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DiBenedetto Finishes 23rd at Darlington

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Official Release
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A seven-race stretch of strong runs came to an end Sunday night for Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as they struggled to a 23rd-place finish in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

DiBenedetto started the 500-miler at NASCAR’s original superspeedway from 30th place, the line-up having been set based on results from Daytona the week before. At Daytona, DiBenedetto was involved in a crash while racing for the lead in the closing laps.

On Sunday night, driving a throwback paint scheme honoring the 20th anniversary of the Wood Brothers pairing with sponsor Motorcraft, DiBenedetto worked his way halfway to the front by the 42nd of 367 laps.

But he was unable to sustain the forward progress, in large part due to a loose-handling condition. He fell off the lead lap just past the 100-lap mark and ended the first Stage in 26th place, one lap behind the leaders.

He finished the second Stage in 24th place, as crew chief Jonathan Hassler used each pit stop to address the handling issues on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang.

The team was able to correct the loose-handling condition, but was soon dealing with a tight-handling car.

At times, DiBenedetto was able to get in position to claim the free pass and rejoin the lead lap, but for the most part, the caution flags didn’t fly in his favor and he wound up 23rd at the finish, two laps in arrears.

“We struggled all night,” Eddie Wood said.

“We were hoping for a better run to celebrate 20 years with Motorcraft/Quick Lane, but it wasn’t to be. Motorcraft and Ford Motor Company have been really great to us for many years, and we thank them for that.”

The Wood Brothers and DiBenedetto now turn their attention to Richmond Raceway and next Saturday night’s Salute to American Heroes 400.

About Motorcraft:

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

About Omnicraft:

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

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

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

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

Wood Brothers Racing

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

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR KENNINGTON IN CASTROL EDGE DODGE AT CTMP

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Official Release
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September 6, 2021. DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge did everything in their power to ensure another strong and consistent run during round number six of the 2021 NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) on Sunday afternoon. Sometimes however, even a superhuman team effort is undone by a mechanical failure.

Kennington has averaged a sixth-place finish in three road course events this season and when he noticed that something wasn’t right with the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge during the morning qualifying session, he made the bold decision to change out the engine. “One of the readings wasn’t right, so rather than chase the problem, we looked to eliminate it” explained Kennington.

Making the engine change to the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge meant Kennington would lose his starting position and begin the 51-lap race from the back of the field. “We felt it was the right call after how well the car performed during the race on Saturday, we’d be back in the hunt as the race went on” he explained.

Kennington never got the chance to test the theory. Almost immediately after the drop of the green flag Kennington’s years of experience told him that something was seriously wrong. “I could hear it right away,” said the dejected driver. “The new motor that we put in was down on power and it was only going to get worse, so I pulled behind the wall, our day was over”.

The early exit is particularly hard to stomach after such a concerted effort by the entire team to change engines before the race. “I feel bad for everyone,” said Kennington. “All the guys did amazing work to get the car ready in time for the race. I hate it for all the great people that support us. We’re out here to contend for a championship. We’ll get back to the ovals and dig in to put everything we have into winning some races down the stretch”.

Next up DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team return to the ovals with a doubleheader event at Flamboro Speedway near Hamilton, Ontario on Sunday September 12th. Watch the live stream on the TSN app, TSN.ca or through Trackpass on NBC Sports Gold in the US beginning at approximately 6PM and 8PM Eastern.

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/@djkracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/djkracing
Website www.djkracing.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DJKenningtonRacing/

VICTORY AND ELEVENTH PLACE FOR LOUIS-PHILIPPE DUMOULIN AT THE CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK

By
Official Release
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Photo Credit: Matthew Manor CSCG

A delaminated tire near the end of the race ruins his second race of the weekend

EventsOlymel 30 & Clarington 200 – NASCAR Pinty’s Series
TrackCanadian Tire Motorsport Park (Clarington, Ontario) – Road
Start / FinishOlymel 30: 2nd / Victory | Clarington 200: 3rd / 11th
Dates / Televison (EDT)·   Olymel 30: TSN – Saturday, September 25, 7:00 pm | RDS2 – Friday, October 1st, 9:00 pm·   Clarington 200: TSN – Sunday, October 3rd, 12:30 pm | RDS2 – Friday, October 8, 7:30 pm
ResultsRace Results

Clarington (Ontario, Canada), September 5, 2021 – Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team were confident that they had a good car for the fast road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. From the start of the first race, the veteran driver showed consistency and determination. Each lap brought him closer to the lead, which he grabbed on lap 20 and held on to right to the end of the race. The second race of the weekend saw a lot more action for Louis-Philippe Dumoulin as he started third. Separate pit stops for fuel and tires dropped him to 15th position. The Quebec driver worked his way up through the field to seventh, when a delaminated tire forced him to slow down in order to reach the end of the race without having to stop to change tires. He eventually ended up eleventh.

Summary of the weekend

Saturday, September 4 – Olymel 30

There was an almost feverish excitement from all the teams, officials and workers in the paddock on Saturday morning as the race trailer doors opened to signal the official start of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series race weekend. After finishing second in Saturday morning’s practice session, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team made some small suspension adjustments in preparation for Saturday afternoon qualifying.

“We improved the car for qualifying, but not enough to get the pole. We will start from the outside of the front row. That puts us on the outside for turn 1 and on the inside for turn 2, so we will be well placed for the rest of the first lap. With only 30 laps, today’s race will be short and intense, and we will certainly adapt our usual race strategy: drive smart to save the tires and make sure we have a fast car, even a winning car at the end of the race,” said Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

In the race, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin served up a perfectly planned and executed no-fault performance. Starting second, he was able to keep the leader in his sights and pass him relatively easily on the 20th lap of the 30-lap event. The #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team race strategy worked once again, giving Louis-Philippe Dumoulin a fast machine to help him dominate the end of the race.

“The car performed well throughout the race and especially in the final laps. The #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team worked very hard to set up the suspension just right it paid off. We were confident that we would pass the leader by the end of the race and did it when he ran into mechanical issues. There were three cautions late in the race and I had to work hard to get the tires back up to the correct operating temperature. Marc-Antoine Camirand caught up with me on the last lap and raced me cleanly to the checkered flag. This victory certainly hits the spot in my chase for the championship. Now we turn our attention to tomorrow’s 51-lap race,” said the winner just after the race.

Sunday, September 5 – Clarington 200

“The car was understeering yesterday (Saturday), not enough to prevent us from winning, but enough to affect our qualifying today (Sunday). We started third, 0.109 sec. behind the leader. Minor adjustments can be made during the pit stops for tires and fuel if we need it. We are confident of a podium finish – at least!” said Louis-Philippe Dumoulin before today’s race.

Third on the grid, the second race of the weekend did not go as well as the team would have liked.

“Today we went into the race looking for another win. Everything went well until the pit stop for a second set of tires around lap 16. We don’t know the reason, in fact I thought it was a slow puncture, however the left rear tire delaminated [around lap 38]. From then on, we had to be smart to finish the race and cross the finish line to collect championship points. It’s unfortunate, but it was essential to stay on track because if we had gone into the pits to change a tire, we would have lost more positions. There are five races left in the season, all on the oval, and I’m confident the team will do well,” concluded the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare car.

Next Event

The #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare return next Sunday, September 12, to the short Flamboro Speedway 1/3-mile for a two-race program.

“Passion – Performance – Partnerships”

2021 RESULTS

EventDateRoadOvalLP Dumoulin
 Start FinishPos.Points
Sunset Speedway sunsetspeedway.ca01-08O311632/79
Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières gp3r.ca15-08R153/119
Circuit ICAR icarexperience.ca28-08R532/160
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park canadiantiremotorsportpark.com04-09R211/207
05-093112/240
Flamboro Speedway flamborospeedway.ca12-09O   
Autodrome Chaudière autodromechaudiere.com18-09O   
Delaware Speedway delawarespeedway.com26-09O   

ABOUT PARTNERS

WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca.

Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. groupebellemare.com

Dumoulin Competition. Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its on race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through track performance, entrepreneurial and human values dumoulincompetition.com

SUMMARY – HIGHLIGHTS IN LOUIS-PHILIPPE DUMOULIN’S CAREER

NASCAR Pinty’s Series

·         Inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame (2020) for his outstanding contribution.

·         In 2020, the sanitary situation forced the NASCAR Pinty’s Series to present only 6 races in the “Pinty’s FanCave Challenge”. Louis-Philippe Dumoulin scored 1 win and 3 top-5 finishes.

·         2019: Third in driver and owner championships (2 wins, 4 podium, and eight top-5 finishes from 13 events).

·         2018: Champion (3 victories, 7 podiums, 2 poles, eight top-5 in 13 events). Saw his name added for the second time to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (Charlotte, NC) / Wins“Driver of the Year” and “Best Performing Driver” awards.

·         2017: Fourth in the driver championship (3 podiums, nine top-5 and eleven top-10 finishes from 13 events).

·         2016: Joint fourthin the driver championship (4 podiums, six top-5 and seven top-10 finishes from 12 events).

·         2015: Fourth in the driver championship (2 podiums, six top-5 and nine top-10 finishes from 11 events).

·         2014: Champion (2 victories, 5 podiums and nine top-5 finish from 11 events). Saw his name added to the NASCAR Hall of Fame (Charlotte, NC) / Awarded the “Driver Of the Year”, “Best Performing Driver” and “Gilles-Villeneuve” awards.

·         2013: Fifth in the driver championship (2 victories, 3 podiums, four top-5s, six top-10s and five-time top-3 grid positions from 12 events).

·         2012: Sixth in the driver championship (1 pole, three top-5 and seven top-10 finishes from 12 events).

·         2011: Rookie of the year.

Rallying and Road Racing

·         2015: Participated in FIA World Rallycross Championship round in Canada (Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres).

·         2012: Second in class in the 12 Hours of Sebring (American Le Mans Series – GT3 Cup). The only Canadian driver on the podium.

·         2004 to today: Front runner in the Grand-Am and Rolex Sports Car series, in Porsche, Ferrari and Daytona Prototype cars – Races in the 12 Hours of Sebring / and the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA events.

·         2002: Champion in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship.

·         2001: Awarded the ‘’Gilles-Villeneuve’’ and ‘’Quartz’’ trophies.

·         Records: Holder since 2002 of Formula Ford Series records for most victories (6) and most pole positions (7) in a single season.

WEBSITES / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

WeatherTech Canada : weathertech.ca/behindtech

Groupe Bellemare : groupebellemare.com

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park : canadiantiremotorsportpark.com

Flamboro Speedway : www.flamborospeedway.ca/

Quebec Cancer Foundation : fqc.qc.ca

Gilles-Villeneuve Museum : museegillesvilleneuve.com

Festidrag développement : festidrag.com

Série Mini Sportsman Québec : seriesportsman.ca/mini-sportsman-calendrier

Dumoulin Compétition : dumoulincompetition.com

Série NASCAR Pinty’s : nascar.ca

Facebook: facebook.com/dumoulincompetition

Twitter: @DumoulinDC / @DumoulinLP / @jf_dumoulin

Youtube : youtube.com/user/dumoulincompetition

Instagram: @dumoulincompetition

HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Darlington Race Report

By
Official Release
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Custer Finishes 11th at Darlington
HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Driver Rebounds for Top-15 Finish

Date: Sept. 5, 2021
Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 367 laps, broken into three stages (115 laps/115 laps/137 laps)
Start/Finish: 31st / 11th (Running, completed 367 of 367 laps)
Point Standing: 28th with 421 points
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-115):

● Cole Custer started 31st and finished 22nd.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford driver wasted no time in his journey up through the field, making it all the way to 26th before the caution came out on lap 16. Custer reported during the yellow flag that his Ford Mustang was a little too tight but he felt it would get better as the sun went down. The team opted to stay out until the competition caution.
● When the race restarted, Custer was 18th, but he quickly fell back to 28th as he struggled with the balance of his racecar. He was running there when the competition caution came out on lap 25.
● During the caution the No. 41 team pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to combat a tight racecar. Custer would restart 26th.
● As the race continued, Custer reported that his HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Mustang was loose on entry and tight in the center. When the caution came out on lap 48, Custer was running 22nd and the team brought him down pit road for another set of fresh tires, fuel and a wedge and air pressure adjustment.
● When the race went back green, Custer progressed all the way up to 21st before green-flag pit stops began. The No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day team brought their Ford Mustang down pit road on lap 82 for a green-flag pit stop before the stage ended. Custer rejoined the field 28th.
● Custer fought his way up to 22nd by the time the stage ended. During the stage break, the No. 41 team brought their Ford Mustang down pit road for four tires, fuel and another adjustment to combat tightness issues.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 116-230):

● Custer started 21st and finished 21st.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford Mustang broke into the top-20 on the initial lap of the second stage. Custer made it up to 18th by the time the caution came out on lap 125.
● On lap 159, the No. 41 came down pit road for another green-flag pit stop for four tires, fuel and an adjustment. Custer rejoined the field 20th, one lap down.
● The 23-year-old driver reported that his car was starting to build loose after the sun had set. He was running 20th when the caution came out on lap 164 for debris. Custer took the wave-around to get the lap back.
● When the race went back green on lap 169, Custer restarted 20th. He ran within the top-20 until lap 206, when a right-rear tire rub was noted.
● The No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day team opted to stay out, as the tire rub had stopped smoking. Custer fell back to 22nd, but he kept the car on the lead lap to finish the stage 21st.
● During the stage break, Custer brought his racecar down pit road for four fresh tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment and repairs to the tire rub. He restarted the final stage in 15th.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 231-367):

● Custer started 15th and finished 11th.
● When the race went green on lap 237, the Ladera Ranch, California, native reported that his car was “firing off tight.” He continued to report that issue as he fell back in the field to 20th.
● As the stage progressed, Custer tried new lines on the track to try and find some speed.
● The HaasTooling.com Demo Day Ford team pitted on lap 272 during green-flag stops for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to combat their tight racecar.
● Custer worked his way back into the top-20 by lap 287 and stayed there until the field made another round of green-flag pit stops. The No. 41 Ford pitted on lap 302 for four tires, fuel and more adjustments.
● With 60 laps to go, Custer reported that his Ford Mustang was just a little too tight in the beginning of that run.
● Custer was in 22nd, one lap down, when the caution came out on lap 319. Crew chief Mike Shiplett made the call to keep his driver out on track to take the wave-around and restart 16th in hopes of another caution.
● The strategy paid off when the caution came out just a few laps later. During that lap-327 yellow, the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Demo Day team brought their driver down pit road for his final stop of the race.
● Custer restarted 11th and ran there until the conclusion of the 367-lap race.

Notes:

● Custer earned his sixth top-15 of the season and his second top-15 in five career starts at Darlington.
● Custer’s 11th-place result bettered his previous best finish at Darlington – 12th, earned in last year’s Southern 500.
● Denny Hamlin won the Cook Out Southern 500 to score his 45th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his fourth at Darlington. His margin over second-place Kyle Larson was .212 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 15 of the 37 drivers in the Cook Out Southern 500 finished on the lead lap.

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

“Today was an up and down day. Our Ford Mustang started to come to us there at the end. Mike (Shiplett, crew chief) made a great call to keep us out in that second-to-last caution and put us back in the race. That strategy worked out in our favor, and we scored another top-15 for this HaasTooling.com Demo Day team.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The second race of the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Erik Jones Finishes in the 32nd-place at the Darlington Raceway

By
Official Release
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Erik Jones and the No. 43 Petty’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team finished in the 32nd-place in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Cook Out Southern 500 at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Sunday, September 5.

The lineup for the 367-lap event was determined by using NASCAR’s competition-based formula, which takes into account finishing positions from the previous race (weighted 25% owner and 25% driver, 11th-place Daytona), the ranking in team owner points (35%, 24th-place) and the fastest lap from the previous race (15%). Jones started at “The Lady in Black,” located in Darlington, S.C., from the 22nd-place on Row 11.

After the competition caution on Lap 25, Jones restarted in the lead on the inside, but with worn tires was regulated to the seventh-place. At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 115, Jones was scored in the 25th-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 230, he was in the 32nd-place. Under caution, crew chief Jerry Baxter made the strategic call not to pit and take the ‘wave around.’ Mechanical issues ended Jones’ race early at the 1.366-mile track “Too Tough to Tame” with 264 laps completed.

The 25-year-old Byron, Michigan, native was scored as high as the first-place, leading a total of two laps, at the Darlington Raceway.

“Just a tough day for our Richard Petty Motorsports team. Our No. 43 Petty’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE never had the balance all night. Then unfortunately we had a motor issue that ended our day just as we started to make some gains on the handling.” -Erik Jones

Busch Light Racing: Kevin Harvick Darlington Race Report

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Official Release
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Harvick Grits Out Top-Five in Cook Out Southern 500
Driver of Busch Light Ford Mustang Finishes Fifth in Round 1 of NASCAR Playoffs

Date: Sept. 5, 2021
Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway(1.366-mile oval)
Format: 367 laps, broken into three stages (115 laps/115 laps/137 laps)
Start/Finish: 9th / 5th (Running, completed 367 of 367 laps)
Point Standing: 7th (2,046 points, 20 points ahead of top-12 cutoff)
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-115):

● Kevin Harvick started ninth and finished fifth, earning six bonus points.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang was seventh when the first caution of the race came out on lap 17.
● Harvick stayed out and lined up seventh for the lap-20 restart, but was up to fourth by the time the field turned one green flag lap.
● Passed Tyler Reddick for third on lap 24 and then grabbed second from Ryan Blaney on lap 25.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel during the competition caution on lap 26.
● Was second for the lap-29 restart and took the lead from Kurt Busch on the newly repaved section in turn two.
● A caution led to another restart on lap 36, whereupon Harvick continued to lead, opening up a .830 of a second margin over Busch by lap 40.
● “Balance is good,” said Harvick while under caution on lap 48.
● Crew chief Rodney Childers brought Harvick to pit road on lap 49 for four tires and fuel.
● Lined up third for lap-54 restart, but dropped to fifth by lap 56.
● “Too loose right now,” said Harvick on lap 65 while holding steady in fifth. “We’ve lost the grip everywhere.”
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 82 for four tires and fuel along with right-rear and left-rear wedge adjustments.
● Reclaimed fifth place by lap 94 and held the spot through the end of the stage.
● “Loose in (turn) three. No rear grip on exit. Can’t put the throttle down on exit,” said Harvick at the end of the stage.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel with a track bar adjustment at the end of the stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 116-230):

● Harvick started fifth and finished fifth, earning six bonus points.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang lined up fifth for the lap-123 restart, but fell to ninth before the caution came out on lap 126.
● Harvick was eighth for the lap-130 restart, but fell to 10th by lap 132.
● “Pretty terrible,” said Harvick on lap 152 while running 10th.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 157 for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.
● Caution on lap 164 for debris, which put all but the top-five cars a lap down. Harvick was 10th and took the wave-around to get his lap back.
● Was 10th for the lap-169 restart and got by Reddick for ninth on lap 171.
● Passed Blaney for eighth on lap 186.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 196 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.
● Was up to seventh when the caution flag waved again on lap 200. Harvick remained in that spot for lap-206 restart.
● Climbed to fourth by lap 207 and held the position until Ross Chastain passed Harvick on lap 229.
● “Need more grip pretty much anywhere,” said Harvick at the conclusion of the stage.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel with a right-rear wedge adjustment at the end of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 231-367):

● Harvick started fourth and finished fifth.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang settled into seventh shortly after going green.
● Passed Christopher Bell for sixth on lap 249.
● “Still needs some rear grip so I can turn,” said Harvick while running sixth on lap 267.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 270 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.
● Pitted for a loose wheel on lap 288. This dropped Harvick to 23rd and put him one lap down.
● Being out of cycle on pit stops put Harvick eighth on lap 306, as he was able to stay out while others made their scheduled stops.
● Caution on lap 318 allowed Harvick to be the “lucky dog” and earn his lap back, as he was the first car one lap down.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel with a left-rear wedge adjustment on lap 321. Took the time to fix some right-side damage.
● Lined up eighth for lap-326 restart.
● Harvick was seventh when the caution came out again on lap 327 and held that same position for the lap-331 restart.
● Quickly rallied to fifth on the restart before Martin Truex Jr., took the spot from Harvick on lap 345.
● Harvick was not to be denied a top-five. He passed Joey Logano for fifth on lap 352 and held the position through the finish, despite driving on a flat right-rear tire during the final two laps.

Notes:

● Harvick earned his seventh top-five and 17th top-10 of the season, and his 12th top-five and 17th top-10 in 28 career starts at Darlington.
● Harvick’s 12 top-fives and 17 top-10s at Darlington are the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
● This was Harvick’s 12th straight top-10 at Darlington. He hasn’t finished outside the top-10 since a 16th-place result in May 2012.
● This was Harvick’s seventh straight top-15, a streak that began July 11 with an 11th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
● Harvick led once for 20 laps, increasing his laps led total at Darlington to 802.
● Harvick has now led 11,270 laps since joining SHR in 2014. He has led 15,604 laps in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career.
● Denny Hamlin won the Cook Out Southern 500 to score his 45th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his fourth at Darlington. His margin over second-place Kyle Larson was .212 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 15 of the 37 drivers in the Cook Out Southern 500 finished on the lead lap.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We finished on a flat tire. We had to pit for a loose wheel or a tire coming apart or something and got a lap down, and then got the lucky dog and just a lot going on. That’s pretty typical of this race, though. I just want to thank everybody on our Busch Light Ford Mustang. Our guys have done a great job. We led a bunch of laps early and had a fast racecar and were able to capitalize on a good day. This is just always one of those races that has a lot of stuff happen and you have to keep yourself rolling and keep your car clean, and that’s what we did tonight. We had a few little issues, but we worked through them and were able to have a fast enough car that we could run top-five and the rest of it, for us to run first or second we would need to be first or second like we were earlier in clean air. When we had the clean air we drove away, so it’s just kind of the way it is everywhere.”

Playoff Standings (with two races to go before Round of 12):

  1. Denny Hamlin (2,072 points) 1 win
  2. Kyle Larson (2,106 points) +80 points
  3. Martin Truex Jr. (2,062 points) +36 points
  4. Kurt Busch (2,062 points) +26 points
  5. Ryan Blaney (2,048 points) +22 points
  6. Joey Logano (2,047 points) +21 points
  7. Kevin Harvick (2,046 points) +20 points
  8. Brad Keselowski (2,038 points) +12 points
  9. Christopher Bell (2,031 points) +6 points
  10. Chase Elliott (2,030 points) +4 points
  11. Aric Almirola (2,029 points) +3 points
  12. Alex Bowman (2,026 points) +0 points
  13. Tyler Reddick (2,026 points) -0 points
  14. Kyle Busch (2,024 points) -2 points
  15. William Byron (2,017 points) -9 points
  16. Michael McDowell (2,006 points) -20 points

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The second race of the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

ARCA Menards Series Race Recap: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds

By
Official Release
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Sunday, September 5
Track: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, 1-mile dirt oval
Race: 17 of 20
Event: Southern Illinois 100 (100 laps, 100 miles)

Taylor Gray, No. 46 Ford Fusion

Start: 7th
Finish: 5th

  • Gray qualified seventh for the 100-lap event at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. An early caution on lap 16 saw the No. 46 up to the sixth position. The team chose to pit for trackbar adjustments and rejoin the field in eighth.
  • On lap 23, Gray couldn’t avoid a spinning car in turn two and sustained damage to the nose of the car. He came down pit road to pull out sheet metal and restarted in eighth.
  • At the first competition caution on lap 35, the Ford driver had made his way up to the fourth position. Crew chief Chad Johnston called him to pit road for tires, fuel and multiple adjustments to try and free up the car.
  • The No. 46 Fusion held steady in fourth for nearly the entire length of the second stage and was running there when the second competition caution came out on lap 70. The team pitted again for tires, fuel and adjustments to aid the tight handling racecar.
  • The race resumed with 23 laps to go. Gray held fourth until four laps remaining in the race. While running fifth, he spun in turn 3 coming to the white flag. The caution set up a one-lap dash to the finish and he ultimately finished in fifth.

Next event: Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on September 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

HighPoint.com Racing: Chase Briscoe Darlington Race Report

By
Official Release
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Briscoe Perseveres for 19th at Darlington
HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union Driver Earns 13th Top-20 of Season

Date: Sept. 5, 2021
Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 367 laps, broken into three stages (115 laps/115 laps/137 laps)
Start/Finish: 24th / 19th (Running, completed 366 of 367 laps)
Point Standing: 23rd with 484 points
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-115):

● Chase Briscoe started 24th and finished 27th.
● Just four laps into the race, Briscoe radioed to the team that the HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union Ford Mustang was too tight.
● He stayed on track during the first caution on lap 17 and restarted 19th, but the No. 14 quickly lost ground to cars on newer tires on the lap-20 restart.
● The yellow flag was shown for the competition caution on lap 25 with Briscoe scored 27th. He pitted for tires, fuel and a big chassis adjustment for his Ford Mustang and restarted 26th on lap 30.
● Briscoe continued to battle a tight-handling Mustang as the first stage progressed and reported that adjustments made were not helping.
● The HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union driver was 27th on lap 99 when he was passed by leader Denny Hamlin, placing the No. 14 team one lap down at the conclusion of the stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 116-230):

● Briscoe started 25th and finished 19th.
● The HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union driver lined up 25th, one lap down, for the lap-123 restart after pitting for tires, fuel and adjustments at the stage break. A caution on lap 126 allowed Briscoe to rejoin the lead lap in the 24th position. He made a lengthy pit stop under caution for additional adjustments.
● Briscoe worked his way past lapped traffic and into the 22nd position before the leaders began making green-flag pit stops on lap 156. He pitted from the 12th spot on lap 159 for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment to help with rear grip.
● Only five cars were on the lead lap when the yellow flag waved on lap 164 for debris. Briscoe and the rest of the leaders waved around to regain position on the lead lap, and he lined up 23rd for the lap-169 restart.
● Briscoe was running 20th when the leaders began making scheduled green-flag stops on lap 194. He pitted on lap 198 for fresh tires and a front air pressure adjustment to help with rear grip in turns one and two. He returned to the track just before the caution flag was waved for the eighth time on lap 201 and was scored 21st.
● The No. 14 Ford Mustang restarted 20th, and Briscoe bettered his position by one to finish the second stage in 19th.
● At the stage break, Briscoe pitted for additional adjustments after telling the team his handling had been improving. But he said he needed help with rear grip on entry of in turn one to help give him the feeling he was looking for in the car.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 231-367):

● Briscoe started 18th and finished 19th.
● The HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union driver made his first scheduled green-flag stop of the final stage on lap 271, giving up the 21st position to receive tires and a chassis adjustment. He reported to the team he fired off too tight, but the handling improved later in the run.
● The stage remained green until the field was scheduled to make their second scheduled stop under green on lap 301. Briscoe told the team that his Ford Mustang was the best it had been on the long run. After pitting, Briscoe was scored 23rd, two laps down, and was able to drive around the leader to put himself just one lap down before the caution flag waved on lap 320.
● Briscoe stayed on track during the caution and raced his way into the top-20 before the next caution on lap 327.
● He restarted 20th on lap 332 and held his position. On the final lap he made a pass for the 19th position just before taking the checkered flag.

Notes:

● Briscoe was the highest finishing NASCAR Cup Series rookie for the 23rd time this season.
● Denny Hamlin won the Cook Out Southern 500 to score his 45th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his fourth at Darlington. His margin over second-place Kyle Larson was .212 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 15 of the 37 drivers in the Cook Out Southern 500 finished on the lead lap.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“The HighPoint.com/Founders Federal Credit Union Ford Mustang was pretty good on the long run once we made some adjustments and the sun went down, but the handling just wasn’t where we needed it to be overall. We’ve still got time to get a win before the season’s over. This was just an off day that we’ll move on from and try to keep improving over the next nine races.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The second race of the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: INDIANAPOLIS – QUALIFYING RECAP AND & QUOTES

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
DODGE/SRT NHRA U.S. NATIONALS
LUCAS OIL RACEWAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, BROWNSBURG, INDIANA
TEAM CHEVY RECAP
SEPT. 5, 2021

Chevrolet rolls to impressive weekend at U.S. Nationals

  • Erica Enders repeats victory, delivers Chevrolet’s 340th Pro Stock win
  • No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier Brittany Force is runner-up, No. 2 playoff seed
  • No. 1 qualifier John Force claims No. 2 seed in Funny Car playoffs
  • Jesse Alexandra wins Factory Stock Showdown in all-COPO Camaro final

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 5, 2021) – Four-time National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock champion Erica Enders recalled the first time she raced at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis and certainly didn’t want a repeat performance in the Pro Stock final of the U.S. Nationals.

“I raced here in 1994 as a 9-year-old at the inaugural Junior Drag Racing League nationals. We went red in the final,” she said.

Fortunately for the driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, that didn’t occur and the No. 3 qualifier defeated second-year Pro Stock driver Kyle Koretsky on a holeshot to record her third victory of the season and third in the U.S. Nationals.

“This is a dream come true. This track means so much to everybody. This is Indy. It’s so hard to explain to people what it means to us,” said Enders, who delivered Chevrolet’s 340th Pro Stock win since 1970. “My Elite Motorsports/Melling team is bad to the bone and I could not be more proud of them.”

Brittany Force drove the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster to her sixth successive Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier – and eighth in 13 races – on the way to her third runner-up finish of the season. Tony Schumacher in 2005 was the last Top Fuel racer to earn six top qualifiers in a row and owns the record for most No. 1s in a season with 13.

“Wrapped Indy, leaving here No. 2 in points which is a great position to be in and we went to a final round. That’s outstanding for this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team. We feel confident going into the Countdown to the Championship,” Force said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t our day. We didn’t get down there, but our focus now is going into this Countdown and the next seven races.”

John Force, the No. 1 qualifier in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, and No. 3 qualifier Robert Hight in the Automotive Club of Southern California Camaro SS, fell in the second round of Funny Car competition.

Force, the top qualifier for the second time in the 13-race regular season, enters the Countdown as the No. 2 seed as he seeks a 17th world championship. He’ll also be the first NHRA driver to reach 2,000 elimination rounds; he has a 1,377-622 record.

“My PEAK Chevy, we couldn’t get it done today but it was fast in qualifying. That right lane was tricky and it got me in trouble,” said Force, who won the U.S. Nationals for the fifth time in 2019.

Enders’ Camaro ran 6.626 seconds to Koretsky’s 6.613 in the Lucas Oil/Nitro Fish Camaro SS, but her .024 of a second reaction time was the difference by about 13 inches. Enders defeated Greg Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, in one semifinal, while Koretsky bested KB Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, who defeated Koretsky in the final at Topeka three weeks earlier.

Anderson, seeking to tie Warren Johnson’s class record of 97 wins, is the top seed heading into the Countdown. Five different drivers of the Camaro SS have won at least once in 11 regular-season races.

Jesse Alexandra defeated 2020 U.S. Nationals winner Aaron Stanfield in an all-Chevrolet COPO Camaro final to register his first Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown victory. Chevrolet has won five of the six races in the eight-event series.

The Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil on Sept. 10-12 kicks off the Countdown to the Championship. The event at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania, was not held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, Brittany Force was the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier and John Force was the Funny Car runner-up.

FS1 will telecast eliminations live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 12.

An interview with Pro Stock winner ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS:
WALK US THROUGH YOUR RACE DAY.
“Well, I had a really great car all day. We had an outstanding run first round but second round we were a little behind at 60 feet but won. From that point, we steadily worked on the race car to get it to perform. We lost lane choice going into the finals, which we thought was pretty crucial today. I didn’t drive spectacular today; I’d probably give a C minus. My lights were not stellar, but being able to turn on the win light is all that matters. Just being there and taking advantage of the situations, keeping lane choice when it was crucial, especially against Greg Anderson in the semifinals. That was a big round win of the day.”
HAVE YOU EVER REALIZED HOW MUCH YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED?
“I step back and look at it but the hunger in me wants more. What’s next? What’s next? My dad reminds me a lot – these are the good old days. Don’t forget what you’re accomplishing by looking too far into the future. Just enjoy the moments. I didn’t have a lot of success until I came to Elite – this is my eighth season with them. We won our first U.S. Nationals together in 2015 and the last three years we’ve been in the finals. We had that heart-breaking loss to our ex-teammate and were able to win back to back. I think this is a great way to kick off the Countdown. We have four in a row and we have to keep it rolling. It’s really humbling to take a step back and realize what we’ve accomplished in such a short time. I’ve been driving Pro Stock for 17 years, but I’ve only had a great car and a great team for eight.”

DOES THIS PUT THE 2019 FINAL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR?

“I drove better in ’19. Being .00 on the Tree and then having a transmission failure and getting beat was probably the most gut-wrenching, made me physically ill, hardest loss of my career. The only justification at the time was he was my teammate, so at least Elite was in the winner’s circle. That was a tough pill to swallow and one that stuck with me until we got to the next race. Those are the moments that make you better, righty? Coming back in 2020 and getting the win and being able to stick it in the winner’s circle today, I had a good feeling this morning and some days you’re the windshield and some days you’re the bug. Today was one of those races when we had our lucky rounds and we were there when it mattered. I’ve been on the wrong side of the win light a lot, so days like this make up for it.”
DOES WINNING INDY MAKE IT EASIER TO WIN INDY?
“Before I got my first, someone said as soon as you get your first win the others will follow. It’s something that you have to learn. You have to learn how to be a winner. You have to learn how to perform when the pressure is on. You have to acquire that trait. That’s why driving all those cars that when we showed up I knew we wouldn’t qualify, just battling it out through the sponsorship woes, you do everything you can to get where you’re at. I guess once you win Indy … it’s crazy; it’s our third one and two other finals. It just means a lot. Once you win, you just want more.”

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL:

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/ FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 1 qualifier, runner-up): “Wrapped Indy, leaving here No. 2 in points which is a great position to be in and we went to a final round. That’s outstanding for this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team. We feel confident going into the Countdown to the Championship. Now that Indy is behind this, all the hard work, everything we’ve learned this year, everything we’ve done, now it’s time to put it to good use and go for this championship. The final round was definitely disappointing. Again, proud to be in that final round and have that No. 1 qualifier coming out of Indy so we can’t hang our heads too low, but it was frustrating. We were right there; we could almost taste it. We had been running in the left lane all weekend long and that right lane was tricky. Unfortunately, it wasn’t our day. We didn’t get down there, but our focus now is going into this Countdown and the next seven races.”

FUNNY CAR:

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier, fell in quarterfinals): “Definitely not what we wanted. That was disappointing, for sure. Not how this Auto Club team wanted to perform at the U.S. Nationals, but we get to move on, reset points and really begin the battle for another championship next weekend. We’re confident. Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham, they’re looking for some consistency and we felt really good after testing in Brainerd. Luckily, we get four back-to-back races, build some momentum early in the Countdown. We love coming to Indy; it’s kind of a home track for us with our race shop right down the street.”

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier, fell in quarterfinals): “My PEAK Chevy, we couldn’t get it done today but it was fast in qualifying. That right lane was tricky and it got me in trouble. To see the fans come here and pack it, it looked great. Thank you for making the Camping World Drag Racing Series what it is and to make us drivers who we are. We’re excited to make the Countdown, but winning Indy is like winning a championship.”

PRO STOCK:

KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL/NITRO FISH CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier, runner-up): “The crew gave me a great car as usual and driver didn’t do his job. We got some momentum with two runner-up finishes in a row and got some points toward the Countdown. My team did a great job. Erica is a tough competitor and I knew I had to be good on the Tree. I drove good, just not on the Tree. It’s good old Pro Stock racing. This Lucas Oil Chevy Camaro has been on fire all weekend.”

GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 7 qualifier, fell in semifinal): “I just didn’t have a great weekend. We only got that one qualifier and I had a problem with my engine so we had to change engines for today. It was definitely off starting today and we were gaining on it each run, but we missed on the starting line set-up and spun the tires. I actually drove good but we didn’t make the right calls with the car. You have to have it all together.”

DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier; fell in semifinal): “I think this weekend went really good; we had a good car. I never really made a bad run. I feel like I have a great car going into the Countdown. I feel like we have a lot of momentum. The last two races I have a win and a semifinal.”

MATT HARTFORD, HARTFORD RACING, TOTAL SEAL/CIP1 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 6 qualifier, fell in quarterfinals): “We were happy to get through first round and now we’re not happy unless we’re qualified deep in the top half and going to the final round. We went to a lot of final rounds in the last couple years. The Total Seal/CIP1 Camaro has been performing and if we can keep the driver on point we have as good a chance as anyone (to win).”

DERIC KRAMER, KRAMER RACING, GET BIOFUELS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 10 qualifier, fell in first round): “It wasn’t the weekend and hasn’t been the season we’ve been looking for, but we did enough to get into the Countdown and that’s what we’re out here for. Hopefully we can turn it around through the Countdown and make up some points on the rest of the field.”

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.

Toyota Racing NCS Post-Race Recap — Darlington 9.5.21

By
Official Release
-

DENNY DELIVERS FIRST WIN OF 2021 WHEN IT COUNTS
Hamlin and Truex Kickoff Playoffs Strong

DARLINGTON, SC. (September 5, 2021) – Denny Hamlin started the first round of the NASCAR Playoffs just the way he wanted, with his first win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season at Darlington Raceway. The win will lock Hamlin and the No. 11 Camry team into the second round of the Playoffs as they battle for this year’s championship. Fellow Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. (fourth) also claimed a top-five finish at the historic South Carolina raceway.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Darlington Raceway
Race 27 of 36 – 367 laps, 501.3 miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, DENNY HAMLIN
2nd, Kyle Larson*
3rd, Ross Chastain*
4th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
5th, Kevin Harvick*
20th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
21st, BUBBA WALLACE
35th, KYLE BUSCH
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Offerpad Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

How big is this victory for you and this team?

“Southern 500, it’s a big win. I love this race track. It’s by far my favorite race track. It’s just great — can’t thank the Offerpad guys enough for everything they do and FedEx and Shady Ray’s, the Jordan Brand, just everyone — Coca-Cola, Toyota, everyone at JGR that builds these fast cars.”

What did you think of the move that Kyle Larson tried on you during the final lap?

“He (Kyle Larson) drove it in past the limit of the cars and the tires. I knew he was coming. I was a little bit conservative on that last lap because I had that four-car-length lead. I didn’t think it was going go that deep, but yeah, still a great race. It’s been back and forth with me and him most of the year. He’s just been a little bit faster on these type of race tracks, and luckily the caution came when it did and the strategy worked out great for the team, but man, I’m really happy.”

How significant is this victory at this point in the season?

“It was a matter of time. We can’t just keep leading inside 10 laps to go every week and not get a win. Yesterday was some unique circumstances but, man, I tell you what, I couldn’t be happier for this win and now to move to the Round of 12.”

How special is it to get your first win of the season in the Playoffs?

“We had a couple breaks here and there that got us the track position, but we were top-three all night. Just drove as hard as I could that last run. The balance was just a little off, but we were able to hold off the 5 (Kyle Larson) just enough.”

How difficult is it to drive this track while watching in your rearview mirror?

“A lot of it is aero-blocking, you listen to what the spotter is telling you and what line he’s running and you just put your car in front of his. That’s so much of what we do today is just blocking people aero-wise, but this car was very fast. Chris (Gabehart, crew chief) did a great job adjusting on it all night and gave me a race winner.”

What was going on in the final set of turns?

“I knew he (Kyle Larson) was going to drive in deep, but I didn’t think he was going to go that deep in the corner. Obviously, I knew he wasn’t going to make it, but still he rattled me a little bit to where he got into the back of us and then we got him low. Fun finish to the Southern 500.”

What does this mean for you in the Playoffs?

“Now we get to go have fun these next two weeks. Just can’t thank Offerpad, FedEx and SportClips, the Jordan Brand, Domino’s, Shady Ray Sunglasses – it was a bright, sunny day today. Can’t thank this whole team enough. They deserve a win. We’ve been so strong all year. They deserve to be in victory lane today.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

Did you think it was possible to have as much speed in your car as you did tonight?

“Oh yeah, all night. We were so good on long runs. Early in the race, we weren’t getting them so we were losing track position. Had the issue of the loose wheel under green and we were in pretty good position right there. Fought all the way back and got up to the front and the dumb driver sped on pit road. One of those days. Thanks to everybody at Bass Pro, TRD, Toyota and everybody back at the shop at JGR – all the men and women there working hard to make our cars good. Congrats to the 11 (Denny Hamlin), been a long time coming for them this year. Overall, really strong race car and heck of a battle. Sometimes you can’t do all the little things right. Certainly today we didn’t, but we battled through it and had a good finish.”

What did you think of the move Kyle Larson tried on the final lap?

“I was asking him if it was Nintendo or Playstation. He (Kyle Larson) definitely – the wall glue got him. He got stuck on the wall. He got close. It was a valient effort.”

How do you feel about the strength of the 19 team after tonight?

“We’ve been battling through a lot of crap all summer long with crashes, damage and a lot of stuff, but we always fight back and get the best finish we possibly can. It’s nothing new for us, we just had to do it tonight and it was a big night with the Playoffs and it turned out to be worth the fight for sure.”

How do you sum up tonight for you and your race team?

“It’s kind of been typical for how we’ve been doing things the last three or four months. Just really strong race car again, the Bass Pro Toyota was really fast. Made good adjustments all day and as soon as it started cooling off, the car started coming to me and we were really good on long runs. We needed long runs and when we would get them, we would go forward. That was good. Then just the loose wheel mistake and fought through that and then I sped on pit road when we had the lead. I feel like we had a shot at the win for sure there, we were really fast that last run. We came from a long way back and passed a lot of cars to get to fourth. Never know how it might have worked out. All in all, just really proud of the effort and of the fight. The never give up attitude that we have as a team. I think this summer, we’ve been through a lot together and it’s toughened our edges up a little bit I think. We kind of went through that like it wasn’t anything. A little bit of frustration on the radio and then it was gone and time to go forward and dig hard. Proud of that and hopefully we can build off it.”

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 SportClips Haircuts Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 20th

What were the positives from tonight’s race?

“The positives were, once again like the last five or six weeks, we’ve been really competitive. Probably longer than that. I felt like our SportClips Camry was capable of running inside the top-two or three. We ran 20th. It seems like that’s happened a lot and obviously we can’t really have that in the Playoffs. It’s a bummer because today was a great opportunity to try to capitalize on other people’s misfortune and we didn’t. Looking at the Playoff grid, we’re still ahead, but we could be way ahead.”

Is Darlington just a difficult track?

“This place is tough for sure and it’s really easy to make a mistake so yeah, that’s part of it. I do want to give a big thank you to SportClips for allowing me to represent you guys. Hopefully we can do more in the future.”

How do you feel heading into Richmond next week?

“This whole round really, Darlington, Richmond, Bristol are three great race tracks for us and this organization. I’m really happy about that. Just super disappointed that we couldn’t capitalize on today with the speed that we had.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 38 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2018.

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

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