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Austin Hill wins rain-shortened Truck Series race at Watkins Glen

By
Briar Starr
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Austin Hill, driver of the No. 16 United Rentals Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning at Watkins Glen International on August 07, 2021. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

For the first time in 20 years, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series came back to Watkins Glen International Raceway for the final race of the 2021 regular season. Knoxville race winner, Austin Hill, claimed the victory, as the race was called just 11 laps short due to lightning in the area.

“It was nerve-wracking that’s for sure, I didn’t know if we were going to go back green or not,” Hill said to Fox Sports 1 about the victory. “It feels so good to win on a road course. I’ve been wanting to win on a road course for a very long time, even back in the (NASCAR) K&N Pro Series days. I felt like, I always get around the road course very decent and finally, we have a race where everything went our way.”

“I was biting my nails a little bit when that rain came. I didn’t know what was going to happen with the lightning and all that. Everybody at United Rentals, HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises) they gave me a really good piece today and we were able to get it done.”

Following the two-week hiatus due to the Olympic break, the NASCAR Truck Series was back in action Saturday afternoon as part of a doubleheader feature with the NASCAR Xfinity Series following the event shortly thereafter.

Stages 20-25-27 originally made up the 72-lap event before lightning and rain came to the area late in the final stage.

Austin Hill was on the pole via the metric qualifying system.

There were multiple incidents in Stage 1. The No. 99 of Ben Rhodes and the No. 18 of Chandler Smith spun around in the first turn, however, no caution was thrown as both trucks were able to get fired back and going.

One caution occurred in the stage on Lap 9 for the No. 45 of Chad Chastain who wheel-hopped into Turn 1 and crashed into the tire barrier.

While there would be more spins including Rhodes spinning on Lap 10 and Matt Crafton on Lap 15, no more yellow flags were seen and Circuit of the Americus winner Todd Gilliland took the Stage 1 victory. Sheldon Creed, Derek Kraus, Josh Berry, Austin Wayne Self, AJ Allmendinger, Paul Menard, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes and Ryan Truex completed the Top 10.

Stage 2 had the least amount of incidents and remained caution-free. Austin Hill was strong throughout the stage and nabbed the Stage 2 victory. Nemechek, Allmendinger, Zane Smith, Creed, Ankrum, Hocevar, Gilliland, Rhodes and Mayer were the Top 10 finishers.

As the final stage began with 23 laps to go, rain and lightning started to move into the area. On Lap 53 with 19 laps to go, the yellow flew once more for playoff-hopeful Derek Kraus who spun on the backstretch and came to a stop. Unfortunately, due to the incident, Kraus’s playoff chances were eliminated.

The field went back green with around 16 to go but the racing continued for only four more laps. Due to lightning, the trucks were brought down to pit road and after a long delay, the race was eventually called, giving the checkered flag to Austin Hill.

Regular-season champion John Hunter Nemechek finished second and will lead the playoff grid just 28 points above Hill heading into the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway for the first race in the Round of 10.

“Possibly, it’s hard to say with the high downforce package that we have on these trucks, dirty air is really bad,” Nemechek said about finishing runner-up. “You get super aero-tight behind other trucks and it kind of gives you a disadvantage being the second guy compared to being in clean air. Overall, we had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra today. I feel like Austin (Hill) had the dominant truck all day. I do feel like we were better in certain spots, and he was better in other spots on the racetrack. Who knows what would have happened, he could have made a mistake, I could have made a mistake. It’s part of racing. I felt like if he would have slipped a little bit or if I could have gotten side-by-side with him, I feel like we probably could have made the pass and possibly drove off. I don’t know how fast, but I felt like we were playing cat and mouse with trading back who was faster on certain laps.”

Official Playoff Standings for Round of 10:

  1. John Hunter Nemechek, 2,049 points
  2. Austin Hill, -28
  3. Ben Rhodes, -30
  4. Todd Gilliland, -34
  5. Sheldon Creed, -58
  6. Zane Smith, -40
  7. Matt Crafton, -45
  8. Carson Hocevar, -47
  9. Chandler Smith, -48
  10. Stewart Friesen, -48

Tracks in the Round of 10 consist of Gateway, Darlington, and Bristol.

There were five cautions for 10 laps and six leaders among seven different lead changes. Hill led three times for 35 laps en route to victory.

Official Results following United Rentals 176 at Watkins Glen International Raceway:

  1. Austin Hill, won Stage 2, led 35 laps
  2. John Hunter Nemechek, led two laps
  3. Sheldon Creed
  4. Todd Gilliland, won Stage 1, led 18 laps
  5. Parker Kligerman
  6. Zane Smith, led four laps
  7. Tyler Ankrum
  8. Paul Menard
  9. Sam Mayer
  10. Carson Hocevar, led one lap
  11. Josh Berry
  12. Kaz Grala
  13. Christian Eckes
  14. Tanner Gray
  15. Ben Rhodes
  16. Austin Wayne Self
  17. Ryan Truex
  18. Corey Heim
  19. Hailie Deegan
  20. Stewart Friesen
  21. Derek Kraus
  22. Matt Crafton
  23. Johnny Sauter
  24. Timmy Hill
  25. Jack Wood, led one lap
  26. Tate Fogleman
  27. A.J. Allmendinger
  28. Danny Bohn
  29. Roger Reuse, 1 lap down
  30. Josh Reaume, 1 lap down
  31. Lawless Alan, 1 lap down
  32. Spencer Boyd, 2 laps down
  33. Chad Chastain, 3 laps down
  34. Taylor Gray, 8 laps down
  35. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 16 laps down
  36. Norm Benning, OUT, Too slow
  37. Grant Enfinger, OUT, Transmission
  38. Will Rodgers, OUT, Transmission
  39. Chandler Smith, Disqualified

Note – Chandler Smith was disqualified from his finishing position for failing post-race heights. As a result everyone moves up a position. However, Smith still qualifies for the Truck Series playoffs despite losing points and finishing position in the process.

Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will begin their playoffs run at World Wide Technology Raceway on Friday, August 20, live at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio.

Austin Hill wins rain-shortened United Rentals 176 in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Return to Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

Race leader Austin Hill was declared the winner of Saturday’s United Rentals 176 at the famed Watkins Glen International road course after lightning in the immediate area forced the field to stop on pit road 11 laps from the scheduled race finish.

Hill had taken a 1.023-second lead over John Hunter Nemechek before the trucks headed to pit road where they waited under red flag conditions for nearly an hour before the race was officially called.

The race marked the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season finale, officially setting the 10-driver 2021 Playoff field. And while there were no impactful moves in the standings as far as Playoff eligibility, it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying in the truck series’ first race at the 2.45-mile vintage road course in 21 years.

Hill, who had previously only led two laps in his career on road courses, led a race best 36 of the 61 laps in the No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota to take his second win of the season – and second straight after claiming the trophy in the previous race, July 9 on the Knoxville, Iowa dirt track.

“It was nerve-wracking that’s for sure, I didn’t know if we were going to go back to green or not,” said Hill, 27, of Winston, Ga. “It feels so good to win on a road course.

“I was really biting my nails a little bit when that rain came, I didn’t know what was going to happen with the lightning and all that,” he continued. “But they gave me a really great piece today and we were able to go out there and get it done. It’s really special to get a win at Watkins Glen.”

Nemechek’s runner-up effort was his series-best ninth top five. His five wins in the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota are most in the series this season and a personal high mark for the 23-year old second-generation star who also receives a 15-point bonus for winning the regular season title.

The victory was especially big for Hill, moving him into second place in the standings, 18 points behind Nemechek to start the Playoff run. Another two-race winner Ben Rhodes, who finished 15th on Saturday, is ranked third.

The remainder of the 10-driver Playoff field includes Todd Gilliland, 2020 series champion Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, three-time series champion Matt Crafton, first-time Playoff contenders, rookies Carson Hocevar and Chandler Smith and veteran Stewart Friesen.

Derek Kraus, the popular 19-year old Wisconsin driver, was officially eliminated from Playoff contention after spinning out with 19 laps remaining. Kraus had run in the Top-5 early in the race, placing third in Stage 1. He started the race ranked 11th – 40 points from the Playoff cutline line. But he and Tyler Ankrum, who started the race 12th in points, essentially needed a victory to secure that Playoff position. Ankrum finished seventh.

In many ways, Saturday’s race was a Playoff preview. Gilliland won Stage 1 and Hill took the Stage 2 victory, both fending off runs by fellow championship eligible drivers.

Creed, who boasts the series all-time best road course average finish (3.0), finished third. Gilliland was fourth and Parker Kligerman rounded out the Top-5 – his first top five showing of the season.

The Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR Cup Series wraps up the weekend of NASCAR racing activity at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, August 7, at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. To purchase Go Bowling at The Glen race tickets, call 1-866-461-RACE or visit TheGlen.com.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – United Rentals 176 at The Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
Saturday, August 7, 2021

  1. (1) Austin Hill, Toyota, 61.
  2. (6) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 61.
  3. (19) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 61.
  4. (2) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 61.
  5. (38) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 61.
  6. (8) Zane Smith, Chevrolet, 61.
  7. (10) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 61.
  8. (39) Paul Menard, Toyota, 61.
  9. (40) Sam Mayer(i), Chevrolet, 61.
  10. (9) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 61.
  11. (21) Josh Berry(i), Chevrolet, 61.
  12. (23) Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, 61.
  13. (15) Christian Eckes, Toyota, 61.
  14. (22) Tanner Gray, Ford, 61.
  15. (5) Ben Rhodes, Toyota, 61.
  16. (20) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 61.
  17. (12) Ryan Truex, Chevrolet, 61.
  18. (16) Corey Heim, Toyota, 61.
  19. (18) Hailie Deegan #, Ford, 61.
  20. (17) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 61.
  21. (7) Derek Kraus, Toyota, 61.
  22. (4) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 61.
  23. (14) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, 61.
  24. (36) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, 61.
  25. (27) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 61.
  26. (13) Tate Fogleman, Chevrolet, 61.
  27. (25) AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 61.
  28. (11) Danny Bohn, Toyota, 61.
  29. (35) Bobby Reuse, Chevrolet, 61.
  30. (37) Roger Reuse, Ford, 60.
  31. (33) Josh Reaume, Toyota, 60.
  32. (24) Lawless Alan, Toyota, 60.
  33. (34) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 59.
  34. (31) Chad Chastain, Chevrolet, 58.
  35. (32) Taylor Gray, Ford, 53.
  36. (28) Jennifer Jo Cobb, Ford, 45.
  37. (26) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Too Slow, 40.
  38. (30) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, Transmission, 8.
  39. (29) Will Rodgers(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 6.
  40. (3) Chandler Smith #, Toyota, 61.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 87.298 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 42 Mins, 43 Secs. Margin of Victory: Under Caution Seconds.

Caution Flags: 5 for 10 laps.

Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Hill 1-4;T. Gilliland 5-22;J. Wood 23;C. Hocevar # 24;Z. Smith 25-28;A. Hill 29-41;J. Nemechek 42-43;A. Hill 44-61.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Austin Hill 3 times for 35 laps; Todd Gilliland 1 time for 18 laps; Zane Smith 1 time for 4 laps; John Hunter Nemechek 1 time for 2 laps; Carson Hocevar # 1 time for 1 lap; Jack Wood 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 38,2,19,25,22,23,66,52,99,40

Stage #2 Top Ten: 16,4,23,21,2,26,42,38,99,32

About Watkins Glen International

Located within five hours and 300 miles of 25 percent of the U.S. population, Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in North America, four-times voted “Best NASCAR Track” by readers of USA Today. Keep up with The Glen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For tickets, camping, and additional information, call 1-866-461-RACE or visit www.TheGlen.com.

2021 Watkins Glen International Schedule
May 21-23 – Ferrari Challenge North America
June 18-20 – SCCA Majors Super Tour
June 24-27 – IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen
July 1-2 – IMSA WeatherTech 240 at The Glen
July 9-11 – Masters & HSR Race Weekend
August 4-8 – NASCAR Go Bowling at The Glen
September 9-12 – Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix
September 16-19 – GT World Challenge America
October 29-30 – Finger Lakes Beer Festival Presented by Chemung Canal Trust Co.

2021 Watkins Glen International NASCAR Weekend Schedule
August 6 – Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen – ARCA Menards Series Race
August 7 – United Rentals 167 at The Glen – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race
August 7 – Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 – NASCAR Xfinity Series Race
August 8 – Go Bowling at The Glen – NASCAR Cup Series Race

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: Taylor Puts Corvette on GTLM Pole

By
Official Release
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CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: Taylor Puts Corvette on Pole
1-2 GTLM start for team’s 20th race at Road America; Milner second in qualifying

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 7, 2021) – Jordan Taylor gave Corvette Racing its second pole position at Road America in three years with the fast time in qualifying for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend race – the team’s 20th event at the historic road course and a fourth straight 1-2 qualifying result in GT Le Mans (GTLM) on the season.

Taylor, driving the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R with Antonio Garcia, set a best lap of 2:20.979 (103.368 mph) ahead of Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute race. Taylor and Garcia arrived at Road America after three straight victories and lead the GTLM Drivers Championship, as does Chevrolet in the Manufacturers standings.

Taylor went 0.627 seconds quicker than Nick Tandy in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette that he shares with Tommy Milner. Tandy and Milner were second in the two most recent GTLM races at Watkins Glen and Lime Rock, and they also won the non-points Detroit round in mid-June.

Directly after Road America, Corvette Racing departs for France and its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As is tradition, the team in May used Road America – with its long straights and sections of fast, flowing corners – to test and develop the Corvette C8.R’s low-downforce setup and aerodynamic package.

Corvette Racing will race at Road America in IMSA competition at 1:40 p.m. CT on Sunday. Same-day coverage on NBCSN starts at 8 p.m. ET with live streaming coverage on TrackPass and NBC Sports Gold at 2:35 p.m. ET. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio will be available on IMSA.com.

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM POLE-WINNER: “Obviously a good session for us. We had a wet session to get an idea of what the car might be doing. So heading into qualifying, we had some confidence to know what to expect with tire pressures and to how to warm up the tire. It was a little bit drier than yesterday with not as much standing water. Getting the lap time in early when the tire was at its peak is what got us the pole. We almost replicated the lap at the end but I think that was just figuring out where to go in the wet. The C8.R was consistent and it was strong. It’s another 1-2 in qualifying for Corvette Racing so that bodes well for us in the race no matter if the race is wet or dry.”

MORE ON QUALIFYING: “It’s good to be back at Road America. It’s one of our favorite events of the year. It’s Corvette Racing’s 20th race here so it’s special be part of that kind of history at this track. Another 1-2 for the team but it was definitely tricky. We had in-between conditions today for qualifying – we had a wet session yesterday, dry this morning and in the middle for qualifying. It’s good getting the car in these different conditions, especially leading up to Le Mans next week where all these conditions can play a part of it. The more miles we get on the Corvette in these mixed conditions and learn, the better we will be at Le Mans and for tomorrow.”

ARE MIXED CONDITIONS SOMETIMES MORE DIFFICULT THAN FULLY WET? “It was a tricky session. Just watching the first GTD session, they were on slicks but it looked like it was raining on half the track so we didn’t know what to expect. For us, it seemed kind of damp everywhere – like a light rain. But even then, each corner felt different each lap. It was hard to tell if that was tire degradation or grip level or rain. It’s hard when you don’t have that many cars around you to kind of judge from. Thankfully we were able to get that lap in early and set a second pretty good lap at the end. No matter what conditions we get tomorrow, the C8.R will be strong.”

DESCRIBE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO DRIVE THESE CARS IN THE RAIN: “It’s definitely sketchy. When I joined them in 2012 as a third driver, it was known that Gary Pratt (team principal) doesn’t like testing in the rain just because it’s so easy to make a mistake; you’re in a knife edge the whole time. In testing you can’t learn a whole lot, but at the same time you need to test some amount to be prepared for a weekend like this where it is in these conditions. From a driving point of view, it’s on edge… more on edge in the brake zones and everything than it would be in the dry. Locking front tires, locking rears, sliding the car… thankfully the team has developed so many bits of technology in the car: lock-up lights to warn the driver when you’re locking up a tire, traction control lights to let you know when the rear is slipping to give you more signals than what you’re feeling in the car. They’ve definitely made it easier for us throughout the years, but I think that’s what everyone is doing around the world to elevate racing and competition. That’s why I think you’ve seen everyone come so close when it comes to laptime.”

IS THERE A FUN FACTOR TO IT? “It’s fun when you’re fast! When you’re slow, it’s very stressful because it’s so easy to make a mistake. If you just touch the paint at the wrong angle, you’ll be spinning off and you can’t catch the car. It’s impossible. You’re very on-edge but at the same time there is a bit of thrill with that where you are on edge, and the more on-edge you are the more laptime there is. So it’s risk versus reward. Robin Liddell was the one who said years ago in GRAND-AM that any driver who enjoys the rain is lying because at any moment you can send it off pretty quickly. Hopefully tomorrow isn’t as bad as last year. Antonio drove yesterday where it was more wet than today. I think no matter the conditions, the car has been proven. We’re looking forward to it.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – QUALFIED SECOND IN GTLM: “We just missed it a bit with the setup. We’re still working on getting the balance where we need to be. Tomorrow is going to be the challenge if it’s dry with the temps and the tire degradation. If it’s wet, which is looking likely, that presents its own challenges as well. We got some good work in today but the majority will come tomorrow in warmup to make any last-minute improvements.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Front Row Start for the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 at Road America

By
Official Release
-

Elkhart Lake, Wis. (August 7, 2021) — The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 will start second on the grid for the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America. In a wet session that saw numerous competitors spin off track as time wound down, Ricky Taylor performed well to clock a time of 2:08.677 and put the blue and black Acura on the front row.

Full-time co-pilot Filipe Albuquerque will partner Taylor for the two-hour, 40-minute sprint around the high speed, 4.048-mile, 14-turn, Road America circuit. Sitting atop the championship with a total of 2,068 points, the No. 10 Konica Minolta ARX-05 team is looking to achieve an elusive first win at the Wisconsin circuit.

“A bit of a tricky qualifying,” said Ricky Taylor. “Damp conditions on wet tires. I’m really thankful that Filipe gave me some great tips before qualifying and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team worked together. I did some laps in the rain yesterday, but Filipe really gave me tips on what it took to go faster and we ended up P2. The No. 31 did a great job nailing their lap and getting the pole. It was difficult and we were up against all our championship rivals in the top three. Tomorrow looks like it could be wet, dry, or mixed conditions and we’ll have to prepare for anything. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura has been really strong in the dry and I think we’ve shown we can be in the mix in any condition.”

Green flag for IMSA Sportscar Weekend at Road America will wave at 2:40 p.m. ET tomorrow, August 8th. Live coverage will begin at 2:35 p.m. ET on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and will replay at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports.

DPi STARTING GRID:

  1. Whelen Engineering Racing (No. 31 Cadillac DPi) Felipe Nasr & Pipo Derani (2:07.919 at 113.921 mph)
  2. Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 (No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura DPi) Ricky Taylor & Filipe Albuquerque (2:08.677 at 113.250 mph)
  3. Mazda Motorsports (No. 55 Mazda DPi) Oliver Jarvis & Harry Tincknell, (2:08.716 at 113.216 mph)
  4. Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing (No. 01 Cadillac DPi) Renger van der Zande & Kevin Magnussen (2:09.194 at 112.797 mph)
  5. Mustang Sampling / JDC-Miller MotorSports (No. 5 Cadillac DPi) Tristian Vautier & Louic Duval (2:10.497 at 111.671 mph)
    About Konica Minolta
    Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future. The company guides and supports its customers’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), content services, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for fourteen consecutive years, and received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners that also features Harrison Contracting, Acura Motorsports , Hammer Nutrition and CIT.

DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Recap: Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Saturday, August 7
Track: Watkins Glen, 2.45-mile road course
Race: 15 of 22
Event: United Rentals 176 (72 laps, 176 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150

Start: 18th

Finish: 20th

  • On the opening lap, Deegan had to make evasive moves to miss spinning trucks and dropped back to 30th, but she made it through the melee.
  • During the first caution on lap eight, Deegan came down pit road for fuel, four tires and for the Toter crew to evaluate an issue Deegan was feeling with the truck. She returned to the track and restarted 25th. The Ford driver was able to maneuver her way around a few trucks to end the first stage in 14th.
  • On lap 24 in Stage 2, Deegan entered the top-10. On lap 28, the Ford driver had to make an unscheduled pit stop to remove grass from her F-150’s grille after she was forced off of the racing surface and into the grass. Deegan returned to the track and the remainder of the stage ran under green and she completed it in 26th.
  • During the second stage break, Deegan visited pit road for service and received four tires, fuel and adjustments to help her Toter F-150 turn better in the center of the corner.
  • The California native started the final stage in the 23rd spot. Another caution was displayed on lap 54 while Deegan was 21st. She remained on the track and the race returned to green.
  • Unfortunately, the event was halted and eventually called with 11 laps to go due to lightning which resulted in a 20th-place finish for Deegan.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 22nd

Finish: 14th

  • Tanner Gray started the race from the 22nd position. He was running 18th when the caution flag waved on lap eight.
  • During the caution period, Marcus Richmond had the driver come down pit road for tires and fuel. The team was given a penalty for a crew member over the wall too soon and had to restart at the tail.
  • The No. 15 F-150 was back up to ninth by lap 17 as pit stops began to cycle and ultimately finished the opening stage in 11th with a left rear tire going down.
  • The team pitted again to change tires and add fuel. Gray restarted from 20th and was up to 15th on lap 26 when he was spun out entering the bus stop and fell back to 27th.
  • Gray short pitted the second stage and finished it in 25th. He stayed out at the break to restart 18th and drove his way up to 14th before a lightning delay with 11 laps remaining. The remainder of the race was cancelled and results were considered official.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 32nd

Finish: 36th

  • Taylor Gray started his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut from the 32nd position. He was up to 19th by the end of the opening lap and was in 17th when the caution came out on lap eight.
  • The No. 17 Ford Performance F-150 entered the top-10 on lap 11, but short pitted with six laps remaining in Stage 1 and finished the stage in 28th.
  • The younger Gray started Stage 2 in the 10th position and was running in 11th on lap 29 when he reported that the engine had begun to lose power.
  • After two trips down pit road to check under the hood, the team opted to go to the garage on lap 42 and change fuel pumps.
  • Gray rejoined the race in 36th, eight laps down to log laps and learn everything he could for his next visit to Watkins Glen. The race was deemed official due to lightning with 11 laps remaining.

Next event: World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois on August 20 at 9 p.m. ET.

Toyota Racing NCWTS Post-Race Recap — Watkins Glen 8.7.21

By
Official Release
-

AUSTIN HILL EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY
Hill scores rain-shortened win at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, NY (August 7, 2021) – Austin Hill drove his Tundra to his second straight win as he earned the victory from the pole in the rain-shortened Watkins Glen event on Saturday afternoon. This was the final event in the regular season for the NASCAR Truck Series season. Toyota leads all manufacturers with six qualified Playoff drivers: John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and Chandler Smith.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Watkins Glen International
Race 15 of 23 – 72 Laps, 176.400 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, AUSTIN HILL
2nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
3rd, Sheldon Creed*
4th, Todd Gilliland*
5th, Parker Kligerman*
8th, PAUL MENARD
13th, CHRISTIAN ECKES
15th, BEN RHODES
18th, CHANDLER SMITH
19th, COREY HEIM
21st, STEWART FRIESEN
22nd, DEREK KRAUS
23rd, MATT CRAFTON
24th, JOHNNY SAUTER
29th, DANNY BOHN
32nd, JOSH REAUME
33rd, LAWLESS ALAN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

AUSTIN HILL, No. 16 United Rentals Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Finishing Position: 1st

What was it like watching and waiting for the lightning delay?

“It was nervewracking, that’s for sure. I didn’t know if we were going to go back green or not, but it feels so good to win on a road course. I’ve been wanting to win on a road course for a really long time – even back in the K&N days, I felt like I would get around the road course fairly decent and finally we had a race that does everything we needed to do. I was really biting my nails there and then when that rain came and I didn’t know what was going to happen with the lightning and all that. Everybody at United Rentals and HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises), they gave me a really good piece today and we were able to go out there and get it done. Really cool, really special to get a win at Watkins Glen. First time back in 20 years or so, it’s really special.”

Are you and your team a threat for the championship?

“Don’t count us out. We’re hungry and we’re ready. We have a lot of confidence so we’re ready to go for these Playoffs.”

How did the experience in yesterday’s ARCA race help you today?

“I think it definitely paid off a little bit. I think once you got five laps into the race, everybody was kind of equal because they kind of figured out where their truck was and figured out where their points were. That paid off a little bit just knowing that tire wear was going to be a factor and that tires were going to fall off a little bit. I tried to be mindful of that, but at the same time, once we played that pit strategy and we got to the lead, I wanted to keep the clean air and that was really big for me just trying to keep the clean air because I thought whoever had the lead was going to be hard to get around. We made the right adjustments, made the right call to pit road and just everything happened the way it did and it’s one of those races that you had to be good, but at the same time we had a little bit of luck on our side to get to the lead and when it’s going green, there’s no telling what can happen on a restart or something. It’s nice to have the rain come and us not have to go back out there.”

How much were you being made aware of the weather during the race?

“The only times that they came on the radio and said anything to me was right when we were going green for that last restart. My crew chief, Scott (Zipadelli) came over the radio and said there was weather in the area, don’t know how long it’s going to last. We could make it all the way or we could be cut short, we don’t know. Just get to the lead if you can and when you have that restart, get through the gears and everything right. Try to save your stuff, but at the same time go. Don’t hold back, don’t let guys get around you. I was trying to manage that the best I could. I saw the 4 (John Hunter Nemechek) was pushing really hard, he was driving in deep. I was just trying to save my stuff, but at the same time just keep that gap from him. I didn’t want him to get too close to me. We just played that cat and mouse game the right way.”

How did things translate at this track for your team with relation to simulation after a 20-year break since this series competed at Watkins Glen?

“I thought that it translated really well. I did a lot of sim work with TRD and I did a lot of stuff with Toyota and it seemed to help going into the weekend. Obviously, the ARCA race helped a lot. I think just preparation was really big for us. To win at a place like Watkins Glen and to do it with United Rentals sponsoring the weekend, I have United Rentals gear all over me and it’s really special to see that. I was really excited to see that happen. I can’t wait to get the phone calls and talk to some of the United Rentals reps and see what they thought of it. I thought it was cool.”

What is making this team so competitive in recent weeks?
“I think the biggest thing is coming off the Knoxville win, just gained a lot of confidence for us. We had that three week break so we were able to really prepare going into this weekend and to also get ready for the Playoffs. I thought the three week break was really good for us and I think that played a factor into how good we were and how prepared we were today. Actually we brought a whole brand new road course package than what we had been running this weekend and we didn’t really know what to expect with no practice. It paid off and we unloaded and were really good. Felt like we got a little tight there, but they made good calls on pit road to get us to the lead and then get that clean air and the adjustments that were made were really good.”

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 2nd

Do you think you may have had something for Austin Hill in the final laps if the race was restarted?

“Possibly, it’s hard to say with the high downforce package that we have on these trucks, dirty air is really bad. You get super aero-tight behind other trucks and it kind of gives you a disadvantage being the second guy compared to being in clean air. Overall, we had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra today. I feel like Austin (Hill) had the dominant truck all day. I do feel like we were better in certain spots, and he was better in other spots on the racetrack. Who knows what would have happened, he could have made a mistake, I could have made a mistake. It’s part of racing. I felt like if he would have slipped a little bit or if I could have gotten side-by-side with him, I feel like we probably could have made the pass and possibly drove off. I don’t know how fast, but I felt like we were playing cat and mouse with trading back who was faster on certain laps.”

What happened between you and Ben Rhodes on lap one?

“I wheel-hopped really bad getting into turn one and apologized to Ben (Rhodes). I’ve spoken to Ben and apologized to his team guys as well. That’s not how I want to race and that’s not my intention to take somebody out. I’m better than that and I should have never made that mistake, but wheel-hopped and I was just along for the ride at that point. We’ve raced hard against them all year and we’ve traded paint, but we’ve been respectful about all of it. It sucks that happened here at Watkins Glen.”

Is this your championship to lose or is it too soon to determine that?

“I feel like race tracks that are coming up are really good for us. I enjoy the race tracks we’re going to the first round and the second round. It all comes down to Phoenix. You have to make it there, be in the final four and whoever has the better race and plays the strategy right. Cautions may fall, we saw that last year as well. We’re on our ‘A’ Game I feel like, and we’ve been preparing fast trucks all year and we just have to keep the momentum rolling. Have to try to be that one that’s the favorite going into Phoenix.”

How does it change to now be the favorite versus the underdog?

“I feel like it changes your mindset a little bit. I feel like being the underdog, you’re trying to push your equipment further than is maybe possible or its potential. Now, I feel like we have really fast Toyota Tundras every time we show up to the racetrack and it’s my job not to make mistakes and it’s my job not to put ourselves in a bad situation that may take us out of the race. I do feel like we’re one of the favorites every time we show up. My mindset is to continue to work hard and head down, elbows up as I would say and continue to push. We’re going to work as hard as we possibly can and that definitely doesn’t change from being the underdog to now being the top guy, I guess. You put in the same amount of work if not more now to try to better yourself as a driver.”

Is it easy to learn to take what the equipment can give you versus trying to push past it?
“You can definitely fall into old habits, but at the same time being able to maximize the potential of the equipment that I was in as an underdog to now being in really fast trucks and maximizing that potential and possibly pushing it even more than what it may be capable of, I think that has taught me a lot. I definitely feel like that has helped me be a better driver, being in that underdog spot and now being in this spot, you know when you can run 95 percent and not have to push it to 100 or 120 percent. I feel like the mental adjustment, for myself personally, I’m having fun, I’m smiling, enjoying life and being able to come out here and have a shot to win every week when we show up to the racetrack feels good.”

What message did Kyle Busch send you for this season about chasing this championship?

“When Kyle (Busch, team owner) and I sat down at the end of last year, beginning of this year when this whole deal came together, we pretty much went into it and told me that I had to have a championship mindset. Don’t make mistakes, don’t make people mad and just go run your races and dominate races. I’m lucky enough that I’m the guy that Kyle believed in that could do that and put the experience there, like a Matt Crafton-type guy as he would say. It’s definitely been nice to kind of fill those shoes with Toyota and with Kyle as well within the organization. The last time KBM was a real threat for the championship was William Byron and Christopher Bell era so hopefully we can be on the list with those guys.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 18th

What are your thoughts knowing you will run for a championship?

“I definitely have a weight lifted off my shoulders I feel like. At the start of the race, I knew we had a really good truck and we go into the first corner and get wrecked right away. That kind of shot us in the foot and put us behind for the rest of the race. To be honest with you, we just now got caught up and got back on the lead lap. Here we are, we’re going into the Playoffs and we’ll take it.”

Are the Playoffs a chance to hit the reset button on your season?

“Overall, for us, this is the first time running something full time in a very long time, probably since I was 13 or something. At the start of the season we were really strong and started having some rough races and we dropped out. Looked like we weren’t even going to make the Playoffs and we’ve been wracking up some really good finishes here lately and here we are. I’m really proud of our whole Safelite Auto Glass team.”

STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra, Halmar Friesen Racing

Finishing Position: 21st

How do you feel coming into your first Playoffs since 2019?

“It’s good, obviously the last two years building the team with Trip (Bruce) and the team and everybody at Toyota, it’s been a major work in progress. Our oldest trucks are probably our speedway trucks and road course or dirt trucks. We get to use the new stuff from here on out. We have a new speedway truck being built for Talladega and looking forward to all that. We’re going back to Bristol and running the concrete. I think our best days are ahead of us.”

Are the Playoffs a chance to hit the reset button on your season?

“I hope so. For our team, just getting into the Playoffs was big, that was our goal. Last year was just a real big building year for us and still has been this year. Our equipment I feel like is where it needs to be for the next bunch of races and we’re looking forward to it.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the 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.

Carter Beats Paley by a Nose for Mazda MX-5 Cup Win at Road America

By
Official Release
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#08, Carter Racing Enterprises, Mazda MX-5,, Michael Carter

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (August 7, 2021) – The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup produced yet another jaw-dropping finish Saturday in the Alana Long 100 at Road America. Michael Carter (No. 08 Carter Racing Enterprises) beat Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) to the finish line by 0.008-second with Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports) a slim 0.110-second behind them.

Carter’s run from eighth on the grid to the win was inspired. The patience and experience of the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Cup champion were on full display as he used three restarts from yellow to inch his way to the front. He made the pivotal move in the last corner of the last lap and drag raced Paley to the finish line.

“What an incredible race!” enthused Carter. “I love this Mazda series, this is some of the best racing that I’ve ever been a part of and, you know, it’s just, it’s good to finally get a win here at Road America. Big thanks to Carter Racing Enterprises, Coaches Corner and our local Mazda dealership CJ Lewis Mazda. It was just a chess match with the draft. I took the lead going up the hill and just barely got it at the finish. It’s gone the other way for me-I lost to Rollan by a few thousandths at Sebring. But this feels great– I’m a little hoarse from yelling in the car! But, man, I just, I’m excited. We’re gonna have a good steak dinner after this. And, yeah, just what an awesome race!”

The win is Carter’s third of the season and helps him maintain his lead in the point standings.

For as much joy as there was on Carter’s face at the end of the race, there was an equal amount of heartbreak on Paley’s face. The rookie has come close to a win so many times this season, including his third-place finish in Friday’s race.

Paley led the field on multiple occasions during the 45-minute race, including on the last lap. That is normally an unenviable position to be in at Road America, but Paley had a plan.

“I knew everyone around me was fighting for the championship so if it came down to a two wide-finish I would get a push,” Paley said. “Thankfully Selin (Rollan) was there to do that. I am disappointed to have not gotten the win today. There were areas on the last lap that I know I could have done better, but it was overall a great race. I positioned myself a bit better during this race and played the draft better. It’s my fourth second place of the year so it’s disappointing to not get it done today.”

Rollan led more laps than any other driver in the race: an impressive feat in and of itself considering the top six cars were constantly swapping positions. The race was slowed by three full-course cautions, preventing anyone from building any kind of gap.

“The yellows helped the car cool off and they were an interruption to the action so it shook things up,” Rollan said. “It was a good race and it could have been anyone’s race. I had a bit of contact that did affect my car. It wasn’t handling the best in the last half of the race, but I am happy to get a podium result. Congrats to Michael (Carter) and to Sam (Paley) who was so close. Thank you to Hixon Motorsports for giving me a great car time and time again.”

Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout winner Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 Provision Motorsport) matched his best finish of the season by crossing the line in fourth.

Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) completed the top five. He appeared on course for a podium finish, but ran out of room at Turn Six, dropped two wheels in the dirt, and fell to fifth.

Rookie John Jodoin (No. 31 McCumbee McAleer Racing) had his best finish ever and won the Hard Charger Award in the process. Jodoin climbed a total of 13 positions, from last to ninth.

“Next year we already have plans for a full season but getting the Hard Charger Award is still exciting,” Jodoin said. “I blew the motor in the first race on lap eight, we swapped the motor and now here we are as the Hard Charger. Starting dead last, the yellows helped me get closer to the pack. Without them, I would have been sitting farther back.”

The MX-5 Cup races at Road America will air on NBCSN, Wednesday, August 18, at 2pm ET.

Only four more races remain in the hunt for the 2022 MX-5 Cup Championship and the $250,000 that comes with it. Next up is WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, September 10 – 12.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. Mazda-powered grassroots champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion earns a $250,000 scholarship.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Corey Heim cruises to win in Clean Harbors 100 at Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Photo courtesy of https://www.arcaracing.com/

Heim closes gap to Ty Gibbs in points
By Tadd Haislop
ARCARACING.COM

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 6, 2021) – Corey Heim’s worst run of the 2021 ARCA Menards Series season thus far came in June, when he finished seventh at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course the last time the series competed on a road course.

He made up for that result Friday evening at Watkins Glen International, where the driver of the No. 20 Craftsman Toyota all but coasted to victory in the Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen, the series’ second and final road course race of the season.

Heim, who won his fifth ARCA Menards Series race of the year and sixth overall dating back to last season, closed the gap to points leader Ty Gibbs in the championship standings. Just two points separate the series’ top title contenders after 13 races.

“Everything we possibly could bring to the race track, we brought today,” said Heim, who led the final 18 of 41 laps on the 2.45-mile road course. “This Venturini Motorsports team has battled back from a lot this year. I’m really proud of them; this Craftsman Camry was rolling really good today.”

The entire complexion of Friday night’s race at Watkins Glen changed at the end of Lap 23. Chase Briscoe, who had taken the lead from Gibbs eight laps prior with what appeared to be the dominant car, was forced to pit with a suspension issue.

At the same time, Heim was catching and passing Gibbs for position. Because of Briscoe’s issue, what would have been a move for second became a pass for the lead when Heim got the best of Gibbs going into the bus stop at Watkins Glen.

“He’s just another car on the race track, and I was trying to get the lead,” Heim said. “Race him hard. Race him clean. And he did, too.”

Added Gibbs, who struggled with a left rear issue Friday: “My guys worked on it, and we tried to fix it, but that’s still not the reason we got beat. We still got beat by (Heim). Congratulations to the 20 group.

“We just kind of missed it today, and we’ll keep hammering down.”

Briscoe, the 2016 ARCA Menards Series champion who was competing on the platform for the first time since his title run, eventually had to park his car with the suspension issue. He finished 23rd after leading nine laps.

Austin Hill, who like Heim is scheduled to race in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Watkins Glen, finished second after passing Gibbs in the closing laps.

Gibbs finished third after leading 14 laps. Carson Hocevar and Brandon Jones finished fourth and fifth, respectively. All three will compete again Saturday at Watkins Glen in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series race (Gibbs and Jones) or the Truck Series race (Hocevar).

Riley Herbst, Taylor Gray, Nick Sanchez, Austin Wayne Self and Jack Wood rounded out the top 10 in the Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen.

Friday evening’s race represented Round 7 of the 2021 Sioux Chief Showdown, a 10-race series within the series designed to bring together the best of the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West.

Heim, with his win at Watkins Glen, shrunk Gibbs’ lead in that series, too,

Friday’s Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen was almost completely clean, with one caution breaking up what otherwise was a green race. The yellow flag was displayed after Dale Quarterley spun into the wall after contact with Drew Dollar on Lap 17.

The NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen race weekend continues with a first for Watkins Glen as Saturday will feature a double-header of NASCAR racing, starting off with the United Rentals 167 at The Glen at 12:30 p.m. ET in the return of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to The Glen for the first time since 2000. That will be followed up by the Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 at 4 p.m. ET. Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen will cap off the weekend at 3 p.m. ET.

To purchase NASCAR race tickets, camping and additional information, call 1-866-461-RACE or visit TheGlen.com. Fans can view the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedules and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets.

About Watkins Glen International

Located within five hours and 300 miles of 25 percent of the U.S. population, Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in North America, four-times voted “Best NASCAR Track” by readers of USA Today. Keep up with The Glen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For tickets, camping, and additional information, call 1-866-461-RACE or visit www.TheGlen.com.

2021 Watkins Glen International Schedule
May 21-23 – Ferrari Challenge North America
June 18-20 – SCCA Majors Super Tour
June 24-27 – IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen
July 1-2 – IMSA WeatherTech 240 at The Glen
July 9-11 – Masters & HSR Race Weekend
August 4-8 – NASCAR Go Bowling at The Glen
September 9-12 – Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix
September 16-19 – GT World Challenge America
October 29-30 – Finger Lakes Beer Festival Presented by Chemung Canal Trust Co.

2021 Watkins Glen International NASCAR Weekend Schedule
August 6 – Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen – ARCA Menards Series Race
August 7 – United Rentals 167 at The Glen – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race
August 7 – Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 – NASCAR Xfinity Series Race
August 8 – Go Bowling at The Glen – NASCAR Cup Series Race

Mazda MX-5 Cup Unveils Strong 2022 Schedule

By
Official Release
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\ #2 #3 #4 #5

Great variety for 2022 with street circuit as well as iconic tracks and events for highly competitive Mazda championship

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (August 6, 2021) – During IMSA’s annual ‘State of the Series’ event, held at Road America, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires unveiled its 2022 season schedule. For its second year under IMSA sanctioning, Mazda MX-5 Cup has once again composed a schedule full of iconic tracks and prestigious events.

The 2022 season is similar to this year with two key differences: the series will return to Road America once again next year, but will be part of the NASCAR Cup event weekend rather than the IMSA event, and the series will also make a return to VIRginia International Raceway.

“It was important for us to remain at high-profile events while still hitting all those driver-favorite tracks,” said Mazda Motorsports Program Manager Jonathan Applegate. “Events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the NASCAR Cup weekend at Road America and Petit Le Mans ensure we are providing our partners and teams with value. Plus, bringing back tracks like VIR and Watkins Glen International makes the series a popular choice for drivers.”

After a phenomenal debut with IMSA at Daytona International Raceway in 2021, the 2022 MX-5 Cup season will return to the World Center of Center of Racing and will once again open at Daytona International Speedway, January 27 – 30, as part of the Rolex 24 at Daytona event.

The series then stays in Florida and returns to the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with IndyCar in March. It is the only temporary street circuit on the 2022 calendar.

MX-5 Cup is back at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and back with IMSA May 13 – 15. After a brief hiatus from the MX-5 Cup schedule, Watkins Glen International is back. The series stays with IMSA as part of the Six Hours of the Glen weekend.

From there, it’s on to Road America where the MX-5 Cup teams will be paddocked alongside NASCAR’s best. The series will be part of the huge NASCAR Cup weekend, July 1 – 3. The journey from Watkins Glen to Road America is the only back-to-back event of the season.

VIRginia International Raceway returns to the MX-5 Cup schedule August 26 – 28. A favorite among drivers and fans alike, VIR has hosted some legendary MX-5 Cup races in year’s past but has not been on the series schedule since 2016.

The 2022 season wraps up at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta during Petit Le Mans, September 28 – October 1.

Continuing the format from 2021, every event on the 2022 schedule is a doubleheader, for a total of 14 races.

DateLocationWith
January 27 – 30Daytona International Raceway
Daytona Beach, Florida		IMSA
March TBASt. Petersburg street course
St. Petersburg, Florida		IndyCar
May 13 – 15Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Lexington, Ohio		IMSA
June 23 – 26Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York		IMSA
July 1 – 3Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin		NASCAR
August 26 – 28VIRginia International Raceway
Alton, Virginia		IMSA
September 28 –
October 1		Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
Braselton, Georgia		IMSA

*all events doubleheaders

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. Mazda-powered grassroots champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion earns a $250,000 scholarship.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

SADA Systems/USRT Lamborghini Huracán Evo Fastest in Friday IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Practice at Road America

By
Official Release
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Steven Aghakhani’s Co-Driver Jacob Eidson Posts Fastest IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Lap of the Day Before Rain Washes Out Qualifying

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 6, 2021) – Steven Aghakhani’s co-driver Jacob Eidson posted the fastest lap of the day Friday in the No. 6 SADA Systems US RaceTronics (USRT) Lamborghini Huracán Evo in preparation for this weekend’s IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo series doubleheader at Road America.

Eidson turned a top time of 2:07.957 on his sixth lap around the four-mile Road America circuit, clocking in more than half a second faster than the nearest competitor in the scheduled 40-minute session that was stopped twice for on-track incidents.

“Being first in practice and every session is obviously what you want,” Eidson said. “P1 in practice is not going to yield any results, but it shows us where our pace is. That’s definitely a result of our preparation, and I’ve got to thank US RaceTronics, SADA and all of the sponsors that support our team. It’s been a bit of a head scratching weekend with all the delays and what not, but we’re only focused on tomorrow’s first race right now. We’re going to put our heads down and do everything we can to win.”

Eidson pit when the second red flag waved. He handed the No. 6 off to Aghakhani, who was strapped in and waiting to take to the track only to see the session stopped with not enough time left to complete the on-track clean up. Including a stoppage in Thursday’s first session, the three red flag incidents have kept competitors in the pits more than on the race track so far this weekend at Road America.

“Practice isn’t the only thing you want to be winning out there, but it just goes to show we’ve got the car to do it,” Aghakhani said. “You have to credit the testing we did here before this weekend’s race. Everything comes down to the sponsors, their full commitment, the team’s commitment and my father Armik’s commitment as well. Without them we wouldn’t be able to do this extra testing, wouldn’t be able to put the car on the podium like we did here last year and one race ago at Watkins Glen.”

Aghakhani, Eidson and the SADA Systems USRT No. 6 team tested recently at Road America prior to this weekend.

“We came here for a two day test a few weeks ago,” Eidson said. “It went really well, and we got a lot of good data. Peter Jacobs, our engineer, was able to learn a lot and we did too as drivers. Even though we’ve raced here a lot, and won last year, it’s easy to get rusty. Being able to come out here and test and prepare is huge.”

The top practice effort had Aghakhani, Eidson and the entire SADA No. 6 team primed for a similar performance in Friday afternoon qualifying, but Mother Nature had other ideas. A heavy afternoon thunderstorm saw qualifying cancelled and the grid for Saturday’s first of two 50-minute races set by the results of Thursday’s first practice session.

“We had a little bit of an issue with qualifying,” said Aghakhani, who starts Saturday’s race from fifth on the grid. “The Wisconsin rain wasn’t the nicest to us with thunder and lightning storms here and there too. We’ve got to put it behind us, we have two races ahead of us, and we need to go out there and get it done.”

Saturday’s race is scheduled to start at 12:40 p.m. CDT with Sunday’s second and final 50-minute sprint slated to go green at 10:50 a.m. CDT. Both races can be viewed live at www.IMSA.tv.

Noteworthy

This weekend’s Road America doubleheader takes place more than a month after the previous race weekend at Watkins Glen, but Aghakhani and his father Armik put in some hard off-track work during that time. In the coming weeks, the Aghakhani’s will announce an additional major sponsor that will join SADA Systems and the other fine partners supporting Steven’s racing career. Additionally, the Aghakhanis will also soon announce their participation in another major racing event that will complement their full-season effort in Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

Aghakhani’s racing programs run with the support of several key sponsor partners in 2021. SADA Systems, Inc. is a privately held global leader in providing business and technology consulting services that transform organizations through cloud-based solutions at www.sada.com. Insignia Mortgage focuses on providing flexible portfolio lending options for clients with non-traditional lending needs. Learn more at www.insigniamortgage.com. Magic Laundry Services (MLS) is one of the largest independently owned hospitality linens and dry-cleaning operations in the country, catering primarily to the hospitality industry. Learn more at www.magiclaundryservices.com. TKX Associates specializes in consulting and staff augmentation at www.tkxassociates.com, Shegerian & Associates is a Los Angeles based firm at www.shegerianlaw.com. The Tax & Business Consulting Group is a Los Angeles-based public accounting firm at www.alllp.com. Equeduct provides capital funding solutions for small businesses at www.equeduct.com. O’Gara Coach, at www.ogaracoach, is a luxury and high-performance auto dealer in Beverly Hills, Westlake Village and San Diego. Additional valued partners include Forgiato Wheels at www.forgiato.com, Speed Society at https://speedsociety.com and the Pro Automotive Repair Center in Glendale, California.

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