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INDYCAR, NBC Sports Agree to Multiyear Media Rights Extension

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Official Release
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Key Points:

  • NBC Sports remains exclusive home of NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indianapolis 500
  • 13 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on NBC in 2022; remaining races on USA Network, Peacock
  • Peacock to stream all races; home of qualifying, practice and Indy Lights

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 20, 2021) – INDYCAR and NBC Sports today announced a multiyear extension of their media rights agreement.

NBC Sports will continue to be the exclusive home of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge – “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” – and will provide coverage of all NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, qualifying, practices and Indy Lights races across its linear, digital and streaming platforms, including Peacock. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will see a significant increase in network exposure in 2022, with 13 races broadcast on NBC. USA Network and Peacock Premium will show the remaining races. Telemundo Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage of the season-opening race, the Indianapolis 500 and the season finale.

Peacock will stream all races on NBC and USA Network and will continue as the streaming home of NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying and practices sessions, Indy Lights races and full-event replays. Peacock will stream two races exclusively, which will be announced at a later date.

“NBC Sports is proud to extend its partnership with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and continue to serve as the exclusive home of the most competitive open-wheel racing series in the world and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’” said Jon Miller, NBC Sports. “We have demonstrated NBCUniversal’s ability to make big events bigger with our presentations of the Indianapolis 500, we have worked closely with Roger Penske, Mark Miles and the entire team to expand INDYCAR’s reach across the U.S, and we are thrilled to build upon our collaborative successes of the past few years.”

Said Mark Miles, president and CEO, Penske Entertainment Corp.: “NBC Sports has been the ideal partner for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, bringing our bold and audacious style of racing to a significantly larger domestic audience and fully leveraging the power and scale of the Indianapolis 500. This new deal represents a significant expansion of our network TV exposure and sets us up for continued growth and success alongside a committed, innovative and world-class broadcast partner.”

The media rights extension comes on the heels of viewership milestones for NBC Sports’ coverage of both the Indianapolis 500 and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on NBC was the most-watched edition of the race since the 100th Running in 2016, and NBC Sports is off to its most-watched NTT INDYCAR SERIES season ever through the first nine races of 2021, with viewership up 30% vs. comparable coverage in 2020.

The partnership between NBC Sports and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES dates back to 2009, when NBCSN (originally VERSUS) became the cable home of the series and televised the majority of its races each season. NBC Sports became the exclusive home of INDYCAR in 2019, which also marked the year of NBC’s inaugural Indianapolis 500 broadcast.

The full 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES coverage schedule on NBC, USA Network and Peacock will be announced in the coming months.

All coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will be available on Peacock Premium. Viewers can sign up and learn more here. Peacock is currently available across devices; more details here. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers.

About NBC Sports

NBC Sports Group serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBCSN, Golf Channel, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Audio Network and NBC Sports Digital, which includes NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com, GolfChannel.com , the digital assets of the NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports EDGE, the NBC Sports Talk franchise, multiple apps, and two transactional sports businesses, GolfNow and SportsEngine, and two direct-to-consumer products — NBC Sports Gold and GolfPass. NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NASCAR, INDYCAR, PGA TOUR, The R&A, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, French Open, and many more.

About INDYCAR

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2021 season consists of 16 races in the United States and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

About Peacock

Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service. Peacock delivers a world-class slate of exclusive originals, on-demand libraries of hit TV shows, plus critically acclaimed films from the vaults of Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and Hollywood’s biggest studios. In addition, Peacock taps into NBCUniversal’s unmatched ability to deliver a broad range of compelling topical content across news, sports, late-night, Spanish-language and reality. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. For more information on Peacock, click here.

Rick Ware Racing Taps Clubhouse Media’s 400 Million Follower Influencer Network to Drive Brand Traction with New Generation of Racing Fans

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Official Release
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Company Announces Joint Services Agreement with Top NASCAR and IndyCar Race Team — Clubhouse Media Will Also be Featured on Rick Ware Racing Vehicles in both NASCAR and IndyCar Events

LOS ANGELES, July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via InvestorWire – Clubhouse Media Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS: CMGR) (“Clubhouse Media” or the “Company”), an influencer-based marketing and media firm with a total aggregate global social media reach of more than 400 million followers, is excited to announce the signing of a Joint Services Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Rick Ware Racing, LLC (“RWR”), one of the world’s most accomplished and recognized racing teams.

“We are excited to partner with Rick Ware Racing for a piece of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series and the North American IndyCar Series, and we look forward to helping RWR establish lasting traction with a new generation of fans,” commented Chris Young, President of Clubhouse Media. “This agreement is further validation of the value of our social media reach and our unmatched base of talented star influencers. We also look forward to seeing our logo ride shotgun with Formula 1 superstar driver Romain Grosjean as he tears up the IndyCar track.”

The Agreement involves Clubhouse Media, on one side, and FinTekk AP, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“FinTekk”), and RWR on the other side.

FinTekk and RWR are professional motorsports racing and marketing companies providing services focused specifically on the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, the IndyCar Racing Series, and the IMSA Sports Car Championship Series. Pursuant to the Agreement, FinTekk and RWR agreed to provide certain services to the Company, and the Company agreed to provide certain services to RWR.

In general, FinTekk will provide the Company with marketing and branding consulting services utilizing the RWR racing platform, and will promote the Company as the primary brand for the NASCAR race events in which RWR participates in conjunction with the RWR platform.

RWR will provide racing car drivers, including F-1/IndyCar superstar Romain Grosjean and IMSA Asia Le Mans champion Cody Ware in IndyCar and NASCAR, as well as NASCAR standout and development team drivers and athletes currently competing in motor racing. RWR will also engage and integrate its social media team with the Company’s team members to collaborate, promote and market Clubhouse Media to the racing fan bases of NASCAR and IndyCar through the use of each other’s social and digital media platforms.

The Company will engage and integrate its social media/influencer member network and production teams with RWR team members to collaborate, promote and market RWR racing efforts and racing and driver story lines through various media platforms operated by or familiar to the Company.

The respective services of the parties under the Agreement will apply with respect to 11 races occurring from July 18 to September 26, 2021.

Young added, “Rick Ware Racing is among the most iconic and established brands in the global billion-dollar motorsports industry. This agreement is a strong step as we begin to actively monetize our global social media footprint, which now exceeds 400 million followers, and we hope to demonstrate the power of that reach by helping RWR establish strong and durable engagement with new markets and communities capable of driving the sport of racing for the coming decade.”

About Clubhouse Media

We believe Clubhouse Media represents the future of influencer media and marketing, with a global network of professionally run content houses, each of which has its own brand, influencer cohort and production capabilities. Clubhouse Media offers management, production and deal-making services to its handpicked influencers, a management division for individual influencer clients, and an investment arm for joint ventures and acquisitions for companies in the social media influencer space. Clubhouse Media’s management team consists of successful entrepreneurs with financial, legal, marketing, and digital content creation expertise.

Please follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ClubhouseCMGR?s=20

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by Clubhouse Media and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management’s current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “will” and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance.

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Clubhouse Media’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for Clubhouse Media’s products and services, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Why Automotive Workers Are So In Demand

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SM
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Automotive workers include diesel service technicians and mechanics, auto service technicians and mechanics, mechanical engineers, auto salespeople, industrial designers, auto insurers, and auto body and glass repairers. Professionals in the auto industry may install parts into vehicles, repair worn parts, or perform vehicle maintenance. Auto industry workers also assemble vehicles, design vehicles, and improve mechanical components.

Autoworkers typically enjoy stable job growth. Read on to learn some of the reasons auto workers are in demand and how to prepare for a career as an autoworker.

Why are auto workers in demand?

People use vehicles to travel from place to place. Vehicle ownership is a symbol of independence. When you have a vehicle, you don’t have to worry about public transit routes when you apply for jobs. You can reach your destination in less time. Personal vehicles also make it easy to transport groceries and other items. Owning a vehicle is convenient. As of 2019, there were over 275 million vehicles registered in the United States. The number of vehicles on the road fuels demand for auto workers such as automotive service technicians and mechanics, diesel service technicians and mechanics, and auto body and glass repairers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also fueled demand for vehicles. Dealers offered incentives to compensate for losses during initial shutdowns, and this led to a vehicle shortage. The shortage was exacerbated by a shortage of microchips, prompting some vehicle manufacturers to modify designs in order to maintain vehicle production.

Infrastructure also affects the demand for auto workers. Vehicles are more likely to suffer alignment issues and damaged tires when they’re driven on roads that are in disrepair. Poor road maintenance also leads to accidents, which fuels the demand for services from auto insurers, insurance claim adjusters, auto mechanics, and auto body and glass repairers.

Regulations are another factor contributing to the demand for auto workers. Many states require vehicle owners to have their vehicles inspected to ensure they’re safe to operate. Some states also require vehicle owners to comply with emissions testing regulations. Consequently, regulations have prompted demand for vehicle inspectors and emissions testing workers.

Postsecondary programs can prepare you to become an autoworker.

Automotive professionals such as auto technicians, auto mechanics, diesel mechanics, and hybrid drive technicians can prepare for their careers by completing a postsecondary certificate program or associate of occupational studies (AOS) degree. Students can earn their AOS through an automotive and diesel technology program. Auto and diesel technology programs last 15 months and teach students about heavy-duty braking systems, diesel fuel systems, diesel engines, automatic transmissions, and engine electronics. Students learn how to assess vehicles and repair all types of vehicle systems, including brake, steering, and climate control systems.

Certified techs may also perform distinct types of vehicle maintenance and repairs. For example, workers use lift truck forks to lift and move items in warehouses and shipping yards. Certified techs provide lift truck fork replacement services and maintain lift truck forks. These auto workers ensure the forks comply with regulations.

Industrial designers need a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as engineering or industrial design. Although technically part of the arts and design field, industrial designers use their skills to design vehicles.

Mechanical engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. They design and build mechanical equipment, including engines. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 11 percent of mechanical engineers work in transportation equipment manufacturing.

Some auto worker opportunities involve on-the-job training.

It’s possible to become an auto body and glass repairer with on-the-job training. It may take up to three years of on-the-job training for these auto workers to become independent.

Auto parts salespeople may also learn through on-the-job training. Formal training can be beneficial because it ensures auto parts salespeople provide expert information to customers, ensuring they get the right parts for their vehicle, but it isn’t required.

Multiple factors drive the demand for auto workers, including the high rate of vehicle ownership, high demand for new vehicles, poor infrastructure, and safety regulations. Autoworkers perform various tasks. Some may enter their career with on-the-job training, while others may need to complete a certificate program or earn an AOS or bachelor’s degree.

Sheehan and Damon Racing with Promising Show at Brainerd TA2

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Official Release
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Brainerd, MINNESOTA – July 19, 2021 – The Iron man Tom Sheehan maintained his prominent position among the top TA2 drivers at Brainerd International Raceway on Sunday, July 18. The Damon Racing team displayed a fine drive that saw Tom achieve his highest place finish of the season so far – taking P7 at the checkered flag.

After spectacular charges up the field at the two previous Midwest events, Round 7 of the 2021 Trans Am presented by Pirelli Championship season was a stop-start event but one that saw a smooth and measured performance from driver Tom Sheehan. The No. 97 LTK Insulation Technologies Damon Racing Ford Mustang picked up 19 Championship points and keeping him among the elite TA2 drivers in P8 out of 56 starters – an outcome that clearly brought the New Hampshire pilot some satisfaction.

“It was a pretty good day for us here in Brainerd today and we picked up some good points. The weather was good. A great, really nice day. I don’t mind it hot or a hot car,” stated Tom Sheehan.

“It’s kind of a survivors race. This is a track where it’s hard to pass so guys are trying to take advantage of the restarts and that causes some attrition.”

He went on, “We just tried to keep the car clean and stay out of trouble, saving the rear tires and then on the second stint just tried to dig in. The traffic didn’t really work in our favor. We got shuffled a little bit but that’s racing.”

The team had qualified the LTK Mustang P10 with around a second separating him and the next seven drivers ahead of him on the grid.

“We’re coming out of here with a clean car and we learned a lot. We really took some big swings and we made some good gains. We’re digging into get some speed in our car.”

That speed will come in handy in Tom’s next outing. Following up for the Damon Racing team and the rest of the TA2 field is a truly spectacular new event on the calendar, the Music City Grand Prix to be held in Nashville on the weekend of August 6 to 8. Run in conjunction with the high profile Indycar series, this promises to be a really exceptional weekend of action, given that it’s being run on a street course.

“Nobody’s seen the track or driven it and we’re really looking forward to getting out there,” said Tom of the upcoming Tennessee feature. We’ll keep you up to date with Tom’s preparations for Nashville and we can’t wait ourselves!

Keep up with Trans Am driver Tom Sheehan on social media – Facebook page is Damon Racing, Instagram @TomSheehanTA97 and Twitter @TomTA2_97.

For more information on LTK Insulation Technologies please visit the website online at https://ltkinsulationtechnologies.com/

About LTK Insulation Technologies:

Putting LTK insulation jackets & covers to work on your project saves your firm real money and time. The LTK Insulation products are so fast and easy. Installation is as fast as identification. Our carefully designed products line allows; fast, sure fit, 100% clean, no tool installation. Product designed for; balance valves, control valves, flex hoses, in line specialties, couplings, quick connects, unions, zone pumps. Your imagination is the only limit….GOLTK!

NASCAR Hall of Famers Wallace, Gibbs Headline ARCA Iowa Pre-Race Festivities

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Official Release
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Newton, IA (July 19, 2021) – NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees Rusty Wallace and Joe Gibbs will headline a busy day of pre-race activities leading up to Saturday’s Shore Lunch 150 for the ARCA Menards Series at Iowa Speedway.

Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion, will participate in an autograph session alongside his son Steven and the other drivers on the concourse between qualifying and the race. The elder Wallace is a 55-time Cup Series winner and is now a member of the broadcast team on MRN Radio. He is also the designer of Iowa Speedway. Steven is a four-time ARCA Menards Series winner, including the very first race ever run at Iowa Speedway in 2006. They will both be honored on the pre-race stage with Rusty driving the pace car leading the field to the green flag.

Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach in the NFL and a 200-time winner across the nationally-touring NASCAR series, will offer the invocation before the start. Gibbs grandson Ty Gibbs has won five ARCA Menards Series races in 2021 and 13 times overall in his brief career. He also won in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on the road course at Daytona International Speedway in February and followed with a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.

NASCAR vice-chairman Mike Helton will also be in attendance on Saturday, celebrating the 16th season of racing at the 0.875-mile D-shaped oval located about 30 minutes east of Des Moines in Newton. Ron Hutcherson, Larry Clement, and Mason Mitchell, three Iowans who have won ARCA Menards Series championships, will also be in attendance and honored during pre-race activities. Hutcherson is a three-time series champion, winning three straight from 1972 through 1974; Clement in a nine-time champion, providing cars for driver Frank Kimmel as they dominated from 1997 through 2007; and Mitchell won the championship driving for a family-owned team in 2014. NASCAR fan favorite Ken Schrader, a 19-time ARCA Menards Series winner, will also be in attendance.

In addition to the driver autograph session featuring the Wallaces, Schrader, and the Iowa ARCA legends, other fan activities on the concourse include displaying Clement’s first ARCA racecar – a superspeedway car originally built by Hendrick Motorsports for NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker – the Sioux Chief sim racing gaming trailer, the Van Wall John Deere display, and a cornhole tournament. There will also be live music behind the grandstands and the night will be punctuated with a fireworks display.

Advance discounted tickets are available for the Shore Lunch 150 at each of the Menards locations throughout Iowa. For more information, please visit IowaSpeedway.com and ARCARacing.com.

Early Incident Relegates Buescher to 29th-Place Finish in Loudon

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Official Release
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LOUDON, N.H. (July 18, 2021) – A wild sequence of weather, wrecks and darkness resulted in a shortened race Sunday afternoon in Loudon, with an early incident halting a solid run for Chris Buescher. He would finish the race 29th in his Fastenal Ford Mustang, placing further importance on winning one of the next four races to lock into the NASCAR Playoffs.

A steady mist let up just before the scheduled start of the race, with Buescher taking the green from the 17th position. However, rain began to fall just after the start of the event, with the wet conditions sending several of the leaders spinning through turn two. The incident brought out a red flag that lasted just under two hours.

As the race resumed, NASCAR was forced to reckon with the encroaching sunset and no lights at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The league informed teams that it would make every effort to complete the scheduled distance of the race, but could shorten the event if needed.

Buescher made quick work of the restart, jumping into the top-15 before more cautions jumbled the pit strategy of the field. He would finish the first stage 21st after electing to pit prior to the end of the segment.

The saying that cautions breed more cautions certainly was true on this afternoon, as a caution just after the start of the second stage once again bunched the field up at the short track. Just laps after that restart, Buescher found himself just behind a spinning competitor and was knocked into the inside retaining wall at the track. He had to pit twice for the Fastenal team to repair damage and returned to the race track a lap down from the leaders in 30th place.

The team tried to play pit strategies to get the lap back, but with the rest of the race running mostly green as NASCAR tried to complete the scheduled distance they were never able to get back on the lead lap. Buescher would ultimately finish in the 29th position.

NASCAR will take two weeks off for the Olympic break, and return to action next at Watkins Glen on August 8. Race coverage there is set for 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Newman Finishes 24th in Loudon

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Official Release
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LOUDON, N.H. (July 18, 2021) – A wild afternoon of challenging weather conditions in New Hampshire culminated in a shortened race due to darkness, where Ryan Newman finished 24th in the Guaranteed Rate Ford.

A steady mist persisted around the track throughout the morning hours in Loudon, letting up just after lunch to allow the race to start on time. But, just five laps in, heavy rain fell which brought the red out after several cars went spinning in the opening turns.

The red flag lasted just under two hours, putting NASCAR in an interesting position with no lights at the facility. Newman used the early opportunity to hit pit road after the delay, and ended up 25th at the end of the first stage through 75 laps.

He fired off 27th for the second segment, but fought his way inside the top-20 to 18th by lap 185 when the second stage flag flew. He fired off the final stage in the same position, but faded back to 24th as the laps and daylight wound down, ultimately ending the race nine laps short of the scheduled distance.

NASCAR will take two weeks off for the Olympic break, and return to action next at Watkins Glen on August 8. Race coverage there is set for 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Round 3 Racing Sweeps Weekend with Victory at Road Atlanta

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Official Release
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Braselton, Ga. (18 July 2021) – Winning the GP3 class in the second race of the weekend in World Racing League (WRL) competition marked a weekend sweep for Round 3 Racing in the GP3 class at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on Sunday.

The No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman fought through early adversity to claim their first podium of the season in the GP1 class.

No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster – GP3

With an altered schedule due to a two-hour county mandated quiet time from 10AM-12PM, the start to the seven hour race presented itself as a sprint race to the drivers of the No. 605 Porsche – Cole Loftsgard, Dennis Neel, Jim Ptak and Carter Pease.

Loftsgard took the green flag from pole position in the No. 605 battling out of class competitors for track position through the opening lap. The No. 605 remained in the lead pack before Loftsgard brought the Porsche to pit lane for the first driver change of the day to Ptak.

Caught up by early traffic the opening two hours of competition came to a mandatory halt with the No. 605 sitting in fourth. Refreshed after the two-hour break, Ptak suited back up to take the restart. With just mere seconds gone from the race clock, Ptak weaved through GP3 traffic to move into second before the end of the lap. By the end of his stint on Lap 114, the No. 605 held the GP3 class lead firmly with a two-minute gap to the position behind.

The No. 605 Hagerty Drivers Club Porsche Boxster never faltered for the remaining five-hours as Neel and Pease combined to stretch their lead to four laps to the nearest class competitor. Pease brought the Porsche Boxster to the checkered flag taking the GP3 class victory – the team’s second of the weekend and fourth consecutive win.

“Getting in the car upfront, I knew we needed to keep the pace to continue to build that gap,” said Neel. “The car was amazing, (Steve) Mason made excellent strategy calls all day even at the end when we pitted for a splash of fuel. You’re nervous until that checkered flag. Anything could go wrong so you’re just thinking through what do we need to do, what do we need to accomplish while just trying to enjoy you’re in the car. The success we have had with this car pays testament to the work the R3R crew put into it between events. An amazing weekend with an amazing team and two trophies makes it that much better.”

No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman – GP1

The hard work of the No. 701 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman lineup of Loni Unser, Mo Dadkhah, and Mike Gilbert paid off as the driver trio scored their first podium finish since joining the GP1 class.

Adversity struck early during Unser’s opening stint, where she started from second on the grid, as a wheel speed sensor failed resulting in a loss of the ABS system. She continued pushing the Porsche Cayman without a front splitter from sixth as rain threatened to fall. Unser recouped track position, setting up her teammates for success before she brought the No. 702 to pit lane for a driver change to Dadkhah and fuel.

Following the mid-day break, Dadkhah brought the No. 702 Team Cooper Tires Porsche Cayman to pit lane and the R3R crew went to work to remove the rear wing and replace the tires to rebalance the car. The quick effort proved successful as Dadkhah returned to the course in fifth.

Unser, Dadkhah and Gilbert traded off through the remaining five hours of racing. Seeing as low as 46th overall, Gilbert closed the race as heads down driving and flawless pit stops allowed him to take the checkered flag in third place. The podium finish is the third podium result for the Team Cooper Tires drivers and their first since switching to the Porsche Cayman platform.

“We truly live as a team, fight as a team, and win as a team,” said Gilbert. “A big thank you to Loni (Unser) and Mo (Dadkhah) for not only being great teammates but great friends. The Round 3 Racing crew has worked so remarkably hard to get us to this point. To be able to give them a podium result makes it all worth it.”

“It was a weekend of highs and lows,” said team owner Brad McCall. “Steve (Mason) did an excellent job calling strategy all weekend. This team makes me so proud to be a team owner. What sets this group of guys and girls apart is that they give their everything so we are all successful together. We will come back with our full lineup at VIRginia International Raceway and go do it all again.”

Round 3 Racing returns to their shop in Joliet, Illinois in preparation for the next stop on the World Racing League schedule – VIRginia International Raceway on September 17-19 for two eight hour endurance races.

DiBenedetto Gambles on New Hampshire Win but Still Finishes 11th

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Official Release
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Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team came up short in their gamble to win Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway but still scored an 11th-place finish. It was the team’s third-straight finish of 11th or better, coming after a 10th-place finish at Road America and a ninth at Atlanta.

DiBenedetto started 14th in Sunday’s race and was running 12th when rains halted the show after just seven green-flag laps.

Once racing resumed after a one hour, 41-minute red-flag period, DiBenedetto worked his way forward and finished the first Stage in ninth place, earning two bonus points.

DiBenedetto ran just outside the top 10 for most of the second Stage and finished that segment in 12th place.

The third and final Stage of the race saw drivers and race teams making their strategy plans to maximize their opportunities in the event the race was cut short because of darkness. There are no lights at New Hampshire and the long red-flag period meant the race likely wouldn’t run to the advertised distance.

And the length of that segment of the race meant that no one could run to the finish without making a pit stop for fuel. NASCAR advised teams that if the race would be shortened, they would get a notice when there were 10 laps left to run.

DiBenedetto had worked his way up to ninth place when the leaders began making green-flag pit stops at Lap 250 of the scheduled 301.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler elected to leave DiBenedetto on the track, hoping for some yellow-flag laps that would have slowed the pace and potentially ended the race before he had to pit.

DiBenedetto took the lead on Lap 254 and held it for 20 laps but no caution flags flew, so he steered the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang to pit road for a splash of fuel and two fresh tires.

He rejoined the race in 14th place and worked his way back to 11th when darkness ended the race eight laps shy of the advertised distance.

DiBenedetto was upbeat afterwards, saying Sunday was another day to brag on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team.

“We were a little off on handling to start with and had to crank on it some,” he said. “We made some good adjustments and would have had another top-10.”

He said that if the team hadn’t gambled and run long on their final stop he believes he would have finished eighth, but he supported the decision to try for a race victory.

“It was a fair trade-off on the gamble,” he said. “And the decision to take two tires (on the final stop) was a great call.”

NASCAR is taking a two-week break during the Olympics before returning to action on Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen.

DiBenedetto, who is 17th in the points standings with four races left in the regular season, said he’s glad to be on a roll heading into the off weeks.

“Every week we’re up there in the top 10,” he said. “It just shows how good this team is.”

About Motorcraft:

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

About Omnicraft:

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

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

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

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

Wood Brothers Racing

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

Busch Light Apple Racing: Kevin Harvick New Hampshire Race Report

By
Official Release
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Harvick Rock Solid in Granite State
Driver of No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang Finishes Sixth in
Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 To Score Series-Best 22nd Top-10 at New Hampshire

Date: July 18, 2021
Event: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (Round 22 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)
Format: 301 laps, broken into three stages (75 laps/110 laps/116 laps)
Start/Finish: 12th / 6th (Running, completed 293 of 293 laps)
Point Standing: 10th (673 points, 201 out of first)
Note: Race reduced eight laps short of its scheduled 301-lap distance due to darkness.
Race Winner: Aric Almirola of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-75):

● Kevin Harvick started 12th and finished fourth, earning seven bonus points.
● The first six laps were run under green before a light rain moved over the track, causing the leaders to spin and bring out the caution on lap seven. An hour and 42-minute red flag period to dry the track followed.
● Lined up eighth for lap-24 restart, but dropped to 10th by the time the second caution came out on lap 32 for a single-car spin.
● Was seventh for lap-39 restart as some drivers chose to pit during the previous caution.
● Harvick put the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang into the top-five by lap 41.
● Passed Christopher Bell for fourth on lap 67.
● “Could use a little bit of rear grip. Take some tape off it (the grille) too,” said Harvick at the end of the stage.
● Pitted for four tires and fuel at the conclusion of stage. Made some tire pressure adjustments and removed tape from grille. Quick pit work gained Harvick three spots, positioning him in first place for the start of the second stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 76-185):

● Harvick started first and finished second, earning nine bonus points.
● Harvick positioned his No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang in the outside lane for the restart and got a great jump on second-place Denny Hamlin.
● “Lacking rear grip, center (of the corner) out, as I run,” said Harvick on lap 122 as he continued to lead.
● Caution on lap 128 ended a 45-lap green flag run where Harvick was the sole leader.
● Crew chief Rodney Childers took advantage of the caution and brought Harvick to pit road for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment on lap 131.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Apple team kept Harvick in front, getting him off pit road in first place.
● Harvick chose the outside lane for the lap-136 restart and got another good jump on second-place Hamlin.
● Caution on lap 139 for a two-car spin off the backstretch. Harvick and Childers opted to stay out and keep their first-place standing.
● Race went back to green on lap 145 with Harvick again choosing the outside lane and getting the jump on second-place Hamlin.
● Brad Keselowski passed Harvick for the lead on lap 147.
● “Struggling with the back (of the car) taking off the first 20 laps,” said Harvick while holding steady in second on lap 177.
● Maintained second through the end of the stage and pitted for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment at the conclusion of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 186-293):

● Harvick started third and finished sixth.
● Harvick again positioned the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang in the outside lane for the restart.
● As Team Penske teammates Keselowski and Ryan Blaney battled for the lead, Harvick inched ever closer to the duo.
● After initially gaining on second-place Keselowski, Harvick started falling back a bit, with his Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate Aric Almirola taking third from him on lap 218.
● “Still just lacking rear grip,” said Harvick while in fourth place on lap 219. “And I’ve lost my turn-in the middle of the corner.”
● Harvick made a scheduled, green flag pit stop on lap 250 for four tires and fuel.
● After pit stops cycled through by lap 275. Harvick was fifth.
● Joey Logano passed Harvick on lap 283, sending the Busch Light Apple Ford to sixth.
● Harvick held steady in sixth through the finish.

Notes:

● Harvick earned his 15th top-10 of the season and his 22nd top-10 in 38 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire.
● Harvick’s 22 top-10s at New Hampshire are the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
● This was Harvick’s fourth straight top-10 at New Hampshire.
● Harvick led twice for a race-high 66 laps to increase his laps led total at New Hampshire to 831.
● Harvick has now led 11,246 laps since joining SHR in 2014. He has led 15,670 laps in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career.
● Almirola won the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 to score his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at New Hampshire. His margin over second-place Christopher Bell was .697 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 709th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its fifth this season.
● This was Ford’s 17th NASCAR Cup Series victory at New Hampshire. The manufacturer won its first race at New Hampshire on July 10, 1994 with Ricky Rudd.
● This was Ford’s fourth straight win at New Hampshire and SHR is responsible for three of them. (Harvick won in July 2018 and July 2019.)
● There were six caution periods for a total of 47 laps.
● Only 15 of the 37 drivers in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 finished on the lead lap.
● Hamlin remains the championship leader after New Hampshire with a 13-point advantage over second-place Kyle Larson.

Next Up:

The NASCAR Cup Series goes on a two-week summer break as broadcast partner NBC covers the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It returns to action on Aug. 8 with the Go Bowling at The Glen road-course race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. It starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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