Team Heads to Second Playoff Race Looking for Points
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 1, 2021) – Seeded eighth entering Sunday’s next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff race, Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Frontline Enterprises Ford F-150 team wants to gain points lost at Gateway.
The Frontline Enterprises team are 10 points ahead of Zane Smith and the playoff cut line. They are also only 23 points out of fourth.
“I feel that we need to be back in fourth in the points as quickly as possible,” said Gilliland. “We can only do that by getting good stage points and with great finishes. Obviously, a win takes care of all our concerns, and I think we can do that too. We want to focus on being up front all day on Sunday.”
Gilliland takes his Frontline Enterprises Ford F-150 into the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with experience. Gilliland has finishes of seventh and 15th in the truck series at the track. He has also run up front at the track.
“This is a good track for us,” continued Gilliland. “I’m confident that we can race for stage wins and be up front. I don’t think our strategy changes. We will race smart and be there at the end. We have to be there at the end and make sure that we’re gaining points.”
The race will be televised live on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
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.
COCHRAN, Ga. – (Sept. 1, 2021) – Garrett Smith is hoping to celebrate the Labor Day weekend in a victory lane at Cochran Motor Speedway.
Smith will head to the Georgia speedplant this Friday through Sunday to take part in the Labor Day Blow-Out weekend, which is headlined by a $20,000-to-win Crate Racin’ USA Late Model feature on Sunday afternoon.
“This is one of the biggest races of the year for us and it’s really in our backyard,” said Smith, who has earned multiple victories at Cochran Motor Speedway during his young career. “I can’t tell you how much winning that race would mean to me and all of my supporters. I think we’ll have a good shot at performing well.”
Smith recently embarked upon his first tour with the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series, finishing sixth in the series standings after earning a best finish of fourth on July 22 at West Georgia Speedway in Whitesburg, Ga.
He’s hopeful that the experience he gained while on the road racing multiple times a week will help him when he returns to a track he’s intimately familiar with.
“Racing with the Southern Nationals Series was a learning experience,” said the 17-year-old Smith. “We went to a lot of tracks I’ve never seen before and I learned something every time I was on the race track. Hopefully I can channel all that knowledge and experience into a successful weekend at Cochran.”
The Labor Day Blow-Out weekend begins on Friday, Sept. 3 with practice from 7 to 10 p.m. Qualifying and heat races are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 4 with the $20,000-to-win Crate Racin’ USA Late Model main event scheduled to take place Sunday, Sept. 5.
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About McCallister Precision Marketing
McCallister Precision Marketing (MPM) focuses on assisting up-and-coming race car drivers with career advancement and promotion. McCallister Precision Marketing helps drivers build confidence in front of and behind the camera, giving them the tools they need to advance to the next level. The company also provides companies with a strategic plan for their sales, marketing and promotional needs. We believe in building positive relationships with our clients so that we may provide them with the most professional, yet personal guidance they need, in order to achieve their racing goals. Our clients include race car drivers, race team owners, companies and racing series’. We also work closely with charities and charity events. For more information on McCallister Precision Marketing, visit www.MarketWithMPM.com, email TonyaMac44@MarketWithMPM.com or call 803-361-6199.
Program addresses growing demand for skilled welders; classes begin January 2022
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Universal Technical Institute (UTI) is pleased to announce the expansion of its Welding Technology Training Program to its Mooresville, N.C. campus, NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). This represents the eighth welding program that UTI has launched across its campus network and follows the successful fiscal 2021 rollouts of the program at its Bloomfield, N.J. and Lisle, Ill. campuses. UTI is also planning to launch its ninth welding program later in fiscal 2022.
The 36-week course trains students on the hard and soft skills needed to prepare for a welding career in industries from automotive fabrication to aerospace. Enrollment is open now, with the first start expected in January 2022. UTI expects to see strong student and employer demand for the program.
“NASCAR Tech’s employer partners continue to stress the need for skilled workers in our region, and we are thrilled to offer a program that will help address the much-needed demand for welders,” said Jennifer Bergeron, Campus President at NASCAR Technical Institute. “Welders are the backbone of our economy and are vital to the development of infrastructure we use every day. We anticipate strong student interest and enrollment in our first class and we’re already hearing from employers who are interested in hiring our graduates.”
Welders are highly sought after in industries ranging from automotive fabrication and motorsports to aerospace, construction and virtually every kind of manufacturing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be an annual average of 43,400 welding job openings nationwide between now and 2029.[1]
LA West, Inc., a manufacturer of luxury custom shuttles based in Statesville, N.C., is one local employer that’s already looking to NASCAR Tech to help fill its need for skilled welders.
“In today’s manufacturing environment, it’s difficult finding skilled workers in the automotive manufacturing segment,” said Michelle Keck, Director of Operations at LA West, Inc. “Being a second stage vehicle manufacturer, it’s the quality of the workmanship that needs to go into every vehicle we build. We have numerous career opportunities within our organization that remain unfilled due to the lack of qualified candidates.[2] An ideal candidate would possess in-depth knowledge in automotive mechanical systems, automotive wiring and sophisticated welding skills.”
The UTI Welding Technology Training Program includes hands-on training and instruction through a comprehensive curriculum developed in collaboration with Lincoln Electric (Nasdaq: LECO), a global leader in the welding industry.
[1] For Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an annual average of 43,400 job openings between 2019 and 2029. Job openings include openings due to net employment changes and net replacements. See Table 1.10 Occupational separations and openings, projected 2019–29, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, viewed June 3, 2021. [2] UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.: With more than 220,000 graduates in its 55-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation’s leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry facilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with employer needs. Through its network of 12 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). The company is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
For more information, visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI.
About NASCAR Technical Institute: NASCAR Tech’s Mooresville, N.C. campus offers the Universal Technical Institute core automotive training program, CNC Machining Technology and Manufacturer-Specific Advanced Training with Ford and Mopar, and an optional 15-week elective to train students for a career in motorsports, including hands-on training in engines, fabrication, welding, aerodynamics and pit crew essentials. Through NASCAR Tech’s elite Spec Engine program, select students have the opportunity to build engines that will compete in NASCAR-sanctioned races.
· Olymel 30 – Saturday September 4: Practice 9:50 am | Qualifying 1:10 pm | Race 1 4:00 pm· Clarington 200 – Sunday September 5: Qualifying 10:45 am | Race 2 1:30 pm Canada: TSN.ca and on TSN app | United States: TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold | Live Timing: nascar.ca/race-center/
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
Trois-Rivieres (Quebec, Canada), September 1st, 2021 – After an absence that started in September 2019, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team are eager to return to the legendary Canadian Tire Motorsport Park track (formerly Mosport) this weekend. With his roots well established on road courses, two-time NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion (2014 and 2018) Louis-Philippe Dumoulin is aiming for nothing less than a fourth win, especially since the track is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
“I love driving on this high-speed track! Several other drivers in the Pinty’s series also know this layout very well. We have had some good results so far this season and we are confident that our race set-up will work. These settings are always critical, as we have to be as quick as the best drivers in the corners and on the long straightaway and be ready to overtake wherever the opportunity presents itself,” explained the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare car.
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park features 10 turns over 3.9 km, with five high-speed turns that lead to a lap record of 171.7 km/h. It is the quickest track in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and the favourite track of most drivers.
The veteran Trois-Rivieres driver, a member of the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame since the fall of 2020, is second in the 2021 championship points standings after four of the 11 races on the schedule, just four points behind the leader.
Louis-Philippe Dumoulin demonstrates his analytical and strategic mindset with each outing, which allows him to keep his composure on and off the track and allows him to always finish his races in full attack mode with a still-quick car and improve his final position.
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
· 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.
Mopar is a term created by the American automobile manufacturer Chrysler that refers to their parts, service, and customer care division. It was conceived to represent a blend of the words ‘motor’ and ‘parts’. Over the years, this division has done interesting projects when it comes to designing and building customized vehicles.
The original Chrysler Corporation was founded in 1925, while the Mopar division was first introduced as a brand in 1937. This company has had its fair share of ups and downs. They ultimately got bought by Fiat, who then formed a new holding company called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Modern Chrysler vehicles are of outstanding quality and are quite affordable, especially if you choose a lease deal.
While there is no denying the presence of Chrysler in the American automotive industry, Mopar has also proved to be a powerful brand. There is no other parts division in this industry that has made such a huge name for themselves as Mopar. Here’s how Chrysler managed to market and establish Mopar as the brand it is today.
The Conception of Mopar
Several years after the Chrysler Corporation Parts Division was set up, a marketing team at the company received a task to come up with an interesting name that could be used to introduce a new line of antifreeze products. They came up with an incredibly simple idea, to create a brand named Mopar that would serve as Chrysler’s division for parts and service.
This was at a time when the automotive parts industry already had established major players. Nevertheless, Chrysler managed to create a simple term that was easy to remember and stuck in consumers’ minds. They first introduced this term during a parade for the Shriner’s convention in 1937. The marketing team came up with an idea to create a huge camel made out of auto parts that would be called Mr. Mopar.
Despite having such a great idea, it took a while before Chrysler could solidify the place of their parts division in the industry. Before they achieved success, they experienced some huge setbacks during the 1940s.
Mopar During and After the War Years
Even though Chrysler saw success throughout the 1930s, they were forced to temporarily put a halt on their production and instead focus on making military parts, vehicles, and even weapons. Once World War II was over, the company could once again focus on its original plan.
Shortly afterward, an idea came about to move the parts division into a new building and try to grow this brand. In an effort to solidify their name and make it synonymous with quality, a training program was created in 1947 that helped Chrysler technicians develop extraordinary skills.
Although the Mopar brand was steadily growing after the war, the executives at Chrysler still weren’t convinced that it could reel in a lot of money. That’s because this company wasn’t at all focused on having a presence in the aftermarket. In the automotive industry, the aftermarket refers to the secondary market that involves the production, distribution, and installation of auto parts.
They soon discovered that having a strong presence in the aftermarket could be the key to sales stability and increased profit. During this time, Chrysler learned an incredibly important lesson about their customers. The average person is more likely to buy auto parts and repair their old vehicle instead of buying a new car.
Mopar in the Following Decades
Throughout the 1960s, the Chrysler Corporation was facing a huge problem. The company scrapped the idea of using its own distribution channels and instead decided to start using wholesale suppliers after World War II. This is a decision that they’d come to regret soon, as the wholesalers were beating their prices.
In 1964, it was decided that Chrysler won’t work with wholesalers in the future but would instead go back to their depot system. While they were implementing this depot system, the success of Mopar continued to grow. The automotive industry had entered the muscle car era. High-performance auto parts from Mopar became sought after.
During the 1970s, Mopar came out with a brilliant idea to offer a dedicated parts delivery system. They became the first auto parts brand to do this. Two decades after this, Mopar revamped their delivery system. Their sales grew tremendously due to rapid technological advancements happening at the time. Due to modern technology, the company was now able to meet supply and demand at a completely new level.
Mopar in the 21st Century
Mopar has remained an iconic brand in the automotive industry in the 21st century. In 2017, they marked their 80th anniversary and showed that they have no plans on slowing down in the future. Mopar launched a very successful project in 2008 when they revealed their Mopar Express Lane project. They introduced a business model that was based around fast oil change and light service.
Mopar essentially reimagined how the average service visit to an automotive dealership would look like. With the Mopar Express Lane project, people no longer had to schedule appointments or wait for hours to get their cars serviced. In only 8 years, the brand managed to open more than a thousand Express Lane locations in the United States.
They have also become a brand that constantly innovates and introduces new ideas to the car industry. For instance, Mopar was the first company that introduced in-vehicle wireless charging and smartphone vehicle-information apps. Mopar has also been active in drag racing events for decades. Their sponsorship of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals is the longest-running sponsorship in drag racing.
Even though they do most of their business in the United States, this brand has a strong impact on the global automotive market. Mopar currently offers services to customers in over 150 markets. By 2016, there were over 1,750 Mopar Express Lane locations in more than 20 countries across the globe. What initially started as a small project within the Chrysler Corporation has turned into one of the most recognized brands in the auto parts industry.
Coke Zero Sugar 400 @ Daytona by Andrew Boyd for Speedwaymedia.com
Ryan Blaney on a two-lap restart and won at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night and captured his third win in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season. This was the final race of the regular season. The series begins the 10-race playoffs on Sunday at Darlington Raceway in the Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET.
There were several drivers battling to the end for the final spots for the championship playoffs. Despite being a late crash, Tyler Reddick finished 16th and captured the final playoff spot, and his teammate Austin Dillon did not make the playoffs.
“It feels incredible to be in the NASCAR Playoffs. My emotions were shot as soon as we took the green on the last green-white-checkered. I can’t even believe that we finished sixth.” Reddick said.
The Daytona winner feels great finishing the regular season out strong and could be one of the drivers to watch in the early rounds.
“I think it’s been nice to finish out the regular season strong, especially with two wins back-to-back right before the start of the playoffs and get a lot of playoff points and be seeded second.” Blaney said, “It really does help you out, but really the focus is the same, just trying to do our job the best we can, trying to perform just like we’ve been performing the past couple months here and you just try to keep that up. It’s definitely a better position to be in on our side than where we have been in years past and you just hope to utilize it.”
The driver of the No. 4 Unibet Ford Mustang, Kevin Harvick was a driver in the spotlight heading into the 2021 season and one of the top drivers to bet on to battle for the 2021 Cup championship. But the 2021 season has not been one of his best seasons for Harvick compared to last season and you can compare the odds if you bet on sports with casumo and see for yourself that 2021 has not been his best season. Last weekend at Daytona, Harvick started 11th and finished 15th and holds the final spot in the series playoff points with 2,002. This will be Harvick’s 12th consecutive playoff appearance and his 15th overall.
Kyle Larson dominated a lot of the regular season captured more than any driver with 52, and holds a 28-point lead on second place. Larson, the 29-year-old driver of the No. 5 Camaro ZL1 1LE for Hendrick Motorsports, captured his first-career NCS Regular Season Championship title on Saturday night at Daytona.
“Our team has worked so hard all of the regular season,” said Larson. “I couldn’t do it without Mr. Hendrick and Linda and all of their support. Everybody back at the shop, too. This is a long season and we still have 10 races to go. It’s a long point to get here and it’s just a big hats off to everybody at the shop. HendrickCars.com, Valvoline, Tarlton and Son, everybody who’s been on board to help us out this year.”
The field is now set for the championship contenders. The playoffs are led by Kyle Larson (2,052 points), followed by Ryan Blaney (2,024), Martin Truex Jr. (2,024), Kyle Busch (2,022), Chase Elliott (2,021), Alex Bowman (2,015), Denny Hamlin (2,015), William Byron (2,014), Joey Logano (2,013), Brad Keselowski (2,008), Kurt Busch (2,008), Christopher Bell (2,005), Michael McDowell (2,005), Aric Almirola (2,005), Tyler Reddick, 2,003, and Kevin Harvick (2,002).
2020 series champion Chase Elliott, driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Camaro ZL1 1LE does not feel the pressure heading into Darlington.
“I don’t really feel any different than I did going in last year. I mean, it’s nice to have seen some of those circumstances and to have gone through some of those things that you’re faced with mentally, just some of those challenges, as you step through that last round and get to Phoenix.” Elliott said.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are three rounds of playoffs with 3 races per round with four drivers eliminated following each round of three. The beginning field of 16 drivers will be narrowed down to four for the finale race at Phoenix, where points will no longer matter and the highest finisher among the four drivers wins the championship.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff schedule:
Round 1: 16 drivers with four drivers eliminated after Bristol Sept. 5 – Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, 6 p.m. ET, NBCSN Sept. 11 – Richmond Raceway, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN Sept. 18 – Bristol Motor Speedway, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN (Elimination Race)
Round 2: 12 drivers with four drivers eliminated after Charlotte Sept. 26 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN Oct. 3 – Talladega Superspeedway, 2 p.m. ET, NBC Oct. 10 – Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, 2 p.m. ET, NBC (Elimination Race)
Round 3: 8 drivers with four drivers eliminated after Martinsville
Oct. 17 – Texas Motor Speedway, 2 p.m. ET, NBC Oct. 24 – Kansas Speedway, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN Oct. 31 – Martinsville Speedway, 2 p.m. ET, NBC (Elimination Race)
Championship race: 4 drivers fighting for the title Nov. 7 – Phoenix Raceway, 3 p.m. ET, NBC
Team: No. 17 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Luke Lambert Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher Race Format: 501.3 miles, 367 laps, Stages: 115-115-137 Cook Out Southern 500 – Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
Buescher at Darlington Raceway
Buescher makes his ninth Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, where he has an average finish of 18.6 with one top-10 result this spring.
Prior to the 2020 season, Buescher had finished no worse than 17th at ‘The Lady in Black’ with a best result of 12th in the 2019 race.
Buescher finished fifth in the Xfinity Series at Darlington in 2015 in the No. 60, and finished 12th two years prior in the No. 16.
Luke Lambert at Darlington Raceway
Lambert will call his 12th Cup event from Darlington on Sunday. In 11 prior starts he has an 18.6 average finish with four top-10s.
He led Ryan Newman to finishes of 10th (2014), eighth (2016) and seventh (2017), and most recently led Buescher to the ninth-place run earlier this season.
Lambert also called one NXS race with Elliott Sadler in 2012 finishing 24th.
QUOTE WORTHY Buescher on racing at Darlington: “Darlington is a place we feel good about as we’ve been able to find some speed as of late. It is a challenge within itself to keep the fenders clean and manage the tire wear, so if you can do that you’ll have a shot at the end. Excited to get our bright Roush Performance Mustang on track Sunday night and see what we can make of 500 miles.”
Last Time Out Buescher was in prime position and led eight laps in the closing stages of Saturday night’s race from Daytona, taking the final NASCAR Overtime restart from the first position. He ultimately crossed the line second behind the No. 12, but was later disqualified and credited with a 40th-place finish.
On the Car Buescher will again carry the bright orange Roush Performance colors this weekend in Darlington, a scheme he debuted last season at Texas and also ran earlier this year in Phoenix.
About ROUSH Performance ROUSH Performance was founded in 1995 by motorsports legend Jack Roush, the winningest name in racing. Combining performance engineering with entrepreneurship, ROUSH began selling designs he had created for his own team to the wider world of motorsports. Based out of Plymouth Township, Michigan, ROUSH Performance, a division of Roush Enterprises, designs, engineers and manufacturers completely assembled pre-titled vehicles, aftermarket performance parts, and superchargers for the global performance enthusiast market. For more on ROUSH, please visit ROUSHperformance.com or call 800.59.ROUSH.
Sunday, September 5 Track: Darlington Raceway, 1.366-mile oval Race: 17 of 22 Event: In It to Win It 200 (147 laps, 200 miles)
Schedule Race: 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Built Ford Tough F-150
Deegan is making her 18th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start on Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
The California native returns to the South Carolina track for the second time this season after racing there in May. She ran as high as the top-10, but suffered damage after several late race cautions and finished the event in 20th. Darlington marks the first track this season the NCWTS will visit for the second time.
The Ford driver hits the track after a weekend off in the series. She enters Darlington coming off of a seventh-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill. The result was Deegan’s first top-10 in her young career.
At tracks less than 1.5-miles in length, Deegan has an average starting position of 14.3 and an average finishing position of 16.3.
Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has four starts in the Truck Series as a crew chief at the “Too Tough to Tame” track. He’s amassed one win with Todd Bodine in August 2010, two top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150
Gray makes his 17th start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season on Sunday afternoon at Darlington Raceway.
In two career starts at the South Carolina oval, the 22 year old has finishes of 29th and 33rd and will look to turn his luck around this visit. In May, he was involved in a multi-truck incident that ended his day after 110 laps.
In the last race out at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., Gray finished 19th after sustaining damage on lap 157.
Although Marcus Richmond has 283 career NCWTS races on his resume, only two of those races have come at Darlington. In 2011, he notched an eighth-place finish with Cole Whitt and, most recently, he served as crew chief on a 22nd-place effort in the No. 17 truck with David Ragan last season.
Weiron Tan and Anderson Tanoto set for their Michelin Pilot Challenge debut next weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. (31 August 2021) – The Stoner Car Care Racing fielded by Automatic Racing team heads to next weekend’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 (7:40 p.m. Eastern, NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS) with an exciting new lineup, starring two young stalwarts of the Aston Martin Asia program who have sterling pedigrees both on and off the racetrack.
Weiron Tan and Anderson Tanoto will make their Michelin Pilot Challenge series debut in the two-hour endurance race, behind the wheel of the iconic No. 99 Invisible Glass Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
Both Tan and Tanoto come to the Stoner Car Care team with extensive racing experience – and significant off-track accomplishments.
Tan, 26, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, began his career in karting then progressed up the junior open wheel ranks, finishing second in the 2013 Formula Renault series and fourth in the 2015 Indy Pro 2000 Championship, driving for Andretti Autosport (note: Tan earned top 10 finishes in two races at the Monterey circuit in 2015).
He made the move to sports car racing in 2017, contesting races in the Asian Le Mans Series, the Blancpain GT Series Asia and the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Tan is also a co-founder of Motorsport Services AMR Asia Ltd, the official Aston Martin racing representative and exclusive distributor in Asia.
Tanoto, 32, from Jakarta, Indonesia, began his racing career in 2018 with a victory in the six-race Asian Audi R8 LMS Cup. He has also competed in the Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, but he is most well-known as the managing director of Royal Golden Eagle, a group of resource-based manufacturing companies in Indonesia. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tanoto Foundation, a philanthropic organization involved in poverty alleviation through education and empowerment. Tanoto is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School.
The two drivers met in 2018 when Tanoto first started in the Audi Cup Asia. Tan was the series driver coach and the pair were building a relationship when the pandemic hit. Neither driver has raced in the past year and a half but when the idea hit to come to the States, Tan knew who to contact.
“We made a miracle happen in a short amount of time,” said Tan. “We are so lucky to be working with (Automatic Racing team manager) David Russell as we get ready to join the Michelin Pilot Challenge. It’s wonderful to be back in a seat and to race alongside Anderson. I’m still involved in motorsports with the Aston Martin distributorship, but it’s good to get back in the car.”
Both drivers look forward to competing at the fabled WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The track’s 2.238-mile, 11-turn configuration challenges drivers, but no corner is as famous as the legendary Corkscrew, with its 18 percent drop (from entry of The Corkscrew, which is Turn 8, to the exit of Turn 9 the elevation change is 109 feet, or just over 10 stories) – especially behind the wheel of one of the series’ iconic liveries.
“WeatherTech Raceway is one of my all-time favorites,” said Tan. “Having driven there back in 2015, I know the circuit very well. Anderson has done some open track days, but we’ll get him some laps next weekend, and I can help get him up to speed quickly. And it’s fantastic to be racing under the Stoner Car Care colors – the Invisible Glass livery is instantly recognizable and I’m so glad to have them onboard. I know we’ll have a great weekend and I hope we’ll be competing for a podium finish.”
Russell eagerly anticipates introducing the two drivers to the team, the racetrack and the Michelin Pilot Challenge.
“It’s fun running guys who are part of the Aston Martin community,” said Russell. “They’ve been shut down in Asia for a while and they’d been looking for somewhere to run with Aston Martin – and what better place than WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca? We’ve had some really good conversations with both of them, they’re really tuned in, and I know they’ll be good. There won’t be any pressure, it will take them both a while to figure it out, even though Weiron has been there before. It’s a learning curve with the track and the car but they’re diligent guys, they’re smart guys, I have no doubt they’ll both be up to speed quickly.”
The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 takes the green flag at 7:40 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, September 11. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass, while international viewers can watch via IMSA.tv. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com. NBCSN will broadcast a two-hour race recap, currently scheduled to air Tuesday, September 21 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern (check local listings).
About Stoner Car Care Stoner Car Care produces high-performance car washes, waxes, polishes, and dressings for auto enthusiasts and car care professionals. The Stoner Car Care line-up includes Invisible Glass, America’s #1 Automotive Glass Cleaner, along with many other appearance products. Whether driving, washing or waxing, Performance Matters! Stoner car care proudly formulates all of our product since 1942. www.stonercarcare.com
About Invisible Glass Automatic Racing sees their way to victory with Invisible Glass, the top-selling automotive glass cleaner in the United States. The Invisible Glass product line includes aerosol and spray bottle cleaner, Invisible Glass with rain repellent for windshields and wiper blades. Find more online at https://www.invisibleglass.com/
About Automatic Racing Based in Orlando, Automatic Racing is one of the longest-running teams in the paddock, forming in 2001 and competing in all but one of the 11 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge races at Daytona. The team has been developing, preparing and racing the prestigious Aston Martin Vantage GT4 since 2012. Automatic Racing won the 2017 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge title. https://automaticracing.com
Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Bologna Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Scott Graves Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman Race Format: 501.3 miles, 367 laps, Stages: 115-115-137 Cook Out Southern 500 – Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
Newman at Darlington Raceway
Newman makes his 26th Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, a track where he carries an average finish of 12.7, his best of any on the circuit.
Newman has 14 top-10 finishes in 25 starts at Darlington, seven of which were inside the top five. He’s led 339 laps with a best finish of second in his first-ever Southern 500 back in 2002.
Newman is coming off four-straight top-15s at the 1.366-mile track, including a 10th-place finish earlier this spring.
Newman also has five starts in the Xfinity Series at Darlington where he earned the pole in the first two events in 2001, and averaged a 13.6 finish in those five starts.
Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway
Graves will call his ninth Cup race from Darlington this weekend. In eight prior starts he has a best finish of 10th, the most recent with Newman just this spring.
In Xfinity action, Graves led Daniel Suarez to a third-place run in 2016, a year after he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.
QUOTE WORTHY Newman on racing at Darlington: “Darlington will always be a favorite track of mine and recently it’s been good to us. We’ve been able to string together some pretty decent runs over the last year or so, and hopefully we can improve even more on that and come out with a strong performance in our Oscar Mayer Ford come Sunday.”
Last Time Out Newman avoided all of the late chaos in the Daytona race last weekend to cross the line fourth. He was officially credited with the third position following the disqualification of the No. 17.
On the Car
Oscar Mayer is back on board Newman’s Ford Mustang as the primary this weekend for their sixth race of the 2021 campaign.
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