Tyler Reddick to make 200th Cup career start at Atlanta

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June 25, 2025

Reddick Jared C. Tilton — Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

In his sixth full-time season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series division, Tyler Reddick is scheduled to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s In-Season Tournament opener at EchoPark Speedway, the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE entry will make career start No. 200 in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Corning, California, Reddick made his inaugural presence in NASCAR’s premier series at the start of the 2019 season. He qualified for the 61st running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing (RCR).

By then, he was coming off his first Xfinity Series championship with JR Motorsports. He was ready to defend his series title and make select Cup starts with RCR. After starting in 39th place, Reddick finished in 27th place in his Cup debut after he was involved in three separate incidents. He would then make his second Cup start at Kansas Speedway in May, where he recorded a strong ninth-place result.

After winning his second consecutive Xfinity championship after the 2019 season, Reddick moved up to the Cup Series full-time, driving the RCR No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE entry. He replaced Daniel Hemric for the 2020 season. He began his first full-time Cup campaign with a 28th-place finish after he was caught up in a late multi-car wreck. Then, Reddick recorded two top-10 results during the first 11 scheduled events.

He then achieved his first top-five career result in the Cup circuit by finishing fourth at Homestead-Miami Speedway in June. Another six races later, he notched a season-best runner-up result behind teammate Austin Dillon at Texas Motor Speedway in July. Despite tallying a total of seven top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Reddick missed the 2020 Cup Playoffs.

But he claimed two additional top-10 results in the remaining 10 scheduled events. This included a fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. He settled in 19th place in the final standings. By then, he also settled in the runner-up spot behind Cole Custer for the 2020 Rookie of the Year title.

Reddick’s second Cup campaign with RCR in 2021 began with a 27th-place result in the 63rd running of the Daytona 500. Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, the Californian notched a total of two top-five results. They included a season-best runner-up result at Homestead in February and 13 top-10 results.

He also claimed his first Cup career pole for the series’ inaugural event at Circuit of the Americas in May. At the conclusion of the regular-season stretch, Reddick claimed the 16th and final berth to the Cup Series Playoffs. It was his first appearance in NASCAR’s postseason battle for the title.

Amid finishes of 18th, 15th and 12th in the Round of 16, Reddick was eliminated from the Playoffs by two points. He managed another runner-up result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. He also claimed two additional top-nine runs during the remaining seven events on the schedule.

Reddick capped off his sophomore Cup season in 13th place in the final standings. By then, he nearly doubled his accumulated top-10 results from his rookie season (16 in 2021 vs. nine in 2020). He also achieved an average finishing result of 15.0.

The 2022 Cup Series season was a breakthrough year for Reddick. He commenced the season by finishing 35th during the 64th running of the Daytona 500. Reddick then went on to finish in the top seven three times throughout his next seven starts. During the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course event in April, Reddick led a race-high 99 laps.

He was leading on the final lap when contact from Chase Briscoe sent both spinning entering the final turn. Despite Reddick’s efforts to quickly straighten and nurse his car to the finish line, he was beaten to the finish line by Kyle Busch by three-tenths of a second. Amid the disappointment of falling short at Bristol, Reddick proceeded to finish second again at Darlington Raceway in May.

Then, at Road America in July 2022, Reddick notched his first elusive career victory in the Cup Series. He led the final 16 laps and beat runner-up Chase Elliott by more than three seconds. Reddick became the fifth first-time winner of the 2022 season and the 203rd competitor to win in NASCAR’s premier series.

Four races later, he doubled down by winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course amid a wild overtime shootout. The pair of road course victories throughout the summer were enough for Reddick to race his way into the Playoffs for a second consecutive season.

Reddick began the 2022 Playoffs with a third-place finish at Darlington. But he was eliminated from the Playoffs following the Round of 16 for a second consecutive season. This was due to ending up 35th and 25th during his next two respective starts. With his championship hopes of the season dashed, Reddick responded by winning the Round of 12 opener at Texas in late September.

He captured two additional top-10 results in the remaining six scheduled events and was 14th in the final standings. Despite achieving one fewer top-10 result than in his previous season, he doubled his top-five results at 10 compared to three and led 503 laps. By then, he also surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

In July 2022, it was announced that Reddick would join 23XI Racing in 2023. This was due to Kurt Busch being sidelined for the remainder of the 2022 season and eventually from NASCAR competition overall due to suffering concussion-like symptoms stemming from an on-track qualifying accident at Pocono Raceway.

23XI Racing purchased the remainder of Reddick’s contract at RCR. He joined the organization for the 2023 Cup season, piloting the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD entry.

Reddick’s first two events with 23XI Racing commenced on a rough note as he wrecked out of both. Then after finishing 15th, third and fifth, respectively, during his next three starts, he notched his first victory of 2023 and with 23XI Racing at Circuit of the Americas in March. He led a race-high 41 laps and endured through three overtime shootouts. Reddick proceeded to accumulate an additional four top-five results and eight top-10 results for the remaining 20 regular-season events.

He then made his third consecutive entrance as a Playoff contender. Reddick commenced the 2023 Playoffs by finishing second behind Kyle Larson at Darlington. He then capitalized on a two-lap shootout to win at Kansas Speedway and automatically transferred from the Round of 16 to 12. He then transferred to the Round of 8 despite finishing 25th, 16th and sixth, respectively, throughout the Round of 12.

Amid respective finishes of eighth, third and 26th throughout the Round of 8, Reddick fell short of making the Championship 4 round. With a 22nd-place result at Phoenix Raceway to cap off the season, Reddick managed to achieve a strong sixth-place result in the final standings. By then, he tied his top-five results from his previous season at 10 and earned an additional top-10 result at 16.

This past season was a career year for Reddick. He commenced the season by winning the first of two Daytona Duels. However, he finished in 29th place during the 66th running of the Daytona 500 after he involvement in a late multi-car pileup. Reddick finished in the top seven four times over the next eight starts.

He notched his first Cup victory of the season in thrilling fashion after dodging a final lap wreck and overtaking Brad Keselowski through the tri-oval. It was 23XI Racing’s first victory of the season and second at Talladega. After finishing in the top eight three times during his next seven scheduled events, Reddick ignited a hot summer streak. It included finishing in the top six in seven consecutive events.

Mired within the span was the Californian notching his second victory of the season at Michigan International Speedway in August. Despite capping off the regular-season stretch by finishing 28th and 10th, respectively, Reddick managed to claim the 2024 Cup Series Regular Season Championship by a single point over Kyle Larson.

Once in the Playoffs, Reddick transferred all the way from the Round of 16 to 8 despite accumulating a single top-10 result through the first six Playoff events. During the stretch, he also rallied from briefly going airborne to finish 11th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in October.

During the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Reddick, after winning the first stage period, was involved in a wild accident in the opening laps of the second stage period. It occurred after contact with Playoff contender Chase Elliott squeezed him into the outside wall entering the frontstretch. The contact sent both, including Brad Keselowski, spinning through the frontstretch’s infield grass

Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota bounced off the ground while transitioning from the grass to the asphalt. He rolled over once and came back to rest on all four wheels. The damage was enough to terminate Reddick’s strong event in 35th place.

Nonetheless, the Californian rebounded the following weekend at Homestead in roaring fashion. He overtook the reigning champion Ryan Blaney on the final lap and final turn to win. The victory clinched the first Championship 4 appearance for both Reddick and 23XI Racing.

He concluded the season with a sixth-place run during the finale at Phoenix. Reddick also achieved a career-best fourth place in the final driver’s standings, behind Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and William Byron.

Despite not being in contention for his first Cup title during the finale, Reddick’s 2024 season was his best statistically. In addition to tying his career-best results of race victories and poles (three apiece), Reddick recorded career-high stats. They included 12 top fives, 21 top 10s and 597 laps led. He also achieved a career-best average finishing result of 13.2.

Reddick commenced the 2025 campaign, finishing in second place behind William Byron during the 67th running of the Daytona 500. He has a total of three top-five results and five top-10 results registered through the first 17 scheduled events. Reddick is currently in seventh place in the regular-season standings.

Through 199 previous Cup starts, Reddick has achieved eight victories. He has also claimed 10 poles, 41 top-five results and 83 top-10 results. He has led 1,737 laps and has an average finishing result of 15.8.

Tyler Reddick is scheduled to make his 200th Cup Series career start at EchoPark Speedway for the Quaker State 400. The event will also commence NASCAR’s newly formed In-Season Tournament that will occur over the next five Cup points-paying events. You can catch this weekend’s event in Hampton, Georgia, on Saturday, June 28. It will air at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.

JR Motorsports — NXS EchoPark Speedway Preview

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Official Release

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June 25, 2025

JR Motorsports Xfinity Team Preview
TRACK – EchoPark Speedway (1.54-mile quad-oval)
NXS RACE – Focused Health 250 (163 laps / 251.02 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)

Carson Kvapil

No. 1 – Registix Chevrolet

Kvapil 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 61

Avg. Finish: 14.6

Points: 6th

Coming off his sixth top-10 of the season last weekend in Pocono, Carson Kvapil heads to Atlanta for his second start at the 1.54-mile speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
On tracks 1-2 miles in length, the 22-year-old Mooresville native has made 14 starts, amassing three top-fives and five top-10s with, a best finish of second coming at Dover Motor Speedway last season.
According to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics Kvapil currently ranks third in speed late in the run following last week’s race at Pocono Raceway.
Kvapil will be sporting the orange and white colors of Registix on his Chevrolet this weekend. Registix, a reverse logistics company, strives to bridge the gap between vendors and buyers, ensuring mutual success and growth.

Carson Kvapil

“We didn’t have the best results at Atlanta earlier this year, but I feel as though this team has learned a lot since then. This No. 1 Registix team will build off the momentum from Pocono and keep working to be in contention at the end. We have speed every week and I know our hard work will pay off soon.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

Allgaier 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 10

Top 10s: 11

Laps Led: 648

Avg. Finish: 10.9

Points: 1st

Justin Allgaier has scored one win, four top-fives and 10 top-10s in 19 career starts in Atlanta.
His lone win came during the 2021 season, where the JRM driver started sixth and led 47 laps en route to the win.
Since the shift of Atlanta to a drafting-dominant track like Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, Allgaier has scored a best finish of second, coming earlier this year.
According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Allgaier currently leads the NXS to-date in several key categories, including laps run inside the top 15 (2,492), driver rating (113.1), average running position (8.25) and laps led (648).

Justin Allgaier

“We came close here in the spring, and I know we are going to have that same speed again with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet Friday night. JRM has always had really strong speedway cars which definitely gives added confidence anytime we go to a drafting track. Hopefully we can keep our nose clean all night long, work well with our teammates, and be up front fighting for the win when it counts.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet

Smith 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 8

Laps Led: 40

Avg. Finish: 14.2

Points: 11th

Atlanta is one of Sammy Smith’s strongest tracks, with an average finish of 9.6 in five races there with the NXS.
Smith has one top-five and four top-10 finishes, with his best of fourth coming earlier this season on the 1.54-mile quad-oval.
Of Smith’s 41 NXS starts on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length, he has tallied two wins, seven top-five and 21 top-10 finishes.
According to NASCAR Loop Data Statistics, Smith is ranked fourth in average running position this season at 10.67.

Sammy Smith

“I feel good looking ahead to our race at Atlanta this weekend. We’ve run really well there in the past, finishing better and better each time. We’ve been preparing to do that again and get this No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet in Victory Lane on Friday.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 Blues Hog Chevrolet

Zilisch 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 15

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 7

Laps Led: 240

Avg. Finish: 13.0

Points: 5th

Connor Zilisch enters this weekend’s race at Atlanta fresh off his second NXS win last weekend in Pocono. He won for the second time this season and the third time in his 19-race career. The victory was his first in his career on an oval. Zilisch also became the fourth driver to win multiple races this season.
Zilisch enters this weekend with four consecutive top-five finishes, plus a win and a pole position in the last two races at Pocono and Mexico City. In 15 starts this season, Zilisch has two wins, five top-fives and seven top-10 finishes.
Zilisch won his fourth pole of the 2025 NXS season at Mexico City and the fifth of his career. His four poles are the most by any NXS driver this season.
The driver of the Blues Hog Chevrolet enters Atlanta fifth in the NXS driver standings, 14 points behind fourth-place Jesse Love and 46 ahead of sixth-place.

Connor Zilisch

“We were actually pretty good at Atlanta earlier this year until we got involved in a mess late in the race. Atlanta is really chaotic. It’s a mile-and-a-half but it races like a superspeedway and things happen really fast. We’re going to have to be on our toes and something I’ve been working on is understanding the balance of when to push and be aggressive and when to take it easy. I know this No. 88 crew will prepare a great car so as long as we can find that balance and stay out of trouble, I know this Blues Hog Chevrolet will be in contention for another win at the end.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at EchoPark Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at EchoPark Speedway a combined 75 times in the NXS since 2006. In those starts at the 1.54-mile track, the organization has recorded four wins, 20 top-fives and 43 top-10s. The average finish is 12.6.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / HMS-Byron/Bowman souvenir rig on Friday, June 27 at 1:20 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. ET

Trans Am Series Race Preview: Road America

By

Official Release

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June 25, 2025

Road America
Road America SpeedTour
Buy Tickets Here

Track Facts:
Opened: 1955
Length: 4.048 Miles
Layout: 14-Turn Road Course

Qualifying:
Friday, June 27
3:50-4:25 p.m. CT

Race:
Saturday, June 28
12:35-1:50 p.m. CT
Race Length: 25 Laps/75 Minutes

Broadcast:
LIVE on SPEED SPORT 1
LIVE on YouTube
@TheTransAmSeries

Qualifying:
Saturday, June 28
3:30-4:05 p.m. CT

Race:
Sunday, June 29
1:05-2:20 p.m. CT
Race Length: 25 Laps/75 Minutes

Broadcast:
LIVE on SPEED SPORT 1
LIVE on YouTube
@TheTransAmSeries

Crossed Flags

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is on its way to Road America for Round 7 of 12, kicking off the second half of the 2025 season with the Road America SpeedTour, coming straight from last weekend’s event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The track, which opened in 1955, is celebrating its 70th season of competition this year. The Trans Am Series has made more starts at Road America than any other circuit, with 65 events held at the 4.048-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin since the series made its first appearance there 55 years ago in 1970. Trans Am Hall of Fame inductee Mark Donohue won the series’ first race at the track, with Horst Kwech victorious in the Under 2 Liter category.

Meet the Drivers at the Cheese Capital Cup

Plymouth, Wisconsin is the Cheese Capital of the World, with 14-percent of the cheese consumed in the United States going through the town. That is being celebrated this weekend with the Cheese Capital Cup and a high-horsepower parade from the racetrack to the town. On Friday, June 27, a parade of Trans Am cars and Optima Ultimate Street Car Competition entrants will roar to life as these powerful machines depart Road America’s Gate 6 at 5:45 p.m., arriving at Stayer Park in nearby Plymouth by 6:00 p.m. for the Cheese Capital Festival. Fans will have an exclusive opportunity to see the cars up close, meet the drivers and soak in the excitement before engines fire up again at 8:00 p.m. for the return trip.

Drivers participating in the event include TA/GT drivers Jon DeGaynor, Chris Coffey, Colin Cohen, Josh Carlson, Rob Dickey, Kaylee Bryson, Ray Kobs and Ryan Szyjakowski, and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series drivers Adrian Wlostowski, Doug Winston, Tyler Kicera and Bob Accardo.

Join the Checkered Flag Challenge

The SpeedTour Sim Trailer will be on site at Road America, and drivers and fans alike can test their driving skills in the Checkered Flag Challenge, a sim racing face-off. With the experience free to all spectators and participants, everyone is invited to stop by the SpeedTour Sim Trailer to try the SimShop racing simulators and spin the prize wheel to win free swag. It will all be happening in the SpeedTour Town Center located near the podium outside of the Trans Am paddock.

Make-A-Wish at Road America

The Trans Am Series will welcome Lucas and his family from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to Road America as guests of CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series driver Bob Accardo (No. 39 Guthrie’s Garage/Race Marketing USA Ford Mustang) and Guthrie’s Garage.

Lucas is a 5-year-old from Onalaska, Wisconsin who is living with a liver transplant. He received his transplant in 2020, when he was just five months old. Since then, he has regular doctor visits, does monthly lab draws and receives daily medications.

Lucas adores anything to do with racecars, and he especially likes watching Kyle Busch race. Lucas, his dad and grandpa all watch races together and go to the races every summer. He’s fun and happy, and enjoys playing football and being outside. He also loves watching the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, and Cars on the Road. He has a dog and loves to ride his bike, as well.

Past Road America Victors

Seven drivers in this weekend’s field have taken the checkered flag at Road America before. Lee Saunders has the most wins at the track of any entrant, taking the victory in 2020, 2023 and 2024 in the SGT class.

TA

Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang: 2021, 2020

SGT

Lee Saunders, No. 84 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper: 2024, 2023, 2020

Tim Gray, No. 60 Ryan Companies Ford Mustang: 2013

GT

Chris Coffey, No. 97 Norwood Auto Italia/Traffic Grafix Maserati MC GT4: 2024

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series

Mike Skeen, No. 3 Guthrie’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro: 2020

Rafa Matos, No. 60 Concord American Flagpole/Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang: 2024, 2019

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge

Jared Odrick, No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro: 2024

Close to Home

Three drivers in this weekend’s races are from the Badger state, while another two are from Chicago suburbs just a few hours south of the track.

TA

Paul Menard, No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang (Eau Claire, Wis.)

GT

Ryan Szyjakowski, No. 49 Forty 48 Competition Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Kiel, Wis.)

GT1 Challenge

Colin Comer, No. 6 WOT Shop/Colin’s Classic Auto Ford Mustang (River Hills, Wis.)

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series

Gian Buffomante, No. 95 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry (Naperville, Ill.)

CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge

Keith Prociuk, No. 9 HP Tuners/ Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang (Buffalo Grove, Ill.)

Watch LIVE

There are two great free streaming options for watching this weekend’s TA/GT and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series races. The events will stream live on Trans Am’s YouTube channel, @TheTransAmSeries, as well as on SPEED SPORT 1. SPEED SPORT 1 is the first network dedicated to free, live motorsports, presenting hundreds of live events and thousands of hours of premier motorsport content and lifestyle programming from around the globe annually. SPEED SPORT 1 can be watched on Amazon Prime Video, Roku, PlutoTV, Sling Freestream and more. For more information on how to watch, click here.

CD Racing Finishes 1-2

Last weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, CD Racing earned a 1-2 finish, with Matthew Brabham driving the No. 21 GYM WEED Ford Mustang to GYM WEED Winners Circle, and Chris Dyson (No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang) finishing second. The team returns with two entries this weekend, but in Saturday’s event, it will be Humaid Masaood behind the wheel of the No. 21 allgram Ford Mustang. Team owner Dyson has two past wins at Road America, earning back-to-back victories in 2020 and 2021. He has also scored multiple IMSA wins at the track, as well as a Pirelli World Challenge victory. With 27-career wins in the National Championship, Dyson sits fourth on the all-time TA wins list, and a triumph this weekend would tie him with fellow Hall of Famer Tommy Kendall.

Brandon Jones Returns

TA points leader Paul Menard (No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang) will have a teammate this weekend, with Paul Gentilozzi’s 3GT Racing unloading two cars at Road America. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones will get behind the wheel of 3GT’s second car, the No. 31 Menards/Masterforce Tools Ford Mustang. Jones has made one start with the team this season, finishing sixth in the Sebring International Raceway season opener. Jones has two previous Trans Am Series starts at Road America, with a best finish of fourth in 2018. He has also made seven Xfinity starts at the track, earning a best result of fifth in 2022. Since he last took the green flag in the Trans Am Series, Jones has scored one win in the Xfinity Series at Darlington Raceway, and he currently sits seventh in the point standings.

Bryson an XGT Winner

2024 SGT Champion Kaylee Bryson (No. 02 Logical Systems Inc. Chevrolet Corvette) made the switch to the XGT class in 2025, and after three races, she can now say that she’s an XGT winner after taking the checkered flag last weekend at Mid-Ohio. The 24-year-old PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship recipient now leads the championship standings over Paul Tracy, who won the first two events of the season.

Drissi Brings Experience to Road America

Tomy Drissi (No. 8 Trench Shoring Co./Motul Chevrolet Camaro) comes to this weekend’s race at Road America with experience on his side, with 16 Trans Am starts at the 4.048-mile road course dating back to his rookie season in 1999. His best finish at the track is fifth, which he has achieved several times in his career, including his last two starts at the circuit. In addition to Trans Am experience, Drissi has also made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Road America in 2015 and 2016.

GT1 Competition Heats Up

This weekend will see the largest number of GT1 Challenge competitors on the entry list since the class began competition this season. Four drivers will take the green flag in the class: points leader Jon DeGaynor (No. 04 Speed Dream’n Racing Ford Mustang), second-place Rob Dickey (No. 64 Forty 48 Competition Chevrolet Camaro) and newcomers to the class Colin Comer (No. 6 WOT Shop/Colin’s Classic Auto Ford Mustang) and Ray Kobs (No. 00 AuditWell Chevrolet Corvette).

This weekend’s race is especially important to Dickey, whose Forty 48 Competition team is located 15 minutes north of the racetrack. The team’s name is derived from Road America’s length of 4.048 miles. Dickey made his GT1 debut in his 2004 Trotnow chassis at Road Atlanta earlier this season, completing every lap and taking his first-career Trans Am victory. In addition to the GT1 entry, Forty 48 is also fielding GT entrant Ryan Szyjakowski in the No. 49 Forty 48 Competition Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. Forty 48 Competition is a full-service race shop supporting customer-owned cars since its founding in 2022. Along with WRL and SCCA club racing, Forty 48 supports customers in running with SVRA, VSCDA and other vintage racing sanctioning bodies.

Paul Menard (598)
Adam Andretti (552)
Tomy Drissi (525)
Amy Ruman (521)
Chris Dyson (473)

Kaylee Bryson (211)
Paul Tracy (177)
Danny Lowry (154)
Mustafa Bakir (73)
Austin Hill (55)

Joshua Carlson (310)
Milton Grant (145)
Patrick Utt (135)
Ray Mason (70)
Lee Saunders (65)

Chris Coffey (332)
Mike Fitzpatrick (65)

Jon DeGaynor (100)
Rob Dickey (50)

Billy Griffin (153)

Carey Grant (145)
Tim Gray (65)
David Melnick (55)

Colin Cohen (209)
Todd Napieralski (83)
Jack Rinke (77)
Rich Rinke (72)
Jeff Lindstrom (55)

McKee On Top x3

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series saw its fifth different winner in the opening six races of the 2025 season when Tristan McKee (No. 28 Spire/Gainbridge/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro) took the checkered flag at Mid-Ohio, making him the second-youngest winner in Trans Am history at 14 years, 10 months and 19 days old. The young driver’s victory extended his lead in the championship standings, as he now holds a 24-point advantage over the season’s only two-time winner, Thomas Annunziata. In addition to leading the championship standings, McKee also leads the Rookie of the Year race, as well as the standings for the Young Gun Award, which comes with a $20,000 prize for the top driver under the age of 25.

Annunziata Pulling Triple Duty

A two-time winner this season, Thomas Annunziata (No. 90 Gazoo Racing/Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) is hoping to add three more checkered flags to his collection this weekend. In addition to competing in Sunday’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race, Annunziata announced that he is going to be running in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ inaugural race at Lime Rock Park with sponsorship support from TA team owner Claudio Burtin’s Top Liner. He will also be competing in the ARCA Menards Series race at Lime Rock that same day with Nitro Motorsports. Annunziata finished second in the TA2 event at Lime Rock Park in May, and he has laps under his belt at the short road course that most of his competitors won’t. With the NASCAR and ARCA events on Saturday, Annunziata will start from the back of the field on Sunday, without practicing or qualifying at Road America. The 20 year old has two previous starts at the track, finishing fifth in 2024 and sixth in 2023.

Kicera Back Behind the Wheel

Although he’s been in the paddock every weekend as a driver coach for Nitro Motorsports, Tyler Kicera hasn’t been entered in a TA2 race since Watkins Glen International last season. Kicera will finally get back behind the wheel this weekend, keeping the drivers he coaches honest by piloting the No. 10 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry. The Pennsylvania native has three previous starts at Road America, claiming a best finish of fourth in 2020.

SCCA Success

Two competitors in Sunday’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race have recently hit the track at America’s National Park of Speed, competing in the SCCA Super Tour event at Road America earlier this month. Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro) finished fifth in the GT2 class, while Gian Buffomante (No. 95 Nitro Motorsports Toyota Camry) took the checkered flag in the Formula Enterprises 2 class. Both competitors also have special ties to Road America. Last year, Odrick broke through to score his first-career Pro/Am Challenge victory at the track. For Buffomante, Road America is somewhat of a home track, as he’s from the Chicago suburb of Naperville, just a few hours south, and the 17 year old’s father, TA2 Champion Tony Buffomante, scored a win at Road America in 2016.

Pro/Am Race Tightens

Last weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Jared Odrick (No. 00 Black Underwear/CoolBoxx Chevrolet Camaro) claimed his second victory of 2025 in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Pro/Am Challenge, putting him within just one marker of points leader and 2024 champion Barry Boes (No. 27 Accio Data/SLR-M1 Chevrolet Camaro). Boes has had a strong season thus far, and has earned four podium finishes, but only has one victory in 2025, which he scored at Sonoma Raceway. The winningest Pro/Am Driver this season is Keith Prociuk, who holds three victories, but sits third in the point standings after missing Round 4 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. However, those wins will matter more and the points will matter less after every championship contender has competed in nine events, as their three worst finishes or missed races are removed from the points tally and only their top-nine finishes are counted.

Tristan McKee (557)
Thomas Annunziata (533)
Rafa Matos (505)
Sam Corry (456)
Adrian Wlostowski (436)

Barry Boes (574)
Jared Odrick (573)
Keith Prociuk (518)
Tom Sheehan (471)
Doug Winston (414)

Tristan McKee (557
Thomas Annunziata (533)
Sam Corry (456)
Julian DaCosta (419)
Gian Buffomante (395)

Tristan McKee (557)
Sam Corry (456)
Julian DaCosta (419)
Gian Buffomante (395)
Noah Harmon (359)

20-Year-Old Jonathan Shafer To Contest Virginia Late Model Triple Crown With Hettinger Racing

By

Official Release

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June 25, 2025

Three-Race Miniseries Begins This Weekend at South Boston Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 25, 2025) – The Virginia Late Model Triple Crown features three of the East Coast’s biggest Late Model Stock races, and 20-year-old Jonathan Shafer has cast his lot with Hettinger Racing for the popular grassroots miniseries that begins this weekend at South Boston Speedway.

Shafer will drive the No. 5 Chevrolet in Saturday night’s Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at the .4-mile oval before tackling the July 19 Hampton Heat at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway in Hampton and the Sept. 27 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway.

“Running up front and winning any one of these races would go a long way toward advancing my racing career,” Shafer said. “The Triple Crown carries a lot of prestige, and NASCAR and FloSports put a lot of promotion behind it. You want to win no matter where you’re racing, but the Triple Crown brings out the best. Any success is hard earned, and it resonates when you’re out there talking to companies trying to secure future partnerships.”

The entire Virginia Late Model Triple Crown is broadcast on FloSports, and beyond just streaming the racing action, FloSports partnered with NASCAR to raise the purse to $50,000, with the overall champion earning $20,000, making it the richest prize in the event’s 12-year history.

“At all three of these tracks in the Triple Crown, I’ve had quite a few starts,” Shafer said. “At Martinsville, in particular, we ran second until a mechanical failure in 2021, and in 2023, we went from 40th to 10th. And at South Boston in 2022, we were running up in the top-five, and that’s a place where I feel like I’ve always been strong and competitive. Being paired with Hettinger Racing for this year’s run, I know we can put some good finishes together.”

Shafer is an experienced racer with 35 starts on the zMAX CARS Tour, in addition to select starts across the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The Ashland, Ohio, native scored a breakout CARS Tour victory on Aug. 12, 2022 at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, North Carolina, where in his 31st start, he led wire-to-wire after securing his second career CARS Tour pole.

“In my mind, the CARS Tour is the most competitive short-track series there is right now, just because of how close the field is and how tight the equipment is. The team has to be good, the driver can’t make a mistake, and everybody’s got to work together,” Shafer said.

“In the Triple Crown, you’ll have the series regulars and the same big hitters, but with a lot more cars. I think the experience from the CARS Tour sets you up really well for the Triple Crown because it seems like all the CARS Tour drivers run up front in the Triple Crown.”

Hettinger Racing is a staple of the CARS Tour, regularly fielding two or more cars for aspiring drivers as they climb the racing ladder. Owned by second-generation racer Chris Hettinger, the team also competes in select ARCA and Truck Series races. The operation serves as a one-stop shop for drivers looking to compete in these stepping-stone divisions and advance to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and, ultimately, the top-tier NASCAR Cup Series.

“Jonathan’s a talented racer who can compete at a high level,” said Hettinger, who began his racing career behind the wheel, winning in Midgets and Late Models before becoming a fulltime team owner. “We’ve known each other for a long time, so there’s a natural trust and familiarity there. The Triple Crown is a tough stretch of races, but I believe we’ve got the team and the driver to make a serious run at it.”

Shafer has known Hettinger for nearly as long as he has been racing. Hettinger’s daughter, Katie, raced quarter midgets and Junior Late Models, and Shafer raced with Katie while both were in their early teens.

“I’ve known Chris for a while, and he’s always had a really good program with really good people. The quality of his race team stands out,” Shafer said. “I think we can accomplish a lot together.”

Shafer and Hettinger Racing will take to the track for the first time on Friday at South Boston with two practice sessions, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT and from 4:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., respectively. They will have Friday night and Saturday morning to review data before hitting the track again for three more practice sessions on Saturday afternoon – 1:15-1:50 p.m., 2:15-2:45 p.m. and 3:10-3:30 p.m. Qualifying starts at 4:15 p.m. and the green flag for the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 drops at 7 p.m.

TOP FUEL’S JOSH HART LOOKS TO MAKE BIG MOVE AT SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS

By

Official Release

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June 24, 2025

NORWALK, Ohio (June 24, 2025) – Always a highlight of the season for every driver in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, this weekend’s 19th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park represents a great opportunity for Top Fuel’s Josh Hart.

The standout has made solid improvements in his 12,000-horsepower R+L Carriers dragster and Hart would love nothing more than to pick up his first win of the season as the NHRA season hits the halfway point.

He’s had success in Norwalk, advancing to the final round in 2022 and with a massive R+L Carriers location directly across the street from Summit Motorsports Park, a win would mark a special moment for Hart and his team.

It’s also a busy weekend for the two-time Top Fuel event winner, as he’ll be racing in the Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category. But Hart has embraced the double-duty and is ready for the Top Fuel team to make another big move this weekend in Norwalk.

“I would like to get back to the feeling we had in 2022 (in Norwalk) when we were on a roll and then a storm came through and flipped the track conditions,” Hart said. “That was a strong weekend for this team, and I think we can get back to that kind of performance. This sport is humbling but I also think it rewards hard work. This R+L Carriers team has been really working hard, and I am looking forward to seeing positive results in Norwalk.

“We have been coming off the trailer and making good runs on Friday, which is critical. If you can get ahead of the track on Friday it sets you up for success. This past weekend (in Richmond), the track chewed us up and spit us out on Saturday and Sunday. We are not going to hang our heads. We are getting back to work even though this is back-to-back races.”

In 2024, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won at a race that will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1 in 2025, including eliminations coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET on FOX on Sunday.

It is the 10th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season and the race in Norwalk is annually one of the premier stops on the NHRA tour. The packed weekend includes two rounds of qualifying on Friday, including a must-see night session and fireworks, two rounds of qualifying – and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.

This year’s event promises even more excitement, as the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals plays host to the GETTRX Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout for the first time. This specialty event will feature eight Pro Stock drivers battling for top honors.

For Hart, the double-duty keeps him focused and he’s ready to thrive in Norwalk. He’s picked up round wins in Top Fuel at five of the past seven races, but advancing to the semifinals and beyond is the next goal. It’s never easy in the loaded Top Fuel ranks, a group that includes points leader and racing legend Tony Stewart, Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, reigning world champ Antron Brown, Brittany Force and Clay Millican.

But Hart is ready for that challenge, as well as the busy responsibility of driving in two separate classes in one weekend.

“When I have both cars on the track it makes for a busy and fun weekend,” said Hart, who is ninth in Top Fuel points. “I am blessed to be able to have this opportunity, and I want to thank everyone at R+L Carriers and Burnyzz Speed Shop for the support they provide both my teams. David Davies and his DHDR team keep us on track in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown so that is a big plus. These are the races that really make me feel fortunate.”

Tasca scooped up his second Norwalk win over Ron Capps last year. This season’s Funny Car field continues to be led by reigning champion Prock and his John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman. Others to watch are four-time champion Matt Hagan, Phoenix winner Paul Lee, J.R. Todd and Gainesville winner Chad Green.

Pro Stock standout Stanfield took home his first Norwalk win last year, but this season has been dominated by points leader Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn. Anderson has four wins and the points lead, while Glenn has three victories in what has been an impressive season by the KB Titan Racing teammates.

The GETTRX Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout field features reigning six-time champion Anderson, who will have the first pick of the eight-car field made up of Glenn, Matt Hartford, standout Stanfield, multi-time champions Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin, Eric Latino and Troy Coughlin Jr.

Two-time reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Herrera took the win last year over his rival Matt Smith. Herrera continues to lead the field, while others to look for at Norwalk will be Gadson, who won in Bristol, Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and Chase Van Sant.

Also on the track will be the standouts in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock.

All weekend, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and more. Norwalk race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.

As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 27, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 28 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 29. The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout takes place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, with the semifinals at 1:20 p.m. and the finals at 3:50 p.m.

Television coverage includes qualifying action at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and 11 a.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations on FOX at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Callout will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.

To purchase tickets to Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: ATLANTA RACE PREVIEW

By

Official Release

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June 24, 2025

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: ATLANTA PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Atlanta 400

DATE: June 28, 2025 
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 18 of 36
TRACK: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga. | 1.54-mile oval

CLUB MINUTES:
TNT IN SEASON CHALLENGE BEGINS: Saturday night’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the start of the first-ever TNT In-Season Bracket Challenge. For the next five weeks, each of the top-32 drivers will be paired up against another driver to compete for a better finish. The goal is simple – finish higher than your competitor and advance all the way to the finals at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27. In this first round, John Hunter Nemechek was seeded 12th against Josh Berry for the first round. Meanwhile, Jones is seeded 20th against Ross Chastain.

DRIVEN TO GIVE GLOVES: This weekend at Atlanta, both LEGACY MC drivers will sport the iconic skeleton gloves as part of the Dale Jr. Foundation’s Driven to Give glove program which raises awareness and funds for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Various NASCAR Cup and Xfinity drivers will wear them throughout the weekend. The gloves will then be signed by the driver and Dale Earnhardt Jr. before being auctioned off. Learn more the program and auction HERE.

DOLLAR TREE VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Dollar Tree will serve as the primary partner on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE, driven by Erik Jones, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The bold green and white Dollar Tree scheme will hit the track alongside support from vendor partner Fritos, showcasing a strong collaboration for the race weekend across LEGACY MC’s social platforms.

JJ WINS AT ATLANTA: LEGACY MC co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson owns 29 career starts on the old configuration of the track during his career from 2001 to 2020. He was successful in finding victory lane five times at Atlanta (October 2004, March 2007, October 2007, March 2015, and February 2016). He led 586 laps in his career and earned 14 top-fives and 17 top-10s.

KENSETH AT ATLANTA: LEGACY MC’s competition advisor Matt Kenseth also has a solid record at Atlanta on the old configuration. In 30 starts, he earned 11 top-fives, 17 top-10s and led 363 laps. His best finish of second came in August 2014 when he finished just .574 of a second behind race winner Kasey Kahne.

“THE KING” VICTORIOUS AT ATLANTA: CLUB Ambassador and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty is also a six-time winner at Atlanta. In 65 total Cup Series starts, Petty has scored 22 top-fives, 33 top-10s, and led 1,827 laps at the 1.5-mile track. His victories came in August 1966, August 1970, August 1971, July 1974, March 1975, and March 1977.

THE KING’S FINAL LAP: On November 15, 1992, Richard Petty famously completed his final NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It marked the end of his career and the beginning of Jeff Gordon’s who made his Cup Series debut in the same race. The race drew a record 160,000 spectators to celebrate Petty’s historic career in the sport.

NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. This week’s guest is Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. The podcast airs live on SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts. This week’s guest is 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson.

FAST STOPS: LEGACY MC had another strong performance on pit road in last Sunday’s race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. According to Asphalt Analytics, the No. 42 team was second overall for the day on pit road with a 9.2 second average stop. This is their highest-ranking performance of the 2025 season so far. Both the No. 42 and No. 43 teams are ranked inside the top 10 for the second-half of the regular season pit stop rankings.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
BACK-TO-BACK TOP-10 FINISHES: John Hunter Nemechek is on a roll as he is on a two-race top-10 streak. Two weeks ago on June 15 in Mexico City, the driver of the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE finished an impressive sixth at the NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez after starting 32nd. He followed that up with another sixth place finish last Sunday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway after earning his best qualifying result of the 2025 season – fourth. He currently sits 22nd in the points standings, 72 points below the playoff cutline with nine races to go in the regular season.

JHN’S HISTORY AT ATLANTA: Saturday night’s Atlanta 400 will mark Nemechek’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.54-mile oval of Atlanta Motor Speedway. In his previous four starts, Nemechek earned his only top-10 and best finish of 10th in this season’s prior race in February. He has an additional 11 starts outside of the Cup Series at Atlanta – five in the Xfinity Series and six in the Truck Series. In the Xfinity Series, Nemechek has two top-fives and three top-10s with a victory in July 2023 with a .245-second margin of victory over competitor Daniel Hemric. He has an additional victory in February 2016 in the Craftsman Truck Series along with two third place finishes in March 2021 and March 2023.

JHN STEALS A WIN AT ATLANTA: Nemechek’s strongest outing in the Xfinity Series at Atlanta was his July 2023 victory to earn his third victory of the season. The only time he led was during overtime after a push from Daniel Hemrick got him to the lead on the final restart over Justin Haley who was leading on the final restart. He struggled with handling issues for a majority of the day but found himself in the right spot at the right time when it came time for NASCAR overtime.

HOMETOWN PYE-BARKER DAY: Prior to Friday afternoon’s qualifying session at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Nemechek will visit Pye-Barker Fire & Safety’s main office for their annual “Pye-Barker Headquarters Day” in Alpharetta, Ga. Starting at 9:30am ET, Nemechek and the No. 42 pit crew will participate in Q&As, live pit stops, and autograph sessions before heading to track. To honor the 8,000-plus associates, Pye-Barker has listed their names on the No. 42 car for this weekend. The event is not open to the public.

TMACK AT ATLANTA: Crew chief Travis Mack has nine NASCAR Cup Series starts on top of the pit box at Atlanta. His best finish of second came in July 2023 when his driver Daniel Suarez finished just behind William Byron under caution. He has an additional three top-10s in the Cup Series at Atlanta with his most recent being a 10th-place finish in February with Nemechek. He has an additional two starts as crew chief at Atlanta in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Michael Annett, finishing 12th and 11th respectively.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE: 
“I am really excited about Atlanta this weekend. We will start the weekend by visiting Pye-Barker’s headquarters. We have some momentum building from the last few weeks – our speedway program has been really good this year. It is one of our best shots to go down there, lead some laps and be in the position to win to get into the playoffs. We have some ground to make up still but things are really trending upward.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE: 
“I look at Atlanta like it’s a race we need to go there and win. We had a really good race there in the spring, so I feel like this is going to be one of our best shots to win a race and get into the playoffs. I think the heat of the race will fall into our favor a lot with the handling, we’ve had some really good intermediate races, so hopefully handling plays more of a factor and we can come out on top. It’s a ‘home’ race for Pye-Barker so I’d like nothing more to give them a win.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES ATLANTA STATS: Saturday night’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway will mark Erik Jones’ 14th NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.54-mile track where he owns one top-five and three top-10s. His best finish of fourth came in July 2022 after the track’s reconfiguration. He owns three additional starts at Atlanta in the NASCAR Cup Series – two in the Xfinity Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His best Xfinity Series finish of third came in February 2016 when he started second and finished third. In his one and only Truck Series start ended up in a seventh-place finish after starting second and leading 37 laps.

SUPPORTING HENRY COUNTY: Back in early May, Jones visited Georgia in collaboration with Atlanta Motor Speedway and the Henry County Library system to incentivize kids to read – rewarding bookworms with tickets to this weekend’ race. This year’s program ran from May 15 to August 15 where each reader ages 0-18 who reaches their quarter milestone in reading would receive two complimentary tickets to this weekend’s race. On May 7, Jones visited the Forton Library in Hampton to help promote the initiative and read for some of the children. After the library, he visited Rocky Creek Elementary School in Hampton where he previously installed a book vending machine in 2023 to restock the vending machine and deliver a check of $2,500 from the Erik Jones Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta to keep it stocked.

JONES ON THE CLIMB: Jones has been on a hot streak in collecting points over the past few weeks. After being outside of the top-25 in points prior to May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway, a string of strong finishes and stage points has allowed him to sit 18th in the points standings. He’s currently 62 points below the playoff cutline and just three points behind 17th-place AJ Allmendinger. With nine races to go until the regular season finale on August 23 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Jones has a shot to put together some strong finishes to help him put himself into the playoffs.

BESHORE AT ATLANTA: Ben Beshore has been on top of the pit box for a total of seven NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His best team finish of second came in July 2021 with Kyle Busch when he finished just 1.237 seconds behind his brother and 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Busch. He has an additional four races as a crew chief at Atlanta in the Xfinity Series where his team never finished outside the top-10. He won in July 2023 with John Hunter Nemechek.

ERIK JONES QUOTE: 
“I’m looking forward to Atlanta. Obviously, it’s kind of become a wild card race a bit. It’ll be interesting to see with how hot it’s going to be and how the track is aging just exactly how this track will race on Saturday night. We’ve ran well there, and I’m excited for that. This could be a shot for us to win, for sure. I’m just proud of this team for the strong runs this past month that have helped us in our climb in the points. I think we were 28th or 29th prior to Texas after the penalty at Martinsville. Now we’re back in the top-20 and on the cusp of the playoffs here – only about 60 points back. The hope is to have some really good races here to help us keep climbing. I’m excited to have that shot because it’s been a few years. Hopefully we can keep rolling and keep showing that speed to get some good finishes. Our team has done a really good job at bringing fast cars and running well during the day. It just hasn’t worked out in the races to have some good finishes. If we can get the finishes, I think we’ll have a strong run at the playoffs.”

BEN BESHORE QUOTE:
“For Atlanta, the summer race will be quite different from that February race. In general, it’s about 50 degrees hotter. It’ll be a bit more handling-based than superspeedway-based. Every time we go back to the track we lose a little more grip and it tends to step its way more toward a handling track than your traditional superspeedway, even though it’s the same sort of aero package. We just have to keep that in mind. It’s a night race so it’ll be a little cooler, but still hot. You’ll be slipping and sliding a bit more than we did in February.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
Nemechek will appear on the stage in the Atlanta fan zone for “Trackside Live” on race day at 4pm.

TUNE IN:
The NASCAR Cup Series returns for the second NASCAR Cup Series race of the 2025 season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 28 for the Atlanta 400. The race broadcast will take place on TNT, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90) at 7 p.m. EDT.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

HFT Advance | Atlanta II

By

Official Release

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June 24, 2025

Atlanta II Event Info:
Date: Saturday, June 28
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Hampton, Georgia
Format: 260 Laps, 400.4 Miles, Stages: 60-160-260
TV: TNT Sports
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Friday: 3 p.m. ET, Xfinity Qualifying (CW App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 5:05 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 7:30 p.m. ET, Xfinity Race (CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 7 p.m. ET, Cup Race (TNT Sports, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

The newly rebranded EchoPark Speedway hosts race No. 18 on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this weekend, the first track to host its second date on the calendar this season.
There have been five different winners across seven total races on the newly reconfigured Atlanta track.
Last weekend at Pocono was the final race in the “Driving 4 a Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation,” a new in-season Ford tournament within the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Sam Mayer won the inaugural Xfinity tournament with 117 points, followed by teammate Sheldon Creed (116), Ryan Sieg (101), Harrison Burton (93) & Kyle Sieg (37).
Mayer is now tied with Justin Allgaier (10.9) for the best average finish among full-time Xfinity drivers this season.

Cole Custer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: HaasTooling.com

Sheldon Creed Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Friends of Jaclyn

Sam Mayer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Audibel

Custer at Atlanta (Cup)
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

Custer makes his eighth Cup start at Atlanta this weekend, where he has a 23.6 average finish. His lone top-10 finish came in the fall of 2022.
His best start was 18th in that same race, and he boasts a 23.3 average starting position.
Custer has also made seven NXS starts at Atlanta, where he has three top-10 finishes and a pole in 2019.

Creed at Atlanta (Xfinity)
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —

Creed is set to make his eighth Xfinity start at Atlanta on Friday, where he finished P4 in the spring last season. He has two career top-10s at the track, including a 9th-place finish in his Xfinity Series debut at the track in 2022.
Over seven races, Creed holds an average qualifying position of 10.9 and has started inside the top-15 in six of those races.

Mayer at Atlanta (Xfinity)
Starts: 8
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

Mayer is in line for his ninth Xfinity start at Atlanta this weekend, where he has recorded three top-10 finishes in his career. His lone top-5 came in the fall of 2023, where he started and finished fifth.
He has started inside the top 10 three times, and has an average starting position of 10.5.

Where They Stand
Cup Points Standings (41: 34th): Custer is 34th in the Cup Series points standings through 17 races this season with 219 points.

Xfinity Points Standings (41: 7th, 00: 10th): Mayer sits seventh in the Xfinity points standings with 518 total points on the season, behind the six winners, while Creed is in 10th place with 420 points heading into Atlanta this Friday.

RFK Advance | Atlanta II

By

Official Release

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June 24, 2025

Atlanta II Event Info:
Date: Saturday, June 28
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Hampton, Georgia
Format: 260 Laps, 400.4 Miles, Stages: 60-160-260
TV: TNT Sports
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Friday: 5:05 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 7 p.m. ET, Cup Race (TNT Sports, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

The newly rebranded EchoPark Speedway hosts race No. 18 on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this weekend, the first track to host its second date on the calendar this season.
There have been five different winners across seven total races on the newly reconfigured Atlanta track.
Last season’s spring race saw a record number of lead changes at the track, 48, and there has been a final lead change with two or fewer laps to go in five of the last six Atlanta races.
Jack Roush has 13 wins all-time in Atlanta, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series.
RFK Racing put all three Fords in the top 10 last weekend at Pocono, with Buescher (4th) leading the way while Preece (8th) and Keselowski (9th) rounded out the top 10.
It marked the second time this season that RFK Racing has placed three cars inside the top 10 (also Michigan).

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: Consumer Cellular

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Kroger / Cinnamon Toast Crunch

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Solomon Plumbing

Keselowski at Atlanta
Starts: 21
Wins: 2 (2017, 2019)
Top-10s: 11
Poles: —

Keselowski makes his 22nd Cup start at Atlanta this weekend where he is a two-time winner with an average finish of 16.3.
Keselowski won at the now Superspeedway’s first race in 2017 after starting fifth, and again in 2019. He is one of four active drivers with multiple wins at Atlanta.
Overall, he’s led laps in 11 different Atlanta races and finished in the top-10 11 times.
He carries an average starting position of 15.2 into the weekend with a career-best effort of P2 in 2014. Overall, he has seven top-10 starts, including a P9 starting spot earlier this season.
He also has eight Xfinity Series starts with six top-10s including two P2 finishes. In the Truck series, he’s made four career starts.

Buescher at Atlanta
Starts: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —

Buescher makes his 15th Cup start in Atlanta where he has posted four top-10s and a best finish of seventh (twice – 2021, 2022). He also finished ninth in 2019 and 2024.
Buescher has an average qualifying position of 17.1 and has qualified inside the top 10 in three of the last five Atlanta races.

Preece at Atlanta
Starts: 9
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

Preece makes his 10th Cup start in Atlanta where he has best finish of 16th in the spring race last season.
He holds an average starting position of 22.2, including a P11 starting spot in the spring earlier this season.

RFK Historically at Atlanta
Cup Wins: 6 (Mark Martin, 1991, 1994; Kurt Busch, 2002; Carl Edwards, 2005, 2005, 2008)

RFK at Atlanta: RFK has 284 starts at AMS in NASCAR’s three major touring series totaling 13 wins, 60 top fives, 115 top-10s and nine poles while leading 3,267 laps and turning over 111,000 miles.
AMS/RFK History: RFK competed in its first NASCAR event at AMS on March 20, 1988, finishing 31st after getting involved in an early crash. Just three years later the organization claimed its first win there in the fall of ‘91 with the No. 6 Ford. RFK won its first of seven NXS races at the track in the spring of ’97. The team’s top outing at AMS came in the fall of 2005, when the organization placed four cars inside the top seven, with three cars finishing in the top five including race winner Carl Edwards. Altogether, in the two races at AMS in 2005, RFK posted six top-five finishes and two wins.
Spring Forward: All but one of RFK’s Cup wins at AMS came in the fall, with the only spring win coming in 2005. Three of RFK’s seven NXS wins came in the fall.

RFK Atlanta Wins

1991-2 Martin Cup

1994-2 Martin Cup

1997-1 Martin NXS

1998-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2002-2 Busch Cup

2005-1 Edwards Cup

2005-1 Edwards NXS

2005-2 Edwards Cup

2008-1 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2011 Edwards NXS

2012 Stenhouse NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Pocono: Buescher 4th; Preece 8th: Keselowski 9th.

Points Standings (17: 14th, 60: 17th, 6: 31st): Buescher sits 38 points above the cutline while Preece for sits 20 points behind Alex Bowman for the final playoff spot. Keselowski is in 31st after a top-10 finish at Pocono.

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: Lime Rock Park

By

Official Release

-

June 24, 2025

NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: LIME ROCK PARK
Event: LiUNA! 150 (100 laps / 147.8 miles)
Round: 15 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Lime Rock Park
Location: Lakeville, Connecticut
Date & Time: Saturday, June 28 | 1:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90

Team Stats & Notes

New Venue Vibes: This weekend’s LiUNA! 150 will be the inaugural running of a NASCAR national series race at Lime Rock Park. It will also be the first Truck Series race held in the state of Connecticut, expanding the series’ reach.
Niece Motorsports Road Course Stats: Niece drivers have made a total of 42 starts on six different road courses (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Circuit Of The Americas, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Watkins Glen International, Daytona International Speedway, and Sonoma Raceway). The team has won two pole awards (Carson Hocevar – Sonoma, 2022 & Ross Chastain – COTA, 2023) and have earned three top-fives and nine top-10 finishes.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Mills’ Lime Rock Stats: Matt Mills will make his first-career start in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday.
Mills’ NASCAR Road Course Stats: Mills has raced on two road courses in a truck; first at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2023 and later at the Circuit Of The Americas in 2024. He picked up his best result at Mid-Ohio, finishing 22nd. In seven NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts, Mills’ best effort was a 19th-place finish at the Daytona road course in 2021.
Shiplett’s Lime Rock Stats: Mike Shiplett will call his first race in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday.
On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
Recapping Pocono: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team brought home a 20th-place finish at Pocono Raceway. Mills found it difficult to make up track position as he was mired in traffic, and picked up some slight damage in a mid-race incident. The J.F. Electric team made repairs and kept Mills on track to finish the race inside the top-20.
Points Rundown: Mills remains 19th in the points standings heading into the 15th race of the year. The driver currently is 10 points behind Jack Wood in 18th and has a 13-point lead over Dawson Sutton in 20th. With four races left to run in the regular season, Mills is 159 points below the Playoffs cutline.
Quoting Mills: It’s been a while since you’ve raced a road course, so have you done any special work to prepare for Lime Rock & Watkins Glen?

“Between running on the simulator and working in the Wise Program, it’s been extremely helpful having those resources to be able to go over everything. Obviously, iRacing too has been helpful in getting in as many laps as we can in different vehicles since we don’t really know what to expect in the trucks. I feel like Niece Motorsports has been a pretty solid team on the road courses the past few years, so having that notebook to build off of will be great. I think specifically for this weekend, the name of the game is going to be survival. We need to qualify well and get what we can without being too greedy.”

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 44 Trim-Tex Drywall Solutions Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Josh Bilicki | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Bilicki Joins the Team: NASCAR veteran, Josh Bilicki, will make his debut with Niece Motorsports on Saturday. Bilicki, who has competed in over 225+ starts in the top-three national series, is an accomplished road course racer in other disciplines. He is slated to compete in one other race for the team at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in October.
Bilicki’s Lime Rock Stats: Josh Bilicki will make his first-career start in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday. He has driven the track several times before in track days / testing with other series, but has never raced here before.
Bilicki’s NASCAR Road Course Stats: Bilicki has only made one other road course start in a truck, which came at Sonoma Raceway in 2022. In NXS competition, Bilicki has competed on 10 different road courses (Road America, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Charlotte ROVAL, Indianapolis RC, Daytona RC, COTA, Portland, Chicago, and Mexico City), earning three top-10 finishes in total. He has also raced in several Cup Series events at different venues.
Rogers’ Lime Rock Stats: Wally Rogers will call his first race in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday.
On the Truck: Bilicki’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Trim-Tex Drywall Solutions and Lemons Of Love.
Recapping Pocono: Conner Jones and the No. 44 team were forced out in an early Pocono exit due to a crash on lap 47. After starting 22nd, Jones was moving forward before getting collected, but the damage proved to be too severe to continue. He was credited with a 31st-place finish in his second outing with the team.
Owner Points Rundown: Following Jones’ crash in Pocono, the No. 44 team dropped to 17th in owner points. Heading into Lime Rock, the team is currently 12 points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 15 entry in 16th and 35 points ahead of ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 entry.
Quoting Bilicki: You’ve made some laps around here before, so how do you expect this weekend’s race to play out?

“Lime Rock is a track I’ve been to, but never raced at before. So, I feel good going into the track. There’s been a lot of sim work here, and it almost feels like it’s a backwards short track where you’re turning right. There’s only one left-hand corner here, but it’s really tight. I think the lap times are going to be under a minute. I think there’s going to be attrition, with guys using their bumpers because it’s such a tight track. Hopefully, we can qualify up front and stay there out of the mess all day and bring home a good result for the No. 44 team.”

About Trim-Tex: Trim-Tex Drywall Solutions, a world recognized manufacturer of drywall corner bead and accessories, is no stranger to the motorsports industry. Along with their CEO, Joe Koenig, Trim-Tex has been involved in the motorsports industry as a sponsor, team owner, and a competitor for nearly three decades.

About Lemons of Love: Lemons of Love is a nonprofit organization that delivers care packages to individuals undergoing cancer treatment to provide comfort and support. Each package is thoughtfully filled with items that help ease the side effects of chemotherapy and remind recipients they’re not alone. In addition to care packages, Lemons of Love offers free programs and resources to build community and spread hope.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Honeycutt’s Lime Rock Stats: Kaden Honeycutt will make his first-career start in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday.
Honeycutt’s NASCAR Road Course Stats: Honeycutt has only competed in one prior road course race in a truck, which came at the Circuit Of The Americas in 2023. In his lone NASCAR road course race, he finished 15th.
Gould’s Lime Rock Stats: Phil Gould will call his first race in any series at Lime Rock Park on Saturday.
On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, who will serve as his anchor partner for the majority of the season.
Living Life: There have been lots of reasons to celebrate in the Honeycutt household. On Monday, Kaden celebrated his 22nd birthday, and in just a few weeks, he and fiancée, Jessica, will get married before the series’ next outing in Indianapolis.
Recapping Pocono: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team matched their season-best showing with an impressive third-place finish. Honeycutt started off strong on the front row, and maintained track position through the first stage. With stage finishes of second and sixth, Honeycutt nabbed a total of 15 extra points on the day.
Points Rundown: Honeycutt’s third-place finish in Pocono vaulted him up to sixth-place in the championship points standings, up two positions from the previous week. Entering Lime Rock, he is five points behind Grant Enfinger in fifth, and 15 points ahead of Tyler Ankrum in seventh. The driver is currently ninth in the Playoffs standings with a 45-point advantage over the cutline.
Quoting Honeycutt: You don’t have a ton of road course experience, so what have you been doing to get acclimated to this type of racing?

“Thanks to Chevrolet, Scott Speed, and Josh Wise, I’ve been getting some help on the simulator. We’ve been going over Lime Rock and some characteristics there to see what we can do to be successful there. It’s all right-hand turns except for turn two, so we’ll be running right for 100 laps. I think it will be a very interesting race to see, and it looks like the track is pretty narrow. Passing zones will be pretty small, and I think everyone should unload pretty fast because of how simple the track layout is. Once we get through practice to see what kind of speed we have, I’ll dive into finding out what I can do to be better. You can always go faster on road courses, so it’s all about maximizing. But, the big thing is to stay on the track, and that should lead to a good day. We don’t have really big expectations, so hopefully we can exceed those and be fast.”

About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).

Ford Gearing Up For Run at Sixth Straight Atlanta Cup Pole

By

Official Release

-

June 24, 2025

ATLANTA/LIME ROCK

Friday, June 27 — NASCAR Xfinity Series @ Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ET (CW)
Saturday, June 28 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series @ Lime Rock, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, June 28 — NASCAR Cup Series @ Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)

All three of NASCAR’s top series are in action this weekend as the regular season continues to wind down. The NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series drivers will be making their second trip to EchoPark Speedway, formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, this season while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competes at Lime Rock Park for the first time.

LOGANO LOOKING FOR ATLANTA REPEAT

When Joey Logano won the second race last year at Atlanta Motor Speedway it was a foreshadowing of how the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs would start and finish. Logano used a push from his Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney, on an overtime restart to win the postseason opener and secure a spot in the Round of 12. The victory was Logano’s second of the season and third overall after he captured the All-Star Race earlier in the year. The Connecticut native went on to close the playoffs with a win at Phoenix Raceway and secure his third series title.

QUALIFYING DOMINANCE

When it comes to qualifying at EchoPark Speedway in recent years, no manufacturer has been more dominant than Ford, which has captured the NASCAR Cup Series pole five straight times. The Blue Oval hasn’t only won the pole, but it has swept the front row in each of those qualifying sessions. Team Penske has led the way during this three-year stretch as all three drivers – Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric – have qualified in the top 10 for each race. The organization has also had at least one driver start on the front row in each of the last five events. Here’s a list of Ford’s qualifying success since 2023.

FORD POLE STREAK AT ECHOPARK

Ford has won the last five NASCAR Cup Series poles at EchoPark (Joey Logano, Aric Almirola, Michael McDowell twice, and Ryan Blaney).
Blaney won the pole for the race earlier this year.
Ford has swept the front row in five straight EchoPark qualifying sessions (Blaney/Cindric (2025-1), McDowell/Blaney (2024-2), McDowell/Logano (2024-1), Almirola/Blaney (2023-2), Logano/Cindric (2023-1).
Team Penske has had at least one driver start on the front row in each of the last five races (Blaney and Cindric, 2025-1; Blaney, 2024-2; Logano, 2024-1; Blaney, 2023-2; Logano and Cindric, 2023-1)
Ford swept the top eight spots in the 2023 spring race.
Ford swept the top six spots in the 2023 summer race.
Ford swept the top five spots in the 2024 summer race.
Ford swept the top five spots and nine of the top 10 in the 2025 spring race.

INAUGURAL IN-SEASON CHALLENGE

There will be 10 Ford drivers competing in the inaugural In-Season Challenge, which kicks off this weekend in Atlanta and concludes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The head-to-head competition will result in the winner receiving $1 million. Ford participants: Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Josh Berry, Zane Smith, Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson. There are two first-round matchups that pit Ford drivers against each other: Chris Buescher vs. Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith vs. Austin Cindric. Whichever driver finishes the best in each matchup will advance to the next round.

KESELOWSKI GETS FIRST CUP WIN FOR MUSTANG

In 2019, Brad Keselowski gave Mustang its first NASCAR Cup Series victory as he held off Martin Truex Jr. at the finish line to win the Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Keselowski, who was battling an illness all weekend and had Austin Cindric standing by in case he needed relief, led the final 33 laps to post his 28th career victory. In all, Ford led 177 of the 325 laps and won for the third straight year at the 1.5-mile track.

MAYER WINS FORD DRIVING 4 A DIFFERENCE

Sam Mayer’s seventh place finish in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway helped him win the inaugural Ford Driving 4 A Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation. The four-race event involved all five of Ford’s series drivers, who were supporting their favorite charities. For finishing first, Mayer earned $20,000 for the Starkey Hearing Foundation while Sheldon Creed won $15,000 for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation as the runner-up. Harrison Burton (All Within My Hands), Ryan Sieg (Isabella Santos Foundation) and Kyle Sieg (Motor Racing Outreach) each received $5,000 for their charities.

CAM WATERS MAKING TRUCK SERIES RETURN

Ford driver Cam Waters is generally found in his native Australia driving a Ford Mustang in the Repco Supercars Championship, but this weekend he’s trading that in for a Ford F-150 and will compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Lime Rock Park for ThorSport Racing. Waters made his NASCAR debut a year ago for the team at Martinsville Speedway (finished 30th) and then followed that up with another start at Kansas Speedway (19th) a couple weeks later. He also made one NASCAR Cup Series start in 2024 with that coming at Sonoma Raceway for RFK Racing.

A NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES FIRST

This weekend will mark the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut and it comes at a vital time with only four races remaining in the regular season. Layne Riggs comes into the weekend after winning the pole and race at Pocono, which clinches his first playoff berth. The pole marked the first of his career and set the tone for a day that saw him win the first stage and then lead the final 20 laps to post his third career triumph. He joins Front Row Motorsports teammate Chandler Smith as Ford drivers who have secured spots in the postseason.

FORD’S ATLANTA CUP SERIES WINNERS

1961 – Fred Lorenzen

1962 – Fred Lorenzen

1963 – Fred Lorenzen

1964 – Fred Lorenzen and Ned Jarrett

1965 – Marvin Panch (Sweep)

1967 – Cale Yarborough and Dick Hutcherson

1968 – LeeRoy Yarbrough

1969 – LeeRoy Yarbrough

1975 – Buddy Baker

1978 – Bobby Allison

1981 – Neil Bonnett

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1987 – Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott

1990 – Morgan Shepherd

1991 – Mark Martin

1992 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1993 – Morgan Shepherd

1994 – Ernie Irvan and Mark Martin

1997 – Dale Jarrett

2002 – Kurt Busch

2005 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)

2008 – Carl Edwards

2017 – Brad Keselowski

2018 – Kevin Harvick

2019 – Brad Keselowski

2020 – Kevin Harvick

2021 – Ryan Blaney (1)

2023 – Joey Logano (1)

2024 – Joey Logano (2)

FORD’S ATLANTA XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

1992 – Jeff Gordon

1997 – Mark Martin

1998 – Mark Martin

2000 – Mark Martin

2004 – Matt Kenseth

2005 – Carl Edwards

2008 – Matt Kenseth

2011 – Carl Edwards

2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2018 – Kevin Harvick

The Ford Mustang, celebrating its 61st anniversary in 2025, is the world’s best selling sports car. It is also one of the planet’s most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Australian Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 27 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines. Learn more at FordPerformance.com.

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