Kyle Larson took the position.
● Dropped to ninth on lap 78 as Ross Chastain and Martin Truex Jr., got by.
● At the end of the stage, Harvick radioed that his car’s handling condition hadn’t changed.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel at the end of the stage, with right- and left-rear wedge adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-235):

● Harvick started 10th and finished 10th, earning one bonus point.
● Lost 10th to Kyle Busch on lap 94, but Harvick regained the spot on lap 96 with a pass of his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Aric Almirola.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 132 for four tires and fuel with some chassis adjustments. Was 12th after pit stops cycled through.
● Fell to 13th by lap 65 and was 14th by lap 166. “It’s gotten worse,” said Harvick about his car’s handling.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 179 for four tires and fuel with a right-rear wedge adjustment.
● Harvick was eighth after pit stops cycled through.
● Fell to ninth on lap 200 after Christopher Bell got by, and dropped to 10th on lap 215 as Alex Bowman took ninth.
● “It needs to hang on with the rear drive,” said Harvick at the end of the stage after finishing 10th.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel at the end of the stage, but spent extra time on pit road fixing right-side damage from the early-race contact with Blaney.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 236-400):

● Harvick started 11th and finished eighth.
● The No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang picked up 10th two laps after the lap-245 restart.
● Passed Bowman for ninth on lap 262 and then took eighth from Blaney on lap 269.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 293 for four tires and fuel.
● Harvick climbed to sixth by lap 302 after pit stops cycled through.
● Dropped to seventh on lap 307 after Chase Elliott got by and then fell to eighth on lap 319 when Bell took the spot.
● “I’m struggling with the front tires. I just can’t really do much,” said Harvick on lap 334 after Kyle Larson got by to put him in ninth.
● “I’m struggling with rear grip too,” said Harvick on lap 343.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 345 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.
● Was seventh after pit stops cycled through by lap 350.
● Dropped to eighth on lap 380 after Larson took seventh, but Harvick held the position through to the finish.
● “It was a handful, that’s for sure. But we made something out of it,” said Harvick on the cool-down lap.

Notes:

● Harvick earned his 18th top-10 of the season and his series-leading 27th top-10 in 41 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond.
● This was Harvick’s second straight top-10. He finished fifth in the series’ prior race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
● This was Harvick’s eighth straight top-15, a streak that began July 11 with an 11th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
● Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only finished outside the top-15 once at Richmond, a lone 24th-place finish in the series’ previous visit to the track in April.
● Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fourth of the season and his third at Richmond. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was 1.417 seconds.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 30 laps.
● Only nine of the 37 drivers in the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders finished on the lead lap.

Playoff Standings (with one race to go before Round of 12):

  1. Denny Hamlin (2,127 points) 1 win
  2. Martin Truex Jr. (2,113 points) 1 win
  3. Kyle Larson (2,151 points) +88 points
  4. Joey Logano (2,093 points) +40 points
  5. Ryan Blaney (2,081 points) +28 points
  6. Kevin Harvick (2,078 points) +25 points
  7. Chase Elliott (2,072 points) +19 points
  8. Christopher Bell (2,070 points) +17 points
  9. Brad Keselowski (2,066 points) +13 points
  10. Kyle Busch (2,061 points) +8 points
  11. Aric Almirola (2,056 points) +3 points
  12. Kurt Busch (2,053 points) +0 points
  13. Alex Bowman (2,053 points) -0 points
  14. Tyler Reddick (2,048 points) -5 points
  15. William Byron (2,035 points) -18 points
  16. Michael McDowell (2,015 points) -38 points

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. It is the third race of the 10-race playoffs and the last race in the Round of 16. It starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

RCR Post Race Report – Richmond 400 Salute to First Responders

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Official Release
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Austin Dillon And The No. 3 Roland Chevrolet Team Show Speed En Route to 11th-Place Finish at Richmond Raceway

Finish: 11th
Start: 19th
Points: 17th

“We came to Richmond Raceway this weekend to finish what we started last year, when we had a great run but didn’t win. Even through we came up a little bit short in the Roland Chevrolet this weekend, I’m proud of the entire team for hanging in there. We started off the race with a very loose handling machine, but we made a big swing at adjustments at the end of Stage 1. Those adjustments helped the handling tremendously. The No. 3 Roland Chevrolet was strong tonight through the middle portion of the race, but we lost forward drive in Stage 3 and never got it back to where we wanted it. All-in-all, 11th isn’t horrible. We’ll head to Bristol Motor Speedway with the goal of winning.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick And The No. 8 Childress Vineyards Team Rally To Top-15 Finish Under the Lights at Richmond Raceway

Finish: 15th
Start: 11th
Points: 14th

“Tonight didn’t go as planned for our Childress Vineyards team, but this Richard Childress Racing team never quit fighting. We spent the first half of the race too loose on entry and tight in the center. Our Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE struggled to rotate the middle. Once we made adjustments that positively changed the handling, we had already lost track position and the cautions didn’t fall our way to get back on the lead lap. The positive coming out of tonight is that we are still in contention to advance to the Round of 12 next weekend. We will give it everything we have in Bristol to see if we can keep our Playoffs run going.” -Tyler Reddick

ARCA Menards Series West Race Recap: Portland International Raceway – TAYLOR GRAY WINS!

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Official Release
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Saturday, September 11
Track: Portland International Raceway, 12-turn, 1.967 mile road course
Race: 6 of 9
Event: Portland 112 (57 laps, 112 miles)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ripper Coffee Fusion
Start: 3rd
Finish: 1st

  • Taylor Gray qualified third for his first ARCA event at Portland International Raceway.
  • By lap 10, Gray was in the second position in his Ripper Coffee Ford Fusion. He took the lead on lap 18 and held onto it through the break on lap 30.
  • The young driver pitted for service during the break for adjustments to help him with front grip.
  • Gray restarted from the first position on lap 33. Shortly after the restart, Gray spun after contact with a competitor and was unable to get the car to re-fire which caused a caution and sent him one lap down.
  • After restarting 16th, one lap down, Gray was able to get back on the lead lap on lap 43 after another caution came out and he was the beneficiary of the free pass.
  • Once Gray was back on the lead lap, he worked quickly to move his way up through the field.
  • On lap 52, the caution was once again displayed and Gray was fifth. The lengthy caution set up a green-white finish. Gray got a great restart from fifth, went three-wide and took the lead which resulted in his first win this season.
  • The 16-year-old earned the victory in his first start at Portland International Raceway and his first this season.

Next event: Star Nursery 150 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 23 at 10 p.m. ET.

Team Hardpoint EBM Earns Win From Efrin Castro, Podium From Riley Dickinson in Porsche Carrera Cup North America in Indianapolis

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Official Release
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Photo credit Sideline Sports Photography

Team Hardpoint’s IMSA WeatherTech GTD Porsche Will Start On Row Five Out West at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (September 11, 2021) – Team Hardpoint EBM’s Efrin Castro earned his second Porsche Carrera Cup North America Pro-Am win on Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and teammate Riley Dickinson earned his fourth podium finish of the season at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The team is split in two different locations this weekend, with the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship running out west at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Team owner Rob Ferriol and Katherine Legge will co-drive the No. 88 Richard Mille/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R in Sunday’s race after qualifying 10th in class on Saturday for Team Hardpoint.

Castro’s win came flag-to-flag in the No. 65 Fine Fare Supermarkets/GoDomincanRepublic.com Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in dominating fashion with a 23.353 second win. Despite running in the Pro-Am Class, Castro finished in ninth place overall in the 45-minute race.

The victory allowed him to make up twenty points in the championship, as leader Alan Metni missed Saturday’s race to run in a separate series at Laguna Seca. Metni will be in Indianapolis for the two Sunday races.

“I was able to hold my pace and create a gap for the whole race and was very consistent with my laps and that gave me the win,” Castro said. “I learned the track a little better today for tomorrow’s races, and that will help tomorrow. I would have liked to have Alan Metni here but he had a different race and I’m very glad to get the win today. I’ll try to do it again tomorrow with him here.”

Dickinson had a successful day for himself and the No. 53 Porsche Austin/Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche 911 GT3 Cup overall and in the Pro class. Starting fourth, Dickinson made his way around the championship leader for third early in the race. Once clear, Dickinson gapped the rest of the field and came home comfortably in third place.

That result allowed Dickinson to close within one point of fourth in the season-long point championship.

“The race result was definitely what we needed, especially after race two at Road America,” Dickinson said. “I had a good fight at the beginning with myself and another driver. That set the tone for us for the way the rest of the race went, because it created a big gap for the rest of the race and that result was set in stone. I can’t thank the Team Hardpoint EBM guys enough for the work they’ve done this weekend. We’ve kept our heads down and continued to refine our 992 Porsche Austin Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. I’m looking forward to race two and race three, we’ll see how that plays out tomorrow morning. It’s going to be a little bit cooler, and we’ll see how the day plays out, go from there, and keep on pushing.”

Dickinson will start Sunday’s race fourth overall on the grid.

Ferriol qualified 10th with a time of 1:25.813 (93.887 mph) for the GT Daytona class of the WeatherTech Championship race at Laguna Seca. Legge was one position higher in the “pro” portion of qualifying, which awards championship points.

Sunday will be a busy day for the Team Hardpoint line-up. Dickinson, Castro and the Team Hardpoint EBM contingent race at 8:45 a.m. EDT and again at 3:30 p.m. EDT on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ferriol, Legge and the No. 88 Richard Mille/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R run a two-hour, 40-minute race at Laguna Seca beginning at 1:10 p.m. PDT (4:10 p.m. EDT). The Porsche Carrera Cup races can be seen live on Porsche Motorsport North America’s Youtube page, while the WeatherTech Championship race can be seen on NBCSN for cable or satellite subscribers or via TrackPass on the NBC Sports app.

About Team Hardpoint:
Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Team Hardpoint EBM is a joint venture between Team Hardpoint and Earl Bamber Motorsport formed in late 2020 for Team Hardpoint’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America program to utilize the resources of EBM and co-owners Earl Bamber and Will Bamber and the early success of Team Hardpoint. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team’s 2021 plans include a full-season effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and a multi-car effort in the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America. More information on Hardpoint Motorsports can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Dramatic Day as Dyson Wins Trans Am Race at Watkins Glen

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Official Release
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Dyson named overall winner of Trans Am race, Matos goes three for three at WGI in TA2, Joiner and Oakes take class wins

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (11 September 2021)- With championship runs on the line and more than 40 cars sharing a 3.4-mile course, drama was sure to follow in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli all-class race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday afternoon. In an action-packed 100-mile showdown, Tomy Drissi crossed the line first, but it was Chris Dyson who claimed the victory after the post-race review showed that Drissi passed the No. 20 ALTWELL CBD Ford Mustang under yellow conditions. (VIDEO: TA Race Recap)

Rafa Matos extended his TA2® points lead, driving the No. 88 3 Dimensional Services Ford Mustang to his third consecutive win at The Glen. Erich Joiner (XGT) and Justin Oakes (SGT) also won from the pole in their respective classes. 

 ”I am over the moon, celebrating my 20th anniversary of professional racing at Watkins Glen with a win,” said Dyson. “It’s always a thrill to put No. 20 ALTWELL CBD on top of the standings. We are happy now, but we are very much still focused on the race tomorrow. We want to close the weekend out in style as we go for another race win on Sunday.”  

The all-class sprint started with just as much intensity as the finish. The opening lap saw the first full-course caution after local driver Paul Fix (No. 44 StopFlex.com/CarCoachReports Chevrolet Corvette),  TA2® Wilwood Rookie of the Year points leader Rhett Barkau (No. 01 BarkauCars.com/BarkauCDJR Dodge Challenger), Trans Am ProAm TA leader Oscar Teran (No. 17 Oscar Teran Ford Mustang) and West Coast reigning TA2 champion Jim Gallauger (No. 16 Madison Development Group/MCR Ford Mustang) came together in a multi-car melee in the Boot. 

Pole-starter Ernie Francis Jr. fended off Dyson on the restart to lead all but the last four laps of the race. After controlling the pace and pulling away from the field, Francis Jr.’s No. 98 Future Star Racing/Wings & Wheels Ford Mustang engine seized, forcing him to immediately stop on the circuit to bring out the final full- course caution. Francis suffered a similar fate at Road America after charging through the field from a near last-place start to first before mechanical issues took him out of the race. 

Though he did not get his desired result today, Francis Jr. will have another chance tomorrow as he will start on pole after setting the fastest lap in Saturday’s race. 

“I’m not sure what happened, we had something let go in the engine,” Francis Jr. said. “We’re climbing into it now to see what we can fix and get it ready for the next race. It’s pretty frustrating, a rough year with a lot of endings like this to races we should have won. We have the speed, we just don’t have the luck; we need to keep it together. I’m really frustrated right now, but our guys will get on it and see what we can do to try to make it up tomorrow.”

Trying to capitalize on Francis Jr.’s misfortune, Drissi challenged second-place Dyson for the point, overtaking him as Dyson slowed for the yellow. Drissi, who is second in the TA championship, was penalized 40 seconds following a review by the race stewards for passing under yellow and making avoidable contact with another driver.  

“I saw Ernie (Francis Jr.) go off, and that motivated me,” said Drissi. “We started out pacing (Chris) Dyson. He was good, but we were better on the long run, we just didn’t get many of those laps. I put my head down, I did not see the yellow, so Dyson and I went into the Bus Stop, I don’t see a yellow there, I don’t see a yellow at Turn 1, I don’t see a yellow going up the hill or braking in Turn 3. I would have given it back if I saw the yellow going into the Bus Stop. I’ll race with Dyson any day, I’m proud to be part of Trans Am.”

In only his second time behind the wheel of a TA machine, Dyson’s teammate Guy Smith made it a one-two finish for CD Racing, wheeling the No. 21 Amamos LaVida Tequila Ford Mustang. 

‘“It was definitely a very exciting race,” Smith said. “Unfortunately for me, I got hit from behind on the first lap, trying to avoid the chaos in the Boot, so my race for first was pretty much over at that point. But I’ve got the best team in the house. It was a great race. I had the best seat in the house, seeing these two guys (Dyson and Drissi) going at it over the last few laps was pretty exciting. I think tomorrow will be a lot more fun.”

Dyson added, “I was thrilled to be joined on the podium with Guy (Smith) for our first team one-two result of the season. He’s been my teammate for many years, and he’s been a terrific help to the team for the championship.”

Two-time champion Amy Ruman fought mechanical issues on Friday but recovered on Saturday to finish fourth in the No. 23  McNicholsCo/CornerTechCNCSolutions Chevrolet Corvette. After penalties were assessed, Ruman earned her first podium result of the season. 

“We were really happy with our results today after having some mechanical issues in testing and missing practice,” said Ruman. “The crew worked diligently to get the No. 23 back in action just in time for qualifying. I started P9 and kept my nose clean and took the checkered in fourth. There was some controversy upfront near the end of the race, and I was just informed that we moved into third place after some penalties were assessed. It’s not normally how I like to get onto the podium, but that’s racing and we’ll take it.”

After starting 10th, Ken Thwaits (No. 4 Franklin Road Apparel  Chevrolet Camaro) was the top TA Masters Class finisher with a fourth-place overall result. Richard Grant (No. 30 Grant Racing Chevrolet Corvette) completed the top-five in class, finishing 20th overall. 

MATOS EXTENDS TA2 POINTS LEAD (VIDEO: TA2 RACE RECAP)

Matos’ Watkins Glen winning streak continued on Saturday after the 3 Dimensional Services driver took his fourth class win on Saturday. Matos started second in class, 14th overall, beside Motul Pole Award winner Mike Skeen. 

Matos battled Skeen through traffic on the opening lap to take the lead. Skeen repaid the favor after reclaiming the point on the first restart. The pair diced back and forth until Matos made his last pass stick on the second restart after Masters Class drivers Maurice Hull (No. 57 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro) and Kerry Hitt (No. 19 Advanced Composite Product Cadillac CTS-V) brought out the full course caution on Lap 12. The victory extends Matos’ championship lead and he will start on pole for the TA2 class in Sunday’s finale. 

“Three in a row for us at Watkins Glen!” Matos exclaimed. “The weekend started out slow with some problems with the car. The balance wasn’t there for the first day. We kept on working. It was a little bit off in qualifying, but we made some really good changes overnight and the car was right on pace. I had a clean start, and Thomas (Merrill) and Mike (Skeen) kept me honest for the whole race. We’ve been working really hard all year to win the championship, and this was a big step for us.”

Merrill kept his championship campaign alive with a second-place finish, sixth overall. Merrill started eighth in class, 20th overall, driving the same highlighter yellow No. 26 HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang that NASCAR driver Ryan Newman drove at Road America after Merrill’s typical No. 81 Ford Mustang’s sustained damage in Nashville. Merrill drafted off Matos as they both passed Skeen on the second restart. Merrill’s driver door was damaged in his podium pursuit. Mastering the course with a wounded car earned Merrill the ChillOut Move of the Race. 

“It was a great race for us,” said Merrill. “We had been struggling with the balance all weekend, and we finally found that magic touch right before the race and the car was a heck of a lot better. We did what we could to race forward. One of our guys, Jason Bowser, is home sick, but he figured out what was wrong with our car and called it in. He’s an integral part of our team. We fixed it, a big thanks to him.”

Skeen held off Connor Mosack and Misha Goikhberg to finish third, seventh overall, in the No. 1 Liqui-Moly/Turn14Distribution Chevrolet Camaro.

“I’m pretty disappointed with third,” Skeen admitted. “We had a great car in qualifying, lots of speed, but it didn’t equate to a great race car today. We struggled when we got behind some guys with the aero wash. We really fought the car a lot, but even though I’m frustrated I’m fortunate to be here, thanks to the Stevens Miller guys. We’ll be back for them tomorrow.”

Mosack (No. 28 NicTailor/IFS M1-SLR/Fields Chevrolet Camaro) and Goikhberg (No. 0 BC Race Cars Chevrolet Camaro) rounded out the top five in class. 

Doug Peterson drove to an overall 18th place finish in the No. 87 3 Dimensional Services Ford Mustang for the Masters Class TA2 win. 

JOINER AND OAKES WIN IN PRODUCTION CLASS

Erich Joiner became the first XGT winner at Watkins Glen on Saturday, taking the class win (23rd overall) in the No. 10 Good Boy Bob Coffee Roaster Porsche 991 GT3 R. 

“It’s always a heck of a race with all the TA2 cars,” said Joiner. “We started back and tried to make our way through. We’ve got a great crew, and I couldn’t have done it without them. It was a heck of a race, the fans were on their feet, up against the fence, for all the race.”

SGT points leader Oakes held off the Grant family to take first-in-class behind the wheel of the No. 37  Droneworks Chevrolet Corvette. 

“It was a wild experience,” said Oakes. “These production car classes are a lot of fun, but this was special because it was a mixed class. Being out there with the TA2 cars and TA cars it’s always fun seeing how these cars are going to perform. I had a good time mixing it up with some of the TA2 guys, and I had a blast. The team is doing great and we’re looking to do well tomorrow.”

Carey Grant beat out his dad Milton Grant for a second-place finish in SGT. Celebrating his 50th Trans Am start, the elder Grant lost his speed pump halfway through the race but held on to finish third overall in SGT and first in the Masters Class. 

The Trans Am drivers will be back on Sunday for another 100-mile all-class race, taking the green at 11:15 a.m. Eastern. The starting grid will be determined by the fastest lap within each class. The full Watkins Glen SpeedTour race weekend will be live streamed on the Trans Am by Pirelli Racing App:

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES – GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND: TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND
PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
PORTLAND, OREGON
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP
SEPTEMBER. 11, 2021

FELIX ROSENQVIST LEADS TEAM CHEVY IN QUALIFYING FOR PORTLAND GRAND PRIX

PORTLAND – (September 11, 2021) Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, led Team Chevy in qualifying for the Grand Prix of Portland. After advancing to the Firestone Fast Six, Rosenqvist captured the fourth starting position for tomorrow’s 110-lap/216-mile Grand Prix of Portland on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile Portland International Raceway that opened in 1961.

Chevrolet-powered championship contenders Pato O’Ward, No.5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, will start 7th and 18th respectively. O’Ward and team weren’t happy with performance on red tires, and Newgarden and team were lacking pace of this morning’s practice.

The remainder of the Team Chevy drivers qualified as follows:
11th – Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin
12th – Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKIT AJ Foyt Racing
14th – Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske
15th – Scott McLaughlin, No.3 PPG Team Penske
16th – Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S Air Force Ed Carpenter Racing
19th – Callum Ilott, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing
22nd – Rinus Veekay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek Ed Carpenter Racing
26th – Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske
27th – Dalton Kellett. No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing

Alex Palou won the pole. Alexander Rossi Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal and Colton Herta completed the Firestone Fast Six.

VeeKay will have a six grid position penalty for an unapproved engine change as a result of damage his engine received in an accident at Gateway.

NBC will telecast the 110-lap Grand Prix of Portland at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 12. Sept. 11, will stream on Peacock Premium. The racewill also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

Driver quotes:
FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 4TH:
“It’s been a good day. The car felt good all day. Every session it felt like it was solid top-five which is where you want to be. We didn’t have quite the car to win the pole in the Firestone Fast Six. When you make the Fast Six, you always want to go for pole. But overall it is satisfying to have good qualifying. To be up there to help Pato’s situation in the championship to race hard against those other guys. So happy with where we are so far!”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 7TH:
ON HIS QUALIFIFYING: “Honestly, its not too bad. Our pace on reds was horrendous. We made significant steps forward in Q2. But it wasn’t enough to have us go to the Firestone Fast Six. We can do a lot from here honestly. We are starting inside of row four. We need to make it clean through turn one, and then run our race with the strategy. We will work on the race car in warm-up. It is what it is I guess. We need to pass the other contenders contenders in front of us.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 18TH:
ON HIS QUALIFYING EFFORT
“We just didn’t have any pace. It wasn’t a bad lap, it just wasn’t fast. So, I don’t know. I’m not sure. We’ve got a lot of fights, so we’ll fight back. I was really happy this morning, so I’m not quite sure why we didn’t have the speed there, we just didn’t. We’ll just have to figure it out. We’ll get together as a team and try and make the most of it and we’ll battle tomorrow, for sure.”

YOU HAD TO BACK OFF TO FIND ANOTHER GAP AFTER YOUR FIRST FAST LAP ON THE REDS. DID THAT IMPACT ANYTHING?
“It wasn’t ideal, but I don’t think that’s the reason. I think I was within a tenth or a tenth and a half of what I could do. So, we just didn’t have speed for some reason. It’s definitely odd.”

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.

Wagner Hangs on for Mazda MX-5 Cup Race One Victory in Monterey

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Official Release
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Championship Leader Carter Rockets from Last to Fourth

MONTEREY, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2021) – No one was safe from the dusty surface of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Round 11 of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires on Saturday. Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) hung on for the win while holding off a charging Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) who finished second. Promising young rookie Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 Provision Motorsports), who won a scholarship to race in the series in the Mazda Shootout, finished third.

Starting second, Wagner took the lead on the opening lap of the race and was under heavy pressure from rookie Chris Nunes (No. 32 JTR Performance Engineering).

Their battle continued after a brief full-course caution and eventually Nunes got the better of Wagner and led six laps of the race. Behind him, Rollan was eager to get the top spot back and was soon nose-to-tail with the rookie. On the slippery track surface, all it took was the slightest of touches for Nunes to spin as the young Californian went for an off-course spin. Luckily, the pack of cars behind him were able to avoid him and he was able to continue.

“We had a great car, it had pace, it was hard to drive because the track conditions weren’t optimal,” Rollan said. “I’m sorry to Chris [Nunes]. I don’t know what happened there. I think he didn’t know that my bumper was there, and he turned, and he spun. I don’t want to race like that, and I’ll go chat with him after. I’m sorry that it happened, and the officials saw it as I guess he made the move.”

Rollan did not get to enjoy his lead for long. Wagner made his move and Rollan fell to fourth just past the halfway mark of the 45-minute race. Wagner held onto the lead all the way to the finish.

“Well, I don’t know where to start because the top three, I mean, it shuffled around a good bit there and it was down to who was making mistakes and who was capitalizing,” Wagner said. “I don’t think anybody drove a good race by the normal standards. It’s just that the track is so tough to get around consistently lap after lap while still being fast, it just invites mistakes, and it catches you out all the time.

“Once I finally get back to the lead after slipping back to fourth, I mean, I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes at that point. And that was what was going to determine the race is whether I slipped up or not. Lots of pressure on myself, but barely hung on and got the win.”

It is Wagner’s third win of the season. He won the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and won Race Two at Sebring International Raceway.

Rollan was only 0.547-second shy from taking his fifth win of the season. Such close margins are nothing new in Mazda MX-5 Cup, but the constant position swapping was a little unusual for a track like Laguna Seca where the passing zones are few and the grip offline is non-existent.

“That was crazy out there, that was really crazy,” Rollan said. “Thanks to Hixon Motor Sports, it was a great run. I think that was the craziest race we’ve had all season and especially at a track where you don’t really get much passing, but I’m happy to bring home second. Gained on Michael but lost to Gresham, but still good.”

Jeansonne finally got his first podium of the season, finishing third.

“It feels really good, obviously,” Jeansonne said. “It’s been such hard work getting here. There could’ve been a lot of other races where we had podiums, but so many things have happened to us, so I’m glad to give myself and these guys a result we deserve for all of this hard work.

“It was very slippery. The falloff didn’t get too bad until about halfway through the race and then it was like driving on grease. Everybody was sideways everywhere and that really kept us bunched up because as soon as you had a few clean runs, someone makes a mistake and then you make a mistake, but it was really fun.”

Jeansonne had the largest and loudest cheering section for his first podium.

“I want to thank Mazda, all the series affiliates, and all of my west coast friends that came out to support me this weekend, it’s been awesome,” Jeansonne said. “It’s a great series and a pleasure to be here, and I hope to stay here a little while.”

Though he didn’t make the podium, Michael Carter (No. 08 Carter Racing Enterprises) may have had the best drive of anyone. The current point leader was forced to start at the back of the grid after a transponder issue prevented him from logging a qualifying time. By lap five he was up to eighth and then third by lap 16. While running second, Carter had a big off-track excursion exiting Turn Six. He fell back to sixth but recovered to finish fourth in the remaining 10 laps.

Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Enterprises), who was quickest in Friday practice, completed the top five after some epic battles with his former teammate Carter.

Alex Bachoura (No. 33 Slipstream Performance) earned the Hard Charger Award for advancing nine positions during the race.

“It was pretty slippery,” Bachoura said. “I think you just take your time, work your way up the field and try not to get in trouble. There was a lot of trouble in this race. I had many close calls. I think I almost hit about five cars. This afternoon was fun. This is what racing is about: it’s about the close calls, the adrenaline, it’s about taking chances and it worked out.”

Rollan will start from pole for Sunday’s Round 12 race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The race goes green at 9:25am PT and will be streamed live on IMSA.com/tvlive.

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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