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Flying Lizard Motorsports Announces Two-Car Effort in GT America

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Official Release
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The SRO America season has reached its halfway point, and Flying Lizard Motorsports has put together a two-car effort to run the remainder of the 2021 GT America season.

Wilzoch and Gidley to contest the remainder of season

SONOMA, Calif., (August 11, 2021) – The SRO America season has reached its halfway point, and Flying Lizard Motorsports has put together a two-car effort to run the remainder of the 2021 GT America season. The team will see the return of the No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by longtime Lizard Andy Wilzoch. For the second entry, Flying Lizard Motorsports has partnered with TKO Motorsports to enter a Bentley Continental GT3 to be driven by Memo Gidley.

Wilzoch took part in two early races of the 2021 GT America season at Circuit of the Americas, earning a first and second-place finish in the new series. The No. 460 will return to GT America with the same Porsche 911 GT3 R, which will sport a new rendition of the iconic Lizard livery, replacing the traditional silver and red for black and grey.

“I have been racing with Flying Lizard for many years now and really enjoy driving the GT3 R,” said Wilzoch. “Flying Lizard is a top-tier team who has such a rich history with Porsche and it is great to be part of that. I like what SRO has put together with the GT America class. It has a competitive group of drivers, and I enjoyed the event earlier this season, so I am looking forward to a competitive run for the final four rounds of the 2021 season.”

The Bentley Continental GT3 was purchased from K-PAX Racing who campaigned the cars for three seasons in Pirelli World Challenge, now the Fanatec GT World Challenge America. K-PAX Racing went on to win the 2018 and 2019 team championships with the Bentley machinery.

Driven by Memo Gidley, the No. 101 Bentley Continental GT3 brings together TKO Motorsports and Flying Lizard. TKO designs, engineers, and manufactures high-end performance productions for top-tier motorsports competition, making them a perfect match for the ten-time sportscar racing champions.

“We at TKO Motorsports are excited and honored to have the opportunity to partner with a professional race team like Flying Lizard,” said Dave Traitel, Owner of TKO Motorsports. “We look forward to putting our best foot forward, presenting the TKO Motorsports image with Flying Lizard, and having a good team camaraderie for the fans to enjoy.”

The Bentley program will also bring back together Memo Gidley and Flying Lizard Team Principal and Program Manager Darren Law, who were previously co-drivers together in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in both 2013 and 2014. In 2014 a harrowing crash temporarily side-lined Gidley, a longtime racing veteran with experience in CART, the Champ Car World Series, American Le Mans Series, Indy Racing League, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“I am so excited to get the TKO Motorsports with Flying Lizard Bentley and myself back to Road America: a fantastic track and awesome car,” said Gidley. “TKO Motorsports have become family and are so supportive of the effort I put into racing and the joy I get out of being at the track competing! I like to inspire people in life to keep chasing their dreams at any age, and not just get stuck thinking about what was or could have been. Chase those dreams and live your prime today!”

The Bentley livery will race a similar livery to its days in K-PAX Racing, with a dark green body with red highlights. The previous logos will be replaced by TKO Motorsports and the iconic Flying Lizard shield, a strong fan favorite piece of imagery in North American sports car racing.

“GT America has a great program for this type of racing with the GT3 cars, and this is an exciting opportunity for both Flying Lizard and our customers Andy Wilzoch and Dave Traitel of TKO Motorsports,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Dave purchased one of the ex-K-PAX Racing Bentley Continental GT3 cars and is giving Memo Gidley an opportunity to showcase the ability of the machinery. We have had a lot of experience with this car and it certainly has the capability. Memo is such a great driver and has such a storied career, what makes this more special for me is that he and I were teammates several years ago. We drove together at Gainsco Racing in the Corvette Daytona Prototype at the Rolex Daytona 24 hour in both 2013 and 2014, it will be fun working together again.”

The multi-race effort will begin later this month at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Each GT America weekend consists of two forty-minute races, with no pit stops and a single driver per car. The event will be open to fans and offer a three-day festival of speed starting Friday, August 27. For full event information, visit roadamerica.com.

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.

All-New AMS being built one measurement at a time

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (Aug. 11, 2021) – You may not know Tony Harper, but you probably know his work. For the last 20 plus years, Harper has played a key role in the development of several NASCAR tracks.

“We’ve worked at Daytona, Talladega, Las Vegas, Martinsville, Charlotte, Kansas, Texas,” recalled Harper. “It’d be easier to probably name the ones we haven’t worked at,” he added with a chuckle.

While big machinery ripping up asphalt and carving into an embankment is eye-catching, Harper’s more modest looking work makes sure each step ends precisely the way it was intended to.

“Anything they build they have to know how far to dig down, how wide to make it – so we give them controls for that,” Harper said. “We’ll set this down, put a pink dot and say ‘cut two feet and go over to that line and stop.’ So we show them how to build.”

That’s exactly what Harper’s doing right now at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With his handheld computer and notepad, he’s meticulously checking and re-checking measurements around the track as the all-new 28-degree banked speedway takes shape.

“They remove the pavement and take it down to what we call sub-grade. Then it gets checked,” Harper said. “Then the next layer is to put stone base on top of the dirt. When it gets in, it gets checked. Then you’ve got your asphalt on top of that and it gets checked.”

This isn’t Harper’s first time working on Atlanta Motor Speedway. In fact, this year’s project at AMS is a return to where it all began; the 1997 reconfiguration of the speedway was Harper’s first job at a NASCAR track.

“It was pretty wild. I started out working on the grandstands and originally this was a true oval. So they were going to cut the track [at turn 4], cut the track [at turn 1] and just put the dogleg in it and leave the old track in place,” Harper recalled. “Then as they got into the job more they decided, ‘Well, we’d really like to make it all new.’ So they asked me if I wanted to take on designing a best-fit grade for the rest of it and take the thing over. So I said ‘yeah’ and here we are.”

Of course, some things have changed in the last 24 years, not the least of which are the tools used to get the job done.

“The technology is substantially different. See all the equipment on this job is being run with what they call machine control. So it’s locked into a GPS signal and one of these handheld computers that has all the job parameters,” Harper explained. “It radio communicates with the equipment and tells the blade what to do to get the grade. So it saves a lot of time.”

That’s enabled the crews working on the Next Generation of AMS to make speedy progress, with the corners of the speedway already starting to be molded into their new 28-degree banked configuration. Still, several months of work – and countless calculations from Harper – remain to complete the new Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to get to do this thing twice,” Harper said. “We’re gonna give it everything we’ve got to make this the best one on the circuit.”

The all-new AMS will debut during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend during the 2022 NASCAR season. Tickets and camping for Atlanta’s 2022 NASCAR events are available now at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Next Generation of AMS:

For the first time since 1997, Atlanta Motor Speedway is being repaved and reprofiled to create a first-of-its-kind, all-new race experience in 2022 and beyond.

The reprofile will increase the current 24-degree banking in Atlanta’s turns to 28-degrees — higher than any other intermediate track on the current NASCAR circuit. The project will pave the way for a bold new era of NASCAR racing in Atlanta.

The all-new AMS will host its first NASCAR events during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend in spring 2022.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

JR Motorsports — NXS Indy Road Course Preview

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Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
RACE: Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard (62 laps / 151.2 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 3:30 p.m. ET on IMS Radio Network and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 Allstate Peterbilt Group Chevrolet
• Michael Annett hopes to continue a strong season on road
courses this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The
Iowa native has averaged a finish of 9.4 in the five roadcourse races so far this season.
• Annett finished a solid ninth in his first trip to the 2.439-mile
course inside Indianapolis in the series’ debut last season.
• Annett will carry the colors of Allstate Peterbilt Group this weekend for the second time this season in honor of Allstate’s 50th anniversary. Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., Allstate Peterbilt Group has been a longtime supporter of Annett during his racing career.

Sam Mayer
No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NXS start on the road course at Indianapolis this weekend in the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
• Mayer is coming off a top-10 performance at Watkins Glen with top-10 finishes in two of his last three starts in the NXS.
• The 18-year-old Mayer has competed at road course tracks a combined seven times between the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His best finish of third (three times) came at COTA earlier this season,
Daytona Road Course (2020) and Watkins Glen (2019).

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson hopes this weekend’s race on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis road course is as good as the last two starts on road courses this season. Gragson was ninth at Road America and seventh last weekend at Watkins Glen.
• In one previous start on the Indy road course, Gragson led JRM drivers with a third-place finish last season.
• In 13 career NXS road-course starts, Gragson has amassed six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes and averages a 12.1 finish.
• Gragson has three victories on road courses in NASCAR

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier will make his second start on the road course at Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. The JRM driver finished seventh in this event last year.
• Allgaier has previously visited Victory Lane at Indianapolis, earning the win in 2018 on the oval course at the hallowed speedway.
• In 37 NXS starts on road courses, the Illinois native has earned three wins, 11 top fives and 23 top 10s.
• In five road course events in 2021, Allgaier has scored a best finish of third, coming at COTA in May.

Driver Quotes

“Our No. 1 Chevrolet has been really good on road courses so far this season, and I’ll be looking for another solid finish this weekend at Indy. We had good speed at Watkins Glen, and Bummy (crew chief Mike Bumgarner) and the guys have been working hard to bring good cars to the track. This is a vital stretch for us regarding the playoffs, and we need a good, solid run. Special thanks to Allstate Peterbilt Group and congratulations on celebrating their 50th anniversary.” – Michael Annett

“We were really fast last year here at Indianapolis on the road course and I feel like we will be just as strong this year, especially now that we have a notebook to build off of and the ability to practice on Friday. Hopefully we can have a smooth day, avoid any potential trouble out there and be right where we need to be when it counts with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. We’ve shown a lot of speed with our road course cars so far this season and I know that we will have that again once we unload this weekend.” – Justin Allgaier

“I am really looking forward to racing at Indianapolis this weekend and seeing what it is all about. The history of Indianapolis should get everyone excited when realizing we get to race there. Having practice and qualifying is going to be huge because I’ve never raced here before and it’ll help me learn the place before sending it off into Turn 1 Saturday afternoon.” – Sam Mayer

“We had a really fast Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro when we raced here last year and I believe we will have that same speed when we unload on Friday. I enjoy not having practice because no one knows what is going to happen, but this week it will be different since we practice and qualify. Regardless, this No. 9 team has been working hard after Watkins Glen to turn around this car for Indy and I can’t thank them enough for what they are doing.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Indianapolis Road Course: JR Motorsports has competed on the road course at Indianapolis a combined four times in the NXS. Over the course of these four starts at the 2.439-mile facility, JRM has tallied one top five and three top 10s. JRM’s best finish of third came with Noah Gragson during the inaugural event in 2020.
• Allstate Peterbilt Group 50th Anniversary: Michael Annett’s No. 1 Chevrolet will carry sponsorship this weekend from Allstate Peterbilt Group in honor of its 50th anniversary. Established in 1971, Allstate Peterbilt Group started with just one dealership location in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, and has since grown into an award winning one-stop resource for truckers with over 20 locations across the Upper Midwest serving Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Their secret? Never losing sight of what made these last 50 years possible serving their customers.
• #MoveAgainWithDegree: A recent study from Degree found that more than half of all Americans were less active during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country opens up again, Degree’s new campaign celebrates a return to movement. How are you celebrating moving again? Tweet Degree your best moves and inspire others to get out there with #MoveAgainWithDegree.
• Bass Pro Shops: It’s time to gear up for archery season. Shop all the top products and deals like TrueTimber camo tees and pants, rangefinders, crossbows, stoves and more now through Aug. 18 at BassProShops.com.

Autodesk Fusion 360 Racing: Cole Custer Indianapolis Road Course Advance

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER
Indianapolis Road Course Advance
No. 41 Autodesk Fusion 360/HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview
● Event: Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Round 24 of 36)
● Time/Date: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 15
● Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
● Layout: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 82 laps / 200 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 47 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / IMS Radio Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Autodesk Fusion 360 returns as primary sponsor for its second of six appearances of 2021 on the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and its driver Cole Custer during this weekend’s historic Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, the first NASCAR Cup Series race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. Autodesk Fusion 360 kicked off its fourth season with Custer and SHR in June on the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway road course. It was a hometown race for San Francisco-based Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a leader in software applications for the engineering, manufacturing, construction, architecture, media and entertainment industries.

● Sunday’s 82-lap race will be Custer’s 63rd Cup Series start. He drove to an impressive fifth-place finish in last year’s Brickyard 400 on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. It was his first of two top-fives during his Cup Series Rookie of the Year campaign, which he followed up with a dramatic victory the following weekend at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

● Custer will be making his eighth points-paying Cup Series race on a road course. In his seven previous points-paying Cup Series starts on road courses, Custer’s best was a ninth-place run on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval last October. In February, he rallied for a 13th-place finish on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course after dropping back as far as 24th while avoiding a multicar accident in the closing laps. In his most recent road-course outing last weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Custer finished 18th. In this year’s non-points Busch Clash on the Daytona road course, Custer drove deep into the top-10 on multiple occasions, but he fell three laps off the pace late in the race when he could not refire his Mustang after serving a self-imposed stop-and-go penalty for missing the backstraight chicane. He finished 20th.

● In his 11 road-course outings in the Xfinity Series from 2017 through 2019, Custer finished outside the top-10 just once with his fourth-place run in 2018 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, best of them all.

● Custer also has top-10s in all three of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series outings on road courses, all three occurring at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. His best was his most recent, a second-place run from the pole with a race-high 39 laps led in the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry in 2016. In addition to his three K&N Pro Series outings at The Glen, Custer has made three starts at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway with a best finish of fourth in 2019.

● Sunday’s race is the sixth of a ground-breaking seven NASCAR Cup Series races to be held on road courses in 2021 and the second of back-to-back road-course events. From 1988 to 2017, there were only two road courses on the schedule – Sonoma and Watkins Glen. The Charlotte Roval was added in 2018, giving the series three road-course venues. The initial 2021 schedule doubled that tally, with Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas, Road America, and the Indy road course all being added. And when COVID-19 restrictions forced the cancellation of the series’ stop this year at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, the Daytona road course was put in its place.

● After his 18th-place finish three weekends ago at Watkins Glen, Custer arrives at the Brickyard 28th in the driver standings.

● Following Sunday’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, Autodesk will return as the primary partner for Custer and the No. 41 team for four more races in 2021 –Aug. 28 on the Daytona oval, Sept. 18 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Oct. 3 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and Oct. 10 on the Charlotte Roval. The 2021 season marks Autodesk’s fourth year with SHR, and the partnership is more than skin deep. The team uses Autodesk’s Fusion 360 design and manufacturing software extensively to create lightweight, but strong, components for its fleet of racecars.

● Joining Autodesk on the No. 41 Ford Mustang is team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally last July, and the cutting tools available for purchase at HaasTooling.com have proven to be even more important during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as CNC machines have become vital to producing personal protective equipment. Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

● As announced during the annual Coca-Cola 600 Memorial Day weekend, Custer and the team encourage fans to join Wow Wow Classic Waffles in support of Feeding America®, the largest hunger relief organization in the United States with a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. Fans are encouraged to text HUNGER to 50555 to make a $5 donation to Feeding America®, by visiting the Feeding America® donation page on Facebook, or the donation page via the Feeding America® website. Each $1 donated helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 Autodesk Fusion 360/HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

It’s almost everyone’s first time on the Indy road course this weekend. Is there anything from the previous road-course races this year that can carry over into your performance this weekend?

“The Glen is a little bit of its own animal, I feel like, just because it’s so fast and a little bit different than everywhere else. Indy, I think you can take some of the stuff we’ve learned this year and apply it there. Obviously, this is the year we’ve run the most road courses and we’ve been able to see a lot of different things and I think you’re able to hone in on what you will need. I expect the Indy road course will be difficult. The simulator work we’ve been doing is to try and get ready and get acquainted with the corners, and then we’ll try and adapt as quickly as we can once we get there. That’s been the name of the game – you have to adapt once you get to the racetrack. We’ll have practice and qualifying, so that’s better than just showing up and racing.”

Your SHR teammate Chase Briscoe is one of only three Cup Series drivers with previous experience on the Indy road circuit. Are you tapping into his knowledge of the track?

“Chase is obviously the one who won the (Xfinity Series) race last year and they were really fast. So being able to talk with him and going to the simulator and kind of get an idea of what he thinks of the track and what’s realistic and what’s not and what to look for, it’s a huge gain, for sure.”

If you could have the keys to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a day, what would you do?

“I’d probably just go over and see all the trophies and all the history in the museum there. It’s one of the coolest things. They have some special stuff downstairs that I think would be really cool to see, all the historic stuff that they have there. I think having the first (Cup Series) road-course race is huge, it’s historic. I mean, Indy is obviously the most historic track maybe in the world, definitely in the United States, and it’s just having that first race at a really historic racetrack, I’m really looking forward to it. We want to go and win – it’s the first race and we want to be the ones to do it. But you’ve got to take it one step at a time. There’s got to be a lot of adapting and a lot of trying to think on your toes with it being the first race at a place. And you’ve got to really hope your preparation is right and make sure you have some good ideas you can have after your first ideas because things are going to change fast.”

How do you like sharing the weekend with IndyCar?

“I think it’s cool. IndyCar is totally different from what we do, but to see the two forms of racing come together is really awesome.”

No. 41 Autodesk Fusion 360/HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Ashboro, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: John Roselli

Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana

Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Mechanic: Nick McIntosh
Hometown: Havre, Montana

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Thomas Gagliano
Hometown: East Hampton, Connecticut

Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples
Hometown: Hudson, Illinois

Transporter Co-Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 08.11.21

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: August 9-16, 2021

· NCS/NXS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course – August 13-15

PLANO, Texas (August 11, 2021) – o straight road course races take the series to the hallowed grounds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the NASCAR Cup Series competes on the road course configuration for the first time.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS

Truex one to watch in Indy… Martin Truex Jr. continued to show his road course prowess at Watkins Glen – leading the most laps and scoring his fourth-consecutive podium finish at the New York-based road course with a third-place result on Sunday.

Bell continues to impress on the road… After scoring his first-career Cup Series victory on the Daytona Road Course earlier season, Christopher Bell continues to impress on road courses this season. He added a runner-up finish at Road America in July and battled back from mid-race contact to score another top-10 run at Watkins Glen last weekend.

Hamlin in regular season championship battle… After a top-five run at Watkins Glen, Denny Hamlin finds himself tied in the regular season championship battle with Kyle Larson. With three races remaining, the regular season closes with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway – where Hamlin is sure to be among the favorites.

Toyota looks to continue winning ways in Xfinity Series… With Ty Gibbs’ third victory of the season at Watkins Glen International, Toyota comes into Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a streak of eight Supra wins in the last 10 races. The recent success has vaulted Toyota back to the top of the manufacturer standings in the series.

Season-most Supras in Indy… Toyota will have a season-high seven Supras in the field at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday. Joe Gibbs Racing will run four Supras with Daniel Hemric, Brandon Jones, Harrison Burton and Gibbs, while Sam Hunt Racing will field two Supras for the first time with drivers Will Rodgers and Kris Wright. Watkins Glen Truck Series winner Austin Hill will also compete this weekend, running his third Xfinity Series race of the season for Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Stay Connected

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

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

About Toyota

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

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

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

Ryan Newman – Road Course Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 200 miles, 82 laps, Stages: 15-20-47
Verizon 200 at the Brickyard – Sunday, August 15 at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Newman at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

· Newman – a 2013 winner of The Brickyard – returns to his home state of Indiana for his 21st Cup start at the famed IMS. This will be his first event on the road course, along with the rest of the field.

· In 20 prior events he has six top-10s, three of which were inside the top five, including an eighth-place run in 2019.

· Looking at Cup road course events as a whole, Newman has 45 starts in his Cup tenure with 11 top-10s and an average 17.5 finish.

· Newman has one road course win in the Xfinity Series – a 2005 victory at Watkins Glen – in six starts in his NXS tenure.

Scott Graves at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

· Graves will call his sixth Cup race at IMS this weekend. In five prior events he has two top-10s, including a seventh-place run with Daniel Suarez in 2017, and an eighth-place finish in 2019 with Newman.

· Graves has 17 Cup starts all-time on road courses with three top-10s.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing the Indy RC:
“Going back to Indy is always special to me, a place I’ve appreciated both as a competitor and fan for many years. Transitioning to the road course will be different for us as drivers, but to me the tradition and history at the facility speaks for itself no matter what track you’re at on the grounds. Looking forward to getting up there and strapping in Saturday for a practice session to get our Oscar Mayer Ford tuned up for a busy day on Sunday.”

Last Time Out
Newman finished 25th last weekend at Watkins Glen.

Where They Rank
Newman is 26th in points through 23 events.

On the Car

Oscar Mayer is back on board Newman’s Ford Mustang as the primary this weekend for their fifth race of the 2021 campaign.

About the Kraft Heinz Company

For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC). We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2019 net sales of approximately $25 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Motul propels Pramac Racing to maiden MotoGP victory

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Official Release
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  • Motul-powered teams clinch P1 and P2 in dominant display of performance
  • MotoGP rookie Jorge Martin hands Pramac Racing its maiden win after 20 years
  • Team Suzuki’s Joan Mir secured season-best second place finish

After a long summer break, the MotoGP paddock roared to life once again in the Styrian Alps, as the Red Bull Ring came alive for Round 10 of the 18-race calendar. The Styrian GP lived up to the hype, delivering loads of nail-biting excitement, unexpected shocks and heart-stopping crashes. The highlight, however, was Pramac Racing claiming their maiden MotoGP win after 20 years competing in the series, coming after a stellar ride by rookie Jorge Martin. Martin edged out defending champion Joan Mir of Team Suzuki and maintained his composure after an early red flag to seal a notably well-deserved win. Motul played a key role as lubricant partner for both the top 2 finishing teams in the race.

It was a vital race for the Pramac Racing rookie, having missed 4 races of his first MotoGP season due to injury. Martin was able to bounce back and deliver a powerful performance in Styria. He claimed pole position on Saturday and followed that up with an outstanding victory on Sunday. Pramac Racing has been making steady strides towards competing amongst the top MotoGP teams. At the start of the 2021 season, Motul was announced as Pramac Racing’s Official Lubricant Partner. The new collaboration was a direct result of Motul’s understanding and development of lubricants for racing machines. Since the Ducati team began using Motul, they have achieved 6 podium finishes this season. The MotoGP competition and results from the Ducati Desmosedici allows Motul to constantly experiment and innovate the product, to ensure Motul delivers the best oil to their customers around the world.

Although Martin set an amazing pace, the thing that was more commendable was his ability to defend from the 2020 World Champion, Joan Mir. Mir put up an excellent fight in his Motul powered Suzuki GSX-RR, however, fell short by 1.5 seconds when the chequered flag fell. Team Suzuki has been a dominant force in the MotoGP for many years, and the Japanese factory team has maintained a technical partnership with Motul for more than three decades.

Motul has held a reputation for developing the highest grade of racing lubricants for several decades. With Team Suzuki and Pramac Racing backed by Motul’s extensive R&D department, they are able to implement the latest lubricant technology in their motorbikes. The commercial 300V range is engineered by incorporating findings of performance in the MotoGP. Pushing the limits of the Motul lubricant is the only way to make gains, hence Motul continues their dedication to support motorcycle racing at the highest levels.

The Styrian GP was the first of two back-to-back race weekends at the Red Bull Ring. Jorge Martin’s brilliant win propelled him to P12 in the rider standings, while his team mate Johann Zarco managed to do enough to maintain his spot in P2. Team Suzuki’s Joan Mir jumped one spot to P3 and his team mate Alex Rins slotted in behind Martin in P13. Historically, this circuit layout has suited the Ducati and Suzuki bikes extremely well, as further reiterated from their solid points scoring weekend. Pramac Racing and Team Suzuki will hope to continue this run into the MotoGP Grand Prix von Osterreich at the same track next weekend. Both Motul teams will be ones to watch out for as they look primed to repeat their success in consecutive races.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

89 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici – P1 (1:22.994)

Jorge Martin

5 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici – P6 (1:23.376)

Johann Zarco

36 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR – P5 (1:23.322)

Joan Mir

42 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR – P13 (1:23.585)

Alex Rins

RACE RESULTS

89 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici – P1

Jorge Martin

5 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici – P6

Johann Zarco

36 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR – P2

Joan Mir

42 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR – P7

Alex Rins

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

Chris Buescher – Indy Road Course Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Castrol Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 200 miles, 82 laps, Stages: 15-20-47

Verizon 200 at the Brickyard – Sunday, August 15 at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Buescher at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

  • Buescher makes his sixth Cup appearance at Indianapolis this weekend, where in five appearances at The Brickyard he has a best finish of ninth.
  • In five road course events thus far in 2021, Buescher has finishes of 11th (Daytona), 13th (COTA), 16th (Sonoma), 18th (Road America) and 17th (Watkins Glen).
  • Buescher has 18 starts in Cup road course events all-time with a best finish of fifth last summer at the inaugural event at the Daytona road course.

Luke Lambert at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

  • Lambert makes his ninth appearance at Indy in the NCS this weekend.
  • Lambert has 23 road course starts all-time in his Cup tenure with three top-10s and one top five.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing the Indy RC:
“This weekend is mostly going to be all new to us (and others), but glad to have practice and qualifying back to get our Castrol Ford tuned up ahead of the race on Sunday. This weekend is yet another opportunity for our team to find a way into the playoffs, and we’re all focused on making that happen over the next three weeks.”

Last Time Out
Buescher finished 17th last weekend at Watkins Glen.

Where They Rank
Buescher is 18th in the playoff picture, needing a win to insert himself into the playoffs that start at Darlington the first weekend of September.

On the Car

Castrol, the official oil partner of Roush Fenway Racing, makes its first primary appearance on the No. 17 this season this weekend at Indy. They will return to the No. 17 next weekend at Michigan.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves consumers in over 140 countries. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ – a premium synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE ® line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com/us

LOUIS-PHILIPPE DUMOULIN GOING FOR HIS THIRD HOME WIN AT THE GRAND PRIX DE TROIS-RIVIÈRES

By
Official Release
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Photo Credit: Matthew Manor CSCG
EventGrand Prix de Trois-Rivieres – 60 laps
TrackGrand Prix de Trois-Rivieres (Trois-Rivieres, Quebec) – Urban course
Date / TV               AvertissementLIVE on RDS2 – Sunday, August 15, 2:18 pm | Tape-delayed on TSN – Sunday, August 22, 1:00 pm
Schedule / Race CenterSaturday, August 14: Practice 11:50 am | Qualifying 4:10 pm | LIVE Sunday, August 15:  Race 2:18 pm Canada: TSN.ca and the TSN application | United States: TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold | Live Timing: nascar.ca/race-center/

Trois-Rivieres (Quebec, Canada), August 11, 2021 – Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and his #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare team return to the road course where he and his brother Jean-François triumphed in 2019, both stood on the podium together for the first time. The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières represents the cornerstone, the debut of the Dumoulin brothers in motor racing, but above all the key moment in the season when they meet with partners, relatives, friends and fans in front of whom it is essential to perform. The winner of the 2014 and 2019 editions will present himself this weekend with one goal in mind: a third win.

“The situation over the past two years has led us to become more resilient and we are privileged to be able to participate in the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières this year. Congratulations to Dominic Fugère (General Manager of the GP3R), his team, the city of Trois-Rivieres, the government and public health services for their collaboration on this project, as this event is vitally important for all of us, partners, teams, fans and the series. We are also thinking of the other drivers from Quebec who did not participate in major events last year nor so far this season due to the cancellation of the races in Mosport at the beginning of the season and in Toronto last month. The field will be stronger than ever this year with the participation of more top-level competitors. We are so happy that the fans will be back in the stands, it will be quite a show for them as well,” said the man who was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. 

A 60-lap Race

The extra 10 laps added to the race mean that a pit stop is required to add enough fuel to finish the race. In addition, Crew Chiefs may decide to change two or four tires to make the car as quick as possible for the end of the race. Different race strategies could see this compulsory stop take place in the beginning, middle or end of the race – anything to make sure that their car in quick and in a winning position at the end of the race. The combination of Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and Robin McCluskey, his #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare Crew Chief, makes them a formidable force in their quest for victory.

“This Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières is the third event of the season out of 11 scheduled races and our goal is to win,” concluded the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare car.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and the team are second in points for the 2021 Pinty’s driver championship after showing their full potential by finishing sixth and third respectively in the doubleheader meeting run on the short oval at Sunset Speedway earlier this month.

“Passion – Performance – Partnerships”

2021 RESULTS

EventDateRoadOvalLP Dumoulin
 Start FinishPos.Points
Sunset Speedwaysunsetspeedway.ca01-08O311632/79
Grand Prix de Trois-Rivièresgp3r.ca15-08R   
Circuit ICARicarexperience.ca28-08R   
Autodrome Chaudièreautodromechaudiere.com29-08O   
Canadian Tire Motorsport Parkcanadiantiremotorsportpark.com04-09R   
05-09   
Flamboro Speedwayflamborospeedway.ca12-09O   
Delaware Speedwaydelawarespeedway.com26-09O   

ABOUT PARTNERS

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

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

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

SUMMARY – HIGHLIGHTS IN LOUIS-PHILIPPE DUMOULIN’S CAREER

NASCAR Pinty’s Series

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

·         2011: Rookie of the year.

Rallying and Road Racing

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

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

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

·         2002: Champion in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship.

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

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

WEBSITES / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

WeatherTech Canada : weathertech.ca/behindtech

Groupe Bellemare : groupebellemare.com

Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières :gp3r.com

Fondation québécoise du cancer : fqc.qc.ca

Musée Gilles-Villeneuve : museegillesvilleneuve.com

Festidrag développement : festidrag.com

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

Dumoulin Compétition : dumoulincompetition.com

Série NASCAR Pinty’s : nascar.ca

Facebook: facebook.com/dumoulincompetition

Twitter: @DumoulinDC / @DumoulinLP / @jf_dumoulin

Youtube : youtube.com/user/dumoulincompetition

Instagram: @dumoulincompetition

5 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Manhattan Personal Injury Attorney

By
SM
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Young lawyer working hard alone in his office.

Being injured in an accident in Manhattan or wherever you may be located, can be a devastating experience. More often than not, you don’t know the precautions so you can handle this unfortunate incident more properly. Not only that, but due to the injuries you’ve sustained, you may also have to pay expensive medical bills and deal with lost wages and capacity to earn. 

When this happens, seeking legal help from a dedicated personal injury attorney can be a good idea. They can represent you in the process of recovering financial compensation for all your losses. 

However, with several legal professionals to choose from in your area, finding the right one can be a bit challenging. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that can help you get the appropriate legal help for your situation. One of these ways is by asking them a few questions to get to know them better. 

Thus, if you need a Manhattan personal injury attorney for your case, below are some questions to ask before hiring one: 

  1. What Is Your Experience?

The first question you probably want to ask your prospective attorney is about their experience. Since there are different practice areas of law, you need to ensure that the one who’ll be working your case is experienced in handling personal injury cases. 

That being said, it’s best to know the number of years they’ve been practicing personal injury law in Manhattan or wherever you may be. But if you’re looking to learn more information about your potential legal professional, you may also consider asking them about the specific type of cases they’re handling. 

For example, if you’ve been injured in a car accident, it may be a good idea to ask if they accept cases similar to yours. By doing this, you can make sure your prospect can handle your car accident injury case more effectively, should you decide to hire them. 

  1. Can You Handle My Case Right Now?

Typically, there are several kinds of law firms that you can go to seek legal help. Whether it’s a solo practitioner or big law firm with several attorneys on staff, you can work with these firms to get the assistance you need for your personal injury case. 

However, because of the time limits, or statute of limitations, required for most injury cases, you need someone who’ll give their full attention when handling your situation. 

Because of this, it can be a good idea to ask your potential Manhattan injury attorney if they can personally take care of your case as soon as they accept it. That way, you rest knowing the person you hire can work on your case immediately so you can quickly have the compensation for your injuries. 

  1. How Can You Keep Me Updated On My Case’s Progress?

Since it’s your personal injury case you’re talking about, make sure you’re updated on the progress of your case. That’s why it can be a perfect idea to ask your potential Manhattan injury attorney about how they can keep you up-to-date about your case. These can include their methods of communicating with you. 

For example, you can ask a question on how they’re supposed to get in touch with you. Whether they send a text message, email, or directly call you on your phone to inform you about the progress of your case, this matter should be discussed so you’ll know how to navigate your case more efficiently. 

  1. What Are Your Fees?

Generally, most personal injury attorneys charge their fees on a contingency basis. This means they don’t get anything if you lose your case. If it’s otherwise, your legal representative will have to take a percentage out of the total compensation you’ll receive. However, there are attorneys who demand a higher contingency percentage from their clients. 

Hence, if you don’t want to end up paying more fees, it’s essential to ask about your prospect’s legal fees before you agree on letting them represent you. That way, you can ensure everything is clear about the percentage they’ll charge you after winning your injury case.  

  1. How Much Is My Case Worth?

Another important question to ask your prospective personal injury attorney in Manhattan is how much your case is worth. While they can’t give you an accurate calculation of the number of damages you can receive, asking them about your case’s worth can at least provide you an idea of whether you’re entitled to compensation. 

By reviewing the facts of your injury case, including the pieces of evidence presented, your potential legal representative can help you determine and understand the estimated amount of compensation you can obtain. So, if you want to set realistic expectations for your case, don’t hesitate to ask them about this question before you hire one.

Conclusion

Indeed, hiring the right Manhattan personal injury attorney can be an overwhelming undertaking. When you do this wrongly, you can have lower odds of winning your case and receiving the compensation you deserve. 

On the other hand, by asking the questions mentioned above in mind during the hiring process, you can quickly find the perfect legal professional for your situation. In doing so, you can have peace of mind knowing someone you hire can protect your rights and interests throughout the legal proceeding.

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