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PEMBELTON SCORES FIRST CAREER LATE MODEL WIN; SELLERS WINS NIGHTCAP AS PAIR SPLIT SATURDAY TWINBILL AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY

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Peyton Sellers, the current leader in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national standings, accepts the winner’s trophy from Davenport Energy representatives following his win in the second of the pair of 50-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined Saturday night’s Davenport Energy Night event at South Boston Speedway. The win was the sixth victory of the season for Sellers at South Boston Speedway. Photo Courtesy Joe Chandler/South Boston Speedway

By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (Aug.7, 2021) — Sixteen-year-old Landon Pembelton won his first career NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division race and Peyton Sellers, the current leader in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national standings, picked up a win as they each captured a victory in the pair of 50-lap NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division races that headlined Saturday night’s Davenport Energy Night event at South Boston Speedway.

Pembelton took the lead from Sellers on a restart with four laps to go in the opening 50-lap race and held on the rest of the way to score his first career Late Model Stock Car Division win. With his win the young Amelia, Virginia resident became the third driver to score his first career Late Model win at South Boston Speedway this season.

“This is a big deal,” Pembelton remarked. “My dad (Brian Pembelton, the 2009 South Boston Speedway Limited Sportsman Division champion) won here at South Boston Speedway. Two generations of our family have won here. It’s a pretty big
deal.”

The young racer said it was special racing Sellers for the win.

“This is a big win, racing against Peyton Sellers,” Pembelton remarked. “We raced tooth-and nail, door-to-door. He used me up a little bit and I tried to pinch him as hard as I could. We raced pretty hard to the end.”

Jacob Borst of Elon, North Carolina finished third with Carter Langley of Zebulon, North Carolina and Trey Crews of Halifax, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers in the 18-car field.

The race was an exciting one, with Pembelton and Sellers swapping the lead three times. Pembelton led twice for a total of 47 laps.

Sellers, from Ringgold, Virginia, controlled the nightcap in earning his sixth win of the season at South Boston Speedway. He rallied from his seventh starting spot to take the lead from Stuart Crews of Long Island, Virginia on the 13th circuit. Once in front Sellers led the rest of the race. Pembelton, who started eighth, sped past Borst to take second place with five laps to go and finished 1.44 seconds behind Sellers.

Borst finished third with Stuart Crews taking fourth place and Trey Crews rounding out the top five finishers.

“It was a really good night,” Sellers said after the win. “Anytime you can go to South Boston Speedway and finish first and second it’s a great night. We lost pretty big in the first race. We were pretty much in left field. H.C. (his brother and crew chief H.C. Sellers) made exactly the right change. When I fired off going into turn one on the first lap, I knew it was going to be a good car.”

Jason Myers Sweeps Limited Sportsman Division Twinbill

Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia enjoyed the biggest night of his racing career, sweeping the night’s twin 25-lap Limited Sportsman Division races.

Myers scored his first career Limited Sportsman Division race win in the opening 25-lap race and backed it up by winning the nightcap. He became the fifth different winner in the division this season with the sweep of the twinbill.

Myers and Ryan Joyner of Lucama, North Carolina exchanged the lead three times in the opening race with Myers taking the lead for the final time with 11 laps left in the race.

Joyner finished second, one second behind Myers, with J.D. Eversole of North Chesterfield, Virginia taking third place. Drew Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia finished fourth and Brian Obiedzenski of Franklinton, North Carolina completed the top five finishers.

The second 25-lap featured another battle between Myers and Joyner, with Myers getting the upper hand with six laps to go and edging Joyner a second time, this time by a narrow .799-second margin.
Eversole finished third with Dawson and Obiedzenski rounding out the top five finishers.

“I could have never dreamed this,” Myers said with a huge smile. “Four years ago, when I started racing, I wanted to get one win in my career. To get two in one night is really special.”

Nathan Crews Scores Third Win In A Row In The Budweiser Pure Stock Division

Nathan Crews of Long Island, Virginia scored his third win in a row and his ninth win in 10 starts this season at South Boston Speedway with his victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock Division race.

Crews edged teammate and former division champion Daniel Shelton of Hurt, Virginia for the win in his toughest battle of the season to date.

Bruce Mayo of Halifax, Virginia finished third, Randy Hupp of Halifax, Virginia finished fourth and Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia finished fifth.

Josh Dawson Wins 15-Lap Budweiser Hornets Division Race

Josh Dawson of Halifax, Virginia earned his sixth win of the season Saturday night, driving to victory in the 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.

The victory gives Dawson wins in four of his last five starts. He celebrated his win by asking his girlfriend of four-and-a-half years, Alyssa Spencer of Halifax, Virginia, to marry him in front of family, friends, and the South Boston Speedway fans while in Victory Lane. Of course, he got a “yes” from his totally surprised future wife.

“I was trying to do it (propose) on July 3,” Dawson explained.“I didn’t win that one, so I had to hold it off until the next time I won.”

Former division champion Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia took the runner-up spot, with Andrea Ruotolo of South Boston, Virginia finishing third. Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia finished fourth and Jared Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia rounded out the top five finishers.

Next Race At South Boston Speedway

NASCAR racing returns to South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, August 21 with the Italian Delight Family Restaurant Night at the Races presented by Southside Disposal racing program.

Twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors headline the night’s six-race card. The night’s racing action will also include a 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, twin 15-lap races for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division.

Registration and pit gates will open at 2 p.m. Practice will begin at 3:45 p.m. and grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Qualifying begins at 6 p.m. and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m.

Advance adult general admission tickets for the August 21 event are priced at $10 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, through Friday night, August 20. Adult general admission tickets online and at the gate on race day are priced at $15 each. Kids ages 12 and under will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Fans and competitors are urged to visit the South Boston Speedway website and the speedway’s social media channels for the latest news and updates about the speedway and events at “America’s Hometown Track.”

August 7, 2021 Results
Late Model Stock Car No. 1 (50 laps)
1 0 Landon Pembleton 50
2 26 Peyton Sellers 50
3 25 Jacob Borst 50
4 5 Carter Langley 50
5 9 Trey Crews 50
6 01 Camden Gullie 50
7 6 Terry Dease 50
8 29 Stuart Crews 50
9 51 Layne Riggs 50
10 22 Whitney Meggs 50
11 73 Bruce Anderson 50
12 50 Raymond Pittman, III 50
13 04 Larry Barrett 50
14 91 Chris Elliott 45
15 28 Jason Barnes 40
16 2 Chris Denny 34
17 23 Danny Willis, Jr. 3
18 82 Allen Dillard 1

Late Model Stock Car No. 2 (50 laps)
1 26 Peyton Sellers 50
2 0 Landon Pembleton 50
3 25 Jacob Borst 50
4 29 Stuart Crews 50
5 9 Trey Crews 50
6 5 Carter Langley 50
7 01 Camden Gullie 50
8 73 Bruce Anderson 50
9 23 Danny Willis, Jr. 50
10 28 Jason Barnes 50
11 2 Chris Denny 50
12 6 Terry Dease 50
13 04 Larry Barrett 50
14 50 Raymond Pittman, III 37
15 22 Whitney Meggs 16
16 91 Chris Elliott 15
17 51 Layne Riggs 10

Limited Sportsman No. 1 (25 laps)
1 17 Jason Myers 25
2 15 Ryan Joyner 25
3 98 JD Eversole 25
4 8 Drew Dawson 25
5 29 Brian Obiedzenski 25
6 58 Daniel Moss 25
7 36 Andrew Amos 25
8 2 Kenny Daniel 25
9 40 Brian Thomas 25
10 12 Zach Peregoy 25
11 75 Daniel Crews 18

Limited Sportsman No. 2 (25 laps)
1 17 Jason Myers 25
2 15 Ryan Joyner 25
3 98 JD Eversole 25
4 8 Drew Dawson 25
5 29 Brian Obiedzenski 25
6 75 Daniel Crews 25
7 58 Daniel Moss 25
8 36 Andrew Amos 25
9 2 Kenny Daniel 25
10 12 Zach Peregoy 25
11 40 Brian Thomas 18

Budweiser Pure Stock (30 laps)
1 3 Nathan Crews 30
2 13 Daniel Shelton 30
3 0 Bruce Mayo 30
4 12 Randy Hupp 30
5 66 Scott Phillips 30
6 61 Jimmy Wade 30
7 14 Mark McCarly 29
8 2 Jared Milam 9

Budweiser Hornets (15 laps)
1 9 Josh Dawson 15
2 49 Kevin Currin 15
3 12 Andrea Routoli 15
4 63 Dillon Davis 15
5 01 Jared Dawson 15
6 54 Jason DeCarlo 15
7 71 Donald Clay 15
8 62 Ross Mountcasel 15
9 28 Bobby Talbert 15
10 3 Steven Layne 14
11 28 Kendall Milam 9

Riley Dickinson, Efrin Castro Earn Porsche Carrera Cup Podiums for Team Hardpoint EBM at Road America

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Official Release
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Photo credit Sideline Sports Photography

Rob Ferriol and Katherine Legge Ready For Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech Championship Race Following Saturday’s Qualifying

ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin (August 7, 2021) – Team Hardpoint EBM drivers Riley Dickinson and Efrin Castro each earned Porsche Carrera Cup North America podium finishes on Saturday at Road America, while Rob Ferriol and Katherine Legge will start Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race on row six at the same track.

With Friday’s qualifying session rained out, the Porsche Carrera Cup grid was set by championship points. That left Dickinson’s No. 53 Porsche Austin/Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fifth overall and in the Pro class, with Castro’s No. 65 Fine Fare Supermarkets/GoDominicanRepublic.com Porsche 911 GT3 Cup second in the Pro-Am class.

Dickinson got the jump at the green flag of the 40-minute race, moving immediately to third place and holding off an aggressive challenge through the opening lap when the race’s lone full-course caution came out. Dickinson held the position once again on the restart, keeping third place through the duration of the race to the checkered flag.

The podium finish, his third of the season through seven rounds, moved him unofficially to fourth in the standings. His best lap during the race means he will start third in Sunday’s contest.

“It was an unbelievable race from my perspective,” Dickinson said. “That’s the first time we’ve actually moved forward and held it, so from my standpoint that couldn’t have gone any better. We’re not complacent with third place, we want to get two more steps up on the podium but I’ve very happy with that effort. To me it’s a bounce back from what we had at Watkins Glen, and it’s relieving to say the least. We have a few more things we need to work on with the car, but I can’t thank the Team Hardpoint EBM guys enough for their work this weekend. We were thrown a curveball with qualifying getting canceled but we made the most of it today and are starting third tomorrow.”

Castro started second in the Pro-Am class and, like his teammate, held that position to the finish. Coming on late, Castro finished less than two-seconds behind the leader but was never close enough to post a challenge.

It’s the sixth podium in seven races for Castro, who will start Sunday’s race second in the Pro-Am class.

“Overall, I’m happy today,” Castro said. “The team worked really hard. It’s very sad for me to say this, but I’m kind of disappointed in second place. It took a while to get the car underneath me and I was prepared for a better result. But I can’t complain, it was a lot of fun. These guys are driving the tires off these cars. It’s very competitive and that’s a very good finish.”

Ferriol will start the No. 88 Richard Mille/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R 11th in the GT Daytona class in Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute WeatherTech Championship race on Sunday. His qualifying lap of 2:10.173 (111.979 mph) came on slick tires as the rain began to fall during the 15-minute session. Ferriol turned just two full laps before the track was too wet to continue to improve, likely costing the team a handful of starting positions but leaving them in a strong position for Sunday’s race.

“We felt pretty good going into qualifying and thought we had a good car that was going to put us higher than maybe we’ve been in the past,” Ferriol said. “It’s all part of those incremental gains up the starting order that we continue to work on. Unfortunately, the rain came a little quicker than we expected and the tires weren’t up to pressure yet, so we really didn’t get that peak lap before the rain. But I feel like we’ve got a good race car and looking forward to the race tomorrow.”

Dickinson and Castro return to action on Sunday morning with a second 40-minute race at 9:45 a.m. CDT. That race can be seen live online at IMSA.com/tv. Ferriol and Legge take to the track at 1:40 p.m. CDT in a race that can be seen live via TrackPass on the NBC Sports app, and delayed on NBCSN at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT.

About Team Hardpoint EBM:
Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Team Hardpoint EBM is a joint venture between Team Hardpoint and Earl Bamber Motorsport formed in late 2020 to utilize the resources of EBM and co-owners Earl Bamber and Will Bamber and the early success of Team Hardpoint. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team’s 2021 plans include a full-season effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and a multi-car effort in the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America. More information on Team Hardpoint EBM can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Lewis qualifies Gilbert Korthoff Mercedes 10th at Road America

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Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (7 August 2021) – Making his first start at Road America in a GT-type sports car, Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports’ Shane Lewis quickly got up to speed by qualifying 10th for Sunday’s IMSA Sportscar Weekend at Road America.

Lewis turned a lap of 2:09.990-seconds, battling tricky weather conditions on the historic four-mile circuit in the No. 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo co-driven by Guy Cosmo.

“I would have liked to have done better, but I’m happy with P-10 considering everything that’s been going on,” Lewis said. “We got to the grid just in the nick of time. We have been working to get our setup right. We went out there on slick tires, and unfortunately rain came on my hot lap. I managed to get a lap in, and that was good enough for P-10.

With IMSA’s new twin-tier qualifying for the GTD class, Lewis’ lap set the team’s position on the starting grid. Cosmo then went out for a second 15-minute session, which awards points for GTD competitors. Since the team is not racing for the championship, Cosmo recorded a lap of 2:19.128-seconds and parked the Mercedes.

The two-hour, 40-minute race takes the green flag at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday.

The Road America race will be streamed live on NBC Sports Gold Trackpass on Sunday, beginning at 1:40 p.m. The event will be televised that evening on NBCSN, with a three-hour broadcast beginning at 7 p.m.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Watkins Glen NXS Race Report

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Official Release
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Herbst Finishes 13th at Watkins Glen
Monster Energy Driver Scores 10th Top-15 of Season

Date: August 7, 2021
Event: NASCAR Xfinity Series 200 at The Glen (Round 20 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile, seven-turn road course)
Format: 82 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/42 laps)
Start/Finish: 10th / 13th (Running, completed 82 of 82 laps)
Point Standing: 12th (449 points, 400 out of first)
Race Winner: Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)

Overview:

After a roller coaster ride of a race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team brought home a 13th-place finish in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series 200 at The Glen. The 22-year-old Herbst started 10th at the 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course and quickly moved his way up to ninth, where he finished Stage 1 to earn two bonus points. After pitting during the stage break for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment, Herbst restarted Stage 2 in 16th. He worked his way up to 12th by the lap-33 caution. The team stayed out during the caution to gain track position. The strategy paid off, and Herbst finished sixth in Stage 2 to earn an extra five bonus points. In the final stage, the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang restarted 19th and broke into the top-15 by lap 47. Herbst was running 14th when the caution came out on lap 49. Unfortunately, the team was hit with a speeding penalty while making their fuel-only pit stop, forcing Herbst to restart at the back of the field. Herbst was a man on a mission on the lap-51 restart. The Las Vegas native gained 22 spots and made it all the way up to ninth before another yellow flag flew just 17 laps later. Crew chief Richard Boswell made the call to bring his driver down pit road for four fresh tires and fuel for the team’s final stop of the race. Herbst continued to make up lost ground as the laps wound down. On the final restart of the race on lap 79, a spin in front of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang forced Herbst to fall back in the field to 17th. He made up a majority of those lost spots in the final three laps to finish 13th and score his 10th top-15 of the season.

Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“That just wasn’t the day we had hoped for at Watkins Glen. We had a top-10 car but made a mistake that put us back in the pack in the final stage. It’s so hard to pass here, and we just got stuck. We made up some ground in the playoff standings, but we still have work to do. We’ll take what we learned here and move on to Indy.”

Notes:

● Herbst finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points and sixth in Stage 2 to earn an additional five bonus points.

● Ty Gibbs won the NASCAR Xfinity Series 200 at The Glen to earn his third career victory, his third of the season and his first at Watkins Glen. His margin over second-place AJ Allmendinger was .948 of a second.

● There were eight caution periods for a total of 15 laps.

● Twenty-eight of the 40 drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series 200 at The Glen finished on the lead lap.

● Austin Cindric remains the championship leader after Watkins Glen with an 80-point advantage over second-place AJ Allmendinger.

Next Up:

The next event on the Xfinity Series schedule is the Indianapolis 150 at the Brickyard on Saturday, Aug. 14, on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. The race starts at 4 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

2021 GMS Racing Camping World Truck Series Watkins Glen Recap

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Official Release
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Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

START: 19th  

FINISH: 3rd

POINTS: 5th

Notes & Quotes:—

  • Sheldon Creed entered Watkins Glen looking to impress. With four Top 5 finishes in four road course starts, Creed was bound to be a contender from the start. Contend he did, driving his No. 2 Silverado to the front right away. Sheldon finished Stage 1 in second place, and backed it up with a fifth place run in Stage 2.
  • Creed led the way for GMS Racing in the rain-shortened race, finishing an impressive 3rd place finish. Momentum is on the side of the 2 team right when it counts most.

Back2Back: Sheldon Creed is headed to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, looking to defend his 2020 championship.

Quote: “Overall, we had a pretty good day at the Glen. I felt that we could have been more of a contender if we had an opportunity to get out in clean air, because aero means so much at this track. My truck handled great for the most part, but we were just a little too tight compared to the front two. I’m glad we got a good finish though, and I’m looking forward to getting the Playoffs started with my No. 2 team.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Bay Mountain Air Chevrolet Silverado

START: 8th

FINISH: 6th

POINTS: 6th

Notes & Quotes:—

  • Zane Smith competed in his third ever road course race at Watkins Glen International in NCWTS competition. Despite having little road course experience, Smith drove like a veteran on the 2.45-mile track as he fought his way through the field. The No. 21 Silverado played a different strategy than most of the leaders and short pitted in Stage 1, resulting in a 20th place result. In Stage 2, Smith cycled back to the front, holding track position to finish a solid fourth place.
  • Smith was able to lead a total of four laps en route to his best career finish on a road course at Watkins Glen, coming home with a solid sixth place finish. Heading into Gateway, the No. 21 is a real threat to watch out for.

21in21: Zane Smith is headed to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs for a second consecutive year. The sophomore driver finished second place in the 2020 championship standings, can this be his year to win it all?

Quote: “Not a bad day, I felt good with our short run speed, but we need to be better on the long runs. I think once we work that out, it will put us more in contention for the final stage. We led some laps and ran up front all day but just needed a little bit more. I am ready to start the playoffs with my GMS Racing No. 21 team for the 2nd time.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

START: 25th

FINISH: 28th

Notes & Quotes:—

  • Road course ace AJ Allmendinger took the reigns of the No. 23 Silverado after its primary driver, Chase Purdy, tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen International.
  • Allmendinger had quite an eventful race, having to start from the rear due to the driver change. From there, the No. 23 was on a tear, slashing through the field and making quick work up to the front of the pack. AJ drove up to sixth by Stage 1, and further improved his running position to third in Stage 2.
  • Unfortunately, a broken component in the right front suspension hindered Allmendinger’s race severely, forcing him to pit on numerous occasions under green and caution periods. He was also involved with an incident near the start of the final stage. Hard work paid off, and the crew fixed his issues, however it was too late as the lightning set in and brought the race to a halt. Allmendinger crossed the line with a disappointing 28th place finish.

Quote: “It was a disappointing finish to the truck race with the issue that we had in the front end. It still had a lot of speed in it after we fixed that issue. I felt like we had the fastest truck by a mile! I think if we didn’t have the issue we did, we could have easily won that race. I’m really thankful to Maury Gallagher and everyone at GMS forgiving me the opportunity. More importantly, I hope Chase has a quick recovery so he can get back to driving for these guys! That No. 23 Chevy was really fast, so I’m disappointed that we didn’t really get to show it.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado

START: 27th

FINISH: 26th

Notes & Quotes:—

  • Jack Wood competed in a double duty weekend at The Glen, driving in both the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday and the NCWTS race on Saturday. With an extra 41 laps of seat time from the ARCA race, Wood was eager to return to the road course for a second time.
  • The rookie went to work early on, improving on his starting position to finish a respectable 13th in Stage 1. In Stage 2, it appeared as if Jack would be in the catbird seat, restarting in the lead for the first time in his career on lap 24. Unfortunately, a speeding penalty under green flag conditions near the end of the stage brought the No. 24 Silverado down pit road to serve a penalty, putting Wood a lap down.
  • Wood gained his lap back by virtue of the wave around at the end of Stage 2, but with not many laps left in the race, he would have to settle for a 26th place finish.

Quote: “I’m pretty frustrated with how the weekend went for myself. I feel that I as a driver never had the speed that I wanted, but at the same time, I. feel like I learned a lot. We will have to keep fighting to get ourselves out of this slump. I’m confident that our No. 24 team will be able to rebound at Gateway.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

START: 10th

FINISH: 7th

POINTS: 12th

Notes & Quotes:—

  • Tyler Ankrum arrived to Watkins Glen full of optimism as the No. 26 Silverado had a phenomenal race at the series’ only other road course event earlier this season at Circuit of Americas, where he finished second. This time, however, Ankrum had to scratch and claw his way to the front from the initial drop of the green flag. On lap 2, contact through the bus stop forced an early green flag pit stop with a flat tire, resulting in a 26th place finish in Stage 1.
  • Despite it being an uphill battle early on, the LiUNA! crew never gave up hope, and crew chief Charles Denike made the right calls on adjustments throughout the race. Stage 2 was significantly better for Tyler, where he finished an impressive 6th place.
  • Ankrum was essentially in a “must-win” situation to make the NCWTS Playoffs, and had a fighting chance to take home the win as the race came a to a close. Unfortunately, the No. 26 was on the outside looking in as the weather did not permit the full distance finish. Though the crew’s spirits are dampened, Tyler Ankrum looks to finish out his season on a high note over these final seven races.

Quote: “We had a pretty fast LiUNA! Silverado, and I was happy with our speed. It was just an unfortunate set of events that led to our team not being able to walk away with the finish that they deserved. I think if we would have had the opportunity to finish the race under green, we might have had a great shot at making the Playoffs. Unfortunately we’ll just be stuck wondering what if, but that doesn’t mean that we are done for the year. I’m ready to have some fun and go for some wins near the end of the season!”

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. The team also competes in the ARCA Menards Series with Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net

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What to do if Your Car Gets Scratched

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SM
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Photo by Brock Wegner on Unsplash

Finding your car has been scratched or dented can be a nightmare. It is often a more complex fix than it first seems, so it is essential to make sure you treat it as a serious situation. It may not be something that bothers everyone, but it can progress to become a more significant issue such as rust. Also, a scratched car can be put off when selling the vehicle later and reduce the value.

Check to see Who Did It.

If the scratch results from someone bumping or knocking into your vehicle, then it will help if we can identify that individual. We can claim the cost of any repairs from them, often through their insurance, if they hit you with the car. Even if they were walking or cycling, you could still hold them legally liable, although it may be more challenging to get them to pay.

Look for CCTV & Witnesses

You should initially look around the area to see if there is any evidence of who scratched your car? If it has just happened, you may be lucky enough to find a witness who saw what happened. Take the contact details of the witness and note down what they saw. If you cannot find an eyewitness, check the area for local businesses with external CCTV. If you ask nicely, most places will allow you to review the footage, although they have no legal responsibility to do so. With this information at hand, you might consider calling the police to get an official report.

Sort the Problem Yourself

If you have no luck finding the guilty party, you may wish to consider sorting the problem yourself to save some cash. Find the best auto paint supply you can, and touching up the affected area can be a relatively simple job depending on the severity of the damage. Make sure any sharp edges are sanded away and, if necessary, apply primer if the metal is showing before adding a paint layer.

Check with Insurance

You should check with your insurance if damage to the bodywork can be claimed against the policy? It may be that it is, but there will be an excess to pay, or it will affect your no claims bonus. You should carefully weigh up the pros and cons of claiming as it may cost you more in the long term with increased premiums over the next few years.

Look for a Bodyshop

Whether you are paying yourself or having an insurer pay for the work, we should look for a competent body shop to conduct any serious repairs. There are usually a variety of choices in most areas. Look for operators with a good reputation; this can be easily done by reading online reviews on platforms such as Google and Facebook. If you have a valuable or rare vehicle, it may be wise to use a body shop specializing in your make or use the official dealership.

Phenom Ty Gibbs Wins Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 at The Glen for Third Xfinity Series Win in 10 Races

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Official Release
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By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

Even the very drivers he beat offered congratulations to 18-year old Ty Gibbs for the teenager’s victory in Saturday afternoon’s Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 at the renowned Watkins Glen International road course.

No matter which side of the track Gibbs re-started from, no matter the occasional hiccup getting up to speed, the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs proved he was up for the task – leading a race best (and career best) 43 of 82 laps to claim his third NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in 10 assorted starts this season. He also won at the Daytona road course and at the Charlotte oval.

Gibbs beat one of the track’s all-time best, A.J. Allmendinger, by .938-seconds to take the victory, passing him with two laps remaining to seal his fate and raise his third trophy of the year.

“Ty did a great job, he was clean, made a great move on me and I couldn’t really do anything to defend it,” Allmendinger said, noting that although he initially took the lead on the race’s final restart with four laps remaining, he knew he would have to deal with Gibbs for the win.

“I knew how good he was, especially in the carousel and going through the last couple corners,” Allmendinger said. “That car had a lot of rear grip and he used it. Congratulations. Fantastic job by him.

“Proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing. Solid day, but it sucks when you come in second.”

For his part, Gibbs was all smiles and few words after climbing out of his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The fans gave him a huge ovation. He is the youngest driver in Watkins Glen’s storied history to win an Xfinity Series race.

“Probably the most fun racing with A.J. (Allmendinger), the 7 (Justin Allgaier), and the 22 (Austin Cindric); those guys are very experienced veterans in this racing series and being able to race and beat them means a lot,” Gibbs said. “I learned a lot too.”

Cindric, the 2019 Watkins Glen winner and Xfinity Series championship leader finished third, followed by Allgaier and Harrison Burton. Brandon Jones, Noah Gragson, Jeb Burton, Justin Haley and Sam Mayer rounded out the top 10.

Cindric won Stage 1 – for his series best eighth stage win and Allmendinger won Stage 2.

Gibbs wasn’t even among the top 10 in the opening stage, but a different pit strategy moved him forward and he ran among the top five for the remainder of the race, battling forward at each restart figuring out a way to pass whoever held the lead – Cindric, Jones or Allmendinger. He passed them all.

“This is just a dream come true to win at Watkins Glen,” Gibbs said, adding “This is just wonderful, I can’t even believe it. … Just a great race. I’m at a loss for words.”

With their impressive showings Saturday, Penske Racing’s Cindric – a four-race winner already this season – and two-race winner Allmendinger maintain their places atop the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings. There are six races remaining to set the 12-driver Playoff field. JR Motorsports driver Michael Annettt is currently 12th in the standings with a 30-point advantage over Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst and a 45-point edge over Brandon Brown.

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 Xfinity Series Race – 26th Annual Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 at The Glen

Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
Saturday, August 7, 2021

  1. (15) Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 82.
  2. (6) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 82.
  3. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 82.
  4. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 82.
  5. (4) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 82.
  6. (21) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 82.
  7. (11) Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 82.
  8. (8) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 82.
  9. (5) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 82.
  10. (23) Sam Mayer #, Chevrolet, 82.
  11. (18) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 82.
  12. (14) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 82.
  13. (10) Riley Herbst, Ford, 82.
  14. (19) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 82.
  15. (7) Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 82.
  16. (12) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 82.
  17. (24) Kris Wright(i), Toyota, 82.
  18. (13) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 82.
  19. (17) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 82.
  20. (20) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 82.
  21. (16) Jade Buford #, Chevrolet, 82.
  22. (3) Daniel Hemric, Toyota, 82.
  23. (35) Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, 82.
  24. (30) Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 82.
  25. (28) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 82.
  26. (9) Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 82.
  27. (27) Jesse Little, Chevrolet, 82.
  28. (40) Stephen Leicht, Toyota, 82.
  29. (32) Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 81.
  30. (25) Joe Graf Jr., Chevrolet, 81.
  31. (31) Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 81.
  32. (39) Bayley Currey(i), Chevrolet, 81.
  33. (38) David Smith, Chevrolet, 80.
  34. (22) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, Electrical, 75.
  35. (34) Michael Munley, Chevrolet, Suspension, 74.
  36. (36) Erik Jones(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 66.
  37. (33) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, Chassis, 53.
  38. (29) Matt Mills, Toyota, Accident, 47.
  39. (26) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 28.
  40. (37) Kyle Tilley(i), Chevrolet, DVP, 20.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 84.088 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 23 Mins, 21 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.948 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 8 for 15 laps.

Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Allgaier 0;A. Cindric 1-21;H. Burton 22-24;B. Jones 25;T. Gibbs # 26-36;A. Allmendinger 37-41;T. Gibbs # 42-48;D. Hemric 49-55;T. Gibbs # 56-70;A. Cindric 71;T. Gibbs # 72-78;A. Allmendinger 79;T. Gibbs # 80-82.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Ty Gibbs # 5 times for 43 laps; Austin Cindric 2 times for 22 laps; Daniel Hemric 1 time for 7 laps; AJ Allmendinger 2 times for 6 laps; Harrison Burton 1 time for 3 laps; Brandon Jones 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 22,16,18,20,10,11,9,19,98,8

Stage #2 Top Ten: 16,54,22,7,9,98,8,1,31,18

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report – Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Watkins Glen International
Race: Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200
Date: August 7, 2021

No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 2nd
Stage 1: 1st (Eighth Stage Win of 2021)
Stage 2: 3rd
Finish: 3rd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 82/82
Laps Led: 22
Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+80)

Notes:

  • Austin Cindric and the No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang team grabbed a third-place finish in the Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 Saturday afternoon at Watkins Glen International. Cindric collected his 13th top-five finish in 20 races this season along with his eighth stage victory. He has now finished inside the top three in his two most recent starts at the New York road course. The driver of the No. 22 CarShop Ford remains atop of series driver standings, 80 markers ahead of second-place AJ Allmendinger.
  • The starting lineup was once again set per the NASCAR rulebook, which gave Cindric the second-place starting position. He took the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, winning Stage 1 for his eighth stage victory of the season. Cindric said the balance on his Mustang was good aside from too much wheel hop in the corners and it needed more turn. Crew chief Brian Wilson made the call for Cindric to pit during the stage caution on lap 22 for four tires, an air pressure adjustment, and fuel. A mix of pit strategies among the leaders shuffled Cindric back to 12th position for the restart on lap 24.
  • Over the course of the second 20-lap stage, the Mooresville. N.C. native showed his road-course skills, racing his way through traffic to score a third-place finish when Stage 2 ended on lap 40. This time during the stage caution, Wilson left his driver out on the racetrack and Cindric restarted third when the event went green on lap 43.
  • Once the race restarted, Cindric held firm to second-place but shortly thereafter radioed to his team that the No. 22 Mustang was getting tighter during this run. The sixth caution was displayed on lap 50 and allowed Cindric to pit for four tires and another round of adjustments. Once again Cindric restarted back in 12th and once more he climbed his way up the leaderboard, moving up to second by lap 65. Two more yellow flags (on laps 69 and 78) would slow the pace and Wilson kept his driver on the track during both cautions. Cindric took the lead on lap 71 from Ty Gibbs but unfortunately couldn’t stay there. He fell back in line to the third position one lap later, where he would remain at the conclusion of the event.

Quote: “Yeah we just weren’t quite good enough to fire off. I felt like Ty was probably better than me and AJ most of the race. I gave it my all. Took the lead on the restart and wasn’t good enough to hold it. We’ll take it and move on. Solid day for points in the CarShop Ford Mustang. I just wish we would have been able to hold the lead after that restart, but probably not good enough.”

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES-STREETS OF NASHVILLE: TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP FOR BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX ON NEW NASHVILLE STREET COURSE

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX
STREETS OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP
AUGUST 7, 2021

FELIX ROSENQVIST LEADS CHEVROLET IN FIRESTONE FAST SIX QUALIFYING ON STREETS OF NASHVILLE

NASHVILLE (August 7) — Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, will roll off 5th for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix for the NTT INDTCAR Series on the Streets of Nashville. Rosenqvist has been fast since he took his first laps around the new street course on Friday, and continued that consistency through the Firestone Fast Six qualifying.

Colton Herta won the NTT P1 award. The remainder of the Firestone Fast Six were Scott Dixon, Alex Palou. Alexander Rossi and Romain Grojean.

Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet will start in the top-10, eighth and ninth respectively.

Contact with the wall late in Round Two for two-time Series’ champion, Josef Newgarden, No.2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet took him out of contention for a run for the pole at his hometown race.

NBCSN will telecast the 80-lap/173.6-mile Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 8. The race, qualifications and practice will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

Spectators will have the opportunity to view some of Chevrolet’s newest production vehicles, including a Corvette C8, Camaro ZL1 and Silverado 1500 Trailboss, and participate in a Q&A with NTT INDYCAR SERIES history making Chevrolet team owner Beth Paretta at the Chevrolet display in the Fan Zone located in the Nissan Stadium lot.

The display will be open from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6; 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7; and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. Paretta will chat with fans at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 8. All times are local.

TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RESULTS:
5th: Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
8th: Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet
9th: Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet
11th: Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet
12th: Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet
16th: Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
19th: Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet
20th: Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet
21st: Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet
22nd: Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek Chevrolet
23rd: Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet

DRIVER QUOTES:
FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 5TH
“We had a pretty solid qualifying. There was quite a lot of stuff going on here and there, a lot of people making mistakes. I feel like we were kind of doing solid. Maybe we weren’t the fastest car, but we were staying inside the qualifying all the time and getting through.
“Then coming to Fast 6, I was like, Okay, let’s go, let’s try to go for the pole. Maybe I overdid it a little bit. But I also didn’t really feel like — I didn’t really nail my tires. They kind of came in end of my first lap, then during my second lap they kind of faded away a little bit.
“I think Chevy has done a really good improvement for this weekend. We were working really hard the last couple weeks to improve some stuff. Seemed to have really helped.
“Yeah, the whole team, I think it’s good to kind of bounce back inside a top five again. It’s been a while since we were there.
“Yeah, good day.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 8th
“It was a really good lap. This one is something else. You’ve got to just nail everything and it’s on the edge, on the edge, on the edge. It’s so much fun. Congrats to Nashville and the people that designed the race track. It’s just beautiful. It’s bumpy. We’re just not fast enough, you know? It feels good, but sometimes when it feels good, it’s a good race car but not a good qualifying car. So maybe with the track coming up in temperature and the red tires on, which we didn’t get to try this morning, maybe we built too much stability in the race car and couldn’t roll the speed through the corners. I’m assuming that’s what it is. We’ll look into it tonight. Well it’s a P78start for us in the Menards Chevy in Nashville. I really enjoy the track. It was really really fun to throw the car around in qualifying. We did everything we could, I think. I’m pretty proud of the 22 team and tomorrow we have a long race – 80 laps. It’s really hot and humid so we’ll try everything we can to go to the front and get on the first step tomorrow.

IS THERE ARE PART OF THIS TRACK YOU LIKE THE MOST?
“For those who know what it is, I love Rally Racing, like World Rally Championship. Actually when I retire in about 20 years of time, I will try that. I’ve done some and I’ve loved it. That section between Turn 4 all the way to Turn 8, is exactly like a Rally stage. I love it. It’s fun. And you really have to dance with the race car. I really enjoyed it.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET-QUALIFIED 12TH
“Its good to be here in Nashville and everybody has done a great job bringing this event to this city and this is the city where INDYCAR needs to be. I am really proud to be from here and have INDYCARs back, especially downtown, which is crazy cool. I would have never dreamed this type of event actually getting off the ground. I am pretty pumped for tomorrow, I just wish we were a little higher up. We were trying to claw some performance back there and I over-pushed. I think Team Chevy is doing a good job and we have a fast Hitachi Chevy for the most part. We can make the most of it, its just going to be harder now.”

DO YOU AGREE WITH THE PENALTY BY INDYCAR IN TAKING AWAY THE FASTEST LAP HERE?
“Yeah, look, you can’t wreck and not get penalized. Its on me and that is how it works.”

WHAT HAS THE DEFICIT BEEN JOSEF?
“I don’t know. It’s hard to say because it’s been a quick weekend. You take a swing at it with a new track like this and its either right on, or it’s a little off. We have worked really hard and have been trying to be prepared as possible and I think we have gotten some more performance back. I am not sure exactly what we are going to need. I think we were a lot closer, I just over-stepped.”

YOU BROUGHT OUT THE CAUTION WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL. TALK ABOUT THE CIRCUIT AND THE INCIDENT
“Yeah, it’s been a great circuit. It’s super fun to drive. It’s tricky. I don’t think we were on the best vote rolling off, trying to make up a little bit of a performance gap. But I feel positive for tomorrow. I think we can make something happen in the race. It’s just a little harder from 12th now.”

WHERE DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO HIT THE WALL? IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR JUST WENT RIGHT INTO THE TURN
“Yeah, I just made a mistake.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 14 ROCKIT AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLT—QUALIFIED 16TH
“It’ not good. That’s all, nothing else to say. The car felt pretty decent on blacks (tires) and then didn’t change anything, got loose on reds. I don’t know. We cant seem to get a read on the car or at least get consistent reads and understand what’s going on, so just hit and miss all the time.
“I was just hoping that I could bring some results to those guys and it’s just not happening. Can’t seem to find the sweet spot, been overshooting, undershooting and it’s very frustrating. That’s the name of the game. Tomorrow’s another day, we’re going to see what we can do.”

DALTON KELLETT, NO. 4 K-LINE INSULATORS AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET—QUALIFIED 19TH
“We just finished qualifying here at the Music City Grand Prix and I think was best qualifying so far on a road course this year so happy with that. It was a good improvement from practice two and having missed practice one, we’ve just been playing catch up. It was really helpful last night going over stuff with Seb, looking at onboard, looking at data and getting some input on car positioning for lines and stuff, so that’s definitely been a big help as far as getting up to speed. The car felt good. We’re really just fighting for traction overall. It’s pretty slippery in that back section as you go over the bridge and into those tight couple of areas, so just trying to manage that while still having a car that’s balanced for the rest of the lap. Overall it’s feeling pretty good. Looking forward to some long runs tomorrow and we’ll see how our fuel milage is in warmup and go from there for the race.”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 SONAX/AUTOGEEK CHEVROLET – QUALIFIED 22ND
“I had a pretty good decent first lap on the reds. And then on my second lap, I hit the wall. The right rear suspension was bent. And qualifying is already gone.”

IS IT THAT YOU ARE PUSHING SO HARD OR IS IT THE TRACK OR WHAT IS IT?
“Yeah, the track is gutsy. Everybody is new to this track. You’re pushing super hard and trying to find the limits. And it’s hard to get the car around this track. It’s been hard since lap 1 yesterday. But really now, I just threw it away.”

DID THE TRACK CHANGE FROM THIS MORNING’S SESSION TO QUALIFYING?
“Just a bit more grip, that’s all. No real balance changes. To be honest, quite consistent. But unfortunately, we couldn’t do well.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 DEX IMAGING TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – Qualified 23RD
‘I just cut the wall on my last lap there and broke a tire link. I really got into it there with our DEX Imaging car, we have a fast race car. I’ve don’t it to myself the last couple of races, just putting myself at the back of the pack and just don’t get enough. So it is what it is. It was an unfortunate end to a pretty promising weekend for us on the DEX Imaging Chevy. We had one fast lap at the end there in qualifying and unfortunately I tapped the wall and bent the suspension and that was it. So we start 23rd tomorrow. Definitely not where we should be, we probably should be in the top 10 but it’s a little mistake on my part. You just get paid big time here. It’s tough, but we’ll get on it as a team. We’ll work on strategy overnight and see if we can come back stronger tomorrow.

HAVE YOU STARTED THINKING ABOUT STRATEGY FOR TOMORROW?
“I don’t know. We’ll debrief tonight and work on what we’ve got to do. But yeah, I’m pretty disappointed with myself. Three times in a row now I’ve stuffed qualifying. So, I’ve got to work on that.”

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.

Mike Skeen Battles for Trans Am TA2 Victory on the Streets of Nashville

By
Official Release
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Skeen, Merrill and Mosack race to inaugural Trans Am Music City Grand Prix Podium

Nashville, Tenn. (7 August 2021)- Mike Skeen used a pair of restarts to win the first race ever held on the streets of Nashville on Saturday, capturing his ninth career TA2® Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli victory in the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers presents the Franklin Road Classic with Race for RP.

Leading 24 of the 42 laps, Skeen prevailed in a two-lap shootout to win his second race of the campaign in the No. 1 Liqui-Moly/Turn 14 Distribution Chevrolet Camaro.

“Stevens-Miller Racing gave me an awesome car this whole weekend and I’m so happy we could keep it clean, bring it home, get a strong finish and collect a few points on our competition,” Skeen said. “We had a lot of back and forth, Connor [Mosack] and I, and I was also trying to hold off Thomas [Merrill], so there was a lot of close, tight racing. The pressure was on the entire race. It was an absolute blast, I didn’t expect that much passing! It’s tight out there, so it was tough to set up a clean pass without forcing the issue, but the layout was fun.”

Merrill ran in podium contention for the entire race in the No. 81 HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang. He wound up second, trailing Skeen by 0.185-seconds at the checkered flag.

“It is so hot, but this is so awesome,” Merrill said. “I’ve never done a street race before – what a crowd, what a track! Our Cope car was really fast today, but we lacked a bit of torque coming off the corners so we really had to challenge the brake zones, which made it pretty exciting. It was pretty hot in the car, so I was glad to get a little air conditioning modification when I tagged the wall – it folded my door down and that gave me more air flow. We didn’t measure it today but we’ve seen 150 degrees in the past, and it was every bit of that out there. But full credit to Mike, he was the class of the field today and did a great job.”

Skeen started on the pole and led a terrific four-car battle in the early going. Connor Mosack grabbed the lead in a left-hand turn on the tight 12-turn, 2.17-mile temporary course, chased by Skeen, Merrill and Adam Andretti.

Mosack then led nine laps in the No. 28 NicTailor/FS M1-SLR Chevrolet Camaro. The first of two cautions allowed Skeen and the field to close in. On the first restart, Skeen regained the lead as Mosack fell back to fifth.

The restart also gave new life to Rafa Matos in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Ford Mustang. Starting back in 18th, Matos slowly worked his way through the pack on the difficult circuit. He was up to fifth when the caution came out, but 10 seconds in arrears.

Matos quickly took second after the restart and began challenging Skeen. But not for long, as his yellow Mustang began falling back. He held on to finish seventh. Andretti took over the fight from his teammate in the No. 86 3-Dimensional Mustang. He passed Skeen for the lead on lap 33. One lap later, his Mustang began smoking, and he went to the pits, handing the lead back to Skeen.

A number of separate incidents brought out a second caution with a scheduled 11 laps remaining. By the time the track was cleared, there was only enough time to run two laps. Skeen got the jump, as Mosack battled Merrill for second. Mosack matched his career best by placing third, 2.040-seconds back.

“I think we had the car to beat, especially in the long runs,” Mosack said. “It just took us a couple of laps to get going and I couldn’t stay with Skeen. But as the race went on, I felt as though he started sliding around more and I had good grip, so I was able to use a lapped car and get by him. I didn’t think he could get back by, but on the restart and on cold tires, I locked the rear tires and he got by. I’d had contact earlier in the race and that made the car more unpredictable, but I hated to give the race away like that. I had the speed and we were running him down at the end, if we’d had more laps.”

Nashville race promoter Justin Marks finished fourth in the No. 99 BC Forever/M1-SlR/Fields Camaro, followed by current SGT championship leader Justin Oakes in the No. 11 Droneworks Camaro, and Road Atlanta winner Franklin Futrelle in the No. 58 Amada Analtics/Innoviv Ford Mustang.

Local driver and race sponsor Ken Thwaits – the 2020 XGT champion who now competes in TA – was the top Master with a 14th-place finish in the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Ford Mustang.

“I knew something special was going to happen today – with me living here and all the buzz in the city,” Thwaits said. ““That was wild! Everyone has just shown up this week, and I’m so glad I could pull this off. Qualifying just didn’t work out for us and we started 31st, so, we had nothing to lose – just put our head down and started after it. See car, pass car! I’m glad to be a part of the Masters class, it just shows that you can have fun at any age. And these young guys really put on a show and really showed respect. I’m proud to be from Nashville and I’m so proud of this event. It’s world class.”

Following the race, Skeen and Merrill echoed the thoughts of the Trans Am paddock in his victory remarks.

“Thank you, Nashville, this has been a fantastic event!” Skeen said. “Thanks to all the fans who came out. It’s been awesome to come back to a street course and to have this many people out here is awesome.”

“And thanks to Scott Borchetta and everyone who made it happen, and thanks to all the fans who came out!” Merrill said. “To see all the people out there was motivation for all of us!”

The TA2® competitors will join their TA, XGT, SGT and GT counterparts for the next event on the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli schedule – a pair of combined-class races at Watkins Glen International on Sept. 11-12.

Watch the full race tonight (August 7) at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. The encore showing will air on Sunday, August 8 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

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