Second-Generation Driver Set to Race in NASCAR Cup Series in Iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang

STUART, VA (July 15, 2021) – Harrison Burton, a second-generation driver and four-time NASCAR Xfinity Series race winner, will pilot the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing beginning in 2022, the team announced today. Burton will become the latest driver in a long list of legendary names that have piloted the No. 21 Ford for the Woods when he takes over the seat beginning at the 2022 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Austin Cindric, who had previously been announced as the driver for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Mustang in 2022, will now move over to Team Penske to drive the team’s No. 2 Mustang, opening the door for Burton to make a jump to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time.

Burton, the son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver and current NBC race analyst Jeff Burton, has been a mainstay in NASCAR’s lower divisions since arriving on the scene in the Truck Series at just 18 years of age in 2019. In 2020, Burton won four races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (Fontana, Homestead, Texas and Martinsville) en route to a seventh-place finish in the final point standings and series Rookie of the Year honors.

This season, the 20-year-old Burton has five top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes in 18 races and sits fifth in the Xfinity Series point standings.

“Since I began racing quarter midgets, the hope and goal was always to become a full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Burton. “Now, I get to do this with one of the most storied teams in NASCAR history in the Wood Brothers and with an association with Ford Motor Company and Ford Performance. I don’t think I could have dreamt of a better situation to put myself in when it comes to the start of my NASCAR Cup Series career. Add to that the technical alliance with Team Penske and the knowledge I’ll gain from working with their drivers and I’m really excited for 2022 and the future. This is a great opportunity for me and I can’t thank Eddie and Len Wood enough for giving me this chance.”

Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active NASCAR team and one of the winningest teams in series history. The team currently has 99 victories at NASCAR’s top level, with the likes of David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Neil Bonnett, Dan Gurney, AJ Foyt and Buddy Baker all visiting Victory Lane with the team. The organization also currently enjoys a technical relationship with Team Penske, which will continue into 2022, along with major support from Ford Performance.

Sponsorship for the No. 21 will be announced at a later date, but will once again include support from Ford Quick Lane and Motorcraft.

“As a team owner, you always want to keep an eye for the future and what’s best for your organization in hopes to set yourself up for success long-term,” said team President and Co-Owner Eddie Wood. “As things have progressed and changed over the last few months, we had the chance to look at what our options are and when we determined that Harrison would be available for our team, we wanted to jump at the opportunity to work with him. Harrison is young, but comes from a family full of successful race car drivers. The advice and support they can offer to Harrison as he makes this transition will be very important to his success. What a lot of us forget is that he is not even 21 years old yet and has only been racing in both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series for a couple of years. So when we looked at the future and finding someone to build our program around, Harrison seemed like a great option.”

“We are quite excited to begin working with Harrison and 2022 is perfect timing,” said team Co-Owner Len Wood. “With the introduction of the new NextGen car next year, we have the ability to grow with him and build our program around what he wants. We don’t want to say it puts him on a level playing field, because there are a lot of great drivers in the Cup Series, but having a rookie come in at the same time a new car is introduced will help build us a solid foundation and hopefully get us off to a strong start.”

Additional details surrounding the 2022 season, including partners, will be announced at a later date.

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 has 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.

Former Champion Brad Keselowski Will Depart Organization at End of 2021 Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 15, 2021) – Team Penske announced today that Austin Cindric, the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Champion and the current series points leader, will drive the famed No. 2 Team Penske Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2022. This comes after Cindric was previously announced to transition to the Cup Series full-time next season driving the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing.

Concurrently, former NASCAR Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski will depart Team Penske at the end of the 2021 season to pursue other opportunities within the sport.

“Austin is a champion and has proven his abilities both on and off the track.” said Roger Penske. “The Cup Series is a big step for any rookie but making this move now, in conjunction with the introduction of the new NextGen car, makes sense. He has gained valuable experience this year competing in a handful of races at the Cup level and he has shown that he belongs out there.”

Cindric has earned 12 Xfinity Series wins for Team Penske and currently leads the series point standings and tops in wins, top 10s, stage wins and laps led. He has also made six starts in the Cup Series in 2021, leading laps in three of those events. At COTA and Road America, Cindric qualified in the top-five and led laps in each race. He also led laps at the Daytona 500 while running in the top 10 for the majority of the race. Cindric will join teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano to round out a strong NASCAR Cup Series lineup for Team Penske in 2022.

“Throughout my NASCAR career, I’ve grown a lot as a driver and an individual,” said Cindric. “There are so many individuals within the walls of Team Penske that have elevated me to a level that matches this opportunity. The support towards my development from Roger, Team Penske, and all of our partners has been the leading factor towards race wins and a championship.

“The No. 2 car is iconic to this sport and is a number that represents the foundation of this team. It is a great honor and a great responsibility to continue that role. As 2022 gets closer, I am excited to embrace that. Until then, my focus remains on winning another Xfinity Series Championship.”

Additionally, Team Penske announced that long-time partner Discount Tire will remain a key sponsor with the organization moving forward on both the No. 2 of Cindric and the No. 12 of Blaney in 2022. The remainder of Cindric’s partner lineup will be announced at a later date.

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 590 major race wins, over 650 pole positions and 40 Championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 55-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, two Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. Penske currently competes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sunday, July 18, 2021
1.058-Mile Oval
3:00 PM ET
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (22 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM logo PRN logo

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 28 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 2nd

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

MAJOR(ITY) NEWS: On Wednesday, Hendrick Motorsports announced the extension of Kyle Larson’s contract through 2023 and Hendrick Automotive Group, via its HendrickCars.com brand, will be the majority sponsor of Larson and the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through 2023. As part of the agreement, HendrickCars.com will also sponsor Larson in all non-NASCAR events in which he competes, including branding on the driver’s helmets, gloves and firesuits.

FIVE FOR FIVE: Following the 26th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, playoff points will be awarded to the top 10 drivers in the point standings with 15 markers awarded to first place, 10 to second, eight to third, seven to fourth and so on. Larson currently is ranked second in the regular-season standings, 10 points behind the leader. If he can erase that deficit in the five remaining regular-season races, it would be an additional five points – the equivalent of an extra race win – in Larson’s favor heading into the playoff stretch.

IT’S MAGIC: In 10 Cup Series starts at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Larson has four top-five finishes – including three runner-up finishes – and five top-10s. In three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at “The Magic Mile,” the 28-year-old driver has two top-five finishes. In 2012, Larson led 15 laps en route to victory in his only ARCA Menards Series East start at the New England track.

TOP OF THE BOARD: Through 21 of 36 Cup Series races, Larson leads the series in wins (four), second-place finishes (five), stage wins (12), playoff points (32), and laps led (1,441). He is tied for most top-five finishes (11), most top-10s (14) and most pole positions (one).

FIT FOR A KING: On Thursday at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, Larson is scheduled to compete in a dirt sprint car in the 38th King’s Royal. He is also scheduled to participate in dirt sprint car races at the track on Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday, Larson experienced mechanical issues at the beginning of the A Main in the Brad Doty Classic dirt sprint car race at Attica Raceway Park in Ohio and did not finish.

NOT SO AVERAGE: At 13.64 seconds, the No. 5 pit crew owns the quickest average time for four-tire pit stops in 2021. The over-the-wall crew is comprised of gasman Brandon Harder, jackman Brandon Johnson, tire carrier R.J. Barnette and tire changers Donnie Tasser (front) and Calvin Teague (rear).

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. From the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 5th

No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: As the series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend, Chase Elliott’s two wins, four runner-up finishes and nine top-five results are all career bests for him through 21 races. The Georgia native has spent 1,671 laps inside the top five and 3,155 laps running in the top 10. Elliott currently sits fifth in the driver point standings, 132 points behind leader Denny Hamlin.

GRANITE STATE STATS: Elliott is set to make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. In 2018, he led 23 laps on the way to a fifth-place finish – his best result at the 1.058-mile oval. Elliott also earned a pair of top-10 finishes in two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track.

GUSTAFSON AT NEW HAMPSHIRE: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will be atop the pit box for his 29th Cup Series race at New Hampshire this weekend. In his previous 28 races calling the shots for five different drivers at the venue, Gustafson collected two wins – in 2006 with Kyle Busch and 2009 with Mark Martin. The crew chief also accumulated one pole award, seven top-five finishes, 13 top-10s and 497 laps led.

STRONG STOPS: Through 21 races this season, the No. 9 pit crew owns the third-best average time for four-tire stops at 13.71 seconds. The team is comprised of jackman T.J. Semke, gasman John Gianninoto, tire carrier Jared Erspamer and tire changers Chad Avrit and Nick O’Dell.

WELCOME HOME: One member of the No. 9 team road crew considers New Hampshire Motor Speedway his home track. Engine tuner Tony Bove hails from Burlington, Vermont – 167 miles northwest of the venue. Bove attended the University of Colorado before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to finish his college career. After college, he joined Hendrick Motorsports as an engine tuner. Bove is currently in his 14th season with the organization.

‘CHASE’: Over the weekend, NBC aired the trailer for Elliott’s upcoming documentary “CHASE” that will premiere on Peacock next month. The documentary, hosted by Dale Earnhardt Jr., takes you to Elliott’s hometown of Dawsonville, Georgia, for a personal walk through his rise in NASCAR and all the people who have helped him along the way. Together, they explore his roots, his passions and his love of racing with his parents, friends and colleagues. Watch the trailer here.

NAPA KNOW HOW: On Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the No. 9 Chevrolet will don the familiar blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme. The Atlanta-based company is serving as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for a total of 25 NASCAR Cup Series races this season.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 4th

No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

BEST YEAR YET: Entering the back half of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron is having his best year yet at the highest level of competition in the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. So far, he has collected one win (Homestead-Miami Speedway), one pole (Road America), eight top-five finishes and 14 top-10s (tied for the most by a driver this season) all while leading 245 laps and earning three stage wins. Byron’s eight top-five finishes are the most the 23-year-old driver has had in a season at the Cup level and his 14 top-10s tie his previous best in a season, as well.

21 IN 21: After 21 races, Byron has been seen running in the front of the field consistently every week. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has spent 3,983 laps running in the top 10 – the second-most in the series – and 2,149 laps in the top five – the third-most throughout the field. In the last nine races, Byron has run within the top five for 1,047 laps – the second most behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. He maintains the second-best average running position in the Cup Series of 8.57 and an average finishing position of 11.48, placing Byron in fourth in the driver points standings.

LOVIN’ LOUDON: Of all the tracks on the NASCAR circuit, New Hampshire Motor Speedway has always been a good one for Byron. He has three previous Cup Series starts under his belt at the 1.058-mile oval, all resulting in top-15 finishes. In fact, with an average finish of 12.33, NHMS is Byron’s second-best track based on average finishes.

DOMINATING FASHION: While he has always ran well at New Hampshire, Byron got off to an unbeatable start at “The Magic Mile” early on. Making his debut at the 1.058-mile oval in 2015 in the ARCA Menards Series East, Byron qualified on the pole and led 68 of 70 laps before taking home the checkered flag. He followed that performance the next year by dominating the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race where he started from the pole and led 161 of 175 laps en route to his sixth of seven victories in 2016. Moving up to the Xfinity Series in 2017, Byron earned a top-five finish after starting seventh and placing third.

RUDY PUTS THE MAGIC IN ‘MAGIC MILE’: Byron isn’t the only one who enjoys racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; his crew chief does, as well. With three starts at the 1.058-mile oval all coming in the Camping World Truck Series, ­­Rudy Fugle has one pole award and two wins, including a win with Byron in 2016. In fact, Fugle’s drivers have an average starting position of 2.3 and an average finishing position of 3.0 at NHMS.

LIBERTY U IS BACK: Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend when the Cup Series takes on New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday. Redesigned for the 2021 season, the new paint scheme features a white base with navy flames and red accents, allowing the Liberty University No. 24 to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. The school has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in communications, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s new Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

HEADING HOME: Traveling to New England for this Sunday’s Cup Series race, one crew member of the No. 24 team calls New Hampshire Motor Speedway his home track. Car chief Tyler Jones, who has been a member of the No. 24 crew since 2019, hails from South Royalton, Vermont, less than 100 miles northwest of “The Magic Mile.”

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 11th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

ATL RECAP: Alex Bowman and the No. 48 team brought home a fourth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway last Sunday after starting 17th. Bowman claimed a fourth-place result in stage one and a third-place finish in stage two. During the 260-lap event, the Ally driver ran in the top-five for 83% of the race, which is fourth-best of all drivers. This is Bowman’s second top-five result at the 1.5-mile venue this season.

GRANITE STATE STATS: The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will make his 10th start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Bowman’s best finish at the 1.058-mile oval came in 2018 when the team finished 11th after rolling off eighth. In 2018, the 28-year-old driver made his first start in the No. 88 Chevrolet when it was announced that he would take over for injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 10 events. Bowman has two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the New Hampshire-based venue. In 2011, Bowman made two starts at the track in the ARCA Menards Series East where he completed 100% of the total laps and had an average finish of ninth.

IT BEGAN IN 2016: Bowman made his first Cup start with Hendrick Motorsports at New Hampshire in July of 2016, as he filled in for Earnhardt Jr. Since joining the 13-time Championship team, the driver has made 139 starts and has three pole wins. Since 2016, Bowman has five wins, 22 top-five results, 52 top-10s and three pole awards. The No. 48 driver has led 1,065 laps and has been a part of the NCS playoffs since 2018.

2021 AT A GLANCE: The Tucson, Arizona, native has three wins, six top-five finishes and 11 top-10s, which is tied for the eighth-most top-10 results in the series with Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick. Bowman is tied for first for the most top-10 finishes in the last nine races with seven. Over the last nine races, Bowman has run 679 laps inside the top five, which is fifth-best overall. He has led 151 laps and is currently ranked sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings after 21 events. Bowman’s three wins this season are tied for second with Truex in the Cup Series. All five of Bowman’s Cup victories came on a different track and all three of his wins in 2021 occurred in the last 13 events.

IVES’ NHMS CREDENTIALS: Crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the ninth time at Loudon on Sunday. Ives’ drivers have led 10 laps at the facility, and his best finish at the track came in 2015 when Earnhardt finished fifth after 301 laps. In 2013 and 2014, Ives was a crew chief at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. His drivers had an average start of 5.0 and an average finish of 8.0. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer on the No. 48 team with Jimmie Johnson. During that time, the team had one win (2010), six top-five finishes and 11 top-10s at New Hampshire.

PIT ROAD STATS: During the 2021 season, the No. 48 pit crew ranks fifth for the fastest four-tire pit stop average in the NASCAR Cup Series with a time of 13.77 seconds. The No. 48 pit crew includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback, and tire changers Scott Brzozowski (front) and Devin DelRicco (rear).

IN MEMORY: On Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the four Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE race cars of Hendrick Motorsports will carry a special decal in memory of longtime team member Todd Coble, who passed away this week. Coble, who was a sub-assembly technician in the Hendrick Motorsports engine department, spent more than 21 years with the organization.

FINE NINE: Over the last nine NASCAR Cup Series points races, Hendrick Motorsports has won seven times, finished 1-2 on four occasions, won 10 of 19 stages, and led 1,255 of 1,838 laps raced (68%). With 36 total entries across the nine events, the team has scored 19 top-five finishes and 24 top-10s.

WINNING SZN: Through 21 of 36 points-paying races in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 times, which is tied for the team record at this point in a season. Its 16 stage wins are the most ever by any organization in the first 21 races. Hendrick Motorsports has scored its third-most top-five finishes (34), second-most top-10s (51) and fourth-most laps led (2,003) after 21 points events.

STREAKING TO THE BREAK: On Sunday at New Hampshire, Hendrick Motorsports will seek its 40th consecutive Cup Series points race with at least one of its Chevrolet race cars inside the top-10 finishers. If it occurs, the team will go into NASCAR’s two-week Olympics break having tied its third-longest streak of top-10s, matching the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The organization’s most consecutive top-10 results came from 2006 to 2008 when it ran off an all-time Cup Series record string of 87. The team’s second-best streak is 51 in a row, which happened from 2011 to 2013.

DROUGHT BUSTER: Although Hendrick Motorsports has nine Cup Series victories at New Hampshire, it has not won there since September 2012 with driver Kasey Kahne – a 14-race span that represents the team’s current longest drought at any active track. Thus far in 2021, the organization has ended winless streaks of 23 races at Richmond Raceway, 13 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 12 races at Pocono Raceway and nine races at Sonoma Raceway.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “I’ve always enjoyed going to Loudon. I wouldn’t say it’s one of my best tracks, but I do enjoy going there because it’s different. It reminds me of a longer, bigger Indianapolis Raceway Park the way you race it. With the traction compound application there, it seems to wear out for the last couple runs so you have to adapt and search and find where there’s more grip.”

Larson on his contract extension and announcement with HendrickCars.com: “The chance to extend my contract with Hendrick Motorsports and have such an awesome sponsor in HendrickCars.com are things I don’t take for granted. I feel like I’m driving for the best team and the best sponsors in the sport. To know that our on-track performance is having positive business influence off the track is very important because I want to return the incredible support they’ve given me. Everyone at Hendrick Automotive Group has made me feel like part of their team, and it’s exciting to be able to represent a company that loves racing like I do. I feel like we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the challenges of setting the car up on a flatter track: “New Hampshire is definitely a challenging track – high importance on stopping and going while also having your car turn properly in the center of the corner. It’s a tough place to figure out, but a great race track with great fans in a great area.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at New Hampshire: “New Hampshire has been a really hit-or-miss place for us; it’s just a different track. It takes a different driving style, I feel like, than some of the other places. I look at Loudon at being more of its own animal. We’ve had a couple solid runs there, but never a dominating performance. It hasn’t been my best place, I don’t feel like, personally.”

Elliott on the upcoming “CHASE” documentary: “I was looking forward to having Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) down and showing him a little bit of our home state. I feel like people think about Georgia and they think about Atlanta. They don’t think about the greater Atlanta area and the northern side of the state, which is where I have lived and grown up in for the majority of my life. I got to show him a little bit of my day-to-day life and some of the things that I do. We talked a lot about racing and my career, which I really enjoyed. It was great to have him in town and for him to make the trip. I’m looking forward to everyone having the chance to watch and enjoy it.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to New Hampshire: “New Hampshire is fairly difficult. I feel like it’s a track that, historically, the veteran drivers do really well at with their experience there. It’s just a tough racetrack. You have to have a lot of grip in your car to run well. And honestly, this is one of the tracks that Rudy (Fugle) and I have done the best at in our careers. We have some testing notes there and know what works well and what the car needs to do. I’m honestly pretty excited about going to New Hampshire this weekend. It’s a track that Rudy and I have been looking forward to going to all season long.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on heading to New Hampshire: “This race at New Hampshire has been circled on my calendar since I started the job at Hendrick Motorsports. That’s how much I enjoy going there. It’s a track that I’ve just taken to, honestly, and I don’t know exactly why that’s the case, but I’ve been able to figure it out early on. I enjoy the challenge it brings with how crucial grip is, and like most short tracks, how important it is to have drive off to set yourself up on entry for the next set of corners. It’s a fine line. I feel like we have a good idea what want to have in the car when we unload. Plus, I feel like Hendrick Motorsports has made quite a few gains with its short track program which only helps heading to a track like this.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on taking on New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “We’ve really improved our short-track program for the No. 48 Ally team. We struggled at Richmond Raceway for a long time and this year we went and won there. Hopefully, we can take some of what we learned there to be good at New Hampshire.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on preparing for Sunday’s race at Loudon: “New Hampshire is just like any other racetrack. When you run well, it is a lot of fun to drive and when you struggle, it is not a lot of fun to drive. Coming off of a Richmond (Raceway) win and some of our road course success, I feel like we can go into this weekend’s race at New Hampshire with some positive confidence and compete for a top five, if not a win. As a team, we have to stay focused and positive on Sunday.”

COLE CUSTER
New Hampshire Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (Round 22 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 18
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1.058-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 301 laps/318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stages 1: 75 laps / Stage 2: 110 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: NBCSN / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Cole Custer and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, site of a pair of career breakthrough wins by the 23-year-old driver from Ladera Ranch, California, for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. Custer scored a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win there as a 15-year-old in 2013, then followed it up with a record-setting NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in 2014.

● Sunday’s 301-lap race will be Custer’s 61st Cup Series start and his second on the flat, 1.058-mile oval. He started 14th and finished eighth there last August for his second top-10 in a row, his fourth in a five-race stretch that included a victory three weeks prior at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, and the fifth top-10 finish of his Rookie of the Year campaign.

● In his three New Hampshire starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2017 through 2019, Custer finished in the top-10 in all three, his best resulting in a runner-up finish from the pole in his most recent outing. His first two appearances resulted in ninth-place finishes. All three outings came behind the wheel of the No. 00 SHR Ford.

● Custer’s September 2014 Truck Series win at “The Magic Mile” came behind the wheel of the No. 00 Haas Automation entry. It was a dominating run from the pole position, during which he led a race-high 148 of 175 laps and crossed the finish line 1.148 seconds ahead of runner-up Bubba Wallace. It was the first of two career Truck Series wins for Custer and, at the age of 16 years, seven months and 28 days, made him the youngest winner in series history. Custer drove to a sixth-place finish in the 2016 Truck Series race at New Hampshire, driving the No. 00 for JR Motorsports.

● The September 2013 K&N Series win at New Hampshire also came from the pole position. Driving the No. 00 entry for owner Ken Schrader, Custer led a race-high 60 of 105 race laps and beat runner-up Daniel Suárez by .743 of a second.

● After his second consecutive 17th-place finish last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Custer arrives at New Hampshire 28th in the driver standings.

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

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

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

New Hampshire has treated you well over the years. A win in the Truck Series, a win in the K&N Series, a few top-10s in the Xfinity Series, and an eighth-place finish last year in your rookie Cup Series season. Is this a chance for the No. 41 team to build some momentum?

“I think so. Last year when we were heading into that race, I knew I’d have to take some time and figure out how the Cup car raced there. We came out with a top-10 and that’s definitely helpful as we prepare for this weekend. We have something we can go back and look at to find a good starting place for our setup and try to have a plan for what we know we’ll need to build on as the race goes on. You always hope you’ll come out of every race with good momentum, but this weekend is as good a place as any for us to really show the work that’s being put in.”

With five races left in the regular season, where do you feel like you stand as a team?

“I feel like we’re moving in the right direction. The results may not show it but, coming soon, we’re going to start having better races. There is improvement happening, we can see it and the guys are doing a lot of work behind the scenes during the week to get us in a better place.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Ashboro, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: John Roselli

Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana

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

Tire Carrier: Dwayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Jack Man: Matthew Schlytter

Hometown: Ponte Vedra, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Mechanic: Nick McIntosh
Hometown: Havre, Montana

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Thomas Gagliano
Hometown: East Hampton, Connecticut

Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples
Hometown: Hudson, Illinois

Transporter Co-Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

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

CHASE BRISCOE
New Hampshire Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview
● Event: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (Round 22 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 18
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1.058-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 301 laps / 318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 75 laps / Stage 2: 110 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: NBCSN / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After securing their fifth top-15 finish of the season last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 HighPoint.com team for Stewart-Haas Racing set off for the 22nd points-paying race of the year at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

● Sunday’s 301-lap event will be a test of the rookie-driver’s patience as he figures out a track he hasn’t visited in nearly two years. Briscoe’s last race at New Hampshire was the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series event in which he started fifth and finished sixth. He also has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the 1.058-mile oval, which resulted in an 11th-place finish.

● Crew chief Johnny Klausmeier earned a third-place finish at New Hampshire with Aric Almirola in 2018, his best result in three races there atop the pit box.

● With 21 races complete on the Cup Series schedule, Briscoe sits 23rd in the driver championship with five events remaining before the playoffs begin Labor Day weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Additionally, he leads the Rookie of the Year standings by 150 points over Anthony Alfredo.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

It’s been almost two years since your last visit to New Hampshire. How do you feel about Sunday’s race?

“It honestly just feels like I haven’t really raced there before. I’ve only been to New Hampshire once in trucks and once in Xfinity. Neither went great and I just don’t have a lot of laps there. I’m interested to see how this weekend goes. I feel like a lot of the tracks this year that I haven’t enjoyed in the past, like Phoenix, I’ve seemed to like more in the Cup car. I think it’s probably because we have more horsepower, and you can slip and slide around a lot more and manage it. So, I’m excited to get to New Hampshire this week. I don’t really know what I need in the car since I don’t have a lot of track time there, but we’ve got 301 laps to figure it out.”

You’ll have a two-week break after this race, and then we return with back-to-back road-course races. Is that something you’re looking forward to?

“For sure. I wouldn’t say the road courses are my favorite but, from a results side, it’s certainly been our best chance to go run up front. The road-course deal is a place where I feel like I can make a difference. Some of these low-downforce tracks and the road courses are places where I feel like I can do more on my end to get position on track and make a difference in how we’re running, not relying solely on the team to make adjustments and figure it out for me. With five races left to make the playoffs, with the road courses and Daytona, it’s kind of open for anybody, so we’ll try to take one of those spots.”

This far into your rookie season, do you notice a difference in how far you’ve come as a driver and how the team has progressed?

“As a driver, it’s a night-and-day difference. Results aren’t where I’d like them to be, just because I think anyone would love to say they won every race and that’s not realistic. It’s going to take some time to run up front, especially in the Cup Series. It’s not a secret that, as a company, we’re not where other teams are and, as a rookie, that’s just the cards we’re dealt and I have to work with that the best I can. But I feel like I’ve done a much better job over the last four to six weeks of being a more complete racecar driver and putting things together. As a team, we’re really hitting our stride. A 15th-place finish is certainly not where we want to finish at Atlanta, but in those last few laps we were battling with Kevin Harvick. He’s the person I try to judge myself against. We’re in the same equipment and obviously Kevin is going to be a Hall of Famer, so if I can run with him, I’m doing my job, especially at a place like Atlanta, where he has had so much success.”

Do you feel you’ve had to shift your goals for this year?

“My goals have definitely changed throughout the year. When the season started, I wanted to be Rookie of the Year and make the playoffs. As the season has gone on, we’re now in a must-win situation to make the playoffs and my goals have shifted as I’ve had more time in the car to figure out what is realistic. Now, when I look at what I’d like to accomplish in my first Cup Series season, I’d like to be top-20 in points and to consistently be the second-best SHR car. I don’t think anyone is expecting us to outrun Kevin, so if we can be second, I feel like that’s a good way to judge where we are. I’d rather compare myself to teammates to judge where I’m at. That just makes it easier to keep realistic expectations. I would also like to get a couple more top-10s, mainly on an oval. I feel like we’re really close to doing that and just need to close it out. I’m OK with my goals shifting as time goes on. I don’t think it’s reasonable to set something in February without ever having been in a Cup car and stick to that for an entire season.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: Chad Haney
Hometown: Fairmont, West Virginia

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joe White
Hometown: Windsor, Virginia

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey
Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brett Morrell

Hometown: Windham, Maine

Fuel Man: Justin Wilson
Hometown: Wise, Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Front End Mechanic: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Glenn Funderburk
Hometown: Mint Hill, North Carolina

This Week in Motorsports: July 12-18, 2021

· NCS/NXS: New Hampshire Motor Speedway – July 17-18
· ARCA: Berlin Speedway – July 17

PLANO, Texas (July 14, 2021) – The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head to the ‘Magic Mile’ – New Hampshire Motor Speedway – for their final race before the two-week Olympic break in the NASCAR schedule. The ARCA Menards Series also continues its championship battle at Berlin Speedway on Saturday.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS

Busch on top-five streak… Since scoring his first win of the season at Kansas Speedway in early May, Kyle Busch is on a streak of eight top-five finishes in 11 races. That run of success has moved the two-time Cup Series champion from 10th in points all the way up to third overall. Busch has three victories at New Hampshire (July 2006, July 2015 and September 2017).

Hamlin looking for fourth Loudon win… Series points leader Denny Hamlin has a series of strong runs at the ‘Magic Mile’, scoring three-career wins in New Hampshire. Hamlin helped Toyota sweep the season in 2017 with a victory in the July race. He also scored wins in July 2007 prior to driving a Camry and September 2012.

Bell back in Xfinity Series… For the first time since the end of the 2019 season, Christopher Bell will be back aboard a Toyota Supra this weekend at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at a track he has seen incredible success. In 2018, Bell led the final 19 laps and scored the win, while in 2019, he was incredibly dominant, leading 186 of the 200 laps before driving back to victory lane.

Toyota Supra drivers look to continue streak… Since the debut weekend at Circuit of the Americas in May, Toyota drivers have been on a winning streak – scoring victories in six of the last eight events. Toyota looks to continue the streak with five Supras in the field this weekend – Bell and Joe Gibbs Racing’s teammates Daniel Hemric, Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton, along with Sam Hunt Racing’s Brandon Gdovic – who is back in the No. 26 for the first time since Texas.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Heim and Gibbs continue championship battle… With a late-race bump and run, Corey Heim took the win at Elko Speedway and grew his championship points lead over Ty Gibbs to seven points. The two drivers have combined to win all nine ARCA Menards Series races this season.

Love and Trotter plan to backup career best results…Although both are winners in the ARCA Menards Series West, both Jesse Love (second) and Gracie Trotter (third) earned career-best results in national ARCA Menards Series action at Elko Speedway. Both drivers return behind the wheel this weekend at Berlin Speedway.

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