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Ford Performance NASCAR: Darlington

By
Official Release
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FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: DARLINGTON PLAYOFF NOTES

A playoff doubleheader highlights Sunday’s scheduled action at Darlington Raceway as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks things off with its second race of the postseason while the NASCAR Cup Series follows with its opener in the traditional Labor Day Weekend Southern 500. The Darlington weekend starts with the NASCAR XFINITY Series race Saturday afternoon.

This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, September 4 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
Sunday, September 5 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 1:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, September 5– NASCAR Cup Series, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT DARLINGTON
· Ford has 31 all-time series wins at Darlington.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner won Ford’s first race at Darlington in 1966.
· Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick are the only active Ford drivers with Darlington Cup wins.

ROUND OF 16 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 12 Advance After Bristol)
3rd – Ryan Blaney
9th – Joey Logano
10th – Brad Keselowski
12th – Michael McDowell
14th – Aric Almirola
16th – Kevin Harvick

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT DARLINGTON

· Ford has 20 series wins at Darlington.
· Mark Martin holds the record for most series wins at Darlington with eight.
· Jack Roush leads all owners with 15 Darlington series wins.

FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT DARLINGTON

· Ford has 1 series wins at Darlington in 8 starts
· Ben Rhodes registered that win last season in the only visit the series made to Darlington.

ROUND OF 10 NCWTS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Bristol)

8th – Todd Gilliland (+10 above cut line)

BLANEY GOING FOR THREE IN A ROW

Ryan Blaney will be looking to join Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano as active Ford drivers who have won three straight NASCAR Cup Series races when he takes the green flag this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Blaney has won back-to-back thrillers at Michigan and Daytona, giving him three victories on the season. Harvick and Keselowski each won three in a row during the 2018 season. Harvick did it early on when he won at Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix while Keselowski did it in the second half of the year at Darlington, Indianapolis and the Las Vegas playoff opener. Logano achieved the feat in 2015 when he won all three races in the Round of 12 at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega.

SIX FORD DRIVERS IN CUP CHAMPIONSHIP HUNT

There are six Ford drivers with a chance to win this year’s NASCAR Cup Series championship and three of them will be looking to become a two-time winner. Brad Keselowski (2012), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Joey Logano (2018) all have one championship apiece while Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola and Michael McDowell will be trying to earn their first.

ALL-TIME FORD PLAYOFF VICTORIES

Ford goes into the 2021 postseason with 47 all-time playoff victories, including at least one on every track that makes up this year’s 10-race schedule. Joey Logano is Ford’s all-time playoff win leader with 10 while Carl Edwards is second with eight and Greg Biffle third with seven. Talladega Superspeedway has been Ford’s most successful track since the playoff format began in 2004 with nine NASCAR Cup Series victories. Homestead and Kansas are next on the list with seven wins each.

HARVICK GOING FOR BACK-TO-BACK SOUTHERN 500 WINS

Kevin Harvick would like nothing better than to get his first win of the 2021 season this weekend because it would not only automatically put him in the Round of 12, but it would be his second straight Southern 500 victory. Harvick won last year’s race thanks in part to late-race contact between Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr., who were both battling for the lead, with 15 laps to go. Harvick took the lead with 13 laps remaining and went on to record his first career Southern 500 victory and eighth of the 2020 season. Harvick is looking to become the first repeat winner of the Southern 500 since Jeff Gordon won the event four straight seasons (1995-98).

WOOD BROTHERS LEAD THE WAY

It comes as no surprise that the Wood Brothers are Ford’s all-time winningest team at Darlington Raceway, posting eight career victories. All but one of those triumphs came in a Mercury, which the team ran in the 1960’s and 70’s. David Pearson, who holds the record with 10 career Darlington Cup victories, led the way with six while Cale Yarborough captured the team’s first in 1968. The last Darlington win for Wood Brothers Racing came in 1981 when Neil Bonnett took the Southern 500 in 1981 behind the wheel of a Ford.

DARLINGTON MASTER

David Pearson holds the record for most NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington Raceway with 10 and eight of those came in Ford Motor Co. products. He won six times driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury (1972,’74,’76-2,’77), winning the Southern 500 twice in that span (1976-77), and two more times in a Holman-Moody Ford (1968 and ’70). Pearson won three Southern 500 titles overall, capturing his third in 1979.

FIELD OF 70

The first time Ford won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway was when Curtis Turner took the Southern 500 on Sept. 3, 1956. Unlike today, where the field is set at a maximum of 40 cars, there were 70 vehicles in the race that saw Turner lead 224 of the 400 laps. He beat Speedy Thompson to the finish line by more than two laps, and did it in record fashion with an average race speed of 95.167 mph.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT DARLINGTON

1956 – Curtis Turner
1960 – Joe Weatherly (1)
1961 – Fred Lorenzen and Nelson Stacy
1962 – Nelson Stacy and Larry Frank
1963 – Fireball Roberts (2)
1964 – Fred Lorenzen (1)
1965 – Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett
1968 – David Pearson (1)
1969 – Lee Roy Yarbrough (2)
1970 – David Pearson (1)
1981 – Neil Bonnett (2)
1982 – Dale Earnhardt (1)
1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)
1988 – Bill Elliott (2)
1992 – Bill Elliott (1)
1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1994 – Bill Elliott (2)
1997 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1998 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1999 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)
2001 – Dale Jarrett (1)
2005 – Greg Biffle
2006 – Greg Biffle
2018 – Brad Keselowski
2020 – Kevin Harvick (1) and (3)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT DARLINGTON

1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1994 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
1995 – Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Mark Martin (1) and Terry Labonte (2)
1997 – Jeff Burton (2)
1999 – Mark Martin (2)
2000 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Jeff Burton (2)
2002 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)
2004 – Greg Biffle
2005 – Matt Kenseth
2009 – Matt Kenseth
2018 – Brad Keselowski
2019 – Cole Custer
2020 – Chase Briscoe (1)

FORD NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT DARLINGTON
2020 – Ben Rhodes

Larson to make 250th Cup career start at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In his return to NASCAR competition and quest for his first Cup Series title, Kyle Larson is set to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Playoff event at Darlington Raceway, the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will reach 250 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Elk Grove, California, Larson made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2013. By then, he was competing in the Xfinity Series as a full-time rookie contender with Turner Scott Motorsports. He was also set to join Chip Ganassi Racing as an incoming Cup rookie competitor in the No. 42 Chevrolet for the 2014 season. During his Cup debut at Charlotte in 2013, Larson drove the No. 51 Chevrolet SS for Turner Scott Motorsports, where he started 21st and finished 37th due to an engine failure. He returned for three of the final four Cup events with TMS, where he finished 42nd at Martinsville Speedway in October, 23rd at Texas Motor Speedway and 15th at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, respectively.

Taking over the No. 42 Chevrolet in 2014, Larson kickstarted his first full-time Cup season with a 38th-place result in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. Three races later, he achieved his first top-10 career result in the Cup Series by finishing 10th at Bristol Motor Speedway in March. The following event at Auto Club Speedway, he achieved a career-best runner-up result following a two-lap shootout and a final lap battle with eventual winner Kyle Busch.

Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch in 2014, Larson achieved his first Cup career pole at Pocono Raceway in August. He also recorded five top-five results and 11 top-10 results. Despite missing the Playoffs, Larson remained competitive throughout the postseason, where he notched three top-three results and a total of six top-10 results before finishing in 17th place in the final standings. While he did not record a victory throughout the season, he achieved the Rookie-of-the-Year title.

Compared to the 2014 season, the 2015 Cup season was a down season for Larson, who only achieved a season-best third-place result at Dover International Speedway in May, two top-five results, 10 top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 19.3 and a 19th-place result in the final standings. During the season, he was absent from competing at Martinsville in March after suffering a fainting spell a day prior to the main event.

Starting the 2016 season with a seventh-place effort in the Daytona 500, Larson achieved his first elusive Cup victory at Michigan International Speedway in August following a late battle with Chase Elliott. The victory occurred in Larson’s 99th career start as it snapped Chip Ganassi Racing’s two-year winless drought and placed Larson in the Playoffs for the first time in his career. Despite being eliminated from title contention following the Playoff’s first round, he went on to conclude the season in ninth place in the final standings. Overall, Larson achieved 10 top-five results and 15 top-10 results along with his first Cup victory throughout the 36-race schedule. By then, Larson surpassed 100 Cup career starts.

The 2017 Cup season was one of Larson’s competitive season, who started the season with a 12th-place effort in the Daytona 500 despite leading and running out of fuel on the final lap. After finishing in the runner-up spot during the next three consecutive races, he achieved his second Cup career triumph the following week at Auto Club Speedway in March. By then, he was the leader in the Cup standings for the first time in his career. 

Throughout the 2017 Cup regular-season stretch, Larson went on to sweep both Michigan events and win the final regular-season event at Richmond Raceway in September before entering the Playoffs as a title favorite. His championship hopes, however, came to a bitter end during the second round when an en early engine failure at Kansas Speedway prevented him from advancing to the penultimate round in the Playoffs and continue his title quest. While he did not finish in three of the final four races of the season, Larson concluded his sophomore Cup season in eighth place in the final standings and with four victories, three poles, 15 top-five results, 20 top-10 results and over 1,300 laps led.

The 2018 Cup season was a winless season for Larson, his first since 2015, despite making his third consecutive appearance in the Playoffs before he was eliminated from title contention following the second round. While he did not record a victory throughout the season, he and his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet team achieved three poles, 12 top-five results, 19 top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 12.6 and a ninth-place result in the final standings.

Through the first 10 events of the 2019 Cup season, Larson only achieved two top-10 results and was mired back in 21st place in the regular-season standings. In May, though, Larson reignited his competitiveness by winning the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte in May. After achieving enough consistent results to make the Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, he snapped his one-year winless drought by winning at Dover International Speedway in October, a victory that earned him a one-way ticket to the penultimate round in the Playoffs. While he did not transfer to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, he concluded the season with a career-best sixth-place result in the final standings and with a win, a pole, eight top-five results and 17 top-10 results. By then, Larson surpassed 200 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

For the 2020 season, Larson managed to finish in the top 10 in three of the first four events before the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic paused the racing season for two months. In April, however, Larson was suspended indefinitely from Chip Ganassi Racing and NASCAR following a live iRacing event, where the driver was caught utilizing a live racial slur. After Larson was released from CGR, former Cup champion Matt Kenseth took over the No. 42 Chevrolet.

In October 2020, following a yearlong sensitivity training, Larson was reinstated by NASCAR, where he could return to all on-track NASCAR activities in January 2021. A week later, he was signed by Hendrick Motorsports to pilot the organization’s iconic No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the 2021 Cup season. Starting this season with a 10th-place result in the Daytona 500, it took the first four races for Larson to accomplish his first victory with HMS and ignite his redemptive return to NASCAR after he won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

After finishing in the runner-up spot in four of the following 10 races, Larson claimed a dominating win in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. With the victory, he made Hendrick Motorsports the winningest Cup team at 269, one better than Petty Enterprises. Larson then went on a hot streak in June by winning at Sonoma Raceway, the non-points All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway and the inaugural Cup event at Nashville Superspeedway. After winning for the fifth time of the season at Watkins Glen International in August, Larson managed to tie Denny Hamlin for the lead in the regular-season standings. Following results of third, third and 20th in the final three regular-season events of 2021, Larson captured the 2021 Cup regular-season championship. He is currently seeded in first place to in the 2021 Playoff standings with 2,052 points as he contends for his first Cup title. He has also achieved a career-high five victories, 14 top-five results and 18 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch while driving for HMS.

Through 249 previous Cup starts, Larson has achieved 11 victories, nine poles, 70 top-five results, 119 top-10 results, over 4,700 laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.5.

Larson is primed to make his 250th Cup career start at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 5, at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

CP Compressors to Support Front Row Motorsports on Playoff Sunday

By
Official Release
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Company to Support Alfredo at Darlington Raceway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 1, 2021) – CP Compressors, a division of Chicago Pneumatic, will continue their support of Front Row Motorsports (FRM) this weekend at Darlington Raceway.

For one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events, CP Compressors will be the primary sponsor of Anthony Alfredo and the No. 38 team in the opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Alfredo is proud to represent the company.

“It’s great to be able to represent CP Compressors and Chicago Pneumatic again this season,” said Alfredo. “Michael and Todd have both had success with CP Compressors on their cars and I think they’ll bring me good luck on Sunday in my first Southern 500.”

Chicago Pneumatic’s compressor division is a market-leading manufacturer and distributor of compressed air products. They offer both fixed and variable speed compressors that range in sizes from 3 – 350 HP and come with the option to be either tank-mounted or base-mounted, as well as the availability for integrated dryers. No matter the application, CP Compressors has a model for every operation.

“We are honored and excited to again partner with the Front Row Motorsports team and Anthony Alfredo,” said Maggie Rogers, Communications and Branding Marketing Manager, Chicago Pneumatic Compressors. “We look forward to working with the team and wish Anthony the best of luck on Sunday evening.”

Since their incorporation in 1901, Chicago Pneumatic has been at the forefront of mechanical and industrial engineering for more than 100 years. One of their early inventions was the world’s first impact wrench; a tool that today, is used daily in the field of motorsports. Since then, Chicago Pneumatic has gone on to assist in many American engineering marvels, including the Apollo space mission to the moon and the erection of the World Trade Center.

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race begins at 6:00 p.m. on NBCSN.

ABOUT CHICAGO PNEUMATIC COMPRESSORS
Chicago Pneumatic Compressors is a market leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial compressed air products such as screw compressors, piston compressors and air treatment. When you are in need of a professional air compressor, CP Compressors is sure to have the right solution. We have used our years of experience to design compressors that are professional and reliable, and to tailor our products to your needs. Visit www.cpcompressors.com for more information.

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

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview – 09.01.21

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: August 30-September 6, 2021
· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Darlington Raceway – September 4-5
· ARCA: DuQuoin State Fairgrounds – September 5

PLANO, Texas (September 1, 2021) – The Playoffs begin for the NASCAR Cup Series as they compete in the historic Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. The Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will also be in Darlington, while the ARCA Menards Series competes on dirt for the final time this season in Illinois.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Four Toyota Drivers ready for Playoff battle… The NASCAR Cup Series has set its 16-driver Playoff field and four Toyota drivers – Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell – are locked in to compete for the 2021 Championship. Truex is the highest Toyota seed in second. Busch is the fourth seed and Hamlin is the seventh seed. Bell – in his first Playoff season – starts as the 12th seed.

Truex looks for another dominating performance… Truex has to be pleased to start the Playoffs at Darlington. The 2017 Cup Series champion earned his third victory of the season earlier this year at the track in dominating fashion – leading 248 of 293 laps.

Wallace coming off career-best result… Bubba Wallace came up just one spot short of his first-career victory at Daytona International Speedway – coming home with a career-best-tying second-place finish. Wallace is looking for his first top-10 finish at Darlington Raceway.

Hamlin makes annual Xfinity Series start… Hamlin will be back behind the wheel of a Supra this weekend as he makes his annual Xfinity Series start at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin’s last four Xfinity Series starts have come in the Labor Day Darlington event, while five of his 17 career Xfinity victories have come on the South Carolina-oval.

Jones looks for another Darlington victory… Brandon Jones heads back to Darlington as the reigning event winner. Last season, Jones drove from third to first in the closing laps to score the win in a throwback Toyota championship scheme honoring Robert Huffman.

Burton, Hemric clinched… With three races remaining in the regular season, Harrison Burton and Daniel Hemric have clinched their spots in the Xfinity Series Playoffs after top-10 finishes in Daytona. Jones is also on-track to score his fourth consecutive Playoff berth.

Crafton, Rhodes and Friesen have strong Playoff starts… Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen all had strong starts to the Truck Series Playoffs in St. Louis – scoring top-five finishes which vaulted them all inside the top-five of the standings and gave them a buffer of over 30 points over the Playoff cutoff line.

Nemechek, Hill look for Darlington Victory Lane… At Darlington earlier this season, it looked like the battle for the win could come down to John Hunter Nemechek and Austin Hill before both drivers were taken out in a late-race accident. Nemechek led 65 laps with Hill pacing the field for 11. Both are looking for redemption this weekend.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Final stop on dirt… Ty Gibbs drove to his ninth victory of the season at the Milwaukee Mile – winning in domination fashion by leading all 150 laps to open up an 11-point lead over Corey Heim. However, with the ARCA Menards Series headed back to dirt, Heim is ready. He won the pole, led the most laps and scored the win at the other dirt event this season – August’s Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Toyota’s winning ways continue… Gibbs’ victory at the Milwaukee Mile gave Toyota its 15th victory in 16 events this season. Toyota is trying to best its own record of 18 wins in 20 national ARCA Menards Series events, which was set in 2018.

Stay Connected

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

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

About Toyota

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

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

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

Lawless Alan – In It To Win It 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 45 AutoParkIt.com Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @lawlessalan25

Alan on Racing at Darlington: “I’ve learned a lot in the truck races we’ve run so far and being able to continue that education with a championship-caliber team is a great opportunity,” said Alan. “I appreciate Mr. Niece and Cody [Efaw] putting me in the seat, and I plan on making the most of it. Darlington is a challenging track and another one that I’ve never been to, so I’ll be putting time in on the sim and watching film, and hopefully I can have a good showing in the AUTOParkit Chevrolet and learn some things for next year.”

Alan at Darlington: Sunday’s race marks Alan’s fifth start of the season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and his first start at Darlington Raceway.

Alan continues to gain experience in the Truck Series, with four races so far, all coming this season. The 21-year-old driver made starts at the Daytona Road Course, Circuit of the Americas, Nashville, and Pocono.

On the Truck: Alan and the No. 45 Chevrolet will race with support from AUTOParkit™.

AUTOParkit is designed, manufactured, and constructed by Dasher Lawless Automation, LLC. These autonomous parking systems are for new and existing buildings and can potentially double the parking capacity compared to traditional ramped concrete parking structures.

AUTOParkit’s sustainable approach to autonomous parking provides up to 17 LEED points; reduces construction time due to a modular/scalable architecture; provides automated swapping of EVs to reduce electric vehicle charging infrastructure by up to 10X; is 40% less expensive to operate since it is automated; is safer for the user, and delivers a necessary, convenient alternative to an escalating global problem.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

About AUTOParkit:
AUTOParkit™ is designed, manufactured, and constructed by Dasher Lawless Automation, LLC. These autonomous parking systems are for new and existing buildings and can potentially double the parking capacity compared to traditional ramped concrete parking structures. AUTOParkit’s sustainable approach to autonomous parking provides up to 17 LEED points; reduces construction time due to a modular/scalable architecture; provides automated swapping of EVs to reduce electric vehicle charging infrastructure by up to 10X; is 40% less expensive to operate since it is automated; is safer for the user, and delivers a necessary, convenient alternative to an escalating global problem.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com
For more information on Dasher Lawless Automation, visit www.dasherlawless.com

JR Motorsports — NXS Darlington II Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Darlington Raceway
RACE: Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 (147 laps / 200.1 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Driver Appreciation Chevrolet
• Michael Annett is on a roll at Darlington Raceway, having earned consecutive top-10 finishes on the 1.366-mile oval. Annett was seventh this past spring and eighth in the fall race in 2020.
• In his return to the cockpit last week at Daytona International Speedway after recovering from leg surgery, Annett was running in the top 10 when he was collected in a multi-car crash. He finished 30th after his team repaired significant damage to the car
• With three races remaining until the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, Michael Annett sits 68 points below the cut line.

Sam Mayer
No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NXS start at Darlington this weekend in the No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet.
• The 18-year-old Mayer comes off a weekend that saw him lead his first career NXS lap before finishing 12th. The following day Mayer competed at the Milwaukee Mile in the ARCA Menards Series where he finished second.
• In five oval races to date in the NXS, Mayer has one top 10, earned at Atlanta Motor Speedway where he raced to a ninth-place finish.
• To date this season, the No. 8 team has accumulated one win (Martinsville Speedway), four top fives and nine top 10s while pacing the field for 152 laps.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has never finished lower than eighth on the 1.366-mile oval at Darlington. In four starts, the 23-year-old from Las Vegas has an average finish of 6.0 and has led 86 laps along the way.
• A seventh-place run last week at Daytona pushed Gragson’s streak of top-seven finishes to four races, including a pair of top fives. He was fourth earlier this season at Darlington.
• Gragson has shown speed over that span, leading 16 laps at Daytona last week. In the first Darlington race this year, Gragson paced 40 circuits on the way to a fourth-place finish.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Breyers Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier looks to make it two in a row this weekend at “The Lady in Black” after his victory in May at the famed speedway.
• In that event, Allgaier led for 10 laps and dueled with JRM teammate Josh Berry before securing his first win at “The Track too Tough to Tame.”
• Overall, in 12 starts in the NXS at Darlington, Allgaier has amassed one win, four top fives and eight top 10s.
• With just three races remaining in the regular season, Allgaier currently sits third in the championship standings and third in the projected playoff grid.

Driver Quotes

“We have three weeks, three races to get into the playoffs with our No. 1 Pilot Flying J Thank A Trucker Chevrolet. We had a good run going at Daytona until we got caught up in someone else’s accident. Bummy (crew chief Mike Bumgarner) and the No. 1 team give me great cars every week, and this is go-time for us. We’ve been good the last three times out at Darlington, and we need to be good on Saturday.” – Michael Annett

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Darlington this weekend with our Breyers Chevrolet. It was really special to end up in Victory Lane here back in May and I feel extremely confident that we can do it again on Saturday. Darlington is such a special and unique place and to have my name added to this track’s historic list of winners means a lot. Hopefully we can have that same kind of fortune this weekend. Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and all of the guys on this No. 7 team have prepared some really fast cars throughout the summer and I can’t wait to see what we can do.” – Justin Allgaier

“Darlington is going to be tough this weekend. It’s one of the hardest tracks on the schedule because of the surface and how quickly tires wear out. It’s my first time here this weekend so the first few laps will be all about learning how the car and track drive. Once I figure that out, hopefully we can get this QPS Employment Group Chevrolet to the front. This No. 8 team ran second here earlier this season so I know we will be fast when we unload.” – Sam Mayer

“Darlington has been a great track for this No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee team in the past. Our worst finish is eighth and we have continually gotten better since that finish in 2019. We led laps here in the spring and finished fourth so now we are looking to be a few spots better to hopefully get some more playoff points as we close in on that part of the season.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Darlington: JR Motorsports has competed at “The Lady in Black” a combined 47 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 47 starts at the 1.366-mile facility, JRM has tallied three wins, 13 top fives and 29 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came this season when Justin Allgaier drove the No. 7 to Victory Lane to secure his second NXS victory of 2021.
• Pilot Flying J Driver Appreciation Month: Michael Annett’s No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will have a signature paint scheme for the next four races as part of Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation Month. The red and yellow scheme features the words “If you’ve got it, a trucker brought it” on the hood and #ThankATrucker on the TV panel at the rear of the car. The Driver Appreciation theme inspires fans to thank professional drivers for all their hard work in delivering the goods we all depend on. To see how Pilot Flying J is thanking professional drivers, visit pilotflyingj.com.
• Breyers Pledge: Breyers’ ongoing pledge is to source only the highest quality ingredients and support the livelihood of American and Madagascar farmers. As part of its sustainable sourcing efforts, Breyers is contributing to a fund that will partner with the Dairy Farmers of America on initiatives to support cost savings and environmental sustainability on dairy farms. This partnership supports innovation that can positively benefit dairy farmer members and support their efforts on animal care and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, do you see those specks in Breyers vanilla ice cream? Those are real vanilla beans. It’s 100 percent sustainably sourced, so you can enjoy it even more, knowing that you’re supporting farmers and their families in Madagascar through the partnership with the Rainforest Alliance. Breyers today sells over 80 flavors and varieties and can be found in grocery stores nationwide for between $3.99 and $5.99. To learn more, visit Breyers.com

Daniel Moss looking to capture his first-career NASCAR track championship Saturday night at South Boston Speedway

By
Official Release
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South Boston Speedway Limited Sportsman Division points leader Daniel Moss keeps an eye on the action on the track as he prepares to climb into his car for the start of qualifying during one of this season’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series events at South Boston Speedway. Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway

By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (Sept. 1, 2021) — Daniel Moss has never won a NASCAR track championship but the Danville, Virginia resident is looking to change that in Saturday night’s Danville Toyota Championship Night presented by Ad Nerds Media event at South Boston Speedway.

“I’ve been trying to win a NASCAR-sanctioned championship since I started racing,” Moss remarked. “We won a championship in 2018 at Orange County Speedway in Late Model. That was an accomplishment, but a championship here at South Boston Speedway would mean a whole lot more,” Moss added. “Winning this championship would be a relief. We’re throwing everything we’ve got at it.”

Moss leads the Limited Sportsman Division point standings entering the 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race that will be one of the five races featured in Saturday night’s Danville Toyota Championship Night presented by Ad Nerds Media event at South Boston Speedway.

In the closest division championship points battle heading into South Boston Speedway’s final points event of the season, Moss holds a narrow 13-point edge over second-place Drew Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia and a 22-point margin over Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia who has surged into the top-three in the standings on the strength of three straight wins.

Moss says he is not going to stray from doing what he has been doing all season – gunning for wins.

“I go for the win every time,” Moss pointed out. “The points really don’t have anything to do with it. If you go for the win every time you end up in the championship fight. That’s how we got where we are.

“The championship battle is far from over,” continued Moss. “Thirteen points isn’t really a lot. It seems like a little bit, but it’s just enough to breathe. You just go out there, do what you always do, and hopefully get a win.”

Moss feels he has as good a shot at winning Saturday night’s 50-lap race and the division championship as any of his challengers.

“We work on the car a lot,” Moss noted. “We’ve got a car that contends for the win every race. It’s fast enough to be battling for the lead, maybe not every single time, but it’s right there at it. You’ve just got to keep the car in one piece and finish well.”

Heading into Saturday night’s event Moss has logged four wins and seven Top-Five finishes in 12 starts. This season has not been as consistent a season as Moss experienced in 2019 when he finished second in the Limited Sportsman Division championship chase behind champion Danny Willis, Jr. of South Boston, Virginia. Moss had five wins and finished in the top five in all but two of his starts in 2019.

“I’m either winning or struggling,” Moss pointed out. “It’s one or the other. I should be doing better than what I’m doing. That’s my fault, nobody else’s. If I was having a year like I had in 2019 when Danny and I were battling for the championship I’d probably be a whole race ahead in points right now.

“I won five races that year (2019) and I’ve won only four this year,” he added. “That’s still good, but I know we’re capable of better.”

All four division championships will be determined in Saturday night’s Danville Toyota Championship Night presented by Ad Nerds Media event at South Boston Speedway. Saturday night’s five-race card will be headlined by a 100-lap race for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors. The 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division will round out the action for South Boston Speedway’s four regular racing divisions.

Fans will also see the regional touring Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club in action at South Boston Speedway Saturday night. The Modified and Sportsman cars of the Southern Ground Pounders Vintage Racing Club will be featured in a 25-lap race.

Registration and pit gates will open at 2 p.m. Practice will begin at 3:45 p.m. and grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying begins at 6 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

Advance adult general admission tickets for the Danville Toyota Championship Night presented by Ad Nerds Media event are priced at $10 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, through Friday night, September 3. Adult general admission tickets online and at the gate on race day are priced at $15 each. Kids ages 12 and under will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Fans and competitors are urged to visit the South Boston Speedway website and the speedway’s social media channels for the latest news and information about the speedway and its events.

Daniel Moss (58) leads Drew Dawson (8) into the second turn during one of this season’s Limited Sportsman Division races at South Boston Speedway. Moss holds a 13-point lead over Dawson in the division championship points chase entering Saturday night’s final points race of the season at South Boston Speedway.

Dylan Lupton – No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra Camping World Trucks Darlington 2 Preview

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Official Release
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Dylan Lupton: Driver, No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: In It To Win It 200, Race 17 of 22 (Race 2 in the Round of 10)
147 Laps – 45/45/57; 200.1 Miles
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway at (1.33-mile egg-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 5, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Details on Dylan:

  • Dylan Lupton will get behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra Sunday for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Darlington Raceway. The 27-year-old driver’s Toyota will carry primary sponsorship from Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services.
  • Darlington will be the second race in the Round of 10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s playoffs. The No. 51 team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs by finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the point standings. After one race in the Round of 10, they sit eighth on the owner’s playoff grid with 2017 points, one spot above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8.
  • Lupton has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes across 11 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. He posted a career-best fifth-place finish in the Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta in 2019. Additionally, he has made four NASCAR Cup Series starts and 35 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. An alumnus of the NASCAR Next initiative, Lupton has one prior start at Darlington in the Xfinity Series during the 2017 season.
  • The Wilton, California native finished second in the ARCA Menards Series West event at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway earlier this year. Across 33 career West Series starts since 2011, he has registered two wins, 14 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and finished runner-up in the series’ championship standings in 2014.
  • Mardy Lindley has guided the No. 51 team to three victories across 16 races is in his first season as a crew chief at KBM. Owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City while Martin Truex Jr. won the inaugural Truck Series event at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Truex Jr. became the 16th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM and the 12th to collect their first-ever victory in NASCAR’s third division. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001.
  • Lindley called the shots at his home state track for the first time in May. In Corey Heim’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut he finished eighth in the opening stage and second in Stage Two before getting caught up in a 17-truck pileup on a restart with 30 laps remaining and being relegated to a 23rd-place finish.
  • Drew Dollar will get behind the wheel of the No. 51 Sunbelt Rentals Tundra at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Sept. 16 for the final race in the Round of 10

Dylan Lupton, Driver Q&A:

How have you prepared for your first Truck Series race of the season?
“I’m excited to get going. I was able to jump in the TRD simulator a little bit this morning to get some laps. It has been a while since I’ve been at Darlington, so that is definitely going to help. I’ve been running my Super Late Model hear and there and I ran the Sonoma ARCA race but other than that, I’ve just been back in California working. I’ve prepared as much as I can, but it is going to be exciting getting back in a race vehicle.”

What do you feel like will be the difference between running the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series at Darlington?
“Quite a bit. It seems like these trucks you have a little bit more an air cushion when you get up next to the fence, so that will be a little bit different in (Turns) 3 and 4. Obviously you are able to carry a little bit more throttle time in these trucks when you are running by yourself. I think the biggest thing is that the track is pretty wide, but the racing groove is pretty narrow at Darlington. You know you have two lanes for the most part. Turn 2 is a place where I think that you can get yourself in quite a bit of trouble if you put yourself in a bad spot underneath somebody coming off that corner so that is something that I have to keep in mind. Other than that, it’s going to be feeling out the truck and the track that first stage and going from there.”

Have you set any goals for this race?
“I just want to go out there and put together a clean race and I think if we put together a clean race, we’ll be pretty fast. The bigger tracks are kind of my strong suit, I’ve gotten top fives, top 10s, in the Truck Series. This is the best equipment that I’ve been able to get in for sure, so I’d love to go out there and run in the top five. To do so, I just have to put together three clean stages and if we have an opportunity to run in the front and be aggressive, we will.”

Dylan Lupton Career Highlights:

  • Has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes across 11 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. Posted a career-best fifth-place finish in the Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta in 2019.
  • Made four NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2016 with a best result of 25th coming at Richmond (Va.) Raceway Sept. 1, 2016.
  • Made 35 NASCAR Xfinity starts from 2015 to 2018 with a best result of ninth coming at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
  • In two ARCA Menards Series starts has an average finish of 14.0 with a best result of fourth coming at Kansas Speedway in 2020.
  • Across 33 career ARCA Menards West Series starts since 2011, he has registered two wins, 14 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and finished runner-up in the series’ championship standings in 2014.
  • Finished fourth at Watkins Glen International in his lone ARCA Menards Series East start (2015).
  • Dylan Lupton’s No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
  • KBM-69: The No. 51 team will unload KBM-69 for Sunday’s race at Darlington. This is the same Tundra that Corey Heim piloted in his Camping World Truck Series debut at Darlington in May and was running second late in the race before getting caught up in a 17-truck pileup. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch’s second-place finish with KBM-69 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March was the chassis’ best result across three starts.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected one win, 162 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.3 across eight starts at Darlington. Kasey Kahne led a race-high 95 laps en route to victory in the 2011 event.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (88) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Truex Jr. became the 16th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • With 37 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

SPIRE HOLDINGS LAUNCHES SPIRE+

By
Official Release
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Veteran NASCAR and Entertainment Executives Launch Full Service Automotive- Focused Marketing and Advertising Division

CORNELIUS, N.C. (September 1, 2021) – Spire Holdings announced today the launch of Spire+ – a full-service marketing and advertising division dedicated to providing the automotive industry with innovative strategies, inspiring content development, impactful design and unwavering customer service.

Born of veteran NASCAR, IndyCar and grassroots motorsports executives, Spire+ boasts a marquee lineup of strategists, marketers, promoters, advertising professionals and brand builders with impeccable industry credentials and a unique business acumen who will guide its clients from a position of experience and integrity.

Spire Holdings is the parent organization of Spire+, Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E), Spire Motorsports, Spire Hockey, and Track Enterprises. Spire+ will operate from Spire Holdings’ Cornelius, N.C., headquarters.

“A collaborative process amongst our clients and our employees has led us to the launchpad of the next chapter of our agency business,” said Spire Holdings co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Spire+ is a source of pride for my partner TJ Puchyr and I as we watch our core group that has been with us for many years take the next step in building an agency that meets the constantly evolving automotive marketing landscape with a strike force of professionals that can be a real benefit for companies out there that need a decisive and strategic voice. This is a pivotal moment for us and we could not be more proud.”

The Spire+ vision is seen through the lens of success and founded on an impeccable reputation in motorsports. With a storied history written by countless checkered flags and marketing victories, extending its current client roster within the automotive industry is a natural extension of Spire Holdings.

Spire+ creates and consistently adds value, while continually striving to advance its clients initiatives and market share. Each day, Spire+ endeavors to be best-in-class and take its clients and itself higher.

Meanwhile, Spire+ has hired seasoned marketing and advertising executives, bolstering its team to meet the needs of a growing clientele.

“Our unique identifier is getting to the “why” before we go to our clients with the “what”,” explained John Marsh, President, Spire+. “We don’t just build websites or launch social media campaigns. Spire+ launches unique marketing strategies based on creative storytelling and buyer behavior – we look at what’s going to move the needle.”

For more information about Spire+, please visit www.spire-plus.com.

Spire+. Go Higher.

About Spire Holdings …
Spire Holdings is an emerging sports property and agency stakeholder. The Cornelius, N.C., organization is the parent company of Spire Sports + Entertainment, Spire Motorsports, Spire Hockey, and Track Enterprises. Spire Holdings specializes in dynamic property ownership and management and is led by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus (T.J.) Puchyr.

Blaney awarded pole position for Cup Playoff opener at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Don Dunn for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ryan Blaney will commence the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by starting on pole position for the upcoming Playoff opener at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend.

Blaney, who is coming off back-to-back regular-season victories at Michigan International Speedway and at Daytona International Speedway, was awarded the pole position based on a metric formula that measures a driver’s finishing result from the previous Cup race (25 percent), car owner’s finishing result from the previous Cup race (25 percent), team owner ranking (35 percent) and fastest lap from the previous (15 percent).

The formula, which was utilized as NASCAR continues to adapt with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has been used in 19 of the 26-race regular-season stretch, and will be used in nine of the 10 Playoff races, beginning this upcoming weekend at Darlington Raceway. The lineup for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway scheduled on November 7 will be determined via on-track qualifying.

The pole award will mark Blaney’s first of the 2021 Cup Series season as he will also become the 13th different competitor to start on the pole for a Cup event. The High Point, North Carolina, native has achieved three victories throughout the regular-season stretch and is entered in the Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season as he contends for his first Cup championship. He will also attempt to award his crew chief, Todd Gordon, a second title before the veteran crew chief retires at season’s end.

Joining Blaney on the front row will be Denny Hamlin, a two-time Southern 500 champion. Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott, the reigning Cup Series champion, will line up in the second row followed by Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson, the 2021 Cup Series regular-season champion who has won five times this season.

Tyler Reddick, one of three newcomers to this year’s Playoffs, will start in seventh place followed by Aric Almirola, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Michael McDowell and Brad Keselowski will round out the top-16 starting spots on the grid occupied by Playoff contenders.

Starting in 17th place as the highest non-Playoff competitor will be Ryan Preece followed by Ryan Newman, Bubba Wallace and Justin Haley.

Starting in positions 21-29 are Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Ross Chastain, rookie Chase Briscoe, Corey LaJoie, Daniel Suarez, BJ McLeod, Josh Bilicki and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Starting in positions 30-37 are Matt DiBenedetto, Cole Custer, rookie Anthony Alfredo, Cody Ware, Chris Buescher, Joey Gase, James Davison and Quin Houff.

The Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington, which will launch the start of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, is scheduled to start on Sunday, September 5, at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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