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Iconic 1956 Corvette SR-2 to be Featured at Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance July 17

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Official Release
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The dynamic 1956 Corvette SR-2. (Photo courtesy of Irwin Kroiz)

Special activities will highlight the one-day event at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (July12, 2021) – The iconic purpose-built 1956 Corvette SR-2 will be one of the featured Corvettes at this Saturday’s Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia. The July 17 one-day event will celebrate Corvette – “America’s Sports Car” – and will benefit Cool Cars for Kids, Inc.

The dramatic SR-2 was created by Harley Earl, the head of styling for General Motors Corp. in the 1950s. He and Zora Arkus-Duntov, who also shared the title of “Father of the Corvette” with Earl, had the vision to create the first Corvette for 1953 production.

Earl’s son Jerome, who was racing a Ferrari in the mid-’50s, ended up having to switch brands because of his father’s position with GM. The top brass of the company felt that Jerome should be racing a Corvette instead, so Harley Earl designed a special Corvette for him – the SR-2. More than 17 Chevrolet engineers worked on the car in multiple shifts each day to prepare it for the 1956 SCCA racing season.

The car went on to be raced by legendary drivers such as Dr. Dick Thompson, John Fitch, Jim Jeffords and Augie Pabst, and even drag-raced by Vernon Kispert.

Throughout the years the car changed hands and is now with its present owner, Irwin Kroiz, of Ambler, Pennsylvania.

The SR-2 will be on display during the Concours d’Elegance, which will also feature these special events:

Corporate sponsors of the Concours include Delta Dental, Spinner Family, Cavallo Auto Body, Lamborghini Philadelphia, Maserati of the Main Line, FC Kerbeck, Rally Rd, Algar Ferrari of Philadelphia, and Berrodin Auto Parts Company

Supporters of the Concours include Vermeil Wines, JVS Enterprises, JC Taylor Insurance Company, Dara King Photography, Cosmo Losco Productions, Turn 5, American Trucks, Extreme Terrain, American Muscle, Alvare Associates, Down to Basics, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, Corvette Registry and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

For more information, visit www.coolcarsforkids.org, or call 267-982-CCfK (2235)

To purchase tickets to the 2021 Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance, go to www.philadelphiaconcours.com/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the day of the event, July 17.

AT A GLANCE:
WHAT:
Fourth Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance
WHEN:
Saturday, July 17, 2021 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
WHO:
Families, classic car enthusiasts, collectors, racers, one and all
WHERE:
Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
6825 Norwitch Dr.
Philadelphia, Pa.

About Cool Cars for Kids:
Cool Cars for Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pa. that brings together families of children with genetic conditions and classic car enthusiasts who share a common passion and appreciation for the one-of-a-kind. Funds raised from this unique partnership will directly forward its mission by supporting local and national charities – including The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – to deliver care and support to children and families who struggle with the medical complexities associated with rare diagnoses. www.coolcarsforkids.org.

Busch Light Apple Racing: Kevin Harvick New Hampshire Advance

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Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
New Hampshire Advance
No. 4 Busch Light Apple 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

● As a 21-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series with 58 career wins, Kevin Harvick has a lot of good racetracks. New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon is one of them. The driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has made 37 starts at the 1.058-mile oval and won four times – tied with retired driver Jeff Burton for the most all-time. And when he hasn’t ended his race in victory lane, Harvick has been well within the vicinity. He has 13 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, both of which lead the series.

● Who is even close to Harvick at New Hampshire? There are four active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with three wins – Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman – but only Harvick has four victories. When it comes to top-fives, Harvick is in a class of his own with 13. Next best are Kyle Busch and Hamlin with 11 top-fives apiece. It’s a bit closer on the top-10 front, with Newman just behind Harvick with 20 top-10s.

● While Harvick has always been good at New Hampshire, his performance at the track took a dramatic turn upward when he joined SHR in 2014. In the 11 races contested at New Hampshire since wheeling the No. 4 car for SHR, Harvick has scored three wins and has only three finishes outside of the top-five. And of his 765 career laps led at New Hampshire, 446 have come in the last 10 races (58.3 percent).

● The “Stewart” in Stewart-Haas Racing is Tony Stewart, and he has a pretty good track record at New Hampshire, too. The 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee won three races in 35 starts and logged 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s with 1,302 laps led. The only driver with more laps led at New Hampshire is fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon with 1,373 laps led.

● Harvick has proven quick at New Hampshire outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. In 12 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, he has a win (June 2007) to go with nine top-fives and 11 top-10s with 677 laps led. And in six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Harvick has three top-three finishes and five top-10s. His worst result was merely a 15th-place drive back in August 1999.

● All of these statistics and anecdotes make Harvick the apple of one’s eye at New Hampshire, which is fitting since the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion will race the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. Busch Light Apple is a crisp, refreshing, apple-flavored lager with a touch of sweet on the front end and a clear, beer finish on the back end. It is available for a limited time only in 12-, 24- and 30-packs at a store near you.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang

Phoenix Raceway is your best track, statistically, but New Hampshire isn’t far off from your results at Phoenix. Four career wins and eight top-fives in the last 10 races is proof of that. Are there similarities between Phoenix and New Hampshire?

“Flat tracks have always been really good for me in my career. When you look at SHR and the things we’ve been able to accomplish at Loudon and Phoenix, they’ve kind of followed that same trend. A lot of that goes back to that open test time we had at Milwaukee and Nashville. Those are the places where we would practice and practice and practice. Our guys have done a great job of having a good short-track, flat-track program, and Loudon is a place that has followed along with Phoenix and the success that we’ve had there and to be able to capitalize on that success and continue it at another track.”

You’ve won three of the last six races at New Hampshire and you’re tied with Jeff Burton for the most victories at the track with four. What makes you so good there? Experience? Confidence? A combination of both?

“New Hampshire has been really good to us, and I think Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and I probably feel like we should have – could have – won them all. But it’s been a racetrack that has been really good for us from a performance standpoint. And from a confidence standpoint, being able to adjust on the car and know what we’re looking for, I think this is definitely a racetrack where a lot of those things came into play, and we used a lot of the same things that we’ve used in the past as far as tools of how we make our car go around the corner. It’s been a great racetrack for us.”

How do you need to drive New Hampshire, as it seems to be a bit of a strategic race?

“It all depends on how they lay the PJ1 down, now. You kind of have to chase that PJ1 and keep the car straight, high entry, straight exits, and you kind of have to chase that groove as it moves throughout the race. It’s much different the last couple of years than it had been the previous years before that because of that element with the PJ1.”

You get a giant lobster for winning at New Hampshire. Other than scaring your kids with it in victory lane, what do you do with it?

“My lobster, they mounted on a board. It sat in a closet and his claws fell off and some of his arms and legs fell off, so we took the lobster off the board and we used the board for a skateboard ramp. That was what happened to my first lobster because he just fell apart and we used the board for Keelan’s skateboard ramp.”

You’re a big proponent of grassroots racing, and grassroots racing is big in New England. What’s your take on the racing scene in New England?

“I learned that back in 2009 when we ran the Oxford 250. We spent a week up there practicing and racing, and I think 110 cars showed up for the Oxford 250 and we were fortunate to win that race. You open up every newspaper in the region the next morning and it was about the Oxford 250. From that very day forward, the same guys that I raced with will come to the garage and say, ‘Hi,’ and talk about that particular weekend, and you hear fans talk about being at that particular race. Really, the Oxford 250 had kind of given me a little bit of a leg up on everybody because I was able to interact with those fans on a regional basis and be able to have that stick with me for a long time. I haven’t been able to go back and do that event again, but having that experience up there allowed me to connect and realize how big racing was in the Northeast.”

No. 4 Busch Light Apple Team Roster
Primary Team Members Driver: Kevin HarvickHometown: Bakersfield, California Crew Chief: Rodney ChildersHometown: Mooresville, North Carolina Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” SmithHometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin Engineer: Dax GerringerHometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina Engineer: Stephen DoranHometown: Butler, Pennsylvania Spotter: Tim FedewaHometown: Holt, Michigan
Over-The-Wall Members Front Tire Changer: Shayne PipalaHometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois Rear Tire Changer: Daniel SmithHometown: Concord, North Carolina Tire Carrier: Jeremy HowardHometown: Delhart, Texas Jack Man: Stan DoolittleHometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina Fuel Man: Evan MarchalHometown: Westfield, Indiana
Road Crew Members Mechanic: Richie BeanHometown: Bradford, Vermont Tire Specialist: Jamie TurskiHometown: Trumbull, Connecticut Engine Tuner: Robert BrandtHometown: Mobile, Alabama Transporter Co-Driver: Rick HodgesHometown: Raleigh, North Carolina Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen MitchellHometown: Woodville, Ohio

Josh Berry to Sub for Michael Annett at Loudon in JRM’s No. 1 Entry

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Official Release
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Annett to Undergo Surgery for Stress Fracture

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 12, 2021) – Michael Annett, driver of the No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, will miss this Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway following an MRI which revealed a stress fracture in the Iowa driver’s right femur. Josh Berry, who ran 12 races for the team in the No. 8 Chevrolet this season, will sit in for the recovering Annett this weekend.

The MRI revealed the fracture on Monday, and surgery to repair it will take place on Tuesday. Following this weekend’s event at NHMS, the series will have two weekends off due to the Tokyo Olympics, and doctors have said the three-week recuperation should allow Annett time to resume his duties when the series races again on Aug. 7 at Watkins Glen International.

Annett, 35, was forced to miss last Saturday’s NXS race at Atlanta Motor Speedway due to the injury. Austin Dillon raced the Pilot Flying J-sponsored Chevrolet to an 11th-place finish in that event.

JRM has requested a medical waiver for Annett from NASCAR regarding his status for the NXS Playoffs. Following the Atlanta race, Annett stands 11th in the playoff field.

In his 15 NXS starts this season, 12 of them in JRM’s No. 8 Chevrolet, Berry has earned a victory at Martinsville Speedway, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 20th year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also races in Late Model competition and owns four championships in regional Late Model divisions and added a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

NHRA Sonoma Nationals Returns to Sonoma Raceway, July 23-25

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif. (July 12, 2021) — With 330-mph fire-breathing machines under the lights and the first nitro action in two years at Sonoma Raceway due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 23-25 is sure to deliver a weekend full of unforgettable moments.

The race is the ninth event of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and serves as the challenging central point of the NHRA’s famed three-race Western Swing, which includes stops at Bandimere Speedway in Denver (July 16-18), Sonoma Raceway, and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (July 30-Aug. 1). The event in Sonoma is one of the most thrilling and unique races in drag racing, as competitors compete at sea level, which provides for faster runs and record-setting speeds.

The action kicks off with a fan-favorite nitro session under the lights on Friday and continues with two qualifying sessions on Saturday and final eliminations on Sunday. Racing will be featured in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Robert Hight captured his 50th career Funny Car win in Sonoma in 2019 and joined Billy Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) in victory lane.

As a thank you to Sonoma Raceway’s loyal fans, the track is opening up Thunder Alley and the Sunday morning Track Walk free for all spectators. Thunder Alley is located in front of the main grandstand at eye-level with the race cars. Sunday’s pre-race track walk allows fans to walk the racing surface prior to final eliminations alongside some of the sport’s top racers.

As always, tickets include an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity gives fans a chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds.

NHRA Sonoma Nationals qualifying will feature one round at 6:30 p.m. (Pro Stock and Pro Stock Bike) and 8:05 p.m. (Top Fuel and Funny Car) on Friday, July 23 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 24 at noon and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 25. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 11 a.m. (Pacific) on Saturday and Sunday qualifying at noon on Sunday, followed by final eliminations action at1 p.m. on Sunday.

To purchase general admission or reserved seats, call 800-870-RACE or online at www.SonomaRaceway.com.

Emerling to pilot the No. 23 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C. (July 12, 2021) – Our Motorsports announces today the addition of Patrick Emerling to its driver roster for the No. 23 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Emerling will pilot the entry of this weekend’s Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to drive the No. 23 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway,” Said Emerling. “New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of my favorite tracks. I am looking forward to pulling double duty in the Xfinity Series and Whelen Modified Tour.” 

The 28-year-old made his NXS debut in 2020 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Emerling is currently leading in points in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.  “We are looking forward to a good showing with Patrick with his experience at New Hampshire Speedway. He brings a ton of talent to our team,” said Our Motorsports Owner Chris Our. The Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will take the green flag on Saturday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The 200-lap event will be broadcast on NBSCN.

About Our Motorsports

Our Motorsports competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro for Brett Moffitt, and the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro for multiple drivers. To find out more information about our team, please visit ourmotorsportsgroup.com.

Early Damage Results in 28th-Place Finish for Newman in Atlanta

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (July 12, 2021) – A promising run for Ryan Newman unraveled just before the end of the first stage in Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as he was forced to pit with a damaged tire. The damage trapped Newman a lap down from the leaders, and a relatively caution-free event kept him from regaining that position as he went on to finish 28th.

Newman started the day from the 29th spot, but quickly drove through the field as his Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang sprang to life in the hot and slick conditions at Atlanta. He had advanced seven positions by the lap 25 competition caution and had worked his way as high as 17th before reporting that he had a tire coming apart just laps before the end of the first stage. Newman was forced to pit road and lost a lap to the leaders, scored 29th and just outside the free pass position.

The team began the second segment ready to fight for the free pass, but the segment ran caution-free and a pass-through penalty was assessed on Newman’s lap 125 pit stop for a crew member jumping over the wall too soon. The penalty dropped the team another lap, and they were unable to regain the position with no more natural cautions in the event. Newman was ultimately scored with a 28th-place finish.

Newman and the No. 6 team return to action next weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Race coverage Sunday is set for 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and can also be heard on PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Buescher Finishes 16th in Atlanta

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (July 12, 2021) – Challenging conditions at Atlanta, including threats of rain and a lengthy red flag for track repairs, created a chaotic 400 miles for the field on Sunday afternoon. Chris Buescher battled through the challenges and damage from an early incident to finish 16th in his Fastenal Ford Mustang.

Buescher started the day from the 18th position and quickly worked his way up through the field, reaching 14th by the competition caution at lap 25. He would continue to march forward in the first stage, reaching the 12th spot in a three-wide battle before finishing the first stage of the day in 15th.

The second segment of the afternoon ran caution-free, with green flag pit stops the large driver of position changes in the field as track temperatures cooled with rain threatening. Crew chief Luke Lambert brought Buescher down pit road just before the race reached the halfway point and was deemed official. As skies cleared and it became clear the race would run its scheduled duration, Buescher finished the second stage in 17th.

Though the weather had subsided, track officials were forced to red flag the field to repair damage to the front stretch. That would be the last break in the action of the day, as the race ran green to the end and Buescher would continue to battle for a 16th-place finish.

Buescher and the No. 17 team are back in action next weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Sunday’s race is set for 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and can also be heard on PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Four Historic Sports Racing (HSR) B.R.M Chronographes Endurance Challenge Race Winners Crowned Sunday in Featured HSR Race at Finger Lakes Invitational with Masters Historic Racing at Watkins Glen

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  • Gray Gregory and Ethan Shippert Secure B.R.M. Overall and Historic Victories in Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 26 Chevron B26
  • Thomas Gruber GT Modern Winner in TAG 2016 No. 991 Porsche 991 GT3 prepared by Speed Syndicate
  • Eric Lux Locks Down GT Classic Victory in Goldcrest Motorsports 1973 No. 0 Porsche 911 RSR
  • Craig Sutherland Scores First Career Win in B.R.M. Vintage in Heritage Motorsports 1973 No. 41 Porsche 911 S/T

WATKINS GLEN, New York (July 12, 2021) – Four different Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) class winners took to the top step of victory lane after a packed B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge one-hour race Sunday morning that was the featured HSR event of this weekend’s Finger Lakes Invitational with Masters Historic Racing at the at Watkins Glen International, July 9 – 11.

The new-for-2021 race weekend at The Glen, which was originally scheduled to debut in 2020, didn’t disappoint despite a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunday’s HSR B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge, and a doubleheader schedule of HSR WeatherTech Sprint races Saturday and Sunday, shared the weekend’s card with a showcase slate of Masters Historic Racing and Masters Endurance Legends competition.

The Masters Historic Racing Weekend at The Glen continued a successful and ongoing relationship between HSR and Masters that has been in place the last few racing seasons. The annual “HSR Classics” at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Raceway both feature Masters entries competing for overall and series honors in several different run groups.
The overall and Historic-class B.R.M. victory at The Glen went to Gray Gregory and co-driver Ethan Shippert in the Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 26 Chevron B26. The victory continues a winning run for Gregory and his teammates in HSR competition that includes late 2020 triumphs in both the HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA and the team’s third consecutive victory in the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.

The B.R.M. GT Modern (GTM) class win was earned by Thomas Gruber in his TAG 2016 No. 991 Porsche 991 GT3 prepared by Speed Syndicate. Crossing the finish line second overall, Gruber started a streak of his own after capturing the B.R.M. GTM victory in his last HSR appearance at the season-opening Spring Fling at Sebring last March.

Eric Lux secured the B.R.M. GT Classic (GTC) victory with a fourth-place overall finish in his Goldcrest Motorsports 1973 No. 0 Porsche 911 RSR. Lux also picked up a Saturday Group 5 WeatherTech Sprint win in the Porsche in addition to sweeping the Group 9 WeatherTech Sprints in his Goldcrest Motorsports 2011 No. 100 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

It was the second-straight HSR event in which Lux won races in both the Porsche and Mercedes-AMG, driving both cars to multiple race wins in his last HSR appearance at the 43rd Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in April.

The fourth and final B.R.M. class winner at The Glen was Craig Sutherland who took Vintage class honors in his 1973 No. 41 Porsche 911 S/T prepared by Heritage Motorsports. The win was the first for Sutherland since he began driving in competition 16 years ago.

Third overall in B.R.M. and second in GTM went to the HSR debuting father-and-son team of Geoffrey Ehrman and Russell Ehrman in their 2003 No. 516 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup. The Ehrmans anchored a strong showing of father-and-son teams in the GTM class that accounted for three of the top-seven overall B.R.M. finishers.

Fifth overall and third in GTM went to longtime HSR competitors Paul Reisman and his son John Reisman in their Hudson Historics 2009 No. 771 Porsche 997 Cup.

Another strong HSR debut came from first-timer Jimmy McGlynn who co-drove the 901 Shop 2003 No. 171 Porsche 996 GT3 Cup with his father Tom McGlynn to fourth in GTM and seventh overall in the B.R.M. race.

The GTC podium was completed by a pair of familiar competitors joining rival Lux in victory lane. Todd Treffert in his Speedconcepts 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC prepared by the 901 Shop finished second while Yves Scemama – fresh from his weekend triple sweep one race ago at Barber Motorsports Park – hit the podium again with a third place showing in his Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 52 Porsche 911 IROC.

Gregory and Shippert were joined on the Historic-class podium by second-place finisher Francesco Melandri in his Amalfi Racing 1996 No. 96 Porsche 993 GT2 and Mark S. Clark, who crossed the line third in class in his 1990 No. 15 Swift DB5 Sports 2000.

Sutherland shared the Vintage podium with runner-up Daniel Caggiano in his 901 Shop 1970 No. 71 Porsche 914/6 while Bob Summerour co-drove with David Hinton to third in the Heritage Motorsports 1972 No. 201 BMW CSL.

In addition to Lux in Group 9, other competitors that swept both of their weekend WeatherTech Sprint races included Scott Kissinger and Hervey Parke.

Kissinger scored the Group 3 win in both rounds in his 1971 No. 202 Datsun 240Z in addition to taking the overall win in the combined Group 2 and 3 races.

Group 2 honors in the same pair of races were earned by Parke in his 1965 No. 11 Ginetta G4.

Next up for HSR is a return guest appearance with the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association (VSCDA) for the Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival (ELVF) at the Ariens Art on Wheels Vintage Weekend, September 17 – 19, at Road America.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

Erik Jones Finishes in the 24th-place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Erik Jones and the No. 43 Petty’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team finished in the 24th-place in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 11.

The lineup for the 260-lap event was determined by using NASCAR’s competition-based formula, which takes into account finishing positions from the previous race (weighted 25% owner and 25% driver, 19th-place Road America), the ranking in team owner points (35%, 26th-place) and the fastest lap from the previous race (15%). Jones started the event at the 1.54-mile oval from the 22nd-place on Row 11.

At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 80, he was in the 25th-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 160, Jones was scored in the 23rd-place. The 25-year-old Byron, Michigan, native was scored as high as the seventh-place in the final NASCAR race on the battered and heavily patched track surface of the Atlanta Motor Speedway, located in Hampton, Georgia.

“Not the day we needed for our No. 43 Petty’s Garage Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team. We tried some different stuff, and it just did not work out. On to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, to continue to build on our short track-program.” -Erik Jones

Code 3 Associates Racing: Cole Custer Atlanta Race Report

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Custer Scores 17th-Place Finish at Atlanta
Code 3 Associates Ford Driver Earns Season’s Ninth Top-20

Date: July 11, 2021
Event: Atlanta 400 (Round 21 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-mile oval)
Format: 260 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish: 23rd / 17th (Running, completed 260 of 260 laps)
Point Standing: 28th (314 points, 522 out of first)
Race Winner: Kurt Busch of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kurt Busch of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Cole Custer started 23rd and finished 18th.

● The Code 3 Associates Ford drifted back to 27th in the opening laps and held that relative position to the lap-25 competition caution. Custer reported his racecar was loose in the early going but then started “coming to me.” He pitted for four tires and a slight air-pressure adjustment and restarted 27th on lap 29. Custer had picked up four positions by the time the caution flag flew for a two-car incident on the backstretch on the ensuing lap. He stayed on track and restarted 22nd on lap 35.

● Custer cracked the top-20 by lap 37 and picked up another two spots by the end of the stage. He said his biggest issue was the opening laps of a restart and that his Code 3 Associates Ford improved over the long run. He pitted during the break for tires, fuel and additional air-pressure adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

● Custer started 19th and finished 20th.

● The Code 3 Associates Ford driver held his relative position for the duration of the run to green-flag pit stops. Custer had worked his way into the lead on lap 122, but then he was called to pit lane for four tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment, as he reported his racecar “restarted better this run” but didn’t have the advantage it had over the long run during the opening stage. He resumed 25th with several cars still needing to pit.

● Custer called the run to the end of the stage his best of the race to that point, but he said track position lost on the restarts was too difficult to make up, even with improved handling over the long run. He pitted during the break for four tires, fuel and additional track-bar adjustments. Before the final stage began, the race was red-flagged for 19 minutes for repairs to the track surface on the frontstretch.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-260):

● Custer started 17th and finished 17th.

● The Code 3 Associates Ford restarted “a little too tight this run,” Custer said, but he was able to stay in the top-20 and worked his way up to fourth during the next round of green-flag pit stops. He made his stop on lap 212, taking four tires, fuel and slight adjustments to enable his racecar to maintain its long-run speed. He resumed in 20th when the field completed the pit stop cycle.

● The race stayed green all the way to the checkered flag, during which time Custer picked up three positions for his second consecutive 17th-place finish.

Notes:

● Custer’s 17th-place result bettered his previous best finish at Atlanta – 18th, earned in the series’ prior visit to the track in March.

● Kurt Busch won the Atlanta 400 to score his 33rd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his series-leading fourth at Atlanta. His margin over second-place Kyle Busch was 1.237 seconds.

● There were four caution periods for a total of 21 laps.

● Only 18 of the 37 drivers in the Atlanta 400 finished on the lead lap.

● Denny Hamlin remains the championship leader after Atlanta with a 10-point advantage over second-place Kyle Larson.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 Code 3 Associates Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Our Code 3 Associates Mustang was pretty solid on the long runs all day long. We just couldn’t fire off well on the restarts, and that loss of track position was just tough to make up, even with our long-run speed. Let’s go to the flat, mile oval at New Hampshire and see if we can get our best finish of the year.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 July 18 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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