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Wright Motorsports Returns to Victory Circle at Road America

By
Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., (August 30, 2021) – Wright Motorsports secured two victories this weekend at Road America, scoring wins in both SRO GT World Challenge America and SRO GT America with its pair of Porsche race cars. Points leader Charlie Luck celebrated his sixth win this season in the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R on Saturday in GT America, then the pair of Fred Poordad and Jan Heylen followed suit the following day, driving the No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R to first in class, third overall.

“Our entire team did a fantastic job all weekend,” said Team Owner John Wright. “It was great to see Charlie Luck continue his streak of podiums and get back on the top step. As for Fred and Jan, this was an excellent double podium weekend for them. I’m proud we were able to secure a win for them as well.”

GT World Challenge America
Poordad started Race One from fourth place in class and ninth overall, keeping position at the green flag. The field slowly spread out as the race continued, but Poordad stayed close to the next car ahead, the No. 9 Lamborghini Huracan of Martin Fuentes. With 63-minutes remaining in the race, Poordad claimed the position and shortly after came in for the mandatory pit stop. The No. 20 Porsche took fuel, hot tires and a new driver as Jan Heylen jumped in to take over. One of the Acuras running ahead of the Porsche had a poor pit stop, and quick work by the Wright Motorsports crew allowed Heylen to chase down the competition. He caught up to the No. 77 of Matt McMurray, closing the eight-second gap between them. A crash brought out a full course caution just as Heylen was positioned to fight for second place in class, ending the race with less than ten minutes remaining. Heylen and Poordad earned a third-place finish, continuing their season-long streak of podium finishes in the Pro/Am class.

Jan Heylen started Race Two on Sunday in slightly cooler temperatures than the day before. The No. 20 was gridded alongside the No. 93 Acura of Dakota Dickerson. Unlike the rest of the field behind him, Heylen enjoyed a relatively drama-free stint, holding second place and staying close to the leader throughout his stint. The 10-minute mandatory pit window opened and strategy from the Wright Motorsports pit box kept the No. 20 Porsche on track until the last minute, driving into pit lane as the window closed. Fred Poordad took over during the driver change and joined the race from fourth overall and second in class. He showed good pace as he focused on avoiding traffic and staying clean, keeping as close as he could to the No. 93 Acura, now with Taylor Hagler at the wheel. His patience paid off, and Hagler’s Acura suffered an issue on track. Poordad assumed the position and took the class lead. With no pressure behind, he ran the final ten laps with a calm pace and consistency, crossing the finish line in first place, taking the team’s first win since the season opener at Sonoma Raceway.

The victory gives the championship points leaders an even larger gap over the Pro/Am class competition. The three driver pairings in the points behind Poordad and Heylen were unable to compete in the weekend or had trouble at the Wisconsin circuit.

In about two weeks, the series will head east to upstate New York for rounds nine and ten of the GT World Challenge America championship, September 17-19.

DRIVER QUOTES

Fred Poordad | No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R
That felt like a long time coming to get back on the top step of the podium. We felt we’ve been chasing that first-place finish for most of the season and I’m really happy that happened today. We didn’t necessarily have the fastest pace out there, but a few things rolled our way and we avoided a couple of mishaps and brought the car home clean. We’re very happy. Thank you, Wright Motorsports, and thanks Jan Heylen for, putting together an awesome effort today.

Jan Heylen | No. 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R
It was a good points weekend. I’m really happy to get another win it. I think we’ve given a few away this year, so you take them when you can. Today was a good day, and nice for the team and Fred. It extended our lead in the championship, so it was a near-perfect weekend for us. The Acura was extremely fast on the straightaways this weekend, and they definitely had the upper hand on us even though we had good speed. I’m happy with the result and ready to go to the next race.

GT America
Race One brought blistering temperatures on Saturday for Charlie Luck and the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R. Luck started third overall after securing his class pole position. While cars fought for position behind him heading into turn one, Charlie Luck played it smooth, sliding into fourth overall in the opening turns. As he settled in, he started to put pressure on the No. 27 Audi of Jason Daskalos in turn five of the opening lap. Luck kept the pressure on, ultimately making the pass 15 minutes into the race. The Audi tried to put up a fight but was no match for the Wright Porsche. Luck pulled away, holding the position to the checkered flag, taking the class win and finishing third overall.

Race Two’s hopes were short-lived, despite an impressive start by Luck. Unbeknownst to the majority of the field, one of their competitors dropped oil over several turns of the circuit in the opening lap. As the field began race two, cars began sliding over the course in the opening turns and into turn five. As Luck and the No. 45 Porsche approached turn five, he tried to avoid the spilled fluid, but a spinning car tagged him in the turn, sending Luck’s Porsche spinning. While Luck was able to bring the machine back to pit lane, the points-leading car was unable to continue. Despite the disappointing result, Luck continues to lead the GT America point standings heading into the next rounds.

Rounds 11 and 12 of the inaugural GT America championship will also take place at Watkins Glen International, joining the GT World Challenge America, September 17-19.

DRIVER QUOTE

Charlie Luck | No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 R
First off, overall we had a really good weekend. It might sound weird but yesterday, we were super concentrated on the task at hand. The car setup was perfect, and we ran a really good race. We were first in the Masters class and third overall. Today, there was oil down on the track and fortunately, we didn’t get in it, but other people did and that took us out. A-factor is the things we can control and B is the things we can’t control. This is something we couldn’t control, and we go on to test at Watkins Glen. We’ve still got four races left in the season.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship.

Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 Team’s Saturday Pirelli GT4 America Class Victory Anchors Run of Six Podium Finishes for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams this Weekend at Road America

By
Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin – The No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 team, and co-drivers Kenny Murillo and Christian Szymczak, secured a Silver-class victory in Saturday’s first Pirelli GT4 America race to anchor a competitive run of six podium finishes for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams across three SRO America racing series this weekend at Road America. The Murillo team’s win was its fourth of the season, and Szymczak and Murillo backed it up with a second-place finish in Sunday’s second and final 60-minute Pirelli GT4 race. Murillo’s results combined with a string of additional class podium finishes by Winward Racing, DXDT Racing, RENNtech Motorsports and debuting team Conquest Racing West to complete the haul of half-a-dozen top-three finishes on the weekend for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer teams on the four-mile Road America circuit.

Murillo and Szymczak battled for the Silver and overall Pirelli GT4 victory from the drop of the green flag in Saturday’s race. Closing driver Szymczak crossed the finish line in tight formation with the rest of the front runners for the class win and fifth-place overall finish.

Sunday’s Pirelli GT4 finale presented a greater challenge for the Murillo No. 72 and the three other Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams in the race. All of them were caught out by a caution flag halfway through the race that prevented them from catching the lead group of competitors that had pitted a lap earlier.

An additional restart added to the challenges, but all but one of the Silver-class contenders were battling on track with Murillo in the race’s final minutes.

The group included the No. 35 Conquest Racing West entry of Michai Stephens and Colin Mullan that battled with closing driver Murillo in the race’s late stages. Stepheson eventually brought the No. 35 across the finish line third in the Silver class to score a podium finish in the team’s SRO America Pirelli GT4 debut.

A pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams earned podium finishes at Road America in the weekend’s twin 90-minute Fanatec GT World Challenge races. Just one race after securing their first overall and Pro-class win at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), the No. 33 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 team battled for another victory throughout Saturday’s first World Challenge race.

After a late caution the No. 33 was unable to secure the repeat win, but the Winward team kept the pressure on into the finish and crossed the line second overall and in the Pro division.

Sunday’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 World Challenge podium was earned by co-drivers David Askew and Ryan Dalziel who finished third in the Pro-Am class in the No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. The top-three finish was the first visit to victory lane for the No. 63 team and drivers since finishing third in the first race of the year last March at Sonoma Raceway.

The weekend’s final podium player was Chris Cagnazzi and the No. 39 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 team. Cagnazzi capped a quick and confident run in the single-driver GT America race Saturday with a last lap pass for second place.

The Saturday podium performance was Cagnazzi’s fifth in his last six GT America races, a run that started in the opening race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in May and includes a victory on the street of Nashville three weeks ago.

Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in SRO America is a full-weekend event for GT World Challenge, Pirelli GT4 and GT America at Watkins Glen International, September 17 – 19.

David Askew, Driver – No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We always work as hard as we can on the basics. We came here, after doing some testing and racing a couple of weeks ago in Nashville, with high expectations. Our car was a little off the pace to begin with, but we kept working on it. We just kept paying attention to working on the fundamentals, which made the car better, and the crew worked very hard. Just stick to the basics and the result will come, and that’s kind of what I think happened today. I’m comfortable in the Mercedes-AMG GT3. I’ve always been comfortable in the car, but I’m continuing to work on my racing overall. I just wanted to come into this weekend and be consistent, and that’s really what I worked on. I wasn’t trying for the fastest lap, I wasn’t trying for the best result in any one individual lap, I was just trying to put together a good set of consistent laps during my stint. The crew can work with that, and that’s what I did.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “To walk away with a first and a second in class is something we’re really proud of. Our expectations were a little low because we knew it wasn’t a track that really suited us, but we got a little lucky with other competitors in our class having some trouble. We definitely got the short end of the stick for that restart, but I am just really proud of Murillo Racing and the performance of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 for the win Saturday and what felt like a win for us Sunday.”

Chris Cagnazzi, Driver – No. 39 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I am super comfortable with the car. We had it really well balanced. The RENNtech team did a great job of getting it that way and I felt really confident in the race. I kept picking up more and more pace, was closing the gap on second place and was then just watching where he was either overshooting or undershooting. Then I kind of did a set up there on the last lap to get by in turn five, it worked out well, and then I just gapped him after that. The Mercedes-AMG GT4 performed great, and we had a lot of fun.”

Colin Mullan, Driver – No. 35 Conquest Racing West Mercedes-AMG GT4: “For our first weekend with the car here in SRO competition, we are super happy with how much progress we’ve made. We had a lot of limited track time, given the weather conditions earlier in the weekend, but the team has been amazing at getting the car set up right. It just goes to show that with a turnkey race car the Mercedes-AMG GT4 is. All it takes is a few sessions out on track and we can really maximize all the potential the Mercedes-AMG GT4 has, Mercedes-AMG did an excellent job at building a really proper race car. There’s definitely a lot of competition in the series this year, so for us to get up there in the Silver class and be competitive straight away is very remarkable. Looking forward, the Conquest Racing West team has a lot of big things to come in the future, absolutely.”

All You Need To Know About Acuspike Stackable Ball Cart

By
SM
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A stackable ball cart is used to carry items of all shapes and sizes safely to facilitate the convenience of a game. You have seen many ball carts of different sizes and colors, but you have not yet seen AcuSpike’s stackable ball cart. It has unique features that make it special compared to the rest. Each stackable ball cart has a storage capacity of 35 balls and can be stacked three carts high. You can adjust the cart’s height according to your needs. Its stackable design feature saves you a lot of trouble with storage because it will reduce your storage footprint, resulting in a more organized and safe storage routine. Here https://www.acuspike.com/product/stackable-ball-cart/ is a glance at everything you need to know about Acuspike stackable balls cart

Helpful Features Acuspike Stackable ball cart

It is made to be collapsible and stackable in appearance, making it easier to store and store a large number of over a hundred balls.

 Have three extension levels-Aside from the average level extension; there are other extensions in carts height. The lowest level extended below normal is available for sufficient access at 45.5LX29WX43 7/8H. A middle extension is available at 45.5LX29WX45 3/4H. The highest height extension of the cart is available at 45.5LX29WX48H.

  • Have a Side Storage capacity- The side storage is a bonus for you to store extra tools like towels on the side.
  • Have Roller Blade Wheels -The wheels help you move your cart around.
  • It is high capacity – It can accommodate many balls, a minimum of 100 balls.
  • It has an average storage capacity of 45.5LX29WX25.25H that you can use to store a maximum of 35 balls or fewer.
  • They are available in various colors that you can choose from. Royal blue, red, black, grey, and navy blue.

Benefits of an AcuSpike Stackable Ball Cart

1. The stackable feature provides an easy-to-use mode and helps to reduce storage space without adding more mechanical features.

2. Acuspike ball carts are designed to be sturdy, making it possible to stack them over each other. This will help in saving space.

3. The cart does not require organizing while stacking balls. It also prevents the balls from getting scattered all over the place. This will help the coach and the players to focus more on the game rather than the balls. They should spend very little time dealing with the balls and storage, and an Acuspike stackable ball cart is just what they needed.

4. Provides a convenient and safe way to stall balls.

5. Prevents possible injuries. During the game and the storing time, if the balls are all over the floor, someone can fall and get hurt.

6. Ensures maximum practicing time. If players are spending a quarter of their practicing time running to fetch balls, it interferes with the training by slowing down the process of attaining the highest skills.

7. Facilitate material protection. With the storage space reduced by the ball cart, storing the rest of the practice and training equipment and organizing them will be easy and possible.

8. Facilitate concentration during the game. Players can lose focus on what is expected of them if they take their minds off the game while running to collect the scattered balls.

Duties of a Coach

The Acuspike Stackable Ball cart greatly supports coaches by providing relief and help with their tiresome job. Coaches face a lot of challenges concerning their careers. Here are some duties performed by the coaches.

  • The coach is supposed to design game strategies used by the players.
  • The coach is also expected to schedule practice sessions.
  • They make sure to organize tools and equipment for coaching.
  • It is also expected of them to motivate the players during and after the game.
  • The coach should also set his/her goal to focus on achieving the highest scores by the players.
  • They should also highlight mistakes made by players either individually or as a team during the game.
  • It is their duty as trainers to provide solutions where possible for the players, either as a team or individually.
  • They also pinpoint each player’s weak point for the game
  • They guide players on working on their specific weak points regarding the game.
  • They note the game’s progress during training and later summarize it to the players to learn what needs to change in the subsequent training sessions.
  • They attend to the minor injuries of the players, if any, during training and give first aid to a more severe injury before rushing the victim to the hospital.

Problems Faced By the Coach Concerning Improper Storage Routine

Equipment storage exercises can be challenging, especially when you do not have sufficient storage space. The following is a list of challenges resulting from equipment storage.

Risk of Injury-There is a high chance of having an accident resulting from falling sports equipment because of improper storage routine. It is the most dangerous challenge as far as storing sports equipment is concerned. As a player or a coach, you can trip and hurt yourself on scattered tools and hurt yourself.

Damage to Equipment-Unorganized storage routine will cause damage to the equipment. For example, when large-sized equipment like poles falls on small-sized equipment like nets and balls, it will cause damage.

Time of Wastage-If the players spend so much time running around collecting dispersed balls during a training session, So much time will be invested in cleaning the mess, and in the end, you will have frustrated players who have had less time to train.

Cramped Space- Insufficient space to store tools will lead to challenges of the untidiness of your storage space. Lacking support organizers will be even worse.

Final Words

Using Acuspike trainers and tools will improve the individual skills of the players. It is as important to store your game tools as it is to train. When not in use, keeping your tools organized and safe will increase their durability. Achieving the goal of proper storage of your game tools might be difficult, but with an Acuspike stackable balls cart, you have a long-term solution for your problem.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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During the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 28, 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 21st at Daytona and clinched the regular-season championship.

“As regular-season champ,” Larson said, “I earned 15 playoff bonus points and a sweet trophy. I’m proud of winning that trophy. I’m going to display that trophy proudly, right inside a box in a storage facility.”

2. Chase Elliott: Elliott was involved in the ‘Big One’ with three laps to go when his attempt to block Matt DiBenedetto triggered a massive crash that forced the race to be red-flagged.

“My bad,” Elliott said. “If you could have read the readings of my fitness tracker, it most certainly would have said ‘Whoops!'”

3. Ryan Blaney: Blaney avoided late carnage at Daytona and took the win in an overtime finish to win the Coke Zero Sugar 400. It was Blaney’s third win of the season and second in a row, and places him second in the playoff reset.

“I feel good about playoff momentum,” Blaney said. “I’m looking forward to battling 15 drivers for the Cup, instead of avoiding 15 maniacs desperate for a win, which was the case at Daytona.”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin ran up front all night but was collected in the ‘Big One’ and limped home in 14th place.

“There were a lot of drivers out there going for broke,” Hamlin said. “If ‘broke’ was what they were going for, they certainly achieved it.

“With no wins this season, I had to qualify for the playoffs on points. As a result, I’ll start the playoffs in seventh, somewhat in a hole. And speaking of ‘a holes,’ Kyle Busch is my teammate.”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was clipped by the No. 47 car on lap 146, which sent Truex into the outside wall and back into oncoming traffic. Truex finished 30th.

“That’s par for the course at superspeedways,” Truex said. “When you have cars running nose-to-tail at speeds approaching 190 miles per hour, you’re bound to eventually have cars running nose-to-tail with a tow truck at speeds approaching 35 miles per hour.”

6. William Byron: Byron was taken out in a Lap 146 crash triggered when Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. hit Martin Truex Jr.

“Several drivers were wearing Whoop straps,” Byron said, “which is a fitness tracker. So, if you were a viewer and wanted to see drivers’ heart rates, calories burned, and other metrics, well then ‘Whoop, there it is.'”

7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was clipped after contact between Daniel Suarez and Kurt Busch triggered a multi-car crash.

“With that final playoff spot on the line,” Harvick said, “you could feel the tension in the air. In fact, you could cut it with a knife, which is also what I’d like to do to Suarez and Busch.”

8. Alex Bowman: Bowman scrapped his way back from a spin midway through the race to post an eighth-place finish.

“Olympic medalist and 200-meter world champion Noah Lyles served as grand marshal,” Bowman said. “Here’s an interesting bit of information: when Lyles takes a drug test, he pees into a ‘Sprint Cup.'”

9. Kyle Busch: Busch was taken out in a big Lap 158 crash that involved several cars. Busch finished 35th.

I’m blaming Kurt Busch and Daniel Suarez for that wreck,” Busch said. “They were just racing stupid. They should be ashamed. Heck, they shouldn’t even be allowed to show their face in Daytona again, but by the orders of Florida governor Ron DeSantis, they have to.”

10. Joey Logano: Logano suffered a late cut tire at Daytona, which forced him to pit under green. He eventually finished 24th, one lap down.

“Daytona is known as the ‘World Center Of Speed,” Logano said. “There was once a time back in the late 2000s when the Mayfield clan out of Kentucky made a claim to make that nickname their own.”

Ty Gibbs dominates en route to victory at Milwaukee Mile

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of Toyota Racing Twitter

For the first time in 14 years, the ARCA Menards Series made their return to the famous Milwaukee Mile Speedway in West Allis, Wisconsin Sunday afternoon and we saw a familiar face in victory lane as Ty Gibbs scored his ninth win of 2021.

Ty Gibbs qualified on the pole position for the eighth time this year and led every lap of the 150 lap event in the Sprecher 150 to win the event. It was his 17th career victory in the ARCA Menards Series.

“All these guys (pit crew), do so much for me and my team,” Gibbs said in victory lane. “These guys work their butts off and they want to win more than I do. That goes a lot into it (winning races). It’s just awesome, nine wins is crazy.

“I feel like it’s super cool to win here. This track has so much history. I remember being young and watching Denny Hamlin and Aric (Almirola) win here. It’s one of those things where I have to sit back and think about it (the win). I wouldn’t be here without all these guys and all of my sponsors.”

Coming into the 16th race of the 2021 ARCA season schedule, Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim were tied in the championship points standings. Gibbs had won eight times prior to Milwaukee, while Heim entered with six victories. Even with the pole position, Gibbs knew he couldn’t make a mistake with Heim running him down in the championship chase.

The Sprecher 150 was broken up into three segments with the first segment ending on Lap 50, the second on Lap 100 and the final segment ending on Lap 150.

Through the first segment break, Gibbs led every lap but had a few challengers along the way. One of those included his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith (who will compete in the ARCA Menards Series regular tour next year) behind Gibbs in second place. However, Smith would eventually be passed by the No. 21 of Daniel Dye on Lap 25, halfway to the race break.

Unfortunately, for the GMS Racing development driver Dye, he slid back to fifth in the running order just before the first segment ended.

As the second segment began, Gibbs had new contenders to deal with including championship favorite Corey Heim who overtook Smith for second place on Lap 54. Although, Dye fought his way back to the second position on Lap 85.

Even with the new challengers, Gibbs remained unmatched and led through the second segment that ended on Lap 100.

One of the most interesting moments during the race came on Lap 118 when the only natural caution occurred. The caution came as the No. 12 of Stephanie Moyer was spun by the No. 20 of Heim coming off Turn 2. Afterward, Heim had some minor damage but later reported the car was down on power.

With Heim facing challenges of his own, Gibbs knew it was his race to lose at this point. However, following the Lap 123 restart, NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Sam Mayer moved into second and began a rally on Gibbs in the final 20 laps. Mayer though was only able to get within 0.516 of Gibbs while chasing him down.

Even though Mayer did all he could to catch race leader Gibbs, the victory ultimately went to Ty Gibbs and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team for the ninth time this season. The victory also marked the third time in 2021 that Gibbs has led every lap in an ARCA Menards Series race. Mayer, Dye, Gray and Smith rounded out the top five finishers.

ARCA Menards East Series Champion, Mayer, finished second to earn the 21st top-five finish of his ARCA career.

“This place is really fun, I’ve never got to run here before today,” Mayer said. “I wish I would have got to a long time ago, this place is pretty awesome. I’m looking forward to hopefully ARCA coming back here next year and do a one-off race with these guys again because this place is just that fun.

“NASCAR needs to come here, this place will put on a show for sure.”

Daniel Dye in the No. 21 GMS machine completed the podium finish for the third time this season.

“It was really cool trying to figure out the air,” Dye said about the third place finish. “It was fun racing Sam, and him trying to reel in Ty. (Crew chief) Chad Bryant and the GMS Racing group brought a great Solar-Fit, Heise LED Chevy. Milwaukee’s a flat race track and this was the first time I’ve ever been on a flat race track, so I had a lot of fun. Jeff Green did awesome spotting for me and helped out a lot as well. Honestly can’t wait for Bristol, being a track I’ve actually raced at before unlike every other start I’ve had in this 21 car.”

Gibbs led all 150 laps from pole position en route to victory. There were three cautions for 14 laps.

Official Results following the Sprecher 150 at Milwaukee Mile:

  1. Ty Gibbs, led 150 laps
  2. Sam Mayer
  3. Daniel Dye
  4. Taylor Gray
  5. Sammy Smith
  6. Corey Heim
  7. Jesse Love
  8. Joey Iest
  9. Thad Moffitt
  10. Gracie Trotter
  11. Parker Retzlaff
  12. Nick Sanchez
  13. Rajah Caruth
  14. Ron Vandermeir Jr, 1 lap down
  15. Max Gutierrez, 2 laps down
  16. Connor Mosack, 3 laps down
  17. Alex Clubb, 7 laps down
  18. Jason Miles, 9 laps down
  19. Mason Diaz, 10 laps down
  20. Stephanie Moyer, 11 laps down
  21. Eric Caudell, OUT, Radiator
  22. Brad Smith, OUT, Handling
  23. Tony Cosentino, OUT, Vibration
  24. Arnout Kok, OUT, Did Not Start

Up Next: The ARCA Menards Series will head to DuQuoin State Fairgrounds for the annual Southern Illinois 100 Sunday, Sept. 5, and will air live on MAV TV at 9 p.m./ET.

Newman Powers to Fourth in Wild Daytona Ending

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 29, 2021) – 400 miles once again proved to not be quite enough at Daytona International Speedway as Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 went into NASCAR Overtime. Ryan Newman made the most of the extra laps and powered to a fourth-place run.

Several late pileups collected a large part of the field, but Newman kept the nose of his Coke Zero Sugar Ford Mustang clean, ultimately weaving through the last-lap chaos to record his second top-five finish of the season. The run marked his best Daytona finish since the 2008 Daytona 500 win, and seventh top-10 at ‘The World Center of Racing.’

Newman employed a familiar Superspeedway strategy, keeping his Ford near the rear of the field for much of the evening. After rolling off 23rd for the scheduled 160-lap event, Newman started his strategy play, rounding out 29th by the end of the first stage at lap 50.

The second segment saw just one yellow flag, but was otherwise fairly quick as Newman maintained his position in 29th, setting up a dramatic final 60 laps. After restarting 34th at lap 105, he joined his Ford Performance teammates on pit road at lap 124 for a fuel-only stop, and benefitted from the strategy as a majority of the field hadn’t pitted by the next yellow just 16 laps later.

Newman would restart inside the top-15 before a multi-car pileup sent the race to red flag conditions at lap 145. He made it through unscathed and pitted one final time once the race went back to yellow, and slowly inched his way towards the front over the final few laps, ultimately driving to a fourth-place run.

Darlington Raceway is the next stop for the NASCAR Cup Series, which hosts its annual fall event next Sunday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

DiBenedetto’s Bid for Daytona Win Ends With Late-Race Crash

By
Official Release
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Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Menards/Dutch Boy team put themselves in position to win Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, but their involvement in a late-race, multi-car crash knocked them out of contention for a win and the Playoff berth that would have come with it.

DiBenedetto and the Menards/Dutch Boy team earned the ninth starting spot for Saturday’s regular season finale and took the green flag in seventh place. The team’s strategy called for playing defense early on, so they rode near the back of the pack for most of the first two Stages, hoping to avoid damage to their No. 21 Mustang.

Those plans worked as he finished 27th in both Stages but had an unblemished Mustang to put to work in the final segment of the race.

DiBenedetto and his fellow Ford drivers were able to leapfrog to the front after the Blue Oval contingent made their final pit stops under the green flag on Lap 123.

When the caution flag flew on Lap 141 and their competitors drove to pit road, the Fords cycled to the front, with DiBenedetto lining up in fourth place for the restart.

His outside line didn’t advance, and he dropped to seventh place but had recovered to sixth place when the next caution flag – and eventually the red flag – flew.

Back under green, DiBenedetto initially dropped to the back of the top 10 as the outside line didn’t keep pace, but he worked his way into the lead with four of the scheduled 160 laps left to run.

But his chances for victory ended there after contact with Chase Elliott took him out of contention and brought out a caution flag that extended the race into Overtime.

DiBenedetto recovered to finish 26th as the race ended under caution for another multi-car crash.

“Our strategy going into the race was to be smart and be there when it counted,” DiBenedetto said. “We worked on the car, got it right and had a shot at winning.”

DiBenedetto said he wasn’t surprised when Elliott moved to block him as the Menards/Dutch Boy Mustang surged forward.

“We had prepared for that exact scenario,” he said. “We had a good push and a huge run.

“We were all racing for the win, so there are no hard feelings. But [Elliott] double blocked us, and we had too big a run for him to do that.”

Despite being disappointed by the outcome, DiBenedetto’s focus remained on the positives.

“No regrets,” he said. “We did everything right.

“Our Menards/Dutch Boy team should be proud. We’ll take our good momentum and go get a win.”

DiBenedetto and the No. 21 team now head to Darlington Raceway for next Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500.

Menards

A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

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.

Unibet Racing: Kevin Harvick Daytona Race Report

By
Official Release
-

Accident Leaves Harvick 15th at Daytona
Driver of No. 4 Unibet Ford Mustang Still Playoff Bound

Date: Aug. 28, 2021
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (50 laps/50 laps/60 laps)
Start/Finish: 11th / 15th (Running, completed 165 of 165 laps)
Point Standing: 9th (777 points, 249 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS)
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 160-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-50):

● Kevin Harvick started 11th and finished 27th.
● Harvick wheeled his No. 4 Unibet Ford Mustang around the low line of the 2.5-mile oval, climbing to seventh by lap three.
● Harvick opted for the high line on lap four and promptly rose to third.
● A dive back down to the low line off turn two on lap seven enabled Harvick to take the lead from William Byron
● Harvick held the top spot for two laps until Byron reassumed the lead.
● Harvick was 15th when the competition caution came out on lap 20, whereupon he pitted for four tires and fuel.
● Lined up 22nd for lap-26 restart.
● Harvick held steady at the back of the lead pack through the end of the stage, ultimately finishing 27th.
● “Balance is fine,” said Harvick. “I’ve just got to get in a better spot.”
● Harvick pitted for four tires and fuel at the end of the stage, and then pitted again to top off with fuel before the start of the second stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51-100):

● Harvick started 31st and finished 12th.
● Harvick climbed to 16th by lap 65 while utilizing the high line.
● The No. 4 Unibet Ford Mustang withstood a shot in the rear bumper when cars got stacked up on lap 77 and caused an accident.
● Harvick was able to keep his car steady and he took advantage of the caution to pit for four tires and fuel on lap 80.
● Lined up 18th for lap-82 restart and climbed to 12th before the end of the stage.
● Pitted for right-side tires and fuel at the end of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 101-165):

● Harvick started third and finished 15th.
● The No. 4 Unibet Ford Mustang took the lead on lap 108, swapped it with Chase Elliott on lap 109 before Harvick re-took the lead on lap 110. Joey Logano then assumed the top spot on lap 111.
● The jockeying up front was intense. Harvick kept his head, running the inside lane and dropping to eighth on lap 118.
● By lap 120, Harvick was back up to fifth, using the inside lane to make his way toward the front.
● Made scheduled, green flag pit stop for fuel only on lap 123 with fellow Ford drivers.
● Was 28th when the caution flag waved on lap 140 for a four-car accident off turn four.
● Harvick stayed out to gain some track position, restarting in eighth on lap 145.
● The caution flag waved again on lap 147 for a multicar accident on the backstretch that happened just behind Harvick.
● Harvick lined up 12th for the lap-151 restart.
● An 11-car melee erupted off turn four on lap 158, but Harvick deftly maneuvered through the chaos and came out unscathed.
● Harvick was fifth for the lap-164 restart as the race was set to go into overtime with a green-white-checkered finish.
● Harvick used the draft to his advantage and was third going into the final lap with momentum pushing him toward the lead.
● A bump from the car behind him while in turn three on the final lap sent Harvick spinning. The Unibet Ford Mustang bounced off the wall and into other cars. Harvick was able re-fire his machine and limp what was left of it across the finish line to bring home a 15th-place result as the last car on the lead lap.

Notes:

● Harvick qualified for the playoffs by virtue of his ninth-place finish in the regular-season standings.
● This is Harvick’s 12th consecutive playoff appearance and his 15th overall. He won the championship in 2014.
● Harvick led three times for four laps, increasing his laps led total at Daytona to 283.
● Harvick has now led 11,250 laps since joining SHR in 2014. He has led 15,674 laps in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career.
● Ryan Blaney won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 to score his seventh career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his third of the season and his first at Daytona. His margin over second-place Chris Buescher was .773 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 711th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its second straight. Ford driver Blaney also won the series’ prior race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
● This was Ford’s series-leading 39th win at Daytona. Ford scored its first win at the track with Tiny Lund on Feb. 24, 1963.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 31 laps.
● Only 16 of the 40 drivers in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 finished on the lead lap.
● Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship.

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

“I didn’t see anything. I got hit in the left-rear quarterpanel and then we wrecked a lot, but everybody on our Unibet Ford Mustang did a good job. We had a shot there at the end and that’s all you can ask, and just wound up in a wreck.”

Playoff Standings:

  1. Kyle Larson (2,052 points)
  2. Ryan Blaney (2,024 points, -28)
  3. Martin Truex Jr. (2,024 points, -28)
  4. Kyle Busch (2,022 points, -30)
  5. Chase Elliott (2,021 points, -31)
  6. Alex Bowman (2,015 points, -37)
  7. Denny Hamlin (2,015 points, -37)
  8. William Byron (2,014 points, -38)
  9. Joey Logano (2,013 points, -39)
  10. Brad Keselowski (2,008 points, -44)
  11. Kurt Busch (2,008 points, -44)
  12. Christopher Bell (2,005 points, -47)
  13. Michael McDowell (2,005 points, -47)
  14. Aric Almirola (2,005 points, -47)
  15. Tyler Reddick (2,003 points, -49)
  16. Kevin Harvick (2,002 points, -50)

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 5 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The first race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Mobil 1 Racing: Chase Briscoe Daytona Race Report

By
Official Release
-

Briscoe Finishes 21st at Daytona
Mobil 1 Driver Caught Up in Last-Lap Accident

Date: Aug. 28, 2021
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway(2.5-mile oval)
Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (50 laps/50 laps/60 laps)
Start/Finish: 16th / 21st (Accident, completed 164 of 165 laps)
Point Standing: 22nd (466 points, 561 out of first)
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 160-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-50):

● Chase Briscoe started 16th and finished 22nd.
● At the start of the race, Briscoe radioed that he felt the Mobil 1 Ford Mustang was bottoming out, and he slipped outside the top-20.
● Briscoe was back inside the top-10 and scored eighth by the lap-20 competition caution. He pitted during the caution for fuel only, telling the team his handling was great. No adjustments were made, and he restarted ninth on lap 26.
● As the race returned to green, Briscoe made the decision to move to the second pack of cars with his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick to avoid the “dicey racing” happening in the front pack.
● He was as far back as 27th on lap 30 but made his way up to 22nd by the end of the first stage. Briscoe pitted the Mobil 1 Ford for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments at the break and restarted 22nd for the second stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51-100):

● Briscoe started 22nd and finished 21st.
● He restarted 22nd on lap 56 but gained seven positions on the first green-flag lap to enter the top-15. On lap 72, he worked his way into the top-10.
● A second line of cars began to develop in the bottom lane, shuffling Briscoe back to the 14th position when the caution flag waved on lap 78.
● Briscoe lined up 13th for the lap-82 restart and remained in the top-15 until lap 91 when he was scored 21st. He maintained that position until the conclusion of the second stage on lap 100.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 101-165):

● Briscoe started 20th and finished 21st.
● The Mobil 1 driver ran as high as seventh before pulling out of line to go to the back of the pack on lap 122.
● On lap 123, the Ford drivers made a scheduled green-flag pit stop for fuel only. When the No. 2 car lost the pack, Briscoe fell back to become his drafting partner and was scored in 35th once back up to speed.
● When the yellow flag came out on lap 141, Briscoe was able to take the wave-around and rejoin the lead lap. He restarted 30th on lap 145.
● On lap 147, Briscoe was nearly clear of a multicar wreck, but a car came back down the track and made contact with his No. 14 Ford Mustang, causing heavy damage. The team made two stops for repairs and restarted 27th on lap 151.
● Briscoe made it through the next caution period on lap 158 and lined up 14th for the first overtime attempt. As the field approached the checkered flag, Briscoe was running just outside the top-10 but was collected in the final multicar accident. He was unable to complete the final lap and was scored 21st, one lap down.

Notes:

● Briscoe was the highest finishing NASCAR Cup Series rookie for the 22nd time this season.

● Ryan Blaney won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 to score his seventh career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his third of the season and his first at Daytona. His margin over second-place Chris Buescher was .773 of a second.

● This was Ford’s 711th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its second straight. Ford driver Blaney also won the series’ prior race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

● This was Ford’s series-leading 39th win at Daytona. Ford scored its first win at the track with Tiny Lund on Feb. 24, 1963.

● There were eight caution periods for a total of 31 laps.

● Only 16 of the 40 drivers in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 finished on the lead lap.

● Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“I’m not even really sure what happened at the end, but we had a really good Mobil 1 Ford Mustang, and I really felt like we’d have a shot. We just had trouble getting to pit road for the green-flag stop, and then we were so far behind. I thought we got a break when we got the wave-around chance, but then the wrecking started, and we just couldn’t avoid it. It’s tough, I thought we’d have shot, but we still have plenty of time to get a win before the season is done.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 5, at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The first race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Daytona Race Report

By
Official Release
-

Almirola Finishes 14th at Daytona
Smithfield Ford Driver Advances to NASCAR Playoffs for Fourth Straight Season

Date: Aug. 28, 2021
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway(2.5-mile oval)
Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (50 laps/50 laps/60 laps)
Start/Finish: 11th / 14th (Running, completed 165 of 165 laps)
Point Standing: 23rd with 458 regular season points; 2,005 points in Playoff Standings, 47 out of first – IN THE PLAYOFFS
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 160-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-60):

● Aric Almirola started 19th and finished 23rd.
● The No. 10 Smithfield Ford driver fell out of the draft at the beginning of the race and said he was sliding the tires and laying on the splitter.
● Almirola pitted during a caution on lap 23 for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments.
● On lap 44, he radioed that he needed the rear of the car down more to improve drivability.
● At the end of the stage, he pitted for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments, then pitted again for more fuel.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51-100):

● Almirola started 29th and finished 22nd.
● On lap 65, Almirola told the Smithfield team that the adjustments made the car much better.
● Almirola was scored 17th on lap 72.
● On lap 77, Almirola was forced to check up due to multiple cars making contact on the inside line, ultimately spinning his car out of control and causing right-rear damage.
● Almirola pitted three times to repair the damage to make the racecar competitive.
● The No. 10 team pitted again at the end of the stage for four tires, fuel and more repairs to the right rear.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 101-165):

● Almirola started 35th and finished 14th.
● On lap 116, Almirola cracked the top-10 when the inside line began to gain momentum.
● Almirola pitted for fuel only under green on lap 123. He was scored 28th when he returned to the track.
● Almirola restarted third. He led the inside lane on lap 142 but was shuffled out to the bottom lane a lap later and fell to the rear.
● On lap 147, Almirola avoided a multicar accident that brought out the red flag.
● He pitted for four tires and fuel, and then restarted 19th.
● Another caution was thrown on lap 158, putting the race in overtime. Almirola avoided the incident and pitted for two tires and fuel under caution.
● Almirola restarted 19th and aggressively drove inside the top-20. Another multicar accident forced the Smithfield Ford driver to slam on the breaks and avoid as much contact as possible, and he crossed the finish line 14th.

Notes:

● Almirola qualified for the playoffs by winning July 18 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.
● Almirola takes five bonus points into the playoffs via his win at New Hampshire.
● This is Almirola’s fifth playoff appearance and his fourth in a row.
● Ryan Blaney won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 to score his seventh career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his third of the season and his first at Daytona. His margin over second-place Chris Buescher was .773 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 711th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its second straight. Ford driver Blaney also won the series’ prior race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
● This was Ford’s series-leading 39th win at Daytona. Ford scored its first win at the track with Tiny Lund on Feb. 24, 1963.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 31 laps.
● Only 16 of the 40 drivers in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 finished on the lead lap.
● Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship.

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“It was just one of those days. It was an up-and-down day. We definitely fought really hard to get track position, and I finally got it there at the end. I made a move to pull out on the restart. I thought the No. 41 might go with me, and I misjudged and kind of got hung out there on the bottom. Excited to move on to the playoffs and make a run for the championship.”

Playoff Standings:

  1. Kyle Larson (2,052 points)
  2. Ryan Blaney (2,024 points, -28)
  3. Martin Truex Jr. (2,024 points, -28)
  4. Kyle Busch (2,022 points, -30)
  5. Chase Elliott (2,021 points, -31)
  6. Alex Bowman (2,015 points, -37)
  7. Denny Hamlin (2,015 points, -37)
  8. William Byron (2,014 points, -38)
  9. Joey Logano (2,013 points, -39)
  10. Brad Keselowski (2,008 points, -44)
  11. Kurt Busch (2,008 points, -44)
  12. Christopher Bell (2,005 points, -47)
  13. Michael McDowell (2,005 points, -47)
  14. Aric Almirola (2,005 points, -47)
  15. Tyler Reddick (2,003 points, -49)
  16. Kevin Harvick (2,002 points, -50)

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 5, at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The first race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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