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Event Preview: Lizards Join GT America Championship at Road America

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif., (August 23, 2021) — Following a successful test session at Road America last week, Flying Lizard Motorsport will return to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for their first weekend back in the GT America championship since March. Coming back to the series with a two-car effort, the Lizards will have both Andy Wilzoch in the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R, and Memo Gidley in the No. 101 Bentley Continental GT3 as TKO Motorsport with Flying Lizard.

“Our test went very well, and we’re excited to see how our drivers and cars stack up against the competition,” said Program Manager and Team Principal Darren Law. “Since we’ve joined mid-season, we know we’re not in any championship battles, but GT America provides a great space for bronze drivers to race each other competitively and grow with every race.”

Andy Wilzoch participated in his first GT America race earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas, winning race one in the Masters class and finishing second in race two. He holds several wins over the last few years at Road America in the former Porsche Trophy West Series and will be a strong contender this weekend.

The event will mark the team’s first debut with the No. 101 Bentley Continental GT3, having recently purchased it from sister team, K-PAX Racing. Gidley and the team participated in a two-day private test with other teams, getting a sufficient amount laps in to prepare for the upcoming event.

Before the race weekend festivities begin, the series under the SRO umbrella will host a parade through Elkhart Lake, and welcome party downtown at Siebkens Resort on Thursday, August 26, starting at 5:00 PM CT.

A total of 26 cars will compete in the doubleheader this weekend, with sessions beginning Friday afternoon before qualifying and racing on Saturday and Sunday. Both 40-minute races will stream live on YouTube.com/GTWorld, and live timing will be available for all sessions. The event will be open to the public, and the series will host an autograph session at 10:30 AM on Saturday in the paddock, location TBA. For all updates, fans are recommended to follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Event Schedule | All Times U.S. Central
Friday, August 27
8:40 AM – 9:05 AM Bronze Test
9:05 AM – 9:35 AM GT America Practice 1
1:35 PM – 2:05 PM GT America Practice 2

Saturday, August 28
10:10 AM – 10:25 AM GT America Qualifying
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM GT America
4:15 PM – 4:55 PM GT America Race 1

Sunday, August 29
8:30 AM – 9:10 AM GT America Race 2

About TKO
TKO Motorsports designs, manufactures, installs and races our own proprietary line of track proven, street legal performance products. Since 2008 TKO Motorsports of Reno, NV has produced some of the most extreme custom built, street legal cars in the world. Follow us as we expand into the retail market with a new line of off-the-shelf TKO parts and accessories.

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

Landon Cassill Joins Gaunt Brothers Racing for Superspeedway Races at Daytona and Talladega

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Official Release
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Veteran Driver Will Pilot the No. 96 Carnomaly Toyota Camry

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 23, 2021) – Veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver Landon Cassill will be behind the wheel of the No. 96 Carnomaly Toyota Camry for Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) at this season’s remaining superspeedway races – Saturday night’s regular-season finale at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Oct. 3 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Carnomaly, the world’s leading automotive crypto company with an eye on revolutionizing the future of the automotive industry, will serve as the primary partner for Cassill in both races.

“I’m proud to bring Carnomaly into the sport and into the NASCAR Cup Series,” Cassill said. “They’ve been a great partner of mine and eRacr, which is the esports arm of what I do with Parker Kligerman. We put on big events on iRacing and Carnomaly was the sponsor of an event earlier this year called the Carnomaly 500, which was at Daytona on iRacing. I’m really looking forward to bringing Carnomaly to real racetracks at Daytona and Talladega with Gaunt Brothers Racing.”

For Carnomaly, whose fleet of tech solutions is designed to bring digital innovation to the automotive industry through the power of blockchain and crypto technology, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona will be its first appearance as a primary team partner in NASCAR. Through the company’s innovation, Carnomaly is on a path to change the way consumers buy, sell, shop, report and finance new or used vehicles.

“I’m incredibly excited about the partnership with Landon Cassill and Gaunt Brothers Racing,” said Scott Heninger, Founder and CEO, Carnomaly. “Landon is at the forefront of cryptocurrency’s use in the auto racing industry. He’s the perfect partner to team up with on this endeavor in order to further revolutionize the auto finance industry and expand our consumer base.”

Cassill is currently competing fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JD Motorsports. The 32-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was the Xfinity Series’ rookie of the year in 2008 and has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2010.

“Marty Gaunt is someone who I’ve always believed in,” Cassill said. “We’ve had a really good relationship for a long time and we’ve talked about working together many times over the years. This is really good timing and a perfect opportunity to get in his No. 96 Toyota Camry and see what we can do.”

Gaunt Brothers Racing was founded in 2010 and began in the Canada-based NASCAR Pinty’s Series and the U.S.-based NASCAR K&N Pro Series. After seven years competing in NASCAR’s development divisions, Gaunt Brothers Racing stepped up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017.

“Landon and I have often talked about finding a way to work together. He’s a scrappy, determined racer and I’m thrilled to finally have him in our racecar,” said Marty Gaunt, President, Gaunt Brothers Racing. “Daytona and Talladega are two tracks where it’s supremely important to stay out of trouble and be there at the end for any chance at success, and that’s one of Landon’s strong suits. Being able to bring Landon back to the Cup Series while introducing Carnomaly to our sport is something we take a lot of pride in.”

About Carnomaly:

Carnomaly is the world’s leading automotive crypto company and the future of the automotive industry. Their fleet of tech solutions will bring digital innovation to the automotive industry through the power of blockchain and crypto technology. Through their innovation, they will change the way consumers buy, sell, shop, report and finance new or used vehicles. For more information, visit Carnomaly.

About Gaunt Brothers Racing:

Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) fields the No. 96 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team is owned by Marty Gaunt, the CEO of Triad Racing. Gaunt founded GBR in 2010, with his eponymous team starting out in the Canada-based NASCAR Pinty’s Series and the U.S.-based NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Its first driver, Jason Bowles, scored GBR’s maiden victory in the 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in California, with the precursor to that win being the pole position in track-record time at the 2011 Streets of Toronto 100. After seven years competing in NASCAR’s development divisions, Gaunt stepped up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017. For more information, visit the team website at www.GauntBrothersRacing.com, or its social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Launch of the New Motul 300V at 24H of Le Mans

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Official Release
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From racing, to high-performance cars, one name has been synonymous with success for the last 50 years – Motul 300V. This product was born out of Motul’s never-ending pursuit of perpetual movement. Today, Motul launches a new and improved version of its flagship product, with a new formulation pushing again the boundaries of performance. The new Motul 300V is revealed for the 24h of Le Mans, the most iconic racing event in the world.

Launched in 1971, Motul 300V was developed to help racing teams accomplish maximum performance and reliability out of their engines, the holy grail of motorsport. Its name is a tribute to the 300 racing victories achieved by the time of its launch – but Motul 300V has gone on to help countless more motorsport legends to victory.

Over the following decades, Motul has continuously perfected its flagship product and today, Motul 300V continues to propel the world’s top teams to podium glory. From Le Mans to high-performance cars, Drift Masters to Dakar rally, it has proved itself to be a game changing lubricant in the paddocks of top racing.

Fifty years after its first launch, Motul is proud to unveil the latest evolution of its benchmark lubricant: the new Motul 300V range.

The new Motul 300V brings many improvements:

  • Improved performance: The new Motul 300V racing oil improves your engine performance by reducing internal friction. This new formulation ensures proven power and torque gains across the whole power band.
  • Better reliability: Motul 300V protects your engine without compromising performance, by providing high shear stability for maximal oil film resistance, even in most extreme conditions.
  • Improved compatibility: Motul 300V now fulfills modern engine requirements: compatible with exhaust gas after-treatment systems such as particulate filters, compatible with biofuels (especially Ethanol) and protects against LSPI (on downsized engines).
  • More sustainable: Motul 300V features Organic base stocks using non-fossil renewable materials limiting the environmental impact and allows Motul to lower its carbon footprint by 25% during manufacturing process.

The range is split in 3 major series:

Power
POWER series features the lightest viscosity grades, available from 0W-8 to 5W-30, brings the maximum power and can cope with engines subject to low oil fuel dilution.

Competition
COMPETITION series features our mid viscosity grades, available from 0W-40 to 15W-50, brings the best compromise between power and reliability, and can cope with engines subject to mid oil fuel dilution.

Le Mans
New generation of 300V Le Mans series offers the maximum engine reliability possible and is now available in 10W-60 and 20W-60 viscosities. It is perfect for extreme motorsport applications such as endurance racing and drifting. Adding to the uniqueness of these products is the fact that they are the only engine oils worldwide bearing the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans name.

A launch at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2021:

The brand new Motul 300V is launched during the 24h of Le Mans, the most gruelling endurance race of the year and probably the most iconic of all.

Besides powering most of the LMP2 teams on the grid, including 2020 category winners United Autosports, Motul is proud to be the official lubricant partner of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, which had the opportunity to test the new Motul 300V and share their excitement about the new product.

Jim Glickenhaus, the Founder of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus said: “The new Motul 300V makes a gigantic difference. In challenging racing conditions, the engine often gets stretched to its limits, therefore we need a reliable lubricant which will make the engine able to continue the race. The new Motul 300V is exactly that. We have full confidence in this lubricant.”

About Motul

Motul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity.

Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Motul 300V.

Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for teams in: Road racing, Trials, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World GT1, 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans Series, Andros Trophy, Paris-Dakar, 8 Hours of Suzuka, Bol d’Or, Daytona 200-mile motorcycle race.

MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd
1A International Business Park, #06-03
Singapore 609933
www.motul.com

One Spot! One Shot! Final NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Position up for Grabs During This Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway

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Official Release
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5 Drivers Can Enter the Post Season with a Triumph in “Last-Chance” Race, Including Four Former Daytona Champions

Entering the summer classic, NASCAR’s regular season finale, 15 drivers have secured their position in NASCAR’s Playoffs, but on the outside looking in, are another 15 drivers, who, with a win, can automatically punch their ticket towards a championship run in NASCAR’s premier series. Four of those 15 competitors trying to nudge their way into the mix are former Daytona Champions.

The man currently in the hot seat in 16th is Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick. His teammate, 2018 DAYTONA 500 Champion Austin Dillon, sits 17th, 25 points behind Reddick. Both still have the opportunity to get in via points, IF one of the other 13 non-winning ’21 drivers doesn’t go to Ruoff Victory Lane in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, set for a green flag start at 7 p.m. ET.

How determined will Austin Dillon be to win the Coke Zero Sugar 400? “Very,” said the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet, who was in contention to win at Michigan International Speedway Sunday before a mid-race accident with Brad Keselowski.

Meanwhile, the battle the regular season points championship is still on-going with five-time winner Kyle Larson and three-time DAYTONA 500 Champion Denny Hamlin, who is still winless in 2021 and trails Larson by 28 points.

“We’ll just try to get every point that we can and go for the win. We’ll do everything we can,” said Hamlin of this weekend’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona’s 2.5-mile tri-oval.

Here are the Playoff scenarios entering the Coke Zero Sugar 400:

Already Clinched
The 15 drivers who have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Larson, Hamlin (points), Kyle Busch, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick (points), Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola.

Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Hamlin or Harvick.

  • Reddick: Will clinch with 31 points
  • Dillon: Can only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Reddick, Dillon, Matt DiBenedetto, Chris Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Briscoe, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Newman, Ryan Preece, Cole Custer, Anthony Alfredo, Corey LaJoie. Dillon, Stenhouse, Jr., Joes and Newman are former Champions at Daytona.

Can Clinch Regular Season Championship
Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched by the following drivers:

  • Larson: Will clinch with 32 points
  • Hamlin: Can only clinch with help

Fans can purchase tickets starting at $49 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Those fans can also purchase access to the UNOH Fanzone for $60. Here, fans can participate in events before the race. This includes, but is not limited to, the return of the traditional Coke Zero Sugar 400 Pre-Race Concert featuring Chris Lane, pre-race ceremonies, driver introductions, access to the large grass ballfield, signing the start/finish line through the middle of the 18-degree, banked trioval. Also scheduled is LIVE entertainment on the main UNOH Fanzone Stage, including Fan Q&A, which includes (scheduled) Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Bubba Wallace, Danie Suarez and two-time DAYTONA winning crew chief Drew Blickensderfer. Fans can also get photos with the winning trophies of the weekend in Ruoff Mortgage Victory Lane.

Tickets to Friday’s (Aug. 27) Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, which is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET green flag start, begins at $35 for adults and FREE for kids 12 and under. Access to the UNOH Fanzone will be available before this race as well! A Two-Day Pass is available which includes access to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, and the Wawa 250 on Friday. These passes start at $69 for adults. Fan Q&A is also scheduled for Friday and will include Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson, Haley, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Allgaier.

For ticket information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway and see the latest speedway news on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

Buescher Powers Castrol Ford to 15th-Place Finish at Michigan

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Official Release
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Brooklyn, Michigan (August 22, 2021) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Chris Buescher battled his way to a 15th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at at Michigan International Speedway – picking up the final position on the last lap of the 200-lap event. Buescher spent much of the day patiently working his No. 17 Castrol Ford Mustang through the field, ultimately earning his second top-15 finish in the past two weeks.

“We had good speed in our Castrol Ford Mustang,” said Buescher after the race. “Clean air was pretty much the key, but we survived a couple of close calls at the end there and ended up with a pretty descent finish. We wanted more, but not a bad run today.”

Buescher started the race 11th, but after struggling with the Ford’s handling early he dropped back to 25th by the end of the race’s first stage. Buescher would run as low as 29th by lap 70, but moved back inside the top 20 just after the start of the race’s third and final stage. Working an alternate pit strategy, Buescher moved all the way to second position before pitting for the final time on lap 169.

The strategy proved successful, with the No. 17 Castrol Ford never running outside the top 16 again, and Buescher survived a pair of late cautions to bring home the 15th-place finish.

The team returns to action next week at Daytona International Speedway, for the regular-season finale.

Late Incident Derails Newman’s Run in Michigan

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Official Release
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BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 22, 2021) – Ryan Newman navigated a chaotic race at Michigan International Speedway for the majority of Sunday’s 400-mile race at the track with an eye on a top-ten result, but a large pileup with just 13 laps to go collected the veteran driver and relegated him to a 24th-place finish.

Newman began the day from the 16th position in his ITsavvy Ford Mustang, and maintained that position through the early laps even with two cautions in the first 30 laps of the day. With changing track conditions as weather threatened the area, he would ease into a 23rd-place finish in the opening stage.

Restarts were a strength for the No. 6 team throughout the afternoon, and Newman jumped up ten positions on the start of the second stage. With a long green flag run bracketing the stage, crew chief Scott Graves played the long game strategy to set the team up for the end of the race by pitting just before the end of the segment – which Newman finished 22nd.

The strategy paid off for the team, as Newman restarted for the third and final stage in the 10th position. He again showed great short run speed, jumping as high as fifth in the opening laps of the segment. Fresher tires back in the field eventually evened out, with Newman fading to just inside the top-15 by the time a caution came out for rain with just 20 laps to go in the event.

Restarting with just under 15 laps to go, Newman once again surged forward on the green flag. The ITsavvy Mustang looked poised to secure a second consecutive top ten finish, but a large pileup triggered just ahead of the No. 6 and collected the Indiana native. The team was able to repair much of the damage, but Newman had to start from the rear of the field with only a handful of laps remaining. He would pick off several positions in the closing laps, netting a 24th-place finish.

The team returns to action next week at Daytona International Speedway for the regular-season finale. Race coverage is set for 7 p.m. ET on NBC and MRN, and can also be heard on SiriusXM Channel 90.

BLANEY WINS AT MICHIGAN, MARKS 7TH WIN IN A ROW FOR FORD PERFORMANCE

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Official Release
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*Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images.

BROOKLYN, MI – August 23, 2021 – Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines won their seventh straight NASCAR Cup race at Michigan International Speedway with Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in the FireKeepers Casino 400. This was Blaney’s second win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Season and Ford retained the Michigan Heritage Trophy, presented to the winning manufacturer at the 2-mile track.

“This is such a big deal for our company, for our employees,” said Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance. “To come here and race in front of all of our employees and their friends and families and have Ryan go get that win with Team Penske and Roush Yates power. We are taking the Heritage Trophy back to Dearborn.”

“Congratulations to Ford, Ryan, Todd, Roger, and the entire No. 12 crew for the strong finish and making it 7 wins in a row at Michigan,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “We have always strived to finish strong at Michigan and this year was no exception. We are thankful for the continued leadership and commitment from Ford Motor Company and honored to power these Mustangs.”

Blaney started the race in third position but was quickly shuffled to mid-pack at the start of the race. Blaney and the No. 12 team continued to make adjustments and finished stage 1 & 2 just outside of the top 10. There were 20 lead changes throughout the race and the last half of the race came down to pit strategy and race execution. With 20 laps remaining, there was a brief caution for rain and another following a 7-car incident with 14 to go. With 8 laps remaining, Blaney was able to take the lead and hold off the hard charging second position by 0.077 seconds.

“We come up here every year and know it is important to the Blue Oval and the Ford family and Mr. Penske as well. It is a really big race for all of our group including the Penske side. To have Edsel here, I haven’t seen Edsel in over a year so it was great to have him out. I am excited to get him in victory lane. Everyone from Ford does so much for us. It really is a big family and I am just happy to be a part of it.” commented Blaney.

Matt DiBenedetto with Wood Brothers Racing finished P6, Brad Keselowski with Team Penske in P9, and Chase Briscoe with Stewart-Haas Racing finished P11.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series raced on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway while Ford Performance teammates finished in the top 12 as Riley Herbst with Stewart-Haas Racing finished in P7 and Ryan Sieg with RSS Racing finished P12.

NASCAR Cup and Xfinity series will race at Daytona International Speedway this upcoming weekend. This race will be the last regular season race for the Cup series while the Xfinity series has 4 remaining prior to the playoffs. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola, and Kevin Harvick have clinched a spot in the playoffs.

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Kody King Earns First Stock Car Victory

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Official Release
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Kody King earned his first full-bodied stock car triumph Saturday at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Kody King Racing Photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – (Aug. 23, 2021) – Kody King secured his first victory in a full-bodied stock car Saturday evening by earning a visit to victory lane at Iowa’s Hawkeye Down Speedway.

King, racing in the Hawkeye Downs Late Model division, started the evening by qualifying fourth overall. He then drove to victory in his heat race, which led to a third-place starting position in the 25-lap main event.

The Iowa driver wasted little time, taking the lead on the second lap. He led the remainder of the distance, though it wasn’t without drama as a pair of cautions with 12 and four laps left made King work for it.

King was able to survive both restarts, emerging from a final four-lap shootout to secure his first late model victory as he prepares for a full season of racing in 2022 with Lee Faulk Racing and Development.

“I’m so excited, this means so much to me,” said the 14-year-old King, who just returned to racing after breaking two bones in his left wrist in a moped accident. “That last restart really had me worried, but I took everything I’ve learned up to this point and made sure I got the best restart I could and it worked out.

“Thanks to my family for sticking behind after my injury and thanks to Port City Racecars, Northern Racing Products, Wiley X and MPM Marketing for the support. We’ve got a few more races this year, so hopefully we can win a few more races before the end of the year.”

—————

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.

Erik Jones Finishes in the 18th-place at the Michigan International Speedway

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Official Release
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Erik Jones and the No. 43 Medallion Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team finished in the 18th-place in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) FireKeepers Casino 400 at the Michigan International Speedway, located in Brooklyn, on Sunday, August 22.

The lineup for the 200-lap event was determined by using NASCAR’s competition-based formula, which takes into account finishing positions from the previous race (weighted 25% owner and 25% driver, seventh-place, Indy), the ranking in team owner points (35%, 25th-place) and the fastest lap from the previous race(15%). Jones started the event at the Michigan International Speedway, nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, from the 13th-place on Row 7.

At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 60, Jones was in the 19th-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 120, he was scored in the 32nd place. The 25-year-old Byron, Michigan, native was scored as high as the 13th-place at the Michigan International Speedway.

QUOTE:

“It ended up being an okay day for our Richard Petty Motorsports team. It was just up and down. We got caught a lap down early with a loose wheel. In the middle part of the race, there just was not much going on. We were tight all day and could not really get it to do much other than that. It was good to get back on the lead lap and at least salvage a top-20 finish out of our No. 43 Medallion Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. We will go on and see what we can learn from it.

“Hopefully, we will go to Daytona (International Speedway) and get a win.” On Sunday afternoon, Jones announced a contract extension with Richard Petty Motorsports, meaning he will continue to drive the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022.

QUOTE:

“I can officially announce that we have put pen to paper, and that I’ll be back in the No. 43 next year. That was literally done yesterday while I was out doing some stuff. It’s cool to have it done. I’m just happy to have it done at this point in the season, and to be able to focus not only on the rest of this year, but also to be able to work on getting next year settled in with a new car and everything going on there. So yeah, I’m happy we can finally say it and get it out there. We’ve been really close on everything the last couple of weeks and just finished everything up.”

DiBenedetto Finishes Sixth at Michigan

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Official Release
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Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team ran their string of strong runs to six with an impressive sixth-place finish in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

It was their sixth-straight finish of eleventh or better, a streak that started with a 10th-place finish at Road America on the Fourth of July.

On Sunday at Michigan, DiBenedetto lined up fourth for the drop of the green flag and bettered that immediately. He led the third lap and was running third when the Competition Caution flag flew at Lap 21.

He remained in the top 10 for the remainder of the first Stage and ended that 60-lap segment in seventh place, earning four bonus points.

The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang was fast again in Stage Two, running in the top five for much of that segment before ending the Stage in 10th place, earning one more point.

In the third and final segment of the race, DiBenedetto continued to run in the lead pack, but lost some spots on a green flag pit stop with just over 30 laps left to run, coupled with a loose-handling condition, put him outside the top 20.

Then, he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team put on a show.

He began his march to the front, an effort that was bolstered by crew chief Jonathan Hassler’s decision to pit under the next-to-last caution for four fresh tires. DiBenedetto, with his handling issues resolved, dodged wrecks, made bold moves, and was able to race his way into the top five, losing one spot on the final lap to finish sixth.

“We had a rocket for a while,” DiBenedetto told reporters after the race. “Then, something went sideways. We didn’t change anything, but we lost the handle on it. I am not sure what exactly happened.

“Either way, we made good calls, and the team did a good job. We got the day going really good and were really fast and then had some things go wrong.”

But he and the team fought back and as he said, he was able to “outcrazy” many of his competitors to finish sixth and back up his fifth-place finish from Indianapolis the week before.

“We were super aggressive and made it back up,” he said. “It was a proud team effort.”

DiBenedetto remains 16th in the Cup Series standings, but will need to win on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway to earn a spot in the season-ending, championship-deciding Playoffs.

“We will study up and be prepared for it, and go try and make it happen,” he said.

Eddie Wood said it was a good day for his team and for Ford Motor Company at Michigan.

“We were really glad to have a good run with the Master Tech paint scheme on the No. 21,” he said. “The work those technicians do is important to all of us.

“And we were happy to see our former driver Ryan Blaney and our friends at Team Penske deliver Ford its seventh-straight Cup Series victory at Michigan.”

About Motorcraft:

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

About Omnicraft:

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

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

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

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

Wood Brothers Racing

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

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